haines his way

10/20/2002:
"THE NOT-SO-HAPPY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY"

Well, dear readers, I slept until I had no more sleep in me – a full nine hours of lovely sleep. I forgot to tell you of an interesting occurrence which occurred on Friday night.
The phone rang about ten o’clock and I picked it up on the second ring. There was a dial tone rather than a person. But my handy-dandy caller ID told me who it was from, so I pushed “dial” to call them back. I got no dial tone, just crazy noise. Now, I don’t know about you, dear readers, but I do not like to have crazy noise on my telephone – I like to have a nice comforting dial tone. I went to the other phones in my home environment and they all did the same thing. I even tried unplugging the phone line (this was a cordless phone) on the base, then replugging the unplugged plug. Nothing, but crazy noise, of course. Rather than go with my initial impulse, which was to stomp on the phone until it stopped making the crazy noise, I got out my cell phone and called Pacific Bell’s fixit line. I then had the supreme joy of going through twenty minutes worth of voice menus. The “voice” said to hold while they checked the line – then the “voice” told me it was a line problem and to make a “voice” appointment. I did so, for the following day, yesterday. But that didn’t sound right to me, a line problem, because it happened so quickly, so finally a “voice” told me if I wanted to talk to a real human to press “0”. This I could have done twenty minutes earlier and saved myself a bunch of annoyance. I pressed “0” and got a real human and I told her the problem. She said it sounded like the battery on the cordless was going – she said when that happens the phone starts doing all manner of weird things. She suggested I unplug the phone and leave it unplugged. I did so, with her on the phone. Two minutes later my dial tone was back and the crazy noise was a memory. She said she’d cancel the appointment. But that is not the interesting occurrence, dear readers, that is the preamble to the interesting occurrence. This human then said, “May I ask you a presumptuous question?” I am a fan of presumptuous questions so I said of course. She said, “Did you ever do theater.” I said, sure. She said, “Did you ever do How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying?” I said sure, twice – once at LACC, and once as a favor to an agent who was directing a production in the Valley in 1972. She then told me she was in it with me, she was in the chorus. Now, let us put on our thinking caps and try to figure out the odds of this happening – having crazy noise at ten on a Friday night and calling Pacific Bell and getting someone on the line who was in a show with you.
Wasn’t that a fine story of an interesting occurrence that occurred? Wasn’t that a very long paragraph, too? Well, I may as well get to the point, dear readers. Yes, Virginia, there is a point and I may as well get to it. We have an anniversary, dear readers, but we won’t be putting on our pointy party hats, nor our colored tights and pantaloons, nor will we be dancing the Hora or eating cake – for it is not a happy anniversary, oh, no, it is not a happy anniversary at all. On today’s date last year (which, of course, fell on a Saturday), a day which I like to affectionately call “Black Saturday”, I received some papers in the mail (as did our very own David Levy) and these papers would signify the beginning of a nine-month nightmare. I think you all know what I’m talking about and I don’t really want to dredge up the insanity of what went on – shall we just say that what happened was wrong and that karma will take care of the rest. I don’t wish anyone anywhere the kind of insanity both David and I were put through, and put through, I might add, for no reason other than the justice system allows such things to happen. I have learned that I do not like the justice system and I do not like it because it favors the wealthy. My lawyer told me that the first time I met him, and he said it made him sick to his stomach and ashamed sometimes to even be a lawyer. In any case, as hard as it may seem to find a positive in all of that – I did create this here website soon thereafter (to stop the bad-mouthing campaign which, of course, continues to this day) and that has been a constant source of fun for me. And, it has enabled me to pursue other things I might not have – and that includes my upcoming film and it includes the stage version of Nudie. When all of it splattered on my doorstep, I was almost finished with Benjamin Kritzer (amazingly, I finished it four weeks later – and I think the emotional roller coaster I was on informs the last thirty pages of the book – for the better, I might add). So, sometimes things happen for a reason, I suppose. It would have happened at some point, because there were personality issues from the beginning. Still and all, I am very proud of what I created – me, no one else. My baby, my idea, my work. And with incredibly talented folks like David Levy and Julia Evins (our web designer) we created a wonderful thing. Others can carry it on, but most people know where the name came from and what it represented. And, I will not let that part of my life disappear – meetings are ongoing about starting up something new – something daring, a bit different – so I can continue creating the kinds of albums I like to do. Stay tuned.
My goodness, aren’t Sunday’s notes supposed to be short? Well, let’s all click on the Unseemly Button below because I have blabbered long enough in this here section.

