Well, dear readers, our first three performances are done, and yesterday’s matinee was a very good one that played to a sold-out house. It’s still occasionally rough, but it gets better each time we do it. It’s a real shame that we don’t play next weekend – we’re not back until the twenty-fourth, but we’ll have a rehearsal this week and one before the performance when we return. It was a fun audience, and I knew several people – ASCAP’s Michael Kerker, Adryan Russ and her ever-lovin’ Dale Cooke, reviewer Steven Stanley, my late friend Joanna Erdos’ sister Susanna, who had musical theater historian Miles Kreuger with her, and a few others. We had a talkback after the show – just about fifteen minutes and that was fun. Then Doug and I joined Susanna and Miles at the Coral Café for a meal. I had my usual patty melt and fries, both excellent. After that, I stopped at the Studio City Gelson’s and got some Diet Coke, then came home, had some cherry chocolate chip ice cream and then watched the new HBO documentary about Albert Brooks, directed by Rob Reiner. It’s fun and interesting, but I wasn’t that interested in the newer comics interviewed. And I wish they’d gone into a little more depth about his movies – I think they cover them all in about ten minutes. Anyway, if you like his movies, you’ll enjoy this documentary. Prior to all that, I’d had a miserable night of sleepless sleep – maybe three hours total – tossing and turning and turning and tossing and worrying and wondering and wondering and worrying. I finally got up at ten-thirty, shaved and showered, answered e-mails, and then moseyed on over to the theater for the show. The first act ran seventy-one minutes, so we’re making progress. Second act always runs forty-five minutes and that includes the bows. When I got home, I sat on the couch like so much fish and immediately conked out for about forty minutes. Then I watched the documentary about Albert Brooks and here we are.
Today, I’m sleeping in and I don’t care who knows it. I have to use today to unwind all this stress that built up over the past two weeks. And boy do need a few modern major miracles. I’ll also be starting to get two CD releases ready to announce later in the month, our first releases in ages. Speaking of sleeping, as I write these here notes, I’m listening to the brilliant cast album from Subways are for Sleeping, one of the best scores for a flop ever written and one of the great Jule Styne overtures, and a classic Goddard Lieberson cast recording. I’ll watch a movie or two, eat something light, but mostly relax, which is essential. Essential, I tell you.
The rest of the week is going back to the project with David Wechter, we have a rehearsal on Wednesday, just so we keep the actors solid. I have to get some food in the house and I have to catch up on other stuff.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, sleep in, unwind, pray for a few modern major miracles, start prepping two new CD releases, eat, listen to music, watch a movie or three, but mostly relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Jule Styne songs and which of his theater scores do you like best, and what are your favorite films of Albert Brooks. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a fun matinee.