Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/30/2003 08:13 AM PST

I'm back, oh yes I am, oh yes I am. I was over at my dear friend Mackenzie's house last night, and loads of fun were had. She's going to be a psychologist, and she's always making me talk about stuff so she can psycho-analyze me. But she's ALWAYS right, so hear hear, watch out for Miss Mackenzie Dickson, she's going to rule the world someday with her psycho-analyzing nonsense.

I really haven't got an answer to todays topic, so I'll just babble on like so much fish (oh, a bk reference). Today I'm going to buy Puma's. I think I'm going for the bright blue and pink ones. I'll let you know how that works out, like you care.

We found notes that I had written to miss Mackenzie Dickson (MackDick for short) in 6th grade last night. I am SO weird. I would write on a Post-It note "Does this smell funny?" and give it to her. I'm sure just to be annoying, but Miss MAckDick saved them anyway. Lot's a fun, :)

I need Luap to get on so I can gush about jokes that he won't get.

Babble ends.........now.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/30/2003 08:21 AM PST

William Finn, hands down. I love all his work. He certainly got good acclaim for the Falsettos musicals, but I think A New Brain is terribly underrated. I just listened to Elegies for the first time recently, and it's brilliant, in my humble opinion (IMHO in internet lingo.)

Posted by Jay @ 08/30/2003 08:25 AM PST

On Flaherty and Ahrens. Some of their stuff I like, some of it leaves me cold. That said, I think Ragtime is one of the greatest pieces of musical theatre ever written.

Posted by Jay @ 08/30/2003 08:27 AM PST

Saw LSOH last night - 1st preview.. I won't give anything away except to say that it was a truly memorable evening with wonderful performances by all - especially our own Ms. Kerry Butler...

Now.. as for you Bruce Kimmel.. there's an expression that perhaps Minnie Kritzer would have used - "You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar"

Ponder that...

Posted by Craig @ 08/30/2003 08:51 AM PST

Well, if I've learned anything from these JRB posts, it's that the key to musical theatre writing success is ego, ego, ego! (That's 3 egos.) And also that you have to have 3 names. So, I'm hereby taking on a middle name (Dewing) and declaring myself, Noel Dewing Katz my favorite of the current crop of show writers. I laughed at each and every song at Area 51. http://hometown.aol.com/mprovizr/Index.html
Not only did I laugh all the way through Murder at the Savoy, I couldn't figure out who done it. http://www.edfringe.com/reviews/read.html?id=MURDE
The Pirate Captains is the best American musical on that scurvy sujbect http://www.operaonthego.org/page9.html
and On the Brink changed my life. http://hometown.aol.com/noelkatz/main.html
And don't bother inviting me to any of your shows, because your seats are uncomfortable and I can't stand to be looked at.

Posted by Noel @ 08/30/2003 09:08 AM PST

Well, Mr. Craig Brockman, Mr. Smart E. Pants, I just went outside and do you know what? I personally caught more bees with vinegar than with honey. I caught more ants, however, with honey because the ants didn't like the fershluganah vinegar. The Aunts, on the other hand, loved vinegar.

Now, has anyone noticed a serious dearth of posts? I, for one, have noticed a serious dearth of posts and we simply cannot have a serious dearth of posts or I will have to bitch-slap the dearthmakers from here to eternity and hell and back. We must not send August out with a whimper, although that would be difficult given that August is by far and away our biggest month ever no matter WHAT happens between now and September. HOWEVER, that does not give us leave to have a dearth of posts. So, let's combat that dearth and get some postin' goin' on.

Posted by bk @ 08/30/2003 10:00 AM PST

BK thinks he's Dearth Vader.

(Remember, there is no groaning at HainesHisWay.com.)

Posted by Jay @ 08/30/2003 10:08 AM PST

Yes, I AM Dearth Vader, and you are all Dearth Readers. I'm thinkin' we might just get to ten posts if we try REAL hard. However, at another board, they've only had four posts so we will STILL soon be the most popular site on all the Internet.