Last night I went to see a production of The Wizard of Oz, in which my friend David Wechter’s son Daniel was appearing. It was all very cute (I spoke about the group doing these shows earlier this year) and much better than their last show, Bye Bye Birdie. Daniel did a very good job (as a Munchkin) and we all had a splendid time. They even had flying – monkeys flew, the wicked witch flew, Glinda the Good flew, even Dorothy flew during the hurricane. Sitting there watching it, I began to think that I would love to direct this show on Broadway. Not the kind of stupid thing they did at Madison Square Garden, mind you, but a real Broadway production with great people – like when Sandy Duncan brought back Peter Pan.
Yesterday I got a bunch of interesting new CDs, several imports of weird albums that I’d loved as a kid and that I never thought would see the light of day on CD. I’ll speak about them tomorrow, because these here notes are long enough already.
ET on DVD comes out on Tuesday. There are two ways to get it, but both will have both versions – the as-released version and the 2002 redo version. I will only watch the original. Now, as a bonus for people who read these here notes on Sunday – I will award a special handy-dandy sparkling prize to the first person who can tell me what connection, I, BK, have to ET. I happen to think it’s an important connection in a certain way. The first person to post the answer today wins the prize.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do which will hopefully include writing on the various projects. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, and I want to see a plethora of postings on a variety or Hollywood reporter of topics. Let’s not be lazy loafers – let’s show those merry searchers (who will be here today I guarantee you) what haineshisway.com is all about.

Replies: 72 Unseemly Comments

You, BK, appear in the phone
company commercial which
gives ET the idea to phone
home!
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 11:15 AM PST

Where is my fershluganah
post?!?!? Here I am trying to
be prizeworthy mentioning
BK's appearance in the ET
phone commercial, and my
post disappears into
cyberspace? Hopefully it's just
caught in some time flux or
something.
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 11:19 AM PST

Ahh, posts that appear, and
the first posts of the day at that.
What a happy Kimlet am I.
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 11:20 AM PST

An unseemly string of posts by
one Kimlet having to carry on
conversation by himself. What
am I, François all of a
sudden?
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 11:27 AM PST

Good day, all.
What a difference a good night's sleep makes. I, too, allowed myself to sleep in - of course, I didn't really get to bed until about 5:00AM. I tried to get into my favorite brunch place down the street from me, but since I arrived a bit later than usual, it was packed, and my waitress/friend wasn't giving me any hints that I'd be getting a table anytime soon. So, I headed back to the apartment and cooked myself a pretty nice Chet and Eileen Atkins brunch. YUM!
Thanks again, for those of you who read my ramblings last night, for reading my ramblings. I guess I was more freaked out from the events of last night than I thought. But, as I stated at the opening, sleep really seemed to help. All is better now in the daylight - at least the clouded daylight.
Hey, bk, did the phone call that you initially received - who's name and number you saw on the called ID - have anything to do with How To Succeed? Now that would have been truly weird and wonderful. Not to say that having someone on the other line who was in that production wasn't weird and wonderful already.
I love those types of coincidences. I always seem to run into people in the most unexpected of places. Or at least their parents! I'll elucidate a bit later. Time to enjoy the comics and cut some coupons!
Oh, and are you still happy with your Atkins progress? I had to take a small break this past week from it due to that pesky throat/nose bug that's been going around. Just needed some comfort food to help speed the recovery along. But, otherwise, I'm still basically on track.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/20/2002 12:12 PM PST

Oh, and I do know the name of a florist service that can deliver black roses....
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/20/2002 12:13 PM PST

