Well, dear readers, we had us a fun first rehearsal for the Kritzerland show. It’s a Cahn and Van Heusen show and I just love hearing all those classic songs sung by our wonderful cast. Of course, we do have our obscurities, there are a few songs from their two Broadway shows, Walking Happy and Skyscraper, and we’re doing one song apiece they wrote with other collaborators – Burke for Van Heusen, Fine for Van Heusen (that’s Sylvia Fine). We began at three and were through by around five-thirty, I think. I hadn’t eaten a thing, so I ordered some orange chicken from Shanghai Rose, a jernt in Studio City – it wasn’t the best, but I didn’t mind it. I also had a cup of won ton soup, although I basically only ate the wontons. I did manage to watch more than half a motion picture – Licorice Pizza, which is now free on Amazon Prime. I like the actors very much and I like a few of the set pieces, but it’s just too long and too meandering. I’ll finish it up at some point today. And now, I’m finishing up listening to Malcolm Arnold’s very strange and yet haunting sixth symphony. There was a LOT of garlic in the orange chicken, and I can probably be smelled from here to downtown Los Angeles.
Yesterday was a fun day in its way. Or maybe it was an in its way day day. Or maybe it was a Doris Day day. I got seven-and-a-half hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails, got dressed, and then moseyed on over to the mail place to pick up a little package and ship a Welcome to My World music folio. A nice surprise was a royalty check from Concord Theatricals for The Brain from Planet X. Makes me wonder where it was done. It might have been last year at some point – I’ll have to research. I went to the bank and deposited that (it’ll buy a few meals), then came right home. I worked on the ending of the two songs that needed endings, and I just need one more line on one song to be done with the lyrics, then I can set those lines to music and then write the tag scene and that’s all ten episodes. I added another wonderful NY name to the cameo roles, so that’s three fun people so far. After the Kritzerland show, I’ll begin casting all the cameos and roles so people can get it on their calendars.
Then we had our rehearsals. First to arrive was newbie Talya Sindel, a real by-God soprano. We ran her three numbers, settled on keys, and now she’ll get the songs in her bones. She’s been rehearsing for a three-performance thing of a new musical that began last night, so she’ll be able to drill tomorrow and Sunday until she comes to that rehearsal. She’s very good. Then came little Ava Madison Gray, who’s opening the show – what a little bundle of energy she is. After that, it was Robert Yacko, and we spent some time getting the put-togethers he’s doing just right, which they now are. He has a duet with Kerry O’Malley, who couldn’t be with us because she got a little two-day TV gig, so we’ll work that on Sunday. And then it was Damon Kirsche. We ran his stuff, decided that neither of us were really thrilled with one of the song choices, and so he’s doing a put-together that I wanted to do but everyone already had their three numbers. So, that’s fun.
Then it was food, the first half of the motion picture, and then listening to music whilst uploading the 8-CD set of Lorin Hollander, pianist. Looking forward to hearing it very much and I’m very much looking forward to hearing it, not necessarily in that order.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll definitely finish episode ten, I’ll futz and finesse that and get that sent out, then I have to record the three new songs so we can get charts done. I’ll eat, but mostly I’ll relax, rest my voice, and then finally watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow is our second Kritzerland rehearsal, which begins at one and will be over around three-thirty or four and then I can relax. Monday is a ME day, Tuesday is our stumble-through, and Wednesday is sound check and show. Then the rest of the week is casting the cameos and roles in the web series, casting the September Kritzerland show, and catching up on all manner of things.
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, finish episode ten, futz and finesse it, send it out, record three new songs, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of Miss Doris Day and your favorite Doris Day recordings? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a good first rehearsal and a fun day in its way day.