Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 09/26/2003 07:14 AM PST

Coincidence..

I was in a production of Scrooge back in my High School Days. I am looking forward to the dvd release.

Now.. can any of the DR's guess WHICH role I played in Scrooge..

I'll be back with the answer a little later...

Posted by Craig @ 09/26/2003 07:29 AM PST

Hi, Jose.

CD Player at Work: OCR of Mark Blitzstein's Juno with Shirley Booth and Melvyn Douglas. This score is growing on me.

CD Player at Home: One of Joe's Hewey Louis albums that motivates him to do housework.

CD Player in Computer at Home: The Boy from Oz, Original Australian cast. Now I feel all soggy and patriotic whenever I hear "I Still Call Australia Home".

VCR: A blank tape that was supposed to record All About Eve from the Women's Entertainment channel in the middle of the night, but I misprogrammed it.

Other VCR: Waiting for Godot...uh, the Electrician or Someone Like Him..er, My Dearie, oops...Guffman, which I'm about halfway through.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 09/26/2003 07:31 AM PST

Is pounded steak the California term for Country Fried Steak?

BK - Do you know yet if you will be returning to PENN & TELLER'S BULLS*#$ and if you will be making more guest appearances on the show? We need Dr. Learley (or however you spell it) now more than ever.

I just got the new "Sondheim Review" and it is the most critical to a Sondheim Show than I have ever seen. BOUNCE THE GOLD WISE GUYS was the subject of all letters to the editors and they were all mixed to say the least. Even the review by their critic was less than the glowing praise they usually give and they printed mostly negative quotes from the Chicago critics as well. They also claim that there will be some minor changes for Washington DC, but nothing major. If the publication that usually treats Sondheim as a god has this to say, then I imagine the show is in worse trouble than I thought. However not one person had anything bad to say about our own Michelle Pawk.

The Rhino Handmade LUCYMAME is now on sale. However there are no extras or bonus tracks. I wonder if the tracks of Madeline Kahn as Gooch still exist or if they were destroyed when Lucy had her fired for stealing the film from her. There are loads of extras on their other new release: LOVELY TO LOOK AT, the MGM remake of Jerome Kern's ROBERTA with Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Red Skelton and Marge & Gower Champion. Not only are there many previously unreleased tracks from that film, but as a bonus there are five tracks from TEXAS CARNIVAL with Keel, Skelton and Esther Williams.

VHS - The first episode of THE BROTHERHOOD OF POLAND NEW HAMPSHIRE. This show is strange even by David Kelley standards. We have a man who is so obsessed with Katie Couric that he TIVO's the Today show and watches it at night; a man whose daughter paints SpongeBob on his bald head while he is sleeping; and enough extramarital affairs and other marital problems to keep a daytime soap going for years.

DVD - Finally watched SABRINA from the Audrey Hepburn boxed set. She, Bogart and Holden are fine, but the plot doesn't hold up and is fairly dated. But Audrey is beautiful wearing Givenchy for the first time. Unbilled is a young Nancy Kulp as a maid.

CD - Since I just got the 2nd Tim Draxl CD (an Austrailian import courtesy of a DR in Oz) I have been playing that and the first which I was able to find here a couple of years ago. Except for when they take a couple of songs and give them a "radio mix" these two CDs are wonderful.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 09/26/2003 08:18 AM PST

In my CD player in my car: The Essential Barbra Streisand, which I popped back in yesterday because I am still trying to figure out where this woman on Performing As, Wednesday evening, came up with the phrasing she used for People. For someone who supposedly studied Streisand, before imitating her, she made some very strange choices in that song.

In my DVD Player: The brand new, and just released, Scrooge, with Albert Finney, which our very own BK was mentioning in this morning's notes (I do read them). Also Chicago, which I finally broke down and purchased. I have yet to see the film, but when I watch it, I plan on pretending that I am watching Brent Barrett, instead of the equally talented (but not nearly as attractive) Richard Gere.

In my Video Player: (the dust has been removed) a copy of Hello, Dolly! starring yours truly, not as Dolly, but rather as Horace.

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 08:25 AM PST

Hello all! Just returned from a fabulous trip to Los Angeles! it was a faascinating trip and I had a blast!

The lunch with Laurie Mitchell and Diana Darrin was soooooo fun! Both ladies look fabulous and are a lot of fun! Laurie Mitchell, especially, would be a blast to party with!! She is a kick!

We we very disappointed that BK could not join us for out luncheon as planned, but hopefully next time I am in the area we can get together as I look forward to meeting him in person.

During our lunch we did have a fun celebrity sighting. While sitting in the back of Marie Callender's on Ventura my buddy Ron spotted actor Patrick Laborteaux from the TV series J.A.G. He passed out table to get to go to the washroom and Ron mentioned to us who he was. Laurie and Diana thought we should stop him on the way back. Ron was afraid to do it, so Laurie Mitchell grabbed the man on his way back past our table!!! Well, Laurie ended up having her picture taken with him, and Diana had her picture take with him! LOL! So did Ron. He was a very good sport about it all and a very nice guy.