Dear "Merry Searchers": I know why you come here. It's because something interesting happens here every single day.
That's why "we" all come here, instead of.....
I slept in today, too. Just got up 20 minutes ago! Yawn. Too much excitement yesterday. Too wired to go to bed at a decent hour.
Haven't eaten yet and am getting a tad peckish! Lots of fruit in the kitchen...nanners, apples, pomegranates and melons -- honeydew and cantaloupe. Grocer had a sale -- farewell to summer, as it were.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/20/2002 12:44 PM PST

Hey, Jed, Francois -----
FORGET the cedilla, PLEASE
--- is NOT a WHAT, but a WHO!
Just kidding, just kidding....
Yes, I tend to talk to myself
more than often here.....
Soliloquy from Carousel
?????
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 01:14 PM PST

Francois, I find I talk to myself more than than I talk to others because I'm a far better listener and have infinitely more compelling things to say!
:)
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/20/2002 01:20 PM PST

Forget the cedilla???
But I just learned how to do it!
I'm jiggy with cedilla ability! I
could just cedilla myself silly!
çççççççççççç
Ahh, how fun it is.
Sorry about "what" vs "who"...
must proofread, I suppose.
Although, I'm sure more than a
few out there in the world
would look at us askance and
think of us all as what's. Of
course, we just look back at
them and say "What is it, fish?"
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 01:24 PM PST

A couple of days ago, someone said that they were listening to an Art Garfunkle CD. Well, tonight I'm going to see him perform live and in person here in Olympia. Actually, I'm ushering for a concert that is happening, so I get to see it for free. I'm not specifically an Art Garfunkle fan, but my sister and her boyfriend are very much fans. They paid for tickets, but they get to get there when they want, sit down and have a worry-free evening. I have to get there at least an hour and a half before the concert starts, stand the whole time and deal with unruly (unseemly?) patrons. However, in the many years that I've been ushering, there has rarely been an unseemly incident. It should be a pleasant evening.
Posted by George @ 10/20/2002 02:05 PM PST

Give Jed a ceegar - he is correct on the ET question.
Now, let's get some topics going, let's get some free-for-alls going, let's be wild, gay, reckless, let us dance without our shoes, let us twirl about like a whirling dervish whilst wearing a whirling derby, let us not be complancently sitting on our collective couches like so much fish - let us post, post, post (that is three posts), let us show any sudden new visitors the stuff that we are made of. Now, to it.
Posted by bk @ 10/20/2002 02:14 PM PST

Here I am, sitting like so much fish, reading about how other people have enjoyed lots of sleep, whilst I didn't get to sleep until 6 in the morning because I was writing this fershluganah research paper. Then I awoke four hours later so that I could write some more. How unseemly.
And yet I do have something to celebrate: I'm almost finished. A few more sentences and I will be ready for colored pantaloons, a pointy party hat, and refreshments. I can almost taste those soy ham chunks and cheese slices already.
Posted by Sandra @ 10/20/2002 02:14 PM PST

Hope you enjoy Mr Garfunkel's performance George. It was Kerry who uneartherd a copy of "Breakaway". I am awaiting the arrival of Art's new album from Amazon (this week?). The DVD of his "Across America" concert at Ellis Island is now out I believe.
BK. Did your order of theother version of Second Avenue (Tim Moore)get put on hold too? Art's album "Watermark" with Jimmy Webb songs is worth searching for. Maybe your sister has it George.
Who would you cast in Wizard of OZ BK? (If you were to do it now). Perhaps I should have left the question for next week.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/20/2002 02:47 PM PST

The phone operator story reminds me of a similar one involving Alan Jay Lerner and the film verison of Paint Your Wagon. They were looking for someone to dub Jean Seberg and the name Anita Gordon came up. They called the operator to get her phone number and Anita Gordon happened to be the operator on the other end
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/20/2002 02:54 PM PST

