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January 24, 2022:

KRITZERLAND AT VITELLO’S 117

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, we had us a rather spectacular Kritzerland 117, our all young people show. The jernt was packed to the rafters and the rafters was packed with the people – not a seat to be had in the entire room. I love working with actors and directing plays – it’s rewarding and fun and sometimes not fun. But kids? Nothing brings me joy like working with joyful kids who love performing and are serious about it. They listen, they care, they want to be the best they can be. No ego, just desire. And last night, all of the eleven young people gave everything they had and then some and the audience ate them up. So, here’s how it went down. The show opened with the Gypsy cut song, Mama’s Talkin’ Soft with Ava Madison Gray and Aja Purkin, who knocked it right out of the park, which is all you want in an opening number. That was followed by Ellie Birdwell doing Here I Am from Henry, Sweet Henry. Ellie was in the kids’ chorus of A Carol Christmas when she was ten. Four years later and she’s almost as tall as I am. She did a great job with the song. Then Alexa Margolis did my song from A Carol Christmas, Spelling Backwards, and did a terrific job on it. It’s a song I’m very proud of in just about every way. Peyton Kirkner, who introduced the song in A Carol Christmas was in the audience and I think she got a little kick out of seeing someone else do it.

Then Erin Tardibuono did my put-together of How Lovely to be a Woman and One Boy from Bye Bye Birdie. She’d be a wonderful Kim and she did a terrific job. Then came our two teen boys – seventeen to be exact – Ethan Barmache and Emerson Haller doing Agony from Into the Woods – did it great, got their laughs. Next up was Hadley Belle Miller, who did her first Kritzerland show when she was eight – she’s now seventeen. She did Times Like This from Lucky Stiff – a tricky song, tone-wise, and she got it just right and got all HER laughs. That was followed by Marissa Margolis – her third Kritzerland show – doing the rare Six O’Clock News from then never produced version of Smile that had lyrics by Carolyn Leigh. Hamlisch did the music and it’s a wonderful song and Marissa did it wonderfully. Then came ten-year-old Sadie Reynolds, a little bundle of dynamite who did my twisty and crazy Shermanized Word Medley – five minutes of their nonsense words songs – perfectly delivered and the audience loved it and her. Next, Cami Abraham doing Out Here on My Own from Fame. This girl has it, whatever IT is. Gorgeous voice, soulful, and I’d cast her in anything.

Then came Ava again doing her solo turn, a put-together of Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang and Hushabye Mountain. Could not have been better and she just lights up the room. After that, Ethan was back with Santa Fe, from the film version of Newsies. I’m of the opinion that they really screwed up this wonderful song in the Broadway version. The film version is simple and kind of perfect and Ethan did a fine job of it. Hadley was back with a heartfelt Anyone Can Whistle, and then Alexa did Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid – really fun. After that, Erin was back with Amanda McBroom’s beautiful song, Ship in a Bottle – a simple and touching performance. Marissa followed that with my song Note to Boys from Welcome to My World – we worked really hard on the song’s nuances and humor and she landed it perfectly and got all of that. Then there was the Agony reprise, which was fun. Aja came back and did the sweet Sing a Rainbow song. After that, Sadie was back with the evening’s most affecting song – When She Loved Me, from Toy Story 2. This little girl did it so honestly and simply and it was heart wrenching. Then it was Emerson again, this time doing Mama, a Rainbow from Minnie’s Boys. He did a great job. Cami came back and did our penultimate song, my arrangement of Beautiful City and Day by Day that I did for The Stephen Schwartz Album. As with her other song, she did an astonishing vocal. Finally, Ellie came back and did my song, Everything Is Gonna Be All Right from Welcome to My World. And that was our show. The parents were over the moon, as were other family members. But was also had some of our regulars and they, too, were very complimentary. All in all, a wonderful evening. Here’s our merry troupe.

Here’s Marissa Margolis doing Six O’Clock News.

Here’s Ava Madison Gray doing Chitty/Hushabye.

Here’s Ethan Barmache doing Santa Fe.

Here’s Alexa Margolis doing Part Of Your World.

Here’s little Sadie Reynolds doing When She Loved Me.

Here’s Emerson Haller doing Mama, a Rainbow.

Here’s Cami Abraham doing Out Here on My Own.

Here’s Ellie Birdwell doing Everything Is Gonna Be All Right.

After the show, Robert Yacko and I went downstairs and had some food, then I came home.

Yesterday was lovely – eight hours of sleep and then just relaxing and resting my voice right up until I moseyed on over to Vitello’s for sound check and then show.

Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat something light but fun, and mostly I’ll proof the new book. Then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.

The rest of the week is more of the same, I’m doing a podcast or something like that on Wednesday with Richard Skipper, I’ll be writing on the project with David Wechter, attending an opening night on Friday and hopefully having a casting session on Sunday.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, hopefully pick up packages, eat, proof, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are the best hot dogs you’ve ever had – where, what was on them, and what made them great? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a spectacular Kritzerland at Vitello’s 117.

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