Posted by bk @ 08/30/2003 10:10 AM PST

BK: If you're referring to What the World Needs Now from Rhino in terms of a new Bacharach compilation, it's been out for almost a month. My buddies at A&M land tell me it's a great remastering job, plus it contains two live tracks from Burt's Japanese concert LP that was never released in the US.

Posted by JMK @ 08/30/2003 10:30 AM PST

This is my post... Emily, Wylie, Fence, Mortem, Production, Pone, Op, Cereal, and Haste.

Ahrens and Flaherty get my vote. I'm off to see the Bangels.

Posted by Matthew @ 08/30/2003 10:30 AM PST

I have a quote from "My Fair Lady" stuck in my head.

"How deliciously low!"

And I haven't got the slightest idea why. It's bothering me. Oh and speaking of Darth Vader, I've never seen a Star Wars movie. The idea doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. I know some character names, because they're said a lot, but I couldn't even tell you the story line. Sad, huh. I've never seen E.T. either.

So far I've gotten $87 in birthday money. Like you care :)

I have a question for DR Craig: The pictures on Juliana's Journal of her with Lizze and Jen at the stage door: Are those HER pictures, or were they sent to you? If they weren't hers, I'll have my dad take some and then send them to you.

How boring. Where on earth is Luap?

Posted by Sarah @ 08/30/2003 11:00 AM PST

There he is!

Posted by Sarah @ 08/30/2003 11:00 AM PST

Yes, I am here. Slept in today. Must get ready to fill prescriptions and whatnot all the livelong day.

I agree with DR Jay about William Finn. A NEW BRAIN has some great songs, i.e. Sailing. (Yay, I met Norm Lewis!) I almost always enjoy Andrew Lippa, as well. His THE WILD PARTY and new songs for CHARLIE BROWN are great... haven't listened to JOHN & JEN, yet.

DR Noel-- it seems your newfound and newly inflated ego are contributing to your success already! Soon you will be the topic of an entire day's discussion here at HHW! (:

Sarah, is currently away and hasn't been telling me any jokes that I don't get. Perhaps this is for the best! Just kidding (J/K in internet lingo.) I heart Sarah. Except when she's errant and truant. And when she has tickets to MILLIE and I don't.

I saw a play lastnight called OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS. Anyone ever seen it/heard of it? Highly recommended. A great family show. I don't say that to mean its a good kids show, since younger people simply wouldn't get the humor/story. But it is family-oriented. If you're at all Italian or have grandparents still living, you can relate. I laughed, I cried... it was better than CATS.

I'm afraid I must be errant and truant for the rest of the evening. I must say though that I fell asleep lastnight to the wonderful sounds of Guy Haines and plan to do the same on the way to work... er, not fall asleep on the way to work, but listen to him.

Posted by Paulie @ 08/30/2003 11:26 AM PST

I have never heard/seen a Jason Robert Brown show. I like the Ahrens/Flaherty I've seen.

I am having trouble ordering Jeepers Creepers, as every time I try to access the Scarlet Street site, my computer shuts down.

Posted by Laura @ 08/30/2003 11:49 AM PST

In no particular order:

William Finn - I don't have "Elegies" but I love A New Brain

Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty - Anything! I've been listening to Lucky $tiff (produced by our very own BK) recently and I still love the score as much as always...and I really enjoy A Man of No Importance (I haven't listened to it enough to be able to "love" it yet)

Jason Robert Brown/ Adam Guettel/ Michael John LaChiusa/ Andrew Lippa - for some strange reason, I always think of those four together. I think because I found out about them all around the same time. Weird, huh?

I was errant and truant yesterday because I was ushering for Roy Rogers (not that Roy Rogers, he's dead), the Roy Rogers who's an incredible blues slide guitar player, and Norton Buffalo, who's an incredible harmonica player. They came to Olympia as part of their tour. The concert was held outside and I had to help set up chairs and be a gate keeper (so that uncouth interlopers didn't come in without paying and stay in without paying). Then I had to usher people to their seats. I got there at 2:30 pm (yesterday) and didn't leave until after 10:30! It was long day but a good concert. Today, I have to clean my apartment (a never ending quest), go to work for a couple of hours, get and mail a money order for an eBay purchase for my niece and make some more CDs of records for a friend of mine. Long two days.