Did anyone ever see the musical version of Lost Horizon when it first opened in the theaters? I know that 23 minutes were cut out including three songs that can be heard on the CD and were reisntated for the LD release.
But what I am curious about was the fertility dance with Olivia Hussy and muscle bound dancers doing a ring a round the rosie type dance that was part of the Living Together, Growing Together produciton number. Was it really that funny that audiences laughed it off the screen. The dance is refered to by Sally Kellerman just before Kellerman and Hussy "sing" "Things I Will Not Miss". (Hussy was dubbed and Miss Kellerman's singing voice has always been open to debate)
BTW (by the way) that and two reprises of Living Together, Growing Together were also removed but are now considered lost.
Another side story I went to see the musical version of I Remember Mama because I thought Liv Ullman sang rather nicely in the film. When she opened her mouth it was then I realized she had to have been dubbed in the film.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/20/2002 03:34 PM PST

I just can see BK writing a
song titled:
I'm Jiggy With Cedilla Ability
-- copyrighted Jed, of course --
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 03:59 PM PST

Jed,
Congrats but.....
the smoke from your -- I quote
-- ceegar is disturbing me,
please.
Have you noticed how your
ççççççççççççççççç
looks like a chorus line of
spermatozoids?..........
Jed, you're in the spotlight
(series? oh, a BK reference!)
tonight!....
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 04:05 PM PST

Apparently
Ullmann sang with the voice of
Diana Lee
Finch...............Jerry Whitman
and Hussey -- wasn't she
pretty then? --....Andra (Audra?)
Willis.
I love trivia.............
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 04:32 PM PST

"The World Is A Circle without
a beginning....."....
I'm twirling, BK, I'm twirling.......
Oops, here goes my derby!.....
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 04:36 PM PST

Is that like:
Sit One
Twirl Two?
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/20/2002 05:08 PM PST

You're quite right, Francois (oh, how I wanted to use my newfound cedilla!), "I'm Jiggy with Cedilla Ability" would make a lovely song for either BK or Meltz and Ernest. As for the cedilla chorus line, well, that might work quite wonderfully for the new First Nudie Musical. As for my "ceegar", being rather averse to the things as I am, I would normally never have lighted it... must have been the heat from the spotlight!
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 05:56 PM PST

Bit of trivia: Tony award winning actor Brian Backer (The Floating Lightbulb) is the Sprint PCS man.
Now I know whatever happened to him.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/20/2002 06:40 PM PST

Great humor, Jed, you should
BELONG to this site, IMO....
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 06:42 PM PST

Smoke gets in my eyes -- oh, a
Jerome Kern Reference!
Wanted to say: you SURE, and
NOT should!!!
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 06:43 PM PST

Hear! Hear!
Disney is set to STAGE Marry
Poppins.....and Roseanne is
back to ABC....
Can you fancy Miss Roseanne
singing "A Spoonful Of Sugar"
on Broadway, with Julie
playing Mrs Bank and Dick Van
Dyke Mr Bank?.........
Glynis Johns as the birdlady?
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 06:51 PM PST

What a frightening scenario Francois.
Another busy night at work I gather!
How was Grace? Allan and Grace are getting along fine.
Just heard dreadful news of a double fatality shooting at our Monash University here. The world is mad. I am pleased we a refuge at HHW.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/20/2002 07:29 PM PST

"Tried" Grace here at work but
cd kept "jumping" but I deeply
enjoyed the little I could hear,
Tom.She has a clear strong
voice....
There's a nice ring to "Allan &
Grace": a new sitcom on ABC?
or a new couple,? Allan, check
the EYES of the lady?!!
Dreamy.......
Don't tell me: I shy away from
the news.... and keep thinking
of José and his neighborhood.
Le monde est fou!!!!
So we should keep twirling
and twirling to keep BK happy,
and the world spinning, crazy
planet of ours!!
I feel like singing -- weird! --
that gorgeous song "Walk
Through The World With Me"
created by Petula and also
heavenly warbled by Barbara
Cook...........
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 07:49 PM PST

BTW, the Disney Poppins
project is real: I didn't make
that up! Honest!
And the return of Roseanne to
Disney owned ABC is true too.
I'm French but I wouldn't tell
you a lie!
No way, José!
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 07:52 PM PST

Oh, José:
I hope that you didn't cut the
comics and enjoyed the
coupons....
to cut is "couper" in French,
hence coupons that "you"
borrowed from French!!!!
Doesn't that make all jiggy?
It should!....
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 07:59 PM PST

