haines his way

09/11/2002:
"THE FRUITION FACTOR"

Well, dear readers, I gave some thought about not doing the notes today, but then I visited a theater board that had closed down its chat board, and suddenly it didn’t seem right not to do them. I think you all know what I’m talking about here and I hope you all agree. I suspect traffic will be light today, and that is fine, and of course everyone should reflect on the events of one year ago in their own way.
I was going to make the third of my announcements, but I do think I’ll wait until tomorrow – and, based on my lunch meeting of yesterday, there will be a fourth announcement on Friday – a small one, a light shining in the distance, but one which, I think, should it come to fruition, would please everyone here very much indeed.
Is anyone else looking at the word “fruition” and thinking, “Why does this word exist?” Someone was feeling very creative when they took the word “fruit” stuck an “ion” on the end of it and made it a whole new word and then decided it wouldn’t even be pronounced the same. Although I like the idea of pronouncing the word “fruit” as “frooit”, don’t you? What the hell am I talking about?
Last night I watched a classic motion picture comedy on DVD – Kind Hearts and Coronets. It was voted the sixth greatest British motion picture ever made. I’d seen it before, but not in years. I must say, while I find it entertaining, and Mr. Alec Guiness is wonderful in his eight count them eight roles, I don’t think it’s the sixth greatest British film ever made, and it probably wouldn’t even make my top twenty greatest British films ever made. Again, that is not to say it isn’t funny, dark, or entertaining, and I might feel differently about it had I seen it at the time of its original release. I then watched part of The Ladykillers, also with Mr. Alec Guiness, and I must say that that film had me laughing out loud almost from the get-go. I’ll report on that one and the rest of the Ealing Comedies in the Alec Guiness Box, on Friday.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Oh, let’s click on the Unseemly Button below and see what’s happening in the next section.

Well, nothing much is happening in this section, but that’s only because I haven’t written this section. How could anything be happening in this section before I write this section, that’s what I’d like to know. In other words, I haven’t brought this section to fruition yet, have I?
Today I shall lunch with Mr. Gordon Hunt, my pal and the man I hired to direct the recording of Beyond Therapy that I produced. And tomorrow night I shall be going to see that fine jazz pianist and songwriter, Mr. Dave Frishberg.
Well, dear readers, I think I shall keep these notes short today. I just felt that I had to write them and write them as I always write them, in the style I always write them. And by gum and by golly I have done so. Don’t forget, today is Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me any excellent question that might be on your excellent minds. Given the announcements thus far, if you have any questions about them that you’ve wanted to ask, now is the time for all good Hainsies/Kimlets to ask. So, bring your excellent questions to fruition, won’t you, and I will answer them tomorrow. Please try to get them to me by 9:00pm Pacific Mean Time. Meantime, ask away, my pretties.

Replies: 22 Unseemly Comments

Tuesday 11 September 2001
08:46: American Airlines Flight 11, 1 World Trade Center.
09:02: United Air Lines Flight 175, 2 World Trade Center.
09:40: American Airlines Flight 77, Pentagon.
09:59: 2 World Trade Center collapse.
10:10: United Air Lines Flight 93, Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
10:28: 1 World Trade Center collapse.
In sympathy
Posted by freedunit @ 09/11/2002 09:51 AM PST

Amen, freedunit.
For BK:
How is Gordon Hunt related to Peter Hunt? I found an old touring program for 1776 and noted that while it all "looked" like the Broadway version, it was Gordon and not Peter credited as director.
Posted by Philip Crosby @ 09/11/2002 10:00 AM PST

4 unrelated questions for Ask BK day.
1) In the HAIRSPRAY Playbill bio for Mary Bond Davis it states that she was in the Ann-Margaret BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE tour but she is not on the CD you produced of this tour. Was she already gone by the time you recorded the CD, was she a replacement after you recorded it, or did she for some reason not want to participate in the recording?
2) You said you would be coming to NYC the beginning of October and hoped to see some of your loyal readers, but you gave no details as to where you would be. Do you have details yet or will they be forthcoming later?
3) In light of all the birthday wishes I got on this board last Saturday, when is your birthday and when is Guy Haines' birthday.
4) It is no doubt that 9/11 was a horrible tragedy. Yet I was quite upset that several Broadway shows that were doing no business before 9/11 took advantage of the events of 9/11 as an excuse for closing whereas they were all on the verge of closing anyway. What is your opinion of this?
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 09/11/2002 10:12 AM PST

Thanks, BK for writing your usual notes and keeping the board open. It's a simple but meaningful thing for me. No questions today. I'm just listening to music and working but I'll come back every so often just to check things out.
Peace and good wishes to all.
Posted by Ben @ 09/11/2002 10:13 AM PST

Last week you asked us for suggestions for new concept albums, and you got a whole bunch of very, very, very (that's three verys) excellent ideas. Which one will you be producing first?
Posted by Jay @ 09/11/2002 10:20 AM PST

May all our endeavors come to froo-shun!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/11/2002 10:34 AM PST

One of my favorite albums that you produced was the Judy Kuhn/Jule Styne. How did the album do sales-wise? Have you considered doing another solo album with Ms. Kuhn?
Posted by jb @ 09/11/2002 10:35 AM PST

Ah, Dave Frishberg! What an underappreciated talent. I cannot listen to "You Are There" without crying. Perhaps I will do that when I get home....
Instead of "Ask BK" I'll ask BK to ask DF: When is he going to be in Chicago again? It's been too long. And what's the status of his baseball musical?
Posted by Pam @ 09/11/2002 11:16 AM PST

