Well, dear readers, I am a SERM. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, am a SERM. A rare handful may be EGOTs but I, BK, am a SERM. Yesterday I received the wonderful news that our Kritzerland Flaherty and Ahrens show won a Robby Award for Best Cabaret. My only disappointment is I didn’t get to give an acceptance speech because I wasn’t able to get LACC to move quickly enough to host an awards show as we’ve done the past two years at the El Portal. Anyway, I was pleased as punch to finally win a coveted Robby Award. So I am now the winner of a Scenie, an Eddon, a Robby, and a Mac – hence, a SERM. I suspect I may be the only SERM there is – that would be my guess, but then again someone may prove me wrong. I don’t think there are many of us, no matter what.
Otherwise yesterday was a perfectly okay day. I got eight hours of sleep and was up at nine-thirty. I answered e-mails, had some telephonic calls, the helper came by briefly, and then I took the manuscript and went and had an omelet and an English muffin and finished my reading/proofing. I must say that the final twenty pages of the book just tickled me pink, which is better than being tickled green. Whether people end up liking or being indifferent to the book and its tale, I could not have done a better ending. I then picked up a couple of packages and came home.
In one of the packages was the new Rupert Holmes songbook, which Rupert sent me with a beautiful inscription – I contributed a blurb for the songbook at his request. What a treat to have all those great songs in one lovely songbook. I can’t wait to see him when he comes out for the March Kritzerland show. Then I entered all the little fixes that Muse Margaret didn’t need to hear about – just the little typos and grammar stuff, so that’s all done and now she just has to hear the remaining fixes I have questions about. There really aren’t that many. I had two places where I could add a new bit and I know what those two bits would be, but every time I look and think about it, it seems like it would impede the flow at those moments for the sake of another chuckle (both things involve a bit of humor). So, we’ll talk about that, too.
Then I had a surprise visit with our very own Mr. Nick Redman and that’s always a treat. After he left, I listened to some music, most interestingly a CD that arrived today. I had no idea this existed, but apparently the original performance of my favorite Sibelius symphony, the fifth, had major revisions to it, not once but twice. I couldn’t imagine how different it could be, but man is it different and not anywhere near as brilliant as his final version. The entire opening of the symphony isn’t there, it starts about a minute in – and it really needs the opening, I must say. The big tune in the third movement is not developed well and it hits the big emotional moment without earning it – that’s all done brilliantly in the final version. And the amazing ending is completely different. What a fascinating thing it is and I’m really glad I got to hear it – not anything I’ll be listening to much but a glimpse into how a genius made something that was good into something timeless and amazing. I believe it’s the only symphony that was revised by him.
After that, I sat down with the new Twilight Time releases and checked out Two for the Road, which is a fantastic transfer of a great film, Comes a Horseman – a film I’ve only seen once and have little memory of – Nick went public on this one because he was nervous people would be hard on the MGM/UA transfer – he lowered the price on it. I wish he’d brought it here because I would have told him none of that was necessary. The fact is, other than some bad gate weave in the first ten minutes, and the usual MGM speckles and occasional dirt, this is a pretty damn good transfer with absolutely stunning color and really nice detail. It’s far superior to many transfers I see from MGM. I was expecting the worse and was very pleasantly surprised. I’ll check out the other two discs today – Stanley and Iris, which I’ve never seen, and The Mad Magician with Vincent Price, which I’ve also never seen.
After that, I went to Gelson’s and got two grilled shrimp skewers – eight shrimp in all. I double-checked the calorie count of eight grilled shrimp – 54 calories. I’d say that was very calorie friendly. I also got some popcorn and a tiny bit of crab bisque soup. That was my evening snack and the entire thing didn’t come to over 350 calories and it was very filling. I listened to more music and took a shower, too.
Today, I shall hopefully have the conversation with Muse Margaret before noon and then I’ll get all those fixes in and then I’ll send the book to two of the proofers, and go to Staples and print out a hard copy for the third proofer. Other than that, I’ll eat, hopefully pick up some packages, and relax.
Tomorrow, I have a meeting with Kay Cole and then we’re both judging a singing contest. Monday I’m lunching with David Wechter, then we have our second Kritzerland rehearsal. Wednesday is our stumble-through, and then Thursday is our show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, converse with Muse Margaret, enter fixes, get the book to proofers, print out a hard copy or two, eat, hopefully pick up packages, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Rupert Holmes songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, so happy that we’ve won a Robby Award and that I’m a SERM.