I know, I know: ME again!
Previous last line should read:
Doesn't that make YOU all
jiggy?
But WHO's here to read that
anyway????... and who cares?
Posted by francois @ 10/20/2002 08:01 PM PST

Sandra:
Nice colored pantaloons!
Research paper's over?
Good! Have another slice of
fromage.. I mean... cheese!
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 08:04 PM PST

Oy! What a day!
Posted by Laura @ 10/20/2002 09:08 PM PST

Just when I think I'm being wholly unseemly by having 6 posts 6 on a single day (well, make it 7 posts 7, now), I can always count on Francois to make my presence a bit less overwhelming with 13 posts of his own! I'd tip my hat to you, good sir, if I wore a hat, but my cranial circumference is simply too profound for such things (in other words, my head is freakin' huge!).
Hope Dear Reader Sandra has finished her paper and can now lay about like so much fish, for that is, of course, the only proper course of action after such a task is completed. As for myself, back to this fershluganah transcription of an interview. Never realized just how hard it is to punctuate verbal speech. And, sadly, none of these interviews have allowed me to use my new cedilla abilities.
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 09:19 PM PST

I leave for a few hours and I return to the Francois show. Thank you Francois. At least someone delightful is filling cyberspace.
Hi Laura. Thanks for dropping in - Did your son ever get that job at the job fair or is he still at home. I need follow-ups. What was the subject matter of Sandra's research paper. There is so little time and so much to learn about.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/20/2002 09:21 PM PST

From yesterday, I forgot to list one of my very favorite films featuring kids" "A Little Romance."
Whew! I feel better now.
Well, now that it has been the anniversary of the Black Sunday of 2001, let us move on to more wonderful CD's being produced and more reasons to dance, wear our pointy hats, etc.! Here's a toast (and if not toast, certainly a scone) to what lies ahead.
Posted by Kerry @ 10/20/2002 09:25 PM PST

And Jed has dropped in too. At last there is "Movement At The Station". (That's a reference to Australian poet A B Patterson). My radio is on at present at Wayne Newton is warbling about Some Sunday Morning. Now the New Seekers are singing "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me". What can I say.
I hope Grace is better behaved at home Francois. Please let me know if she needs help!
Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 10/20/2002 09:25 PM PST

Ok, 8 posts for me now! Hello to Tom, Laura, & Kerry. Quite a gathering here at the moment.
Forgot to mention that my copy of Dawn Upshaw singing Barber's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" finally arrived yesterday. Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but hope to when I get off work in a couple hours (not so jiggy with this midnight shift, but it does pay the rent).
I must say, I too have been wondering about the topic of Sandra's paper. Also, a hearty "here here" to Kerry's toast (with shrimp bits, perhaps).
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 09:29 PM PST

Jed,
I'm Not counting, no, I'm not
counting!
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 09:34 PM PST

I can't believe what is happening to this world. Kerry wants toast and not cake. Can live hold any greater surprise?
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/20/2002 09:35 PM PST

I can't believe what is happening to this world. Kerry wants toast and not cake. Can life hold any greater surprise?
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/20/2002 09:36 PM PST

And that first post was not supposed to work. Live/life. What the heck!
And I am not trying to catch up to the number of Jed/Francois posts.
Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 10/20/2002 09:37 PM PST

Jed,
You NEED to get Dawn
Upshaw/ I Wish It So and
Dawn Upshaw Sings Rodgers
and Hart....
You can't LIVE without those,
take it from me!....
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 09:38 PM PST

Say what you will, Tom, we know why you're duplicating posts! *meniacal laughter* But I'm afraid none of us will ever be able to out-Francois Francois.
Francois, I will take your recommendations under advisement for a paycheck or two down the road. Or maybe I should hint to family and friends for my upcoming birthday...
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 09:45 PM PST

Well, Fellow Dear Readers, I am off bright and early tomorrow morning to Chicago to help my mother-in-law dispose of her worldly goods so she can move into a retirement home. So I shall be errant and truant for quite some time, unless I happen upon a computer somewhere.
Oh -- and my unseemly coincidence story: My husband was at the DMV getting the title for his truck, and the DMV agent recognized the address. Turns out she once lived in our house.
Posted by Laura @ 10/20/2002 09:58 PM PST