On a sad note I returned to find a message from Gordon Mitchell's assistant that Gordon had passed away on Sunday night. Gordon was a bodybuilder in the 40s and 50s who went to Italy in 1961 to star in the film GIANT OF METROPOLIS. He stayed there for 30 years and made over 200 films in Europe. He was a wonderful, kind, generous human being and one of the nicest people I have ever met. He will be very much missed by many, many people.

Posted by MBarnum @ 09/26/2003 08:26 AM PST

What a fine time it must have been...what a great group...what fun. And some us are so far away.

I heard of television celebrities, and film celebrities, and music celebrities, but now we have HHW internet celebrities! How fun is that?

I have seen ducks in a row, but I have never seen twice in a row. I have seen AIDA twice in a row, however!

In my DVD player HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD directed by Mr Mario Bava and featuring a Reg Park and Mr Christopher Lee. Very colorful and entertaining, subtitles and widescreen!

In my VCR BERSERK with Joan Crawford.

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 08:29 AM PST

Last night's dinner gathering was most enjoyable! I am thrilled to be part of www.haineshisway.com, where I can be brought together, as I was last night, with warm, witty and wonderful people who, without the site, I most likely would never have met.

DR MBarnum: If you check the archives from while you were in L.A., you will see that Dear BK DID remember your lunch date, and then was heartsick when a conflict came up at work.

In my CD player today, I have selections to help me get in the mood for the holiday:

OBC recording of Fiddler on the Roof

Itzchak Perlman playing traditional Jewish melodies

"Music from the Yiddish Radio Project"

A compilation of different Jewish music, some of it secular, some of it liturgical

Posted by Jay @ 09/26/2003 08:39 AM PST

Good morning and good yawning everyone!

I *may* have taken a swig or two or three or four of Dimetap (sp?) this morning and I *may* be higher than a kite attached to a helium ballon right now. I can't actually remember whether I'm on medication or not, which is most definitely a good sign that it is working (if I took it).

Feel free to make wildly untamed comments about me - since I won't be able to respond to your accusations - let alone actually come up with a grammatically correct sentence. Did that make sense, because I'm not quite sure if it did.

Craig, I've never seen Scrooge so I can't guess what role you were in. :)

My audio visual pleasures of the week:

CD: My back to school fun mix tape
DVD: Empty
VHS: Empty for now but soon to be filled with BROADWAY ON BRAODWAY from DR Jeffrey Bledsoe :)

I'll check in later from work... keep me entertained. :)

Posted by Emily @ 09/26/2003 08:44 AM PST

I almost forgot to wish everyone a very sweet year!

Posted by Jay @ 09/26/2003 09:00 AM PST

Jay: Haven't had a chance to look at the archives from when I was gone, but I did talk with Bruce in the phone while I was down there. Maybe there can be another Hainses/Kimlets get together next time I am down. He invited me to this one but I was flying back to Oregon last night whilst you all were eating pounded steak :(

I love the Los Angeles area and do plan on making another trip down next year!!

In my VCR: a tape of DRAGSTRIP RIOT starring miss Yvonne Lime which arrived in the mail while I was gone, and also last nights episode of SURVIVOR.

In my CD player: Some Bollywood music CDs that I picked up at the Tower Records in the Oaks of Sherman.

DVD player: We will see what the mailman brings today!

Posted by MBarnum @ 09/26/2003 09:04 AM PST

The Queen of Outer Space and one of the boys from LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE!

MBarnum - what a swell party that was!

Sorry to hear about Gordon Mitchell.

Hope the mailman brings you something nice. I got my new scanner yesterday! Much nicer software, but many more steps before you can print the result!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 09:12 AM PST

In the DVD player: I just finished the gorgeous Sleeping Beauty and got a great deal on Mrs. Brolin's WB box set, so some of those might be next. Of course, The Lion King arrives next week, though I hear with not all the extras the LD box set had.

In the CD player: in random play have been Michael Buble (a bit over-rated IMHO), the immortal Dusty Springfield; Tony Bennett and kd lang's duet album of Louis Armstrong songs; a new collection of Blosson Dearie; and the soundtrack from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

My laserdisc player gave up the ghost a few months ago, but I found an extremely reasonably priced replacement on eBay. I will uncrate it this weekend and hopefully will be able to enjoy all my LDs again!

On a separate topic: are there any Hainsies/Kimlets who are expert and recording LPs directly to their laptop PCs? Can anyone offer me a lesson?

Posted by Philip Crosby @ 09/26/2003 09:18 AM PST

The New York Times reports that George Plimpton has died at 76.

Posted by Jay @ 09/26/2003 09:28 AM PST

DR Philip - I am anxiously awaiting such a lesson myself.

I have an Audiotronics 304E, and somehow one is supposed to be able to use the headphone jack and connect it to the computer...I know someone knows how to do that.

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 09:29 AM PST

And in a late/early post we also foun out that rocker Robert Palmer passed away of a heart attack in Paris.

ADDICTED TO LOVE & SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE two good songs/videos.

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 09:32 AM PST

Craig - I say you played one of the ghosts and Mr Fezziwig!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 09:32 AM PST

Craig -- The Ghost of Christmas Present.

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 09:35 AM PST

In my CD player - two CD's from DR Music Guy.

His performance of songs from SOUTH PACIFIC is marvelous!!!

Thanks, MG. Did you get my email?