1.Mrs. Oscar Hammerstein,I believe,stated once that Richard Rodgers had written dum-dum-dum-dum(as she hummed the melody) but Oscar wrote "If I Loved You"What do you think of this concept? The melody may linger on but do the Lyrics make the song?
2-While we're on the subject of Lyrics-Is there a song(s) that you strongly feel would be better served with new lyrics?(Larry Hart did it four times ,I believe,before he got to BLUE MOON.)
3.What was the most amazing Musical find that you have ever encountered? A song that you had never heard before the encounter.
4.If you could advise Stephen Sondheim what his next project should be-What would it be?
5.Kind Hearts and Coronets would make a good musical?Perhaps the next LITTLE ME?
6.Have you heard Jessica Molaskey's Pentimento CD.? I can't stop playing this beautiful creation.As I stated before -my nomination for best CD of the year.
7.How Deep Is The Ocean?
Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 09/11/2002 11:19 AM PST

I echo Ben's thank you for proceeding as usual with notes and an open board. Always nice to have this zany little corner of the world to come and have some cake at. Now to think of some questions...
Posted by Jed @ 09/11/2002 11:20 AM PST

Arnold M. Brockman - I've always heard that Mrs. Hammerstein story regarding Jerome Kern and "Ol' Man River."
Dave Frishberg is indeed a marvelous songwriter who gives highly entertaining live performances with his...well...let's call it unique voice. I was lucky enough to see him down in Portland last year and greatly enjoyed it.
Ah, this brings to mind a question for BK! Since Dave Frishberg wrote many of the famous Schoolhouse Rock songs, what is your favorite Schoolhouse Rock?
Posted by Jed @ 09/11/2002 11:25 AM PST

I echo Jed's recollection -- I've heard it was Mrs. Hammerstein who claimed that Jerome Kern wrote "...dum dum dum-dum. It was my husband who wrote 'Ol' Man River'."
Isn't it nice when people post and tell us how crazy we are?
Like they're not!
Hehehehe!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/11/2002 02:12 PM PST

I posted yesterday to wish you all PEACE. Somehow the message didn't make it. The thougths of Australia have been very much with you all.
Now to think of a question worth asking. jb. the Judy Kuhn album is indeed brilliant. MORE MORE MORE.
BK. How to you rate "The Lavender Hill Mobb" - (the film that is!). Better than of the equal of "The Lady Killers"? What are your favourite three English comedies?
Posted by Tom Guest @ 09/11/2002 02:57 PM PST

Dear BK--
How old is Benjamin Kritzer in the sequel?
Posted by Laura @ 09/11/2002 03:09 PM PST

You mentioned previously that you disliked Thomas Shepard for tinkering with original cast reordings. What do you think about putting the song tracks in show order or keeping them the way the original producer had them originally tracked? (I think how shows like Camelot and No No Nanette were badly out of show order [It seemed that Julie Andrews was on pratically every other track...This may have been on purpose though...even though she didn't have every other song] and on their most recent reissue they were put into correct order.

Was wondering if you can give an inside account of the recording sessions for Beyond Therapy?
Now that Cindy Williams is not married to Bill Hudson anymore have you ever thought about dating Cindy? Your pals and friends and that's an important start. Did you meet her at Birmingham High School or Los Angeles City College?
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/11/2002 03:49 PM PST

By any chance do your various meetings, lunches and dinners have anything to do with your announcements? I feel a little bit like Bill Cullen on "I've Got a Secret" or Dorothy Kilgallen (except I have a chin) on "What's My Line."
So, is it bigger than a breadbox?
Posted by Kerry @ 09/11/2002 05:07 PM PST

Pacific Mean Time????
Can't time be our friend?
Julie Andrews used to ask that at the end of every episode of The Julie Andrews Hour
It's time once again
For everything must end
I'll see you soon I'll know
Cause....
Time is my friend.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/11/2002 06:50 PM PST

Since there hasn't been a lot of questions today I have another one
LP aka vynal (basically gone)
8 Track (gone)
Quadrifonic LP (never took off)
Cassettes (dying off)
Digital tape (never took off)
Compact discs.
what do you see as the next step in the evolution of recording process?
Posted by michael shayne @ 09/11/2002 07:13 PM PST

Among your "stable" of artists, are there any that you feel that you discovered, who would have had far less success had you not initially recorded them?
Did you mark the anniversary today in any way?
Should the U.S. attack Iraq? (Optional)
What currently working comedians are you fond of?
I haven't asked this in a while, so: What was the most recent piece of theatre you've seen, and what did you think of it?
What is your opinion of marching bands? Have you ever been in one?
Which type of saxophone is your favorite?
Of seemingly unlikely stars of musicals (i.e. those who had a background in another medium) which should have done more musicals? Which should never have been let near a stage?
What am I, Craig Brockman all of a sudden?
Posted by Hapgood @ 09/11/2002 07:52 PM PST

What made you come up with the concept of adding "taps" to various songs on your recordings? Shouldn't it be left to seeing the dancing live?
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/11/2002 08:10 PM PST

No, Hapgood, you are not me.. but calling yourself Craig definitely makes me identify with you better...
BK- in on the wire (I hope)
1. Hairspray - ya listen to the cd yet?
2. How are you? How was your day?
3. What (besides work) do you plan on doing in NYC while you are there?
Posted by Craig @ 09/11/2002 09:02 PM PST

What studio cast albums would you like to produce (shows that HAVE been recorded previously and shows that haven't been recorded)?
Just in cast there are lurkers out there, this is strictly hypothetical.
Posted by Kerry @ 09/11/2002 11:09 PM PST

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