Posted by George @ 08/30/2003 11:49 AM PST

What we all need is a little bit of DEARTH

Oh, a Secret Garden reference

Posted by Mandy Patinkin @ 08/30/2003 12:12 PM PST

My left hand is cursed.

In third grade, while playing osftball, I sprained it badly and had to get weird surgery on it.

Two months ago I was at my friend Aly's lakehouse helping with dinner. While cutting something, I gashed my hand open. There is a scar.

You may remember about a week or two ago, I was stung by a wasp and my finger swelled to the size of a small balloon.

This morning at dear friend MackDick's house, while making pancakes, I burned my finger badly on the pan. It's super super sore.

And today, while covering my million-pound books for school, I absentmindedly cut my finger with the scissors.

My left hand is cursed, I tell you.

Where IS everyone? Someone should write down who said they'd be E and T this weekend...

Posted by Sarah @ 08/30/2003 01:22 PM PST

I have been E & T (as opposed to T & A) today as I had grocery shopping to do and I needed to go out and buy a sprand banking new DVD player. Two new DVDs arrived in my mail this week (a nifty Bollywood DVD called Dhadkan and the Bruce Kimmel spectacular NAKED SPACE) but neither DVD would play in my current Toshiba player. I don't know what the fershluganah problem was. Did I spell that right? NAKED SPACE played fine picture wise but there was no sound. DHADKAN played fine up until the menu popped up, but then I couldn't actually access the menu...so therefor the movie would not start! Argh. I tried them on my computer. They worked fine. Tried them on a friends DVD player. They worked fine. But on mine they sat there like so much fish. And that stunk. So to Video Only I traveld and there I purchased a JVC machine (after making sure the two DVDs played on it) and now I am home.

I will set up said DVD player and then I must travel to the tiny town of Independence where I will attend a family BBQ in honor of my bother Jeff who has just returned from several months in Iraq.

Again, I have not knowledge of todays subject so I will quietly sit and read the many and varied posts. The end.

PS: DVD players have gotten extremely inexpensive, by the way!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/30/2003 01:30 PM PST

I feel obligated to add a post as there is a definite dearth. I have nothing to say - am feeling blue (not green) - it's been raining and the sun is hiding. I'm not fond of long weekends. Went out to buy a pair of jeans because a while back I got sick of wearing jeans and gave away all my jeans. That was a silly thing to do. Now that I'm ready to wear jeans again, I can't find a comfortable pair that isn't huge on me. Sigh. Must get back to my writing - which isn't going well - which is one of the reasons I feel blue (not green). Second sigh.

Posted by Panni @ 08/30/2003 01:49 PM PST

It's no contest for me. I choose Flaherty and Ahrens by a wide margin. I've loved every one of their scores, and after I saw RAGTIME on Broadway, I was convinced that it was, along with ASSASSINS and KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, the best of the scores of the 1990s. I don't think anything else comes close. I am SO sorry I didn't get a chance to see A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE.

Posted by Matt H. @ 08/30/2003 01:55 PM PST

A pre Jose Breakfast post:

I find the "new" composers interesting but the musicals by Ahrens & Flaherty are the ones that get played OFTEN. What beautiful medodies.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/30/2003 01:57 PM PST

I hate being unoriginal, but I'll have to add another vote to the Flaherty & Ahrens column. Of course, RAGTIME is their masterpiece, but no one has mentioned ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, which is a gem. I'm also quite partial to the score & script of MY FAVOURITE YEAR, though I confess I have never seen it onstage.

His name isn't popular in these parts after yesterday's discussion, but Jason Robert Brown is one of the best melodists currently writing, and his lyrics are moving and well-crafted. THE LAST FIVE YEARS and PARADE are both wall-to-wall great songs, well-suited to their characters.

Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY is full of great stuff, but JOHN & JEN is mostly a bore. (I do like his songs for YAGMCB, though...)

Jeanine Tesori's VIOLET is quite a charming score, and her work for THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE is highly enjoyable. Looking forward to more from her.

Douglas Cohen wrote at least one good musical, NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY. Whatever happened to him?

