Well, dear readers, the days seem heavily lethargic this week and I’m thinking that the intense writing of the new book has caught up with me. I don’t seem to have the energy to do the work I need to do on the project with David Wechter, but today’s the day that changes. I’m thinking I just needed a couple of weeks to clear my head, get the book proofed, get the jacket finished so I can send everything into the publisher, which will happen either tomorrow or first thing on Monday. Well, these are exciting notes, aren’t they? This is what happens when your opening salvo has “heavily lethargic” as two of its words. The Opening Salvo – that’s the title of my next novel, which will be heavily lethargic. We had our second music rehearsal last night but prior to that I put in the actor who’ll be playing the rest of the run in Doug’s playlet. We ran it a couple of times, I worked on specific sections to get the timing and energy right, and he’s doing a very good job of it. Our second music rehearsal was fun. We ran everything from the night before. It’s really hard because the piano conductor and cast scores have tiny hand notation that’s very hard to decipher and there are note discrepancies between the two and not only between the two but with what’s on the cast album. Lyrically, we’re going with the cast album, which pretty much matches what’s in the script we’re using, lyrics-wise. Then I let several people go, and we did two duets involving two gals, the adorable duet, Do We?, and I’m thinking that one will bring down the house, then Go Visit Your Grandmother, and finally The Caper. There’s one song in the score that has the weirdest music that Mr. Kander ever wrote – it sounds like he was on LSD or something, it makes so little sense to the singers and pianist. But we mush on as we must. As I hear the music, I get more and more ideas about what to do with them, staging-wise. After I got home, I got a couple of things from Taco Bell for my evening snack, ate that, and caught up on e-mails.
Yesterday was a heavily lethargic day. I got up at 11:20 after about seven hours of sleep. Once up, I answered e-mails and then ordered the chopped Eyetalian salad from California Pizza Kitchen with a 50% Uber Eats coupon. It arrived about thirty minutes later and was very good. Otherwise, I basically relaxed, I showered, I watched a couple of irritating videos on the Tube of You, I blocked a few trolls on Facebook, and then it was time to mosey on over to the theater. And that was that.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll definitely go back to work on the project with David Wechter, I’ll eat something, I’ll finish getting all the book elements into their folder and ready for sending, then we have another music rehearsal back in Hollywood at our music director’s studio. We’ll run everything and I’m going to start adding people to the duets where the ensemble takes part. I’ll be missing three people because they have shows, but we have plenty to learn.
Tomorrow, I’ll see about sending the book in although I suspect it will be Monday. Otherwise, I’ll just work on the computer, as I have no other plans. Saturday, we have a music rehearsal that ends at two, and then the Pearls will gather me up and we’ll be having dinner and then seeing a show. Sunday, I’ll finally meet with our set designer – I’m flying blind on this, as I’ve never seen anything he’s designed. I just hope he has artistic sense and can interpret what I’m thinking about for the set, plus add his own creativity. I’m hoping I can get some sort of rough sketch to show the cast when we reconvene on Tuesday for our first staging rehearsal. I’ll be starting at the top of the show and blocking numbers and scenes as we go.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Texas Two-Step, because today is the birthday of our very own dear reader JohnG. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own dear reader John G. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN DEAR READER JOHNG!!!
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, write, eat, get all the book elements into a folder, have a music rehearsal, and come home. Today’s topic of discussion: When you have something you need to get done, how do you like to kickstart doing it? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping that the opening salvo wasn’t too heavily lethargic.