Well, dear readers, we played our second and final show of A Cabaret Line last night. Not full, but more than the first night so this was successful for them and that’s what was important. The audience was absolutely fantastic and I knew they would be as soon as I got to the first bit of humor. I knew I was going to switch up the joke that hadn’t really worked the first night, simply because the audience doesn’t have the history with me that our Kritzerland audiences do. So, I did something that is a sure-fire laugh getter – when I do the “I am elderly and I must read from the paper” line, I went directly to “If I don’t read from the paper I automatically start doing my impression of Don Knotts playing the great roles in the American Musical Theater. I do Don as Tevye, I do Don as Harold Hill, and Don as The King in The King and I. They really liked that and we were off and rolling.
A couple of performers who haven’t really done this before, got in their heads during their songs and therefore flubbed some lyrics – I can see it coming a mile away – it’s always in the eyes – but they didn’t stop, they didn’t make anyone uncomfortable, they just motored through it. Even Peyton made a teeny-tiny flub but recovered so fast and so well that no one had a clew that it had even happened. After the show, I told her that that was a rare gift and she is a very special gal. Next year is going to be a very busy and very big year for her if I have my way, which I will. Many, many highlights, lots of cheering (genuine), and everyone just really delivered the goods. Sound was fine for most of it and the show moved along at a steady clip. The after party with desserts was fun, too, and we got so many lovely compliments. The What If worked really well – we’d done it last month at Kritzerland with Peyton and she just aced it again. I used Peyton a lot in the second half of the show – coming on at unexpected times, and all of that worked great. But I was especially pleased with one number – the old warhorse, “You Make Me Feel So Young.” Performer Paul Cady had done it in one of our workshops and I thought it was okay but that it could use something fun. And I came up with this idea that after the first time through the song, the vamp would play and Peyton would come skipping in and smiling at Paul. Then I wrote him a special set of lyrics for the second time through. So, he looks at Peyton, all energy and smiles, and sings:
You make me feel so old
You make me feel my story’s told
The bloom of youth, yeah, that’s my goal
Instead I get a colonoscopy
You’ve got the youth I crave
And I’ve got one foot in the grave
I guess that I should turn the page
And welcome middle age
Feeling young – that should be a breeze and a snap
I can still get my young on
We’ll close that gap when I’ve had my nap
At that point, Lloyd Pedersen comes on from the opposite side – he’s in his mid-70s and all smiles. Then Paul breathes a sigh of relief when he sees Lloyd and goes back to “You make me feel so young” and the final verse. Huge laughs throughout. And then after it was over, I got to say that I’m the first lyricist in the history of music to use the word colonoscopy in a song. I don’t really know if that’s true, but it got a big laugh. I’ll put up a video of the What If in tomorrow’s notes. Anyway, it was a grand evening. And Kay Cole bookending the show was perfection.
After the little after party, eight of us went to the Coral Café. Whilst sitting there, Alexa turned eighteen. We all had fun and the conversation was lively – Alexa, her mom, her friend Hayley, and sister Mia were there, Laura Wolfe was there, Robert Yacko was there, Doug Haverty was there, and Kay Cole was there. I had the eggs benedict, which were excellent. Then I came home and began these here notes.
Prior to that, I think I got around seven hours of sleep. Once up, I answered e-mails, did some work on the computer, had a telephonic call, ascertained there was no mail or packages, and then I got ready to mosey on over to the theater. As soon as Richard Allen arrived, we ran a few things so I could make sure the sound was fine, which it was. The rest you know.
Today, I’m waiting to hear whether this will be the garage purge day. Otherwise, it’s casting and choosing songs, listening to more of the Adriana audio book, I’ll eat, I’ll hopefully pick up packages, and then I really do need to relax.
Tomorrow, I’m not sure what’s happening – depends on whether we do the garage today. Otherwise, I’ll just try to take it easy. Not sure what the weekend holds, although I’ll probably go see the one-act ten-minute plays at the Group Rep.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, wait to hear about the garage purge, cast, choose songs, listen to more chapters for the audio book, eat, hopefully pick up packages, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite breakfasts? Where have you had the absolute best breakfasts? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a great Group Rep cabaret second show.