Adam Guettel has loads of talent, but he seems uninterested in writing a musical that will have broad appeal. I still love his work, though.

I respect LaChiusa more than I enjoy him, and the same can probably said of Finn, though I think I haven't given his work enough of a chance yet.

I feel like I'm forgetting somebody. I may make an addendum to my list later. Right now, suppertime!

Posted by Dave @ 08/30/2003 02:12 PM PST

TIme goes by veeeeeery slowly when there aren't any posts here at HHW. I'm going out to dinner at Maggiano's tonight, I can't wait. I think Juliana mentioned one in a Journal entry, the place is amazing. Waaaaay too much food, plenty of leftovers, lots of fun.

But, of course, to ruin all good occasions, my broher is bringing his girlfriend. I'm planning the scene I'm going to make...

Posted by Sarah @ 08/30/2003 03:46 PM PST

Hey, where are the Big Brother people again?!?!?

I thought last night's show was one of the best yet. I loved how they were all so jealous of Jun's trip to the MTV music awards.

And watching them try to guess the location with the 3 clues was priceless. Alison really is much smarter than I've given her credit for.

Now I guess we must see, who will Jun betray? Ally or Jee?

I have a feeling she will stick with the girl power alliance.

I hope so.

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/30/2003 04:06 PM PST

Well, I saw the tour of MISS SAIGON today. And it was very good. All of the sound issues were worked out, thank goodness. And the show went off flawlessly.

But I must say, the theatre is too big. Salle Wildred Pelletier is just too big for theatre. I was in the 9th row orchestra. And the view from there is pretty far back. I can't even imagine the view from the 4 balconies (that only start at around row 25). On their website it says the capacity is 3000. But I find that hard to believe. It seems like more.

The show was great. Jon Jon Biones is hysterical as the engineer. And understudy Laurie Cadevida was fantastic as Kim.

The most touching moments were definitely Ellen and Kim in "I still believe", Kim and Thuy in "You will not touch him" and the finale. That hits so close to home. IT was very difficult to watch this time.

Two comments.

First the ushers are so unbelievably dumb. Usually there is a posted board saying who is on and who is off. There was none so I asked who was playing Kim. The guy told me to look in my program. I told him there were 2 Kims and they alternated. HE went to chat with his boss and then came back and told me I was right.

The one good thing was he said he would find out for me. And he did (after going and coming back 4 times). I cannot possibly be the first person this week who wanted to know who was performing, can I?

Then over the loud speaker they announced that in case of a fire we should follow the ushers. I turned to my party and said, "yeah, cause they seem so bright" :) (okay that was a bit mean but whatever).

On our way out I overheard the most bizarre woman. She was about 65. And she walked over to a bunch of filapino/vietnamese/chinese youngsters (maybe 20 yrs old). And she turned to them with a straight face (she was totally serious) and she said, "hi, i hope you don't mind me asking, but do you think this musical accurately portrayed what happened in Vietnam?"

When they stared at her she said, "oh you don't speak english?" (she could have thought they were french, but i have a strong feeling she thought they only spoke vietnamese).

Finally one of the girls said she spoke english. I left before i heard what she said.

But this lady was alive during the Vietnam war. Why would she ask some 20 yr old kid who wasn't even born? (just because they looked ethnic).

Oy.

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/30/2003 04:23 PM PST

BK, I echo your comments on the dismal remastering job for the Sweet Charity soundtrack, which arrived in my mail today (the soundtrack, not your comments). What a disappointment! Not only is there inexplicable high end distortion and brightness, did you hear the dropouts on "Rhythm of Life" toward the end during Sammy's obligato? Too bad!

Posted by JMK @ 08/30/2003 04:29 PM PST

Where in tarnation IS everyone. People are mutilating themselves, people are blue, and yet they post. Where are the others, I say? I say, where are the others? We mustn't have such a lull as this. We must have action, and dancing, and thrills and hot cha cha. WEHT Lulu, WEHT Jrand53, WEHT the errant and truant. Skammen, as Ingmar Bergman would say.

Posted by bk @ 08/30/2003 04:32 PM PST

Oh and regarding the question about our favorite new composers.