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 09:39 AM PST

Tiny Tim?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 09/26/2003 09:47 AM PST

I am back..

Actually William - I could have easily played Tiny Tim as I was very short in High School. But there was someone shorter and who could sing REALLY high - which was not my forte...

I played the ghost of Marley and had quite a lovely time wrapped up in bandages, white makeup, chains - the whole 9 yards..

Fun times...

Posted by Craig @ 09/26/2003 09:49 AM PST

I think Craig, judging by the way he phrased it, was none other than....*drumroll*....Scrooge!;) Villians (or mean people anyway) are the funnest to play, even if you are nothing like them in real life!

CD--The Last 5 Years OCR (Doped-up Emily be proud), Grand Hotel OCR (again), an old mix I once burned with Loreena McKennitt and Léo Ferré songs

DVD--Sondheim at Carnegie Hall, Follies in Concert. Both were awesome but I especially loved Follies in Concert. I laughed at Stritchie's "Broadway Baby" and cried my eyes out when Barbara Cook sang "Losing My Mind" so beautifully and honestly. I also loved it when they're doing "Who's That Woman" and Liliane Montevecchi forgets her in-line dance movement, and when Liz Callaway is waiting backstage muttering "I am Young Sally, I am Young Sally." That was SO cute!

I'm glad to hear the Musso and Frank dinner went so swimmingly! It sounds like you guys had a swellegant time!

Posted by Maya @ 09/26/2003 09:50 AM PST

Ah, I was wrong! *bows head in disgrace*

Posted by Maya @ 09/26/2003 09:51 AM PST

Mayayayayayayayayayaya - I guessed incorrectly as well.

How many of us have been in SCROOGE or A CHRISTMAS CAROL? It is great fun....

I did indeed play Scrooge, maybe I can find a picture this weekend. Let's all link pictures of us in performing mode. I would love to see DR onstage!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 09:53 AM PST

WEL -- I watched only part of the finale of that show, and that Streisand imitator is "making it up" the way she phrased that final "world" when singing "People" -- it was an interesting way to phrase it...on the same two notes on which the word "People" is intoned, but Babs NEVER did it that way to my knowledge.

In my CD player -- "Night and the City", "Dreamer of Oz," "Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation"

In my VCR -- a tape of last night's "Survivor" episode (woo-hoo! Drake keeps on thriving).

For Survivor watchers: I've go to say it, the Morgan tribe is in dire need of teambuilding dynamics. That they "elected" Andrew, an attorney in real life, to "lead" them reflects an oddly naive group idea of what a leader is. (Opinion alert) Andrew is obviously intelligent (although he runs around in designer underwear and wears his Armani suit jacket to Tribal Council), and has a model's body. But, for all his intellect, he's not a team builder -- and this is not a surprise. The profession he comes from requires a great deal of introspection and self-promotion and ego. He can bury himself in case studies and "perform" before a Jury and Judge (an ideal secondary profession for an intelligent actor, if ever there was one), but it doesn't mean he can properly assess the needs of a group of people who look to him for guidance to meet their basic needs. Apologies to anyone in the legal profession who take exception to, or find insulting, my perception of attorneys in general. It is a generalization -- possibly inching into the stereotypical arena -- but based on observation.

They have a Scout leader among them, but "she" won't qualify because "she's" middle-aged and, Oh! Yeah!, "she's" a "woman."

I like some of the folks in the Morgan tribe, but I fear they are doomed to lose more members until the two tribes are merged. What was sadly apparent last night, when Drake won a reward competition and was alloed to send one person to the Morgan camp to "loot" one item, was that Morgan has precious little in its camp. This is the tribe which, when the game started, left the village early, without spending anywhere near all its money -- without getting things like water jugs and odds and ends that the Drake tribe procured in quantities. When the Drake rep took Morgan's canvas -- Morgan lost its one major item that gave the tribe a sense of security.

Sigh.

Another Rhino soundtrack release is the glorious soundtrack to MGM's "It's Always Fair Weather" (a remake, sort of, of "Roberta") It's a fun movie and has some excellent music. Notably, an exquisite rendition of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" sung by Kathryn Grayson. Carmen Dragon conducts the MGM orchestra and it's a splendiferous affair from start to finish.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/26/2003 09:56 AM PST

Maya - I too enjoyed the Follies in Concert the first time I saw it, but now having seen the entire backstage rehearsal period, I would give anything to just see a tape of the entire performance presented "in concert."

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 09:57 AM PST

I'm *falling asleep* at the wheel!

I meant Lovely to Look At, rather than "It's Always Fair Weather".

Damn that Leonard Maltin website. Damn it to hell. I was reading CD reviews there before coming here and read his review of "It's Always...."

Happy Friday, everyone!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/26/2003 09:58 AM PST

Jrand--I'd love to see pictures of you (and any other DR too) performing! Especially as Scrooge, hehe!

I actually played that same role in 6th grade, surprisingly enough. The drama department of the middle school I went to was seriously lacking in testosterone, so it was not uncommon for a girl to play a male role. Lest you think I got typecast in crochety old man roles, I did play Juliet the same year in the abridged version of Romeo and Juliet we did. That was an interesting year, hehe.

