Well, dear readers, we had our second rehearsal with our talented young folks, and they’d all done their homework, worked on the little notes from Monday and were all really good. It is so heartening to sit and watch and listen to these young’uns do what they so clearly love to do. There is such joy in them and positivity and after two years of living in the world in which we’ve been living, it is a treat to be around it and touched by it. We have twenty songs, eleven young people, and a wonderful musical director in Cassie Nickols. I think only five of the eleven have done Kritzerland shows, so this is new territory for six of them. But they listen, are attentive, and not a one of them has had a cell phone in their hand, which is, when you think about it, astonishing. And on we go to our stumble-through. Otherwise, I’m sitting here like so much fish, listening to the Menotti violin concerto conducted by Charles Munch, one of my favorite conductors. I’ve started going through his big box set again and it’s just incredible stuff. Just prior to the Menotti we had Honegger’s wonderful fifth symphony. If you’ve never heard the Menotti concerto, it’s one of the greats.
What can I say about yesterday that hasn’t already been said? Well, plenty. I got six hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails and did a few things on the computer, then moseyed on over to the mail place and picked up a couple of packages, then went to Staples. I bought more paper for the printer, which I’d completely run out of, and I gave them the thumb drive to print out the new book. It was actually ready an hour later, but I’d told them I wouldn’t be able to get back until today. Then I came home, had two turkey sandwiches on onion rolls for food, and then shaved and got ready for our rehearsal.
At four, our first two people arrived and then we went straight through until eight-thirty. It was fun but very long. Then I had to catch up on a lot of stuff. I found out that Hold On to Your Hats and Make Mine Manhattan arrived so that will all start shipping, probably on Monday. Then I had some Milk Duds for a sweet treat, whilst listening to music.
Today, I’ll be up by eleven, I’ll mosey on over to Staples to pick up the printout of the book and come right home and get ready for the two- or three-hour drive to Palm Springs to see the Cindy Williams show. We’re leaving at one-thirty because it’s Friday and traffic could be crazy. We’ve already chosen a restaurant and we’ll go right there if we arrive between four and four-thirty. We’ll have a leisurely meal, then mosey on over to the theater to pick up our tickets. Show begins at seven. Don’t know how long it is. They’re making arrangements for us to say hi to Cindy after, so that will be nice, and then we’ll drive back and hopefully the traffic will have abated.
Tomorrow, I’ll be up no later than eleven-thirty and then at two o’clock we’ll do our stumble-through. Afterwards, I’ll give whatever notes I have, we’ll run whatever we need to run, and then I’m going out to sup afterwards. Then I’ll come home and relax and rest my voice and watch, listen, and relax. I got a DGA screener for West Side Story so I may watch that again to see how I feel about it. Sunday, I’ll be up no later than noon, then I’ll relax until it’s time for me to get ready, and then I’ll mosey on over to Vitello’s for sound check and then we do our show. After, I’m sure some of us will go downstairs for some foodstuffs. I will, of course, have a full and detailed report for you. Then starting on Monday, we’ll ship out the CDs, I’ll be doing a lot of writing on the project with David Wechter, I’ll be proofing the new book so that I can then hand it off to the proofers, and I’ll get copies to the two people I’d like to write blurbs. I’d like to get everything done by February 1 so that we can then design the interior. Doug Haverty will be designing the cover. I also have meetings and meals, we’ll be setting our casting session at the Group Rep, and then I’ll do whatever needs doing.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must for example, be up by eleven, pick up the printout of the new book, get ready, have a long drive to the Springs of Palm, have a leisurely supper, see the Cindy Williams show, visit, drive back, and write some notes. 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 – CD, re-listening to Charles Munch conduct much marvelous music. Blu-ray, back to the Studio Ghibli films. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to be working with such talented kids – 11 talented kids 11 singing 20 songs 20.