Have a safe trip Laura. You will have to check the unseemly archives on your return.
Jed: I second the Upshaw comments.
Posted by Tom Guest @ 10/20/2002 10:06 PM PST

Coincidence story. Tracking my birth parents - After finding out my given name on my birth certificate (Gary Powell) I went to visit a friend who worked in an electoral office. It was purely a social visit. I said hello Michael (my friend),my name is Gary Powell and I am from Kaniva(Country town and my birth mother's home town). The lady working in the office (only there part time) said "I know Gary Powell and I am from Kaniva - what is this". She in fact knew my cousin (same name) and was able to give me a family history of sorts.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/20/2002 10:13 PM PST

Ode to François
No one's slick as François
No one's quick as François
No one's neck's as incredibly thick as François'
For there's no man in town half as manly
Perfect, a pure paragon
You can ask any Tom, Dick or Stanley
And they'll tell you whose team they prefer to be on
No one's been like François
A king pin like François
No one's got a swell cleft in his chin like François
As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating
My what a guy, that François
Give five "hurrahs!"
Give twelve "hip-hips!"
François is the best
And the rest is all drips
No one fights like François
Douses lights like François
In a wrestling match nobody bites like François
For there's no one as burly and brawny
As you see I've got biceps to spare
Not a bit of him's scraggly or scrawny
And ev'ry last inch of me's covered with hair
No one hits like François
Matches wits like François
In a spitting match nobody spits like François
I'm especially good at expectorating
Ten points for François!
When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs
Ev'ry morning to help me get large
And now that I'm grown I eat five dozen eggs
So I'm roughly the size of a barge
No one shoots like François
Makes those beauts like François
Then goes tromping around wearing boots like François
I use antlers in all of my decorating
Say it again
Who's a man among men?
François
(with sincere apologies to Howard Ashman)
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/20/2002 10:17 PM PST

So are you beauty or the beast Mr Pulliam?
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/20/2002 10:32 PM PST

Well, Mister Ron Ashman,
hum, Howard Pulliam, I'm so
vain that-- for once -- I don't
know what to say.....
Sorry, but Gaston spits before
than me....
Now, where's my Belle?
What a beautiful way to close
my nightshift -- me too, Jed !
all twelve hours!! --....
François? C'est moi!
Posted by Francois @ 10/20/2002 10:35 PM PST

Ron is....Lefou!!!!!!
Posted by François @ 10/20/2002 10:36 PM PST

Make that: Gaston spits
BETTER than me...
See, I'm so confused....
Does anyone remember what
Mark Kudisch says about
Gaston, in his interview on
FWA ??????
Posted by François @ 10/20/2002 10:38 PM PST

53 posts, BK's gonna love us!!
Posted by François @ 10/20/2002 10:40 PM PST

Dawn Upshaw Discs: The Barber is truly a wonderful piece, and the Menotti aria has always been one of my favorites too. I can pass on the Harbison cycle, but the instrumentation is very interesting. And the concluding Stravinsky aria, is stunning. The coloratura is wonderful. *If you're in the mood for a real splurge, get the complete Rake's Progress with Upshaw and Hadley.
Dawn Upshaw's other theatre discs are also wonderful. I Wish It So features works by Sondheim, Bernstein, Weill and some wonderful Blitzstein songs. I remember when the disc originally came out, I was working at a music store, and the number of requests for a Blitzstein song album were astonishing. Heck, I was even looking for them. It took a couple of years, but Hal Leonard finally published - or rather re-published them in a nice collection. *And Michael Starobin did a great "literal" orchestration of "What More Do I Need?" Oh, and her rendition of "The Saga of Jenny" is my favorite version of that song - among others, of course.
Dawn Upshaw Sing Rodgers & Hart disc is one of my "lazy afternoon" discs. Great tunes, great arrangements, and some nice work by Fred Hersch on piano. *Although, it still drives me up the wall trying to figure out who is singing when in the duet, "Why Can't I?". I've always wondered if Ms. Upshaw and Ms. (Audra) McDonald meant to sound like each other. -Well, I guess since it's supposed to be two sisters singing...
The one album that kind of got neglected in her musical theatre series was the Vernon Duke collection. Truly a revelation in all aspects. And a great set of liner notes by Steve Suskin. Although, I seem to remember Gramophone giving it an Editor's Pick when it came out.
-And her other discs of standard classical repertoire are great too.
*The preceding has NOT been a paid advertisement for Dawn Upshaw, Elektra Nonesuch, Sony Classical nor Hal Leonard Publishing.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/20/2002 10:46 PM PST

