Well, dear readers, there are so many things to talk about, and I shall endeavor to talk about all of them. So, where shall I begin? I think I’ll begin with last night’s performance of Everybody Rise: A Resistance Cabaret at Vitello’s where we played to a completely sold out room. That was a big surprise, as the day before only had sixty-eight on the books. But an interview with writer Joe Keenan happened to air today on Seth Rudetsky’s Sirius radio show, so I’m guessing that really helped. I was somewhat circumspect in my reportage of our first performance last November at a different venue. That venue, one of the most amateurishly run clubs I’ve ever been in, where no one is helpful, where their head mics are the cheapest known to man, where sound was atrocious, and the lighting guy wrote the show and left, without so much as consulting with, well, me, the director of the show. Much of the show played in much too dim light, mics went out repeatedly, and it tainted the evening for me, even though the audience reaction was great. There was enough that wasn’t sharp enough, that I was chomping at the bit to do it again in a proper venue and with the cast as it was meant to be. That happened last night and the difference was astonishing. Kerry O’Malley did the track she was meant to do but couldn’t, due to her shooting schedule on a series she was doing. And she brought just the right positivity and energy that was lacking last time.
In fact, the cast was on fire last night, from the first entrance. I’d not wanted head mics the first time around, but we ended up with them – this time I got it the way I wanted it – standing mics and it played so much better that way, like a real club revue. Everything about that set-up worked better. But it also helped to have our Kritzerland sound and light guy there – I have a total shorthand with him and he gets it right and it’s easy as pie with him. The cast, including Brittney Bertier, Kerry O’Malley, Eric Petersen, Nick Sacks, and Robert Yacko, were a real team and unit. The laughs were huge and constant. The pace was fantastic, and there were only a couple of fumfers the entire evening and they were really minor. The comments were wonderful. I sat with Jenna Lea Rosen, who loved the show. At the table next to us was Ed Begley’s wife (Ed couldn’t come this time) and Nancy Allen – I’ve seen her from time to time but hadn’t met her, and so that was fun. I knew several other folks, too. Joe Keenan was very happy because the show played so effortlessly and doing it at the standing mics enabled everyone to hear they parody lyrics better, even though we did every bit of staging, with only a couple of minor adjustments to what we’d done originally. That was the smart thing – not to do this as a concert, but as a structured revue with staging. We’ll be doing it again at Vitello’s and hopefully sooner than later, and I’d like it to become a permanent thing there, maybe once a month, right through the 2020 elections. We also shot video last night – none of us were happy with the video from the first club and performance. We should be able to put together a great sizzle reel, but also post a few full numbers, too.
Prior to that, I’d gotten about eight hours of sleep, I guess, even though I was up super early, but I got more sleep, not getting up until noon. At some point, I picked up a couple of packages and did some banking, and then I had to get ready to mosey on over to Vitello’s for our sound check. We took the full ninety minutes, which was very helpful for getting used to the mics, where the couple of mic moves were, and how the one wireless would work for the two number in which it was being used.
After that show, I hung out and chatted with all manner of folks, then I made a quick stop at Gelson’s to get some toasted coconut almond chip ice cream for a little treat. Then I came home and ate that. At Vitello’s I had a little Caesar salad and spaghetti and meatballs, the only real food I had.
Now, before I move along, may I just make mention of the rains we’ve been having? Huge thunder and lightning storms and buckets of rain. Interestingly, when I was writing Murder at the Magic Castle, I decided to make it rainy – but it wasn’t rainy here at all in January. But February really brought the rains and they’ve continued pretty steadily. And LA drivers in the rain are NUTS. They just lose their sanity, that is if they had any to begin with. These nut jobs should not be allowed in cars when it’s raining. The streets are slick and dangerous but they choose heavy rain and slick streets to try and make a left or right turn into oncoming traffic, trying to beat the oncoming cars. I mean, it’s constant – first on the left, then on the right, people are morons, basically. And they’re not even aware of it. Which is also typical.
The book is going to the printers, and I’ve sent the approved galley to the guy who converts my books for Kindle and Nook, so that’s now in the works. After eating ice cream, I just relaxed and listened to music, which I’ll talk about in tomorrow’s notes and which has to do with the various Umbrellas of Cherbourg CD releases.
Today, I can sleep in, then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, do some banking, then it’s a belated birthday dinner for Kay Cole at one of our favorite Eyetalian jernts.
Tomorrow at one, I do the interview for the Kay Cole documentary. The weekend will be for finalizing casting, choosing songs, and writing liner notes.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, sleep in, hopefully pick up packages, bank, and then have a belated birthday dinner. Today’s topic of discussion: Ice cream. Favorites, least favorites, best ever, worst ever. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that Everybody Rise was a rousing success.