Well, dear readers, Kritzerland at Home 107 was, I think, a rousing success. There were no technical issues, and between Facebook and YouTube Live we had about 120 people, all told. For me, that’s disappointing, but frankly I’m at a loss as to what else can be done about it. You can lead a horse to water, etc. I tagged over 300 people, just so they couldn’t say they didn’t know about it. Amongst them are people I’ve been hugely supportive of and yet during a pandemic when they’re all home and COULD watch, they don’t. Oh, some do catch it later, for sure, so that’s good, but these shows are a LOT of work, time, and effort on everyone’s parts. The first online show, we at least had, on average, about ninety viewers on Facebook – tonight it was, at most fifty-five. But the YouTube numbers go up each time, so that’s a good thing. And it’s hard to read the Facebook metrics, frankly, because it looks like we have a huge number of “views” for each show, but that number is never reflected in the “live” number that happens as the show goes on. But enough of that – the cast was absolutely wonderful, I thought. Daniel did a fine job of his three numbers, especially The Fantasticks put-together. Hartley was great on the Bells Are Ringing song, Sami did a great Where the Boys Are, Robert and our wonderful ensemble socked home The Brain from Planet X (with great tech work by Hartley), Adrienne Stiefel, as always, was stellar with Bluesette and especially with the closer, the Annie put-together. And Kerry O’Malley’s numbers were absolutely great, all three – her hubby does all her background images and he loves doing it and has gotten really great at it. How great was it to have her sing Whoever You Are, I Love You in the actual set of The Apartment, in Panavision yet. Our guest stars were all magnificent – Jason Graae doing She Touched Me wonderfully, and then bringing the online house down with the Jacques Brel song – Emily Skinner’s intensely moving Children Will Listen – and Norm Lewis’s breathtakingly beautiful With So Little to Be Sure Of/Who Could be Blue. I even had fun doing The Maladjusted Jester and yes, I did it by heart, nothing was in front of me at all except the iPhone. Richard Allen did great tracks and I really could not have been happier.
Yesterday was fine – I got nine hours of sleep, did a few things on the computer, ordered a nice lunch from Granville – mac-and-cheese with chunks of chicken and asparagus – very good. Then I just relaxed until it was show time. The show you know about. And if you missed it, you know where to find it. After the show, I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a charming motion picture called Hand in Hand, a British motion picture from Britain circa 1960. I remember seeing the coming attractions for this and it seemed right up my alley, so the following week I went and it was indeed right up my alley. The story of two kids, girl a Jew, boy a Catholic, and their friendship. It’s very sweet and very short, clocking in at seventy-two minutes. The transfer from Sony on DVD is nice and in its proper ratio of 1.66.
After the movie, I wanted a treat, so I made two little egg and cheese in tortilla things that hit the spot. After that, I relaxed, listened to more Toscanini and some really great performances in not great sound of Sibelius, Franck, and their ilk. Next up will be interesting – Shostakovich seventh.
Today, we start right in on the August Kritzerland. First thing are a couple of group numbers and a duet, where we have to get those tracks done right now so everyone can learn and work on them, as those are shot very early in the process to give Hartley enough time to put them together. I actually did a show order last night, so we’ll see if I like it and if so, I’ll start right in on the commentary writing and get that out of the way. I’ll eat something light, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and hopefully stay out of harm’s way. At some point, I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow I have a quick Zoom session for the duet, just to get us all on the same page technically, since this one is a bit tricky but if we can pull it off it will be fantastic, then it’s more of the same for the rest of the week and the weekend. I’ll try to keep to my one meal a day, yesterday being the only day where I didn’t do that, and stick to no desserts, which I haven’t done is six days.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, start right in on the August Kritzerland show, start right in on the commentary writing, eat, hopefully pick up packages, hopefully stay out of harm’s way, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What were your favorite numbers in last night’s Kritzerland show? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a pretty wonderful Kritzerland at Home 107.