Well, dear readers, first things first. It is May, the first day of May, and might I just say that it is my fervent hope and prayer that May will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. Tra la, tra la, the lusty month of May. The final day of April was yesterday and it was a rather crazy day, a whirlwind of craziness, some good, come crazy not good. But let’s start with the good, shall we? We had our first Kritzerland rehearsal yesterday, but two performers weren’t there, about which more in a moment. First to arrive was Daniel Bellusci and we ran his three songs. The first was Smashing New York Times cut from Applause and then inserted into A Broadway Musical. Then it was So Little Time, cut from Barnum, and finally it was the very weird and fun Floozies from The Grass Harp.
Then little Peyton Kirkner arrived and ran her song. We’re debuting the song she’ll actually sing in the show I’m writing with Doug Haverty and it’s super fun. Then Shannon Warne came. First she sang Time Goes By from Grover’s Corners, then Well, I’m Not from Bring Back Birdie, and finally that old war horse, I Dreamed a Dream, which, surprisingly, no one has ever sung at a Kritzerland show before.
After that it was Jean Louisa Kelly – she accidentally went to the old house and I found it interesting that it still is empty. She began with Not Getting Married Today from Company (really fun), then did They Were You, which she co-sang in the film of The Fantasticks, so it’s such a nice tribute to Harvey Schmidt to have her do it, and then If You Haven’t Got an Ear for Music, a rare Irving Berlin song I unearthed for Unsung Irving Berlin.
After that, we had our group arrive for our opening group number, Nothing to Do With Love from Personals, which I recorded for one of the Unsung Musicals albums. That turned into almost an hour and fifteen-minute thing, because Richard Allen had to plunk out parts for all six people. But even as rough as it was, it’s really going to be great.
Now, right about now you’re noticing how light this rehearsal was. There are two count them two reasons for this. The other male cast member called me and I could hear instantly he had no voice – he had a chest cold that turned into a bronchial infection and his doctor told him he probably wasn’t going to be over it in time for the show, and if I thought there was a chance he would be I would make it work, but I could hear that that was not going to be. So, that threw me into a crazy tizzy, trying to find a replacement, and as of this writing, the one guy we were hoping for will be out of town for the show. But he has a couple of suggestions so I hope to hear from them today and sooner than later. The other no-show was our guest star, Don Most, and I’m thinking that was probably a communication error, so Doug is trying to get hold of him. Since he’s doing material he knows very well and using his own charts, I’m not concerned if he only has one rehearsal. Then in the continuing crazy department, I heard from Karen Morrow, who is just not feeling up to doing the show, even though all she had to do was talk a bit. But we adore her and understand. So, I’m also trying for a second guest star. Crazy, right?
Prior to the crazy, I’d gotten about nine hours of sleep. Once up, I answered e-mails, didn’t have many orders to print, and then went to the mail place where, irritatingly, they hadn’t put out the mail. I was expecting an important envelope but had no chance to get back there to retrieve it, should it have arrived. Then I went to Taco Bell and got some food. Then I recorded all the songs I hadn’t gotten complete versions of, and sent those to Doug Haverty, as he’s really only heard three songs musically – the others he just had lyric sheets for. That, of course, too most of the afternoon. Then we began our rehearsal.
After that, Grant wanted to get something to eat, so off we went to Corky’s. I had my good sandwich and a salad – too much food for one day, but it was very good. Then I came home, had a nice call from Doug, who loved the songs, and then spent the rest of the time trying to replace the singer. The fellow we were hoping for is out of town this weekend, but he recommended two people he’s worked with so I’ve written one of them and if he can’t do it, then I’ll write the other. Oh, and the Sink Man came and fixed up the sink so that it is no longer sunk. It is most unseemly to have a sunk sink.
Today, I’m not sure what is happening in the first part of the day, but I know I have to hopefully pick up mail, I’m going to eat very lightly today, I’ll try to move on to a new song, and at three the piano tuner is coming – it’s desperately needed a tuning since moving here. Otherwise I just have to get a replacement and maybe even a replacement for Karen Morrow. And we may or may not announce a new soundtrack release tonight at midnight – if not, it will definitely be tomorrow night at midnight, unless it’s Thursday night at midnight.
Tomorrow we have one rehearsal with Jean Louisa Kelly, who can’t be with us on Thursday, Thursday is our second Kritzerland rehearsal, not sure what’s happening on Friday other than writing, Saturday is our stumble-through, and Sunday is sound check and show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, hopefully pick up mail and packages, eat very lightly, start a new song, have the piano tuned, and hopefully find our replacements. Today’s topic of discussion: I think we’ve done this before, but I’m always interested in discovering new things – what are your all-time favorite novelty songs, a novelty song being something like Yes, We Have No Bananas or Itsy Bitsy Teeny-Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini or Witchdoctor or Purple People Eater or Dinner for One, Please, James. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that it is May, tra la, tra la, the lusty month of May – and it is my fervent hope and prayer that May will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.