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January 8, 2018:

KRITZERLAND AT STERLING’S 84

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, Kritzerland at Sterling’s 84 was spectacularly good. I was so proud of all the young performers – not a flub of any kind in the entire show, and tip-top performances from each and every one of them. We were completely full, despite about six no-shows due to illness. Alby Potts did a great job at the piano, as always, and we had the sound guy we like best. The audience was fantastic – I knew instantly that everything in the show would work and I also knew that I could be very free with the patter, which I was. We had some pretty huge laughs throughout. And the reaction, as always with Kritzerland shows, wasn’t just parents woo-hooing their kids – the reaction was EARNED by these kids and it was very genuine. There were so many highlights it would take pages to mention them all, so I’ll just say that the entire evening was stellar.

We had some of our young folks from past young person shows – Jenna Lea Rosen (now 19) and Brennley Brown – she would have done the show, actually, but she would have had to miss the stumble-through. The Geissmans were there, the girl I coached the other day and her mom were at our table, as was Leslie Young’s daughter, Alexa. There were quite a few young folks in the audience, as a matter of fact. We even had Stupefyin’ Jones at our table – Anna Gion, who played that role in my production of Li’l Abner.

We had so many lovely comments after the show, and I know all the kids felt really good about it. What I think the parents truly appreciate is how professional I expect everyone to be and how I never talk down to or pander to these performers because they’re young. I treat them just like I treat our adult performers, which is, I think, the best thing you can do with young performers.

After the show, about twenty of us went to Little Toni’s. I’d only eaten a few bites of an artichoke, so I was very hungry. I had a dinner salad and them a salami sub, both very good. I also had one slice of cheese pizza. There was lots of chatter and Sami got the good news that she’s playing Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame at her high school. She has to share the role because that director always double casts. It’s a shame he had to choose such a not-so-hot show for her final show there, but that’s what high schools like these days – the most current thing.

Then I came home. Prior to all that, I’d slept almost eight hours, got up, and began futzing and finessing. In doing so, I ended up adding three brand new pages to one section, so I got those three done, and I made lots of little adjustments throughout. I tried to write another page of new material but didn’t get very far. I listened to our final Levi mixes and I was very happy with them. I’m hoping the mastering guy can get this done very quickly. I got ready, and then had to do a couple of small errands and whatnot before heading to the club for sound check and then our show. Here’s a photograph of our merry troupe. Front row, left to right: Brendan Knox, Hayley Shukiar, Brooklyn Vizcarra, and Olivia Knox. Back row, left to right: Mackenzie Wrap, Autumn Jessel Doug Haverty, Hadley Belle Miller, Alby Potts, li’l ol’ me, Sami Staitman, and Brittany Fisheli.

When I got home, I immediately went back to the book and wrote three more pages – I’m determined to write four more before I go to sleep.

Today, I’ll futz and finesse, write new pages, eat, hopefully pick up packages, print out however many pages I have at three o’clock (I have a few little things to add earlier in the book – I just wrote them down but haven’t gotten around to writing them yet), and I’ll deliver them to Muse Margaret. I’m praying she likes them. Then I’ll continue to write new pages.

The rest of the week is all writing, waiting to hear if we’re doing a February Kritzerland, a few meetings and meals, and praying for miraculous miracles, which we oh so desperately need right this very minute, before things turn really ugly. So, send lots of excellent vibes and xylophones, if you would. Today’s topic of discussion: What was the first piece of music you heard that made you fall in love with music? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, so proud of all our kids in Kritzerland at Sterling’s 84.

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