Well I have to say, I do love JRB's music. And while I might be a bit biased, I thought Andrew Lippa's Wild Party was one of the best shows I've ever seen.

I have a question. Yesterday everyone was saying how certain composers were rude or unkind. Well, then which musical theatre writers do you have the most favorable opinions about (either what you've heard or experienced firsthand).

Jennifer

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/30/2003 04:33 PM PST

"The Visit" did not make it to Broadway but it has just finished here. We have taken DR Jose back to his hotel. He leaves Melbourne in an hour for my auditions in Sydney. It was wonderful to meet a Kimlet. Fosca and Magnus were duly impressed with our visitor. They shall be reading his posts carefully in the next fews days!

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/30/2003 05:18 PM PST

I've been very pleased with what I've heard from Adam Guettel so far, and look forward to hearing (and hopefully seeing) Light in the Piazza. I also wish for him continued success in controlling his addictions.

I genuinely loved Finn's A New Brain. His song "I'd Rather be Sailing" helped me through a very difficult period, when der Brucer was seriously ill. Most of his other work is fine, too, as long as he avoids politics; that subject brings out a nasty streak in him that is truly distasteful.

Jason Robert Brown still shows a lot of promise. His melodies have a lot of flair, and he's pretty good with his lyrics. I've enjoyed the album he did with Lauren Kennedy. His ego doesn't bother me at all; a lot of the ego problems he's being accused of having seem to have as much to do with his not being careful of whose toes he steps upon. My advice is to not wear open-toed shoes if he's around.

On a more serious note, where are the new book writers coming from? Brown has managed on his own, or paired with Uhry, who has been around for quite some time. Flaherty & Ahrens team frequently with McNally, another old hand. Sondheim is writing with Weidman again, in a partnership that dates back to when I was in college.

WE NEED NEW BOOK WRITERS! We need new people to explore ideas, to give our composers and lyricists the frameworks on which to hang their melodies. It is the most frequently ignored side of the musical-writing equation, and we shouldn't be ignoring it at all!

Posted by S. Woody White @ 08/30/2003 05:36 PM PST

HAPPY 12th of NEVER everyone!!!!!

The Grant Geissman Interview is now up, and so is the handy dandy link to pre-order Jeepers Creepers is up on the Jeepers photo page..

You must check them both out - they are just TOO TOO..

Posted by The WILLING Craig @ 08/30/2003 05:48 PM PST

My hair is kempt and so is Craig. Do check out the Grant interview, it's faboo. Who am I talking to? There doesn't seem to be anyone here, and I, for one, say phut, oh, yes, I say phut. I'm off to a little party around the corner, but I shan't be long and it would be grand fun to see some posts here when I get back.

Posted by bk @ 08/30/2003 06:32 PM PST

After posting this morning I am dismayed at the small number of posts today. Everyone can't be out of town for Labor day. Do I have to gert out the pom poms again?

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/30/2003 06:56 PM PST

Yes, get out the pom poms because we haz been dezerted. I am shocked at the dearth of posts, frankly.

Posted by bk @ 08/30/2003 07:18 PM PST

The girlfriend couldn't make it. Tragic, really, very sad.

Pffft NOT. I was SO happy. We have such a good time when we're just "the 6 of us", not "the 6 of us plus Arianne hanging all over Drew". Our waitress reminded me of the woman Joan Cusack played in "Corrina, Corrina". She was SOOO smiley and happy, and every time she would come to the table, I would crack up and have to walk away. And then you KNOW I had to start telling my jokes, and bk, the banana-in-the-ear number was tres entertaining. Everytime I think of that I laugh again.

Time for a joke to keep the party started. This may not be incredibly funny when you read it, but saying it out loud makes it better:

Two muffins are sitting in the oven. One muffin says "Geez, it's HOT in here!" The other muffin says "OH MY GOD A TALKING MUFFIN!!!"

:)

Posted by Sarah @ 08/30/2003 07:32 PM PST

Well, ya can't blame me!

Posted by Jay @ 08/30/2003 07:32 PM PST

Jose's favourite song at the moment might well be "Joey Joey Joey". I'll leave him to explain. It's not a holiday weekend here. I've just been away watching "Chicago".

