Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to more Ormandy, because I’ve been a bit of a slacker this week, although I’ve gone through three CDs earlier in the week. But I couldn’t wait for tonight’s listening adventure – the Mahler tenth – his unfinished symphony, completed by other hands – but two of its movements, including the amazing first movement, were completely orchestrated, while the other movements were sketched out. Mr. Ormandy was the first to record it and it’s a performance and recording that has never been topped, in my opinion. The first movement is stunningly gorgeous and gorgeously stunning. So, I’m in Mahler heaven right about now. Earlier, we had us another complete run-through – no stops this time, which was nice. And it’s really beginning to shape up now. The few notes I gave were addressed and those things played better than they ever have. No one really thinks of Ira Levin as comedic, but his first great stage success was No Time for Sergeants, a huge hit on Broadway and a hit film. And Deathtrap, for all its thrills, has great moments of humor. Drat! The Cat! has a very droll script and if it’s played at the right rhythm and pace, it’s really fun and really funny. And we’re finally starting to find it now. Our new actress is doing really well, considering she’s only been at this for three days – I gave her some very specific things to work on and she’s really easy to talk to and direct. The first act has been running 55-minutes each time. The second act needs to lose two minutes, but that will be easy once it’s tightened. I worked on the act two ballet thing some more and it’s more to my liking now. What I’d really like to do with it I can’t do because there’s a set than can’t move because it works before and after the ballet. So, I have very limited room. If I had a full stage and the kind of set we were supposed to have, I could have really pulled a Blake Edwards with it, which is what it really needs. But it’s better now and I’m sure I’ll keep tinkering with it, knowing me. After we finished, I turned things over to our stage manager to run all the scene shifts that involve the two three-sided units – those shifts must be smooth, or it looks terrible. I continue to be so impressed with our leading lady – so easy to work with, and so creative. Our leading man, too – I gave them both the same notes about certain scenes and the energy within them, and they both took the notes and those scenes were great last night.
I found out last night that one of our lovelier than lovely cast members has been reading these here notes occasionally. Isn’t that fun? Other than that, I got eight hours of sleep, I think, got up, answered the usual barrage of e-mails and texts and had to write some very strong responses – show stuff, in which something got blown way the HELL out of proportion – in fact, it became a fictional drama with not a thing based in actual fact except for what I was saying. I’m not going to go into it, but let’s just say I had the receipts to prove that my side of it was the factual side – no refuting that. That took up too much of my time. I had a Chinese chicken salad from Stanley’s, typed up the few notes I wanted to give out, showered, then moseyed on over to the mail place to pick up an Amazon purchase. Would you like to see what that purchase was? Here it is.
Isn’t that a lovelier than lovely purchase. It’s amazing to be able to get a copy of the book faster from Amazon than from the publisher. Always a momentous and emotional moment for me, even after twenty-six books – holding a copy in my hands. Then I went to the theater, we ran a few things and then the rest you know.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll type up a few notes from last night’s run-through, eat something, and then I’m going to the theater around four-thirty to dry tech as much as we can before the run-through. I was hoping to have it all done, but I doubt we’ll get past act one in just two hours. We shall see. Then we’ll do another run-through and then I’ll come right home because we have an early rehearsal tomorrow.
Tomorrow, we have an early rehearsal – starting at ten with a run-through, then working problem areas, then a lunch break, then a cue to cue. Depending on when that happens, Bruce Vilanch texted me and invited me to a little author event for his new book. It’s in West Hollywood, so if I’m not too too tired I may go. Sunday, run-through at eleven, hopefully in costumes with sound and lights, then work stuff, break, and then we have our sitzprobe. And then it’s straight on until opening.
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, type up a few notes, eat, dry tech, run-through and then home. 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, Mahler 10. Streaming, probably no time. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to be listening to the mighty Mahler 10 via Eugene Ormandy, and happy that our run-throughs are getting smoother.