TCB--that kind of annoyed me too, that the numbers of the actual concert were so edited and cut down. But hey, I'm glad footage of that historic night exists at all! Do you know if any tapes of the whole concert do exist? Like maybe some eccentric Broadway-loving Polish aristocrat keeps it under lock and key in his attic or something!

Oh...and click on my name for a very nice picture of the WSMA!

Posted by Mayayayaya @ 09/26/2003 10:10 AM PST

LOL Mayaayyayayayaya - that misheard Broadway lyrics site is pretty funny, too!

Nice picture by the way.

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 10:20 AM PST

Thank you, Maya! Now I know what we are fighting this war for -- to keep this country's national treasures safe.

I would love to have a copy of the complete Follies concert, but if such a thing exists, I have never heard of it. Maybe Mandy has a copy stashed somewhere?

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 10:39 AM PST

And speaking of wishes -- Does anyone know where I can buy a copy of the video or DVD for A Little Night Music that was shown on PBS back in the 80s with Sally Anne Howe? I loved that version, and I treasured my poorly taped copy, but one of my dopey roommates taped over the dining room scene. Last time I checked the PBS store, they said no such tape exists.

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 10:43 AM PST

Another busy Friday at the office. Not listening to much but I did get my dose of BBC 3 today with Stage and Screen. A very nice interview with Cy Coleman. Click on my name for the link if you're interested in listening. It will be on the archive through Monday morning at 11am EST when the new show plays live.

We will be on Long Island this weekend for Anthony's cousin's birthday so there won't be much music or video or DVD watching here.

Posted by Ben @ 09/26/2003 10:46 AM PST

Actually Ron it was I, not WEL who brought up the Streisand imitator on Performing AS. WEL is not going to have any idea what you are talking about. The woman seemed to have some of the mannerisms down for Barbra, but not her singing style, her technique, or her phrasing.

It was I... it was me... oh heck with it

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 10:54 AM PST

Maya - I just added two contributions to the Misheard Lyrics site. Curiously, both are from Lerner & Loewe songs.

Honestly (and this may be more a reflection of my mind than of Robert Goulet's diction), when I first heard If Ever I Would Leave You, I couldn't figure out the real lyrics. I swore he was singing "Your ass streaked with sunlight." (It's "your hair.") And the first time I heard Paint Your Wagon, I thought Julio was saying, "And I'll bring a roast (instead of rose) to you every day."

I just finished making a big batch of pesto. Background music: "The Songs of Lionel Bart."

BK - I know exactly what you're saying about office surroundings. My job brings me to various offices - and I know I'm in good hands if they show me right away where the washroom and coffee maker are (hopefully not in the same spot).

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 09/26/2003 10:56 AM PST

DR It was I...it was me... oh heck with it TCB: Sorry. I was looking up...WEL was there...and, well....

It's Friday!!!!!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/26/2003 11:05 AM PST

DR TCB --

The PBS A Little Night Music was never commercially available. However, copies do end up on eBay with some frequency.

Posted by Philip Crosby @ 09/26/2003 11:22 AM PST

It's FREAKY Friday. They had
Krispy Kreme donuts here this
morning. I don't think they
were here in honor of my
leaving. No one here seems
to know I'm leaving (except the
people I'VE discussed it with) -
totally peculiar.

Posted by bk @ 09/26/2003 11:22 AM PST

Thank you, Philip, I will keep checking e-bay.

L'shanah tovah (if I spelled that right) -- To all who will celebrate Rosh Hashana for these next two days.

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 11:31 AM PST

In my DVD player: Song of the South I don't know if it's legitimate, but it's brand new. It's not specifically remastered or anything like that but it looks pretty good and subtitles are available in Chinese and English.

In my VCR: a tape to tape today's Ellen talk show that also has Wednesday's "Jake 2.0" episode

In my CD player at work: 4 mini-CDs that I made myself:

1st) The songs of DICK TRACY: the three songs that Madonna recorded on her "I'm Breathless" album plus "Live Alone and Like It" by Mel Tormé (released on a CD of his just before he died) and "Back In Business" taken directly from the movie itself sung by Cheryl Bentyne and Janis Siegel (of The Manhattan Transfer) and Lorraine Feather.

2nd) Cheryl Bentyne At the Movies. Cheryl's voice (she was never shown on screen) was used in two movie soundtracks that had no CDs released: A DANGEROUS WOMAN (with Debra Winger and Barbara Hershey) and MORTAL THOUGHTS (with Demi Moore and Glenne Headly--who was also in DICK TRACY) and the same "Back in Business" recording that I used on the DICK TRACY mini-CD.

3rd) The songs from "Too Dead To Swing", a talking book murder mystery narrated by Susan Egan, with three songs sung by the very fabulous (but unmentioned yesterday) jazz singer Ann Hampton Callaway that were used in the story.

4th) What I call "Hey, Faith!" The four songs from Hey, Love: The Songs of Mary Rodgers that were the collaborations between Mary Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim. Also (as an unrelated bonus track), "The Song of the Old Mill" sung by Patti LuPone over the end credits of the movie STATE AND MAIN

Posted by George @ 09/26/2003 11:47 AM PST

DR Craig, are you the same Craig Brockman as the music producer?