My my my (that's three my's), what an active place this has turned out to be this fine night... well, mid-afternoon for Tom... and early morning for Francois. Not positive on the time difference for you, Francois, but I'm thinking you're about 9 hours ahead of us west coast Americans like myself and Ron (and the Arizona contingent for another week), no? I know it's 17 hours for Tom. I mean, 20 posts in under 2 hours at this time of day is unheard of. I, for one, am quite jiggy (even sans cedilla).
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 10:47 PM PST

Ah, and welcome to our late-night fiesta, Jose! Nearly 2am for you... do you never sleep, man?
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 10:49 PM PST

Hello all..sorry I've been errant and truant (and truant and errant) today. It's been a very lazy Sunday for me. Twelve hours at the Met yesterday wore me out.
Jed: I third and fourth and fifth the suggestion of "I Wish It So." I will be seeing/hearing Ms. Upshaw at the Met in "The Rake's Progress" later on in the season. Should prove to be quite exciting.
And might I just add that it is so bizarre that BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was mentioned tonight because I sat directly across from Mr. Terrance Mann (the original Beast on B'way) tonight at the movie theater. We were both seeing "Red Dragon." It was quite a thrill.
Thanks to all of you for your well-wishes and positive vibes regarding Mo. It helps more than you know.
*Sending many positive vibes and good thoughts to Jose and the people in Virginia and Washington D.C.*
Posted by Jason @ 10/20/2002 11:01 PM PST

Oh, François - Because I am of Filipino descent, I have no accent on my first name. So, hopefully, that will save you some keystrokes. -Actually, I'm not sure if it's because I'm Filipino, or if that's just how my parents spell it. Even my father who is also Jose (but I'm not a Jr. since we have different middle names), has no accent. Well, he does speak with an accent when he speaks Tagalog, but otherwise his spelling has no accent.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/20/2002 11:05 PM PST

Sleep? What' Sleep?
I'm just in my late night mode - a.k.a. Show Mode. Once I get back into rehearsal mode - which will be in two weeks - then my hours will be more "regular". *It's always "funny" how rehearsal days are truly days, 10:00-6:00 for the most part (and a six day work week too!), and then you have to switch gears for the evening performances.
But, in general, I've always been a night owl. I still have nights where if I'm still up at 5:00 or 6:00AM, I just stay up. Not a problem.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/20/2002 11:14 PM PST

Jose - I find it quite interesting that most people of Filipino descent I have met have what may be considered "ethnic" first names, but associated with a non-Filipino ethnicity. For example, my roommate last year was a full-blooded Filipino (born and raised in Seattle) named Alfredo. As if that weren't enough, his middle name is Roberto.
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 11:14 PM PST

Actually, I'm much the same way when it comes to sleep schedules. My body just refuses to go to sleep early, and late and/or long nights really don't faze me much at all.
Posted by Jed @ 10/20/2002 11:16 PM PST

Well, it appears that the party's
over (oh, a Comden, Green, &
Styne reference!). Just wanted
to report that Knoxville:
Summer of 1915 just
finished playing and the
Menotti plays while I type.
Thank you to all who
recommended it. It is indeed
something wonderful (oh, a
Rodgers & Hammerstein
reference!)
Ugh, hate this column my
fershluganah Mac puts my
posts into. Much better to post
from work, it seems.
Posted by Jed @ 10/21/2002 12:25 AM PST

