Well, dear readers, how can the end of 2019 be nigh? Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, how can the end of 2019 be nigh and yet, the time is nigh, and it is almost 2020, which brings us into a new decade. If you look at many classic sci-fi films of the 1950s and 1960s, most of them take place in a future that is now our past – in other words we are past the predicted future and not much has actually come true, save for a few forward-thinking films. But the real point is, living in 2019, for example, IS science fiction at its finest. Who could have predicted what is going on right now? Well, George Orwell did and it’s amazing just how prescient he was, isn’t it? In any case, we are in the final throes of 2019 and I think we’ve had just enough dying in this final month of the year, don’t you? Yesterday, it was composer/lyricist Jerry Herman, who lived eighty-eight years, a life not to be mourned but to be celebrated. I worked with him only once, but I treasure that memory to this day for many reasons.
Back in 1994, I produced the cast album of the Hello, Dolly! revival, when the tour was in Minneapolis. I talked to Jerry several times in advance of the session, went to a rehearsal in New York, and he and I hit it off very well. He agreed with all my dialogue inclusions and actually only balked at one thing: I wanted to record all the dance music, as none of it had ever been done, and he didn’t want to. But Don Pippin took my side and Jerry ultimately told me he was happy I persisted and that it made our recording very special. That session was a bit of an ordeal, thanks to the leading lady (read Album Produced by for the gory details), but I kept the mood light and fun in the booth and Jerry was such a gentleman and so helpful in calming the waters. He was very complimentary about the mix but asked if we could re-record some of the leading lady’s vocals in Buffalo. Well, you couldn’t really turn Jerry down, not with his charm and winning ways, and so we did. He was delighted when we got up for a Grammy. I saw him several times over the years and he was always sweet and warm as can be. As I said elsewhere, “The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.” Here we are at the Dolly session.
Yesterday was a bit of a day. I had ABS (Active Brain Syndrome), mostly to do with what I hope will be my new book and while I was actually in bed by two I can’t imagine I fell asleep before four. I slept until one, so about nine hours of sleep, which I needed. Once up, I answered e-mails, did some work at the piano, listened to music, relaxed a bit, and then did some organization work for the new book for about two hours. Then I shaved and showered and moseyed on over to the Smoke House for a double belated birthday dinner for Sami’s mom and myself. I had my usual Caesar salad and small filet mignon with Bernaise sauce, asparagus, and creamed spinach. And, of course, the garlic cheese bread – I was very good and only had three of the small pieces. For dessert, I had the crème brulee.
Then I moseyed on over to the theater, Sami and her mom joined me there, and I gave the pre-show speech, which was pretty fun. Then we did our show for an almost full house, a very good audience, and everything ran very smoothly. Critic Steven Stanley did his first performance as Professor Metz and did a fine job and the audience really enjoyed him. Sami and her mom really enjoyed the show, too. I hung out after the show, since I knew a few folks, and then came home, listened to some music, and then it was time to write these here notes.
Today, I will definitely sleep in again, I’ll do some more organizational work for the new book, I’ll eat, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and then I’ll attend the evening show.
Tomorrow, I’ll be at the theater at noon to read a couple of actors, then we do our matinee, after which is a talkback. Then we read another actor, and then Doug and I are seeing the show that’s running upstairs in the small theater. So, a long day. Then we are in the final two days of this year – my plan is to just relax and do not much of anything. I think there’ll be a lunch perhaps, either on Monday or Tuesday. We will, of course, have our Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Bash right here at haineshisway.com, the most fun and safe place to be, and we’ll watch the East Coast balls drop and then the West Coast balls will drop and it will be 2020.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, sleep in, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, and attend the evening show, although I’m not quite sure yet if I’ll stay for the entire performance. Today’s topic of discussion: What sci-fi films were the worst and/or the wackiest at predicting the far-off future? And which sci-fi films actually got stuff right? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, and let us celebrate the life of that most positive and sunshiny songwriter, Mr. Jerry Herman.