Posted by curious @ 09/26/2003 11:52 AM PST

TCB--ain't I patriotic, hehe? Really, I think the works of Stephen Sondheim should be prized right alongside our rightfully cherished ideals of liberty and equality!

Jrand and Dan--glad you enjoyed the misunderstood Broadway lyrics website. Dan, I'm never going to be able to hear "If Ever I Would Leave You" now and not laugh at that part.

George--I'm not much of a mystery fan, but that Too Dead To Swing audiotape sounds awesome! I'm going to check it out on Amazon.

BK--If those people you work with don't appreciate you and aren't sad that they're leaving, they should kiss your ass. They're not worth thinking about if they can't appreciate you.

Click on my name to get to the Misheard Broadway lyrics website!

Posted by Maya @ 09/26/2003 12:06 PM PST

I would not be caught dead watching "Performing As" but I did see a picture in the paper and it reminded me not of Barbra herself but of a drag queen doing Barbra... even though it was a woman.

George - The SONG OF THE SOUTH DVD is legitimate Disney except it is supposed to be sold only in Manilla. I have it too, and don't know why it is considered so offensive. Yes it's dated, but the black characters are treated with respect. The Eisner company should release it here. It's better than most animated Disney films (excluding Pixar) of the last several years.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 09/26/2003 12:15 PM PST

Johnny Hartman...The Voice That Is...on the CD player & HUTCH...Leslie Hutchinson -- the Bobby Short of the Thirties... Magic Abroad in the Air.

ROAD TO BALI...in the DVD

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 09/26/2003 12:18 PM PST

Even better than Pocahontas, WEL?

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 12:23 PM PST

Who knows what they
appreciate. I know the writer
appreciates me and was, in
fact, shocked when I told him
that today was my last. I keep
wondering why no one knows
I'm leaving (except for the
people I've told).

Posted by bk @ 09/26/2003 12:27 PM PST

Curious-

No, I am not, but I tend to get the random email from people that think I am him. I wonder how he has the nerve to go around with my name!

Well it's going to be a busy week ahead. Tonight I have some HHW website work to do (right, Bruce?) And I have a book to read.. and then I have been asked to interview Michael McElroy for his upcoming Broadway Inspirational Voices concert. I then have an interview with our very own Ms. Butler to finish. (An interview that someone else started but was dreadful, so they asked me to come in and fix it). I then have been invited to partake of the opening night of Little Shop of Horrors (and party afterwards).

Phewwww.. what am I doing typing here?? I need to get busy! lol

Posted by Craig @ 09/26/2003 12:35 PM PST

Well, BK, if the people you worked with were witty, intelligent, and talented individuals, they would be dear readers of this site. And if they read this site every day, then they would have known that it was your last day.

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 12:38 PM PST

DVDs: I'm still working my way through Alias, Season One. Since this means working my way through six discs (I'm currently on disc four), and since said working through can only be done when the watchful der Brucer isn't watching something he wants to watch, and since our lives have been interrupted by the presence of those heart-stealing bandits Bonnie and Clyde...oh, fudge, enough with the excuses.

In the lineup are the dvds of A Mighty Wind, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and what looks to be a strange film released this summer by Disney called Holes. If this last title had been released by any other studio, I can only imagine the jokes the name would have evoked.

I may be writing up the story of Bonnie and Clyde in chapters, as it looks as though they will be staying with us for longer than der Brucer or I had expected.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 09/26/2003 12:42 PM PST

Jrand---
POCAHONTAS was a hell of a lot more politically incorrect than SONG OF THE SOUTH (so was MULAN). All that POCAHONTAS had going for it was Judy Kuhn singing "Colors of the Wind" and then at the Oscars® it was sung by a former "Penthouse" Model instead!

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 09/26/2003 12:47 PM PST

WEL - how does one become a "former" Penthouse model? Are all copies of said issue confiscated?

Talk about the ghost of Christmas past!

Mr BK are you SURE today is your last day? Maybe they meant this was your "fast" day and you weren't supposed to eat any of the Krispy Kreme donuts.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 09/26/2003 12:53 PM PST

I was under the impression that it was the former Miss America, Vanessa Williams, that sang Colors of the Wind at the Academy Awards.

Posted by TCB @ 09/26/2003 12:54 PM PST

Rhino Records must be
"jocking"!

20 bucks for only 13 tracks of
Lucille TRYING to sing the
beautiful songs penned by
Jerry for Mame!

They usually are more
generous....
They could have made it a
"double feature" at least,
IMHO!

Posted by François @ 09/26/2003 01:07 PM PST

Ah, devaluation!

Jrand was 53 and now is 52!

Posted by François @ 09/26/2003 01:08 PM PST

What about Disney's The
Black Hole that most seem to
have forgotten?

Not a bad thing though...

Posted by François @ 09/26/2003 01:12 PM PST

LOL Francois...no I am just living in the past.

I was a "former" Jrand52.

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 01:13 PM PST

Can't blame you, Jrand53! ;- )

Posted by François @ 09/26/2003 01:16 PM PST

Emily, if you have never seen Scrooge, I highly suggest you watch the Albert Finney version. You might want to wait until December.

Thanks for the Happy New Year wishes and the same back to those who celebrate it.