I think we should now do away
with thoughts of unpleasant
anniversaries and proclaim
October 20th "Francois and
Jed Day," as my dear French
friend and I have supplied 34
out of the 63 posts to today's
notes (never mind the fact that
it's now the 21st here, and has
been for Francois for quite
some time now). You and me,
Francois, we'll take the world
by storm!
Posted by Jed @ 10/21/2002 12:48 AM PST

Jed... Interesting observation. And now that I think of it... I grew up with a lot of friends named Roberto, Alfredo, even an Angelo or two... Must be more of the Portuguese influence involved - Magellan you know. And there is also a Spanish-Moorish influence in the Philippines too. I never really thought of them as non-Filipino growing up, but I guess they could be thought of that way.
On a personal note: My full name is Jose Carlos Simbulan. Around the third and fourth grade my Mom encouraged me to sign my name as "J. Carlos Simbulan". Her reason: Almost every other Spanish-descented (what a funny term!) was named Jose. *Well, I didn't name myself at birth! ;-)
-And then, of course, I said, "Well, the guys who aren't named Jose, are named Carlos." Still makes me laugh.
-And, then I had the high school science teacher who always called me Juan...
*I finally "rebelled" in the sixth grade, and started using my given name. But the middle initial didn't really come into play until I started working professionally - especially since I had found out that the IRS was actually mixing me and my father up even though we have different social security numbers!
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/21/2002 01:03 AM PST

Oh, and François, Je l'oublie...
Qu'est-ce que "cedilla" ou "cedille"?
-Pardonnez-moi my now forgotten, used to be almost fluent French.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/21/2002 01:07 AM PST

I think we should all take a moment to recognize what a hero our own, our very own Bruce Kimmel is.
It is a sobering thought that, without Bruce, ET would never have phoned home! And therefore he would never have returned to his beloved homeworld.
But Bruce was there when he was most needed, and he inspired everybody's favorite extraterrestrial to make that all-important call.
I say hip hip and a couple of hoorays for our man Bruce.
---------------------------
While we are on the subject, several years ago, before I was really "out" at work, my Joe would call and leave the message "phone home". Our departmental secretary took to telling me "ET called".
Well, she helped me to feel comfortable at work and eventually lobby for domestic partner benefits with my union. And she still calls Joe ET.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/21/2002 05:09 AM PST

Oh my, oh my, oh my!
I'm sitting here in the office grading papers, listening to Laurie Beechman's No One Is Alone. (Thank you Donald and Lisa.)
And her rendering of "There But for You Go I" is so heart-rendingly beautiful. Thank you, Laurie. Thank you, Lanny, for your wonderful arrangement. Thank you, Bruce.
Give us more to hear.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/21/2002 05:40 AM PST

And by the way, (BTW in Internet Lingo), whose idea was it to switch the verse and the bridge? Bruce, fess up!
Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/21/2002 05:44 AM PST

Regarding the "Mary Poppins" stage project mentioned above... It is a co-production of Eisner (who own the rights to the movie songs) and Cameron MacIntosh who owns the stage rights to the original stories). With those two joining forces it should be the most over-produced show in history.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/21/2002 05:55 AM PST

Speaking of eerie connections with history (for those of you who didn't read BK's notes of July 9th): It was recently brought to light in an article in U.S. World and News Report that the reason the Watergate burglars were busted is that their look-out across the street in the Holiday Inn was distracted from his post by a movie he was watching on TV, none other than The Attack of the Puppet People, the film of my theatrical debut. The responsibility weighing on my shoulders is almost more than I can bear.
Posted by Susan Gordon @ 10/21/2002 05:55 AM PST

Oh please, I am really going to have to stop listening to this album at work. Someday a student is going to come in for help on problems and see me with tears streaming down my face. That just will not do.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/21/2002 06:04 AM PST

But speaking of Mary Poppins--and we were speaking of Mary Poppins--wasn't there another version that was going to be mounted in England with songs by the The Fix guy, because Travers was unhappy with the Disney version and was giving her approval to this new one?
But of course, if Cameron owns the rights... Well, Justin should have the scoop on all this, as he is buddy buddy with Cameron now. Justin?
Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/21/2002 06:32 AM PST

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