Well, dear readers, we had us our second rehearsal for Sunday’s all young people Kritzerland show, and while it was a really long six-and-a-half-hour rehearsal, it was also a lot of fun. All the kids came back having worked whatever we worked on at rehearsal one and did great. I had a few more notes here and there, but I think it’s going to be a really good show. The variety of songs is always interesting and just watching these invested kids do their thing is a beautiful thing, at least for me. I did get nine hours of good sleep with really REALLY weirdly weird dreams – in one, I was married to Audrey Hepburn. Say what? Where did that come from? The only thing I remember other than it was Audrey my wife, was telling her sternly to eat and put on a couple of pounds. Speaking of eating, I needed a snack before writing these here notes, so I had some chicken noodle soup and a side of potato salad from Mel’s Diner – both were very good, I must say and have said. That was a good snack. Prior to rehearsal, I had Taco Bell – kind of gross but calorie-wise, well under 1,000. I shaved and showered and answered a LOT of e-mails, then our pianist arrived and then the cast began arriving at their scheduled times. I got an e-mail that needed a response, just before rehearsal ended, so I wrote what I think was a very good response, and now if you keep sending your excellent vibes and xylophones perhaps all these e-mails will result in something really fun. Only time will tell and right now time ain’t talkin’. After rehearsal were a couple of long telephonic conversations, the snack, and then I watched a few irritating YouTube videos. Finally, I sat on my couch like so much fish and watched another twenty minutes of Valentino. The sets and photography really are top-notch, and I’m finding it enjoyable. And so many interesting actors keep showing up, most recently Carol Kane and my old pal, Leland Palmer. The writing is a little florid and I’m here to tell you that back in 1977 not too many people found the film interesting. It was a box-office bomb in the US, although it did better in the UK. It got a mildly favorable review from Kevin Thomas in the LA Times, but then Charles Champlin also reviewed it and that one was not favorable at all. But as these things go, sometimes forty some odd years later, things seem better than they were back then, the year of Star Wars. Most interestingly, the producers, Chartoff and Winkler (Rocky) think it’s the worst film they ever produced. Director Ken Russell said he’d rather forget about it. Turns out, he turned down The Rose in favor of Valentino, which he called the biggest mistake of his life. And that was the day and evening.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll have me a full-on ME day from start to finish. I will check with the mail place to see what’s what, I’ll eat something light but fun but no fast food for me, I’ll answer e-mails, finesse the commentary, and then at some point I can watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow is our stumble-through and after it, I just have to relax and rest my voice. Sunday, sound check is at ten and the show is at one. After that, I will have a well-deserved nice meal somewhere nice. Then next week is very busy – lots of stuff in the ether that I’m praying will turn out nicely, hoping to sort out a few things that need sorting out, meetings and meals, the cast for the big fourteenth anniversary show is pretty much set, save for just a couple of folks, and so I have to start choosing the material. Musical director is set, too.
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, have a ME day from start to finish, check with the mail place, eat, answer e-mails, finesse the commentary, pray for some modern major miracles, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray/streaming player? I’ll start – CD, who knows? Streaming, finishing Valentino. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a fun second rehearsal and a dream in which I was married to Audrey Hepburn.