We returned from Canada last night. Unfortunately we still have our colds, but are feeling far better than before we left. Banff and Lake Louise were beautiful. The condo we stayed in with friends lied about the views. Fortunately the weather was nice and we didn't spend much time indoors. There are beautiful hikes to take in the area. Our favorite was to an incredible waterfall. Then we took a two day train trip from Banff to Vancouver. The train ride was fun but too much rocking, sitting and eating for me.

Just the sounds of the washer and dryer for me today. I should really put a CD player in the laundry room.

Posted by Jane @ 09/26/2003 01:17 PM PST

Whew! That was relatively painless. It only took a little over three hours to go through the 1200+ resumes of the people we saw and heard over the past month. Of course, we didn't go through each and every one, just the ones that we knew would be definite candidates. We weeded out a few more, and added one or two more people to the mix. *And I "found" the "skip ahead" button on the DVD remote control which made it a lot easier to jump to particular singers and dancers. We should be in very good shape for the inevitable small battles that will be taking place over the next few days. Ah, the joys of casting.

-And a big public Thank You to DR Jay for his continued role as my personal LA Tour Guide! A French Dip Sandwich and the Museum of Contemporary Art sounds like a perfect way to spend a Monday!

As for the pounded steak... It is/was not breaded like a country-fried steak, although it is served with country gravy - and quite tasty country gravy it was - a course unto itself. However, it seemed like the same cut used for a country-fried steak, maybe a bit thicker; it was nicely pan seared and served with some wonderful potatoes too.

-And Nick and Julia did have some food last night... Julia has a shrimp and some spoonfuls of rice pudding, and Nick had some bread and butter. And their conversation was indeed sparkling and lively.

Time for Laguna!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 09/26/2003 01:19 PM PST

I must write this here post VERY fast as I am almost late for a last minute babysitting job. I'm glad you all had a god dinner at Musso and Franks last night, and I do hope the lurker comes to post here, as new people are lots and lots of fun.

DVD: Sarah Brightman in concert, which I am not enjoying very much.
CD: Some weird band called "Bowling for Soup" which I'm not liking very much either.

I don't know what time I'll be back from my babysitting extravaganza, so this might be my one and only post today.

Compliment of the day goes to Maya, because she's there for me when I'm sad/mad/obnoxious! She keeps me entertained with her babble, and then listens to mine, and she's still incredibly intelligent! Always trying to make ME smarter. So KUDOS to her!

BK: Perhaps they're planning a surprise goodbye party and don't want you to figure it out!

Tata, my fellow DR's, be back whenever...Oh and if Paulie reads this, which he probably wont, EMAIL ME THE DAMN LYRICS!

Thank you :)

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 01:30 PM PST

I agree with other posters about SONG OF THE SOUTH. I have a videotape dubbed from the Japanese laserdisc of a few years ago, and there is NOTHING there which should insult anyone that I can see. The animation is so spectacular that it's a shame it hasn't been seen by more people.

I played Bob Cratchit in a local production of SCROOGE three years ago. Loved doing the show and loved the part, but boy do I dislike the song "Good Times" that Bricusse inserted into the stage score. Sounds like a trunk song from some other show, and it just doesn't match the quality of the other songs at all.

Media check (most of which haven't changed from last week):

CD: SHE LOVES ME (OBC and revival cast)

VCR: last Sunday's CARNIVALE on HBO and last night's CSI.

DVD: ALIAS - Season 1 (disc 2)

Posted by Matt H. @ 09/26/2003 01:43 PM PST

BK, are you SURE you weren't on medication of your own when you were told that today would be your last day?

Maybe it was all a dream... :)

Posted by Emily @ 09/26/2003 01:51 PM PST

in my CD player are Avenue Q (absolutely hysterical!) and Valarie Pettiford's new CD called Hear My Soul (she sounds great).....as for DVDs, I have been watching Midsomer Murders Box Set....as for books, I am reading the new Lemony Snicket "The Slippery Slope"

Posted by Donald Feltham @ 09/26/2003 02:29 PM PST

I'm going to be here until 12:30-1 ish, so I'll probably check in once in a while before then. Kids are exhausted, and will fall asleep relatively early, thank the LORD, so this shall be easy money, I tell you, easy money. Really, babysitting should be a full time job. I get paid more than most of my friends who have "real jobs".

If the number in the web address indicated the number of the notes, you're getting pretty close to two years, bk! Wah and that means that today is my "third month anniversary" at HHW! *tear*...

I should probably be watching the kids right now, but they're very engrossed in a movie...

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 02:32 PM PST

Sarah--thank you SO much for that completely wonderful and touching compliment. Now it's my turn--Swishy is spontaneous and delightful, and makes me break out in fits of giggles. She's supportive and kind and very intelligent on her own! So there! Now I've avenged myself, hehe.

Well, I must be off to school for Macbeth rehearsals, but I will probably be able to get away from the theatre now and then when I'm not on and check in!

Posted by Maya @ 09/26/2003 02:39 PM PST

You will be Thane of Cawder.

Posted by First Witch @ 09/26/2003 02:49 PM PST

Whitey (Stanely Fafara) from LEAVE IT TO BEAVER passed away on Saturday (if that hasn't already been reported here). He was living in Portland Oregon. Age 54.