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/30/2003 07:42 PM PST

I ran into Doug Cohen at a reading of his musical, Children's Letters To God and he's certainly still writing musicals. But he's a modest type with only two names, so I imagine it's difficult for him to get produced.

Yes, there's a dearth of book writers, but I'm not sure everyone realizes how few producers there are out there, how few opportunities there are for new work to get performed. A lot of producers seem to feel that if a show doesn't have a title that's going to sell some tickets because people already know the title (be it Hairspray, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Urban Cowboy or even Debbie Does Dallas), it's not worth mounting.

I've been busy with my applications for the Kleban Award, a large cash prize given to one lyricist and one librettist each spring. (I apply for both.) Looking at the names of past winners, http://www.newdramatists.org/kleban_award.htm one would have to say that while some of the lyricists have had good careers (including Avenue Q's songwriters), a lot of the librettists haven't gotten nearly as far. If you have a smash hit musical on Broadway as a librettist, chances are your name is Tom Meehan.

Posted by Noel @ 08/30/2003 07:46 PM PST

Let me be the first to say...

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY, DR SARAH!!! YOU ROCK!!!

*big cheesy grin*

Posted by Paulie @ 08/30/2003 09:04 PM PST

I just came home from a lovely dinner and some excellent conversation, so I am a lighter shade of blue -- almost pink. (That makes no sense - but as nobody is around, who cares.) Anyway, re new book writing blood needed -- Marvin Hamlisch was here a few months ago to do his one-man show and teach an open Master Class at the university. I sat in on the Master Class - which was actually more like an audition. Some of the senior music students did pieces. He critiqued them as though they were auditioning for him, then gave some of them a chance to do it again incorporating his notes. He told stories of his musical career between numbers. It was fascinating. After the thing was over, I went up to him and gave him my card, telling him that I'd always wanted to write the book of a musical. He looked slightly stunned and politely pocketed the card. Would you believe I still haven't heard from! Thought I'd be opening on Broadway (or at least Philadelphia) by now.

Posted by Panni @ 08/30/2003 09:48 PM PST

"heard from HIM!" I left out the "him."
And while I'm back, may I be the second to wish Swishy Sarah a Swishy Sweet Sixteen!

Posted by Panni @ 08/30/2003 09:51 PM PST

Thank you!! So far my birthday has been great! I've heard jokes, laughed, sung at the top of my lungs, ha about 40 of my friends sign on exactly at midnight and tell me happy birthday, danced with someone ;), and seen pictures of a decapitated body and the brain that slung out of it.

Nice start to Sixteen, eh?

Posted by Sarah @ 08/30/2003 09:57 PM PST

It would be indeed most unseemly if the posts did not number fifty and more.It will be September here tomorrow.Shipping is sometime in September. Jeepers Creepers can not be too far away. I wonder if the Scarlet Singers have been offered more recording dates and/or tours.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/30/2003 09:57 PM PST

It has to be the past tense from where I am DR Sarah.I hope your 16th Birthday was indeed memorable and that your seventeenth year lives up to your expectations and more.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/30/2003 10:00 PM PST

Just noticing a funny thing about people's choices for favourite new composers. In the past few years, there have been several new composers nominated for the Tony Award for Best Original Score, yet none have been mentioned yet.

The Full Monty - David Yazbek
Jane Eyre - Paul Gordon
Urinetown - Mark Hollmann
Hairspray - Marc Shaiman
A Year with Frog and Toad - Robert Reale

Come to think of it, maybe it's not that surprising after all...

A couple of other names that I haven't seen yet:

Laurence O'Keefe (BAT BOY)
Dana Rowe (THE FIX, WITCHES OF EASTWICK)

and when are we going to hear more from Matthew Sklar? Will there ever be a recording of THE RHYTHM CLUB?

Posted by Dave @ 08/30/2003 10:01 PM PST

...and a Happy Birthday to Swishy Sarah, too!

Posted by Dave @ 08/30/2003 10:02 PM PST

A very happy birthday to Sarah. I hope it is filled with much cake.

Posted by Laura @ 08/30/2003 10:54 PM PST