Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, transferring an LP to mp3 just because I can. I’ve just come home for a rough run-through – I wish we were a little further along, but even this roughly it’s really entertaining, and I think if we can just pull it together, which is daunting due to absences, I think we’ll be fine. So, we’ll do another rough run-through tomorrow, then, when we return on Saturday, I will drill everything over and over again until we’ve got each and every wheel turning exactly as it should. Our proper wrestling mats arrived so we used those and they work great. I will admit to getting a little snippy (if that’s the word) about some folks doing stuff incorrectly, but I’ve already warned the cast that at this point I simply cut to the chase and won’t dance around things. After rehearsal, I came right home, which is where I am now in case you were wondering. Oh, and today we announced our two new titles – the first is Ben Bagley’s revue, Shoestring ’57, a delightful thing in a very odd album presentation that makes no sense to me, but it’s still a ton of fun. Several up-and-coming writers like Schmidt and Jones, Strouse and Adams, and Sheldon Harnick, and a faboo cast, including Bea Arthur, Dody Goodman, and Fay De Witt, with much improved sound. The second title is Ben Bagley’s Rodgers & Hart Revisited Volume V and it’s filled with unknown gems sung by Dorothy Loudon, Mary Cleere Haran, Ann Hampton Callaway and others. This volume was toward the end of Bagley’s Revisted series when he didn’t really have the money to do them with anything but a rhythm section, but interestingly it seems to suit this material really well. Here are the covers.
Yesterday was an okay day as okay days go. I did get eight hours of sleep, so that was a good thing. I’d pre-ordered food. For years, I’ve seen Uncle Andre’s barbecue jernt, driven by it many times, seen it on DoorDash, but had never actually ordered from there. So, I decided yesterday would be the day and I ordered fried catfish (surprisingly calorie friendly at 199 calories per filet) and two sides – mac-and-cheese and red beans and rice. So, that arrived at one-thirty and boy was it great. The catfish was superb and their tartar sauce was great. The mac-and-cheese small side was also great and the red beans and rice were red beans and rice. It was a very happy meal and I feel there’s a Yelp rave in their future, oh, yes, I feel there’s a Yelp rave in their future.
Then I did some work on the computer, but the day had kind of gotten away from me due to announcing the new titles and orders starting to come in. I’m hoping many more orders arrive today. Then I quickly shaved and showered, went to the mail place and picked up two little packages, then I moseyed on over to the theater to work with an actor on his monologue. He got their late, so we really didn’t have the time I wanted and since he’d missed the night before, I had to walk him through all this entrances and exits. Then the cast arrived, and we did our rough run-through. And now, I’m about to listen to more Felix Slatkin. The sound on these is truly wonderful and classic early Capitol stereo.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll write, have telephonic conversations, then I have a five o’clock meeting and meal not too far from the theater, after which I’ll mosey on over to the theater and we’ll have another run-through.
Tomorrow is off. I’m going to try and get my car washed – it’s usually super crowded on Fridays, but I’ll try to get there early and hopefully it won’t be too bad. Otherwise, I’ll just watch, listen, and relax.
Saturday is our long rehearsal, and it will be a drilling rehearsal until I feel everything is really sharp. Sunday is off and a ME day, and then Monday Richard Allen will be at the theater and we’ll work with whoever wants to come. Then we’re in our final week before tech.
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, have telephonic conversations, have a five o’clock meeting and meal, then have a run-through. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite fried foods? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping the rough run-throughs get smoother and smoother.