Posted by MBarnum @ 09/26/2003 03:01 PM PST

LIke flies....dropping like flies.

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/26/2003 03:05 PM PST

DVD. The wonderful "Dusty Springfield -Reflections" Get this one DR td.
CDs. A strange mixture as I have been compiling songs for CDs:
Marti Webb "Performance"
The Best Of The Stylistics
Anthony Warlow "Centre Stage".

We need another gallery of photographs of readers as Ghosts, Tiny Tims and Dollys.
TCB: I am sure you looked beautiful in the TITLE role. Horace would be so not you. Red is your colour (color).
I saw a wonderful production (professional) of "Scrooge" a few years ago with the Keith Michell as the lead.
Coincidence: I was playing my "Midnight In The Garden..." CD yesterday. (Just to hear the voice of Mr Spacey singing "That Old Black Magic").

Waiting in the wings (a Coward reference" for me to play are CDs so thoughfully supplied by DRs in New York and Paris.
I have been playing "Bat Boy" a few times too. I saw a wonderful production of the show on Wednesday night. Enjoyable night in a "Little Shop Of Horrors" way.
Night Music: I would even be happy if they released the movie on DVD.

Back to before - The Dusty Springfield DVD mentioned above has comments from Pet Clark & B J Thomas. For a change, the songs are in their entirety. Those TV shows from the late 60's and early 70's look so bad but the performer is so good.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 09/26/2003 03:12 PM PST

DR Ron P. "Queer Eye For.." starts here on OZ TV this monday.It will be interesting to see how it is received by the general public. We have not had a problem with "Queer As Folk" and the amazing "Six Feet Under" both being shown uncut on Free to Air TV here.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 09/26/2003 03:15 PM PST

MBarnum, since I've been away I didn't know about Whitey. Seems I often find out sad news here far sooner than I do elsewhere. Hope that didn't sound like a complaint as it certainly wasn't. I like to be informed. Thank you.

Posted by Jane @ 09/26/2003 03:15 PM PST

Well, the post production
coordinator just told me she'd
JUST heard this is my last day.
I wonder who she heard it
from, because my suspicion is
that she heard it from
someone that I told, and not
from the Man. Oh, well, I'm
gettin' out of here at five-twenty
and goin' home. The Man has
been out all day, so I'll just
drop him a nice e-mail.

Posted by bk @ 09/26/2003 03:24 PM PST

BK -

When I first started freelancing, one of the large firms put me in the boardroom - with loads of work spread out for me to finish. It was the Friday before a long weekend and - yes - they all packed up early and locked the office door behind them. Luckily, the janitor discovered me. (And no, nobody had a sudden OMG-we-forgot-about-Dan moment during the weekend.)

(Sign me Mr. Cellophane)

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 09/26/2003 03:33 PM PST

Tom from Oz and any "Queer Eye" fans:

This show constantly amuses me. It's becoming consistent that at least one comment or scene will have me in near-hysterics. This usually relies upon a combination of events that lead up to the comment/moment that amuses me so violently.

This past week's episode had a moment where two families -- the straight guy's and his girlfriend, Katie's -- were facing each other with smiles plastered on their faces, saying nothing...for a long stretch. It helps to know that they've been served enormous quantities of alcohol by the doofus who got the "Queer Eye" makeover. Just when you wanted to scream at the TV for somebody to say something, the camera cut to the Fab 5, each of them holding his own drink in front of him and saying nothing! I nearly fell out of my chair.

The tension finally broke when the doofus made a toast in which he said, sincerely, that he wanted everyone to know how grateful he was for all the things "Katie" had done for him as his girlfriend. (Earlier in the show, he gave her the FIRST gift he had ever given her in their two-year relationship. He was so proud of himself. He said, "I've got something for you." She was thrilled. "For me?" "Yes," he said, plopping a box in her hand. "And they made me pay for it with my own money."

My heart swelled at the romance!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/26/2003 03:48 PM PST

Funny (if not slightly scary) little kid moment: Just walked into the basement to check on the twin 4 year olds, who were "flying to Southern California".
I walk in the room, and hear the little girl yell,
"GET OUT OF MY SPOT RIGHT NOW!" The little boy says "WHY?!?" The reponse?"Because of you don't, I'll KICK YOUR ASS!"

Aren't small children charming? Needless to say, we're enjoying timeout right now.

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 04:02 PM PST

WEL wrote: The SONG OF THE SOUTH DVD is legitimate Disney except it is supposed to be sold only in Manilla.

I got mine from efilmic.com which says that the company is "Based in, and shipped from, Taiwan." I wonder if I have the same release as you. A co-worker forwarded to me an e-mail that she got from efilmic.com which said that you could only get it through this specific link in the e-mail. I went to the website (not through the special link) and couldn't find the movie listed at all. You click on the link and there it is. It only took a little more than a week to get it.

Posted by George @ 09/26/2003 04:17 PM PST

George: Do you still have that link? IF so, send it my way!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/26/2003 04:37 PM PST

Click on my name!

Posted by George @ 09/26/2003 04:42 PM PST

That's what uncle Remus
said!

