Well, dear readers, I wish I could say the ragged edges weren’t around yesterday, but they were – not as many, but some. And that’s all I’m saying about THAT. THAT is all I’m saying about THAT because THAT has said nothing at all about me. I can tell you one thing – it’s too darn hot! Stultifying, really, and humid as can be. One simply does not want to go out in such weather. But since it’s Too Darn Hot, here is Sami Staitman singing Too Darn Hot at last Sunday’s Kritzerland – she was too young to do it before now, but as I said in my introduction, she’s legal now and gets to. This is the arrangement I did for Shakespeare on Broadway. See if you notice all the “heat” songs quoted.
Yesterday was kind of a day. I got seven hours of sleep, answered e-mails, had several telephonic calls, booked the final Kritzerland performer (maybe we’ll have one more guest star), and began thinking about what folks will be singing. But mostly I got everything ready to ship Advise and Consent, and the helper came by today and got that stuff, although I think only the dealer orders got done today as he was back after a week away and had a lot of catching up to do.
Then I went to the mail place and picked up no packages or mail, stopped at Taco Bell for food, and came home and ate said food all up whilst listening to music. I’ve been listening to more chantoosies from the 50s – two really good ones – Miss Jeri Southern and the mostly unknown Carole Simpson, who had but one album on Capitol (and one other on the horrid budget label Tops). I listened to Judy Collins Judith for the first time since I got the CD whenever it came out. I liked it when the LP came out, but it has dated quite badly in terms of the stuff “arranger”/producer Arif Mardin did, which is just horrible. The successful tracks number four – The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, which Mardin gets credit for but which is done very simply – and then the three masterpiece tracks – Houses, Send in the Clowns, and I’ll Be Seeing You – all orchestrated by a real talent, Jonathan Tunick. Were it only if he’d done the entire album, but alas he did not. Who could have ever predicted that Send in the Clowns would become a huge hit and not one of Mr. Mardin’s “with it” tracks. Such is the fickle finger of fate. I also sat on my couch like so much fish.
I checked out some more Twilight Time Blu and Rays – specifically the two black-and-white scope films No Down Payment and Blue Denim, two movies I quite like – both look absolutely splendid. Also watched the first half of Next Stop, Greenwich Village – I saw it a couple of times when it came out and not since. It’s a sweet film, but like most of Paul Mazursky’s movies, it doesn’t quite hang together for me, but that’s just me. The cast can’t be beat, really, and the transfer is fantastic. Also checked out a bit of Genghis Khan and thought that looked pretty good. Then I watched in its entirety Auto Focus, the movie about Bob Crane starring Greg Kinnear. I went back and read what I wrote in 2003 upon seeing the DVD – and feel exactly the same. I’m not that fond of Paul Schrader as a director, the writers kind of fail the interesting person they’re writing about – it’s really just a bunch of scenes and we never really learn enough about Mr. Crane or why he’s the way he is, which is a real problem. Willem Dafoe is very good in his co-starring role, but the thing just goes from scene to scene. I found it odd there was not a mention of the second TV series he did – they act like he couldn’t get work until his Disney movie, but he did have this other series – didn’t last long, but not a peep about it? I did at least one episode of it. The transfer is great and it’s certainly worth a look as the subject matter is interesting.
Then I listened to more music, ate some popcorn and chocolate covered raisins (not at the same time) and that was about it. I began working on the package for our next release, so at least I’ve got that going and maybe we can announce early next week.
I promised the Return of the Trivia Question and so here’s what I hope is a fun one. Gee, I hope I remember how to do this. GEE is also the name of my latest novel, for those who haven’t been paying attention.
This musical show was a huge flop, running only a few performances. The composer was also an occasional producer, and in both capacities had an extraordinary number of flop shows – his longest run was a year, but 95% of his shows ran less than one month, some considerably less than a month, and one for one performance. In the cast were two stars – the male was a huge star who appeared in one of the most beloved movies ever made, as well as other films and many Broadway shows. The female star had been on Broadway prior to this show quite a few times, but she became famous many years later due to a television series. Also in the cast was an actor who would become famous not as an actor, but as a performer away from the theater, although he would go on to do one more Broadway musical, after gaining popularity in his other performing duties. Also in the cast was a young performer who, the following year, would become a full-fledged Broadway star in a hit musical, who would eventually go on to a prolific and huge career in TV and films. Also in the cast in a tiny role was a person who would soon give up performing to become a writer and then a director – he eventually directed a huge hit musical on Broadway. So…
Name the composer who was also an occasional producer mostly of flop shows.
Name the male star and his beloved movie.
Name the female star and the TV series that made her a household name.
Name the actor who would go into a different type of performing and name his one subsequent Broadway musical.
Name the young performer who, just a year later, would go on to be a full-fledged Broadway star and name the hit show in which he appeared. And name his two most famous TV and film credits.
Name the actor in a tiny role who would go on to become a writer and director, and name the huge hit musical he directed.
Today I have things to do, places to go, people to see, not necessarily in that order. I’ll eat, hopefully pick up packages, but mostly I’ll choose the songs for Kritzerland and get everyone their music.
Tomorrow is more of the same, Sunday is more of the same, and then next week is busy, busy, busy (that is three busys).
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do and go and go and do, eat, hopefully pick up packages, and figure out the Kritzerland show. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start – CDs, endless assortment o’ stuff. Blu-ray, more Twilight Time goodies. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had the return of the trivia question, at least for this one time.