Posted by Bobby @ 09/26/2003 04:52 PM PST

And just to let anyone who cares to know, buying this from Taiwan will not prevent me from buying an official US Disney version, if one is ever released. I'm sure that if (hopefully "when") it does become available here, it will be remastered, chock full of bonus material, and spiffier than this bare-bones efilmic version (which otherwise isn't too bad, though).

Posted by George @ 09/26/2003 04:56 PM PST

Everybody's got a laughing
place to go....

Posted by Eisner @ 09/26/2003 05:05 PM PST

Where is that Blue Bird?

Posted by Uncle Remus @ 09/26/2003 05:06 PM PST

Aaaand they're asleep. I now have 4-5 hours to myself. Start posting, I'm bored out of my mind, and I really don't want to start my homework, which is reading the "Wife of Bath's Tale" from the Canterbury tales. At least that's what I think it's called.

I'm using a laptop...the sound of these keys clicking is the best :)

Can you tell how bored I am?

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 05:36 PM PST

Whew..just made my way through this weeks missed Unseemly comments! That is a lot of reading, but I didn't want to be out of the loop on the goins on.

I am so sorry that I was unable to make it to the Hainse/Kimlet get together in LA yesterday evening. I called Bruce Wednesday night to let him know that I had received his message about not making it to the Marie Callenders B-movie starlet luncheon, but as I don't understand this fershluganah cell phone, I didn't discover his message until late Wednesday night. Anyway I had to be on a jet plane to Portland Thursday night (I was actually at LAX from 2:30 till 6pm eating overpriced McDonald's hamburgers)and would no longer be in Tinsletown when you all were munching away at Musso and Franks. I would loved to have been able to meet the other DRs!!!

I can testify to BKs complaints about the crowded freeways there! Good golly. I think I spent a good lot of time in traffic that was standing still on I-5, 101, and 405. However there were a couple of days that the traffic flowed very nicely. It is unnerving, however, to be driving up I-5 from Anaheim and literally seeing disembodied car bumpers stuck in the highway dividers! Yikes! Thankfully my buddy Ron took over driving duties the whole time!

Jose, what brought you to L.A? Did you (or are you still) enjoying your visit?

Posted by MBarnum @ 09/26/2003 05:41 PM PST

I think the blue bird found his happiness with Kevin Spacey.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 09/26/2003 05:42 PM PST

Oh, and BK when your shoot got over early on Wednesday you should have come on over to Marie Callenders as we were still there... until almost 6pm! It was a long lunch and we took many pictures, including those of our hostage from J.A.G! LOL!

Posted by MBarnum @ 09/26/2003 05:43 PM PST

Tom from Oz: Was that the Bat Boy production in Melbourne? Something to do with the Chapel Loft Project? A friend who was recently in Melbourne returned and gave me the little flyer, which is now on my notice board, but I couldn't organise transport to get all the way down there for the show, so i'll miss out. How was the band?

Posted by Tyson @ 09/26/2003 05:46 PM PST

MBarnum: Shoot, who knew? I got back to the office around four-thirty - it didn't even occur to me that you'd still be there. Damn them, damn them all to hell.

I am officially done with this particular job and shall now await a call for the next particular job (hopefully) which will(hopefully) start up in about four to six weeks.

Sarah: I'm here, Swishy, to keep you from being bored. While you're reading The Wife of Bath's Tale I'm reading The Uncle of Shower's Tale.

Posted by bk @ 09/26/2003 05:49 PM PST

I'm reading Uncle Remus'
tales!

Zip A Dee Doo Dah!

Posted by Bobby @ 09/26/2003 05:56 PM PST

I'm swishing
For the one I love...

Posted by Snow White @ 09/26/2003 06:03 PM PST

This story is boring AND gross. Sex and the City episode #1 has just ended, and episode #2 is beginning in about 30 seconds, so I must hie my way over to the couch.

BK: Glad to know I have company :)

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 06:33 PM PST

We're in the home-s-t-r-e-t-c-h to hit 100 posts... it's time for a p-u-u-u-u-s-s-s-s-h-h-h-h-h!

Posted by Craig @ 09/26/2003 06:45 PM PST

No randy vicar stories tonight?

Posted by Jay @ 09/26/2003 06:46 PM PST

I'm back from rehearsal!

Jay--we could always have another storytime session, this time with a tale starring the Randy Vicar, maybe?

Sarah--which episodes did you see?

Posted by Maya @ 09/26/2003 06:53 PM PST

DR Tyson (who is lucky enough to be in Sydney on this Football day). Bat Boy was indeed the production at Chapel off Chapel in "the loft". The band was great and the audience loved the show.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 09/26/2003 07:04 PM PST

The first was Carries book signing/the "Plus One" episode, and the second was Carrie getting a bad wrap from "hurting Aidan", and Miranda having problems with Brady's non-stop crying.

...There was one line in the second episode, which I cannot print here (this is, after all, a family site), but I am in random fits of giggles/tears because of it, much like Ron with his "Queer Eye..." Samantha is my hero :)
Next up: Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 07:06 PM PST

Sarah--Samantha is your hero? You just like her outfits, right? ;)

Posted by Maya @ 09/26/2003 07:12 PM PST

Just about to have an end of job massage. When I return I expect to see 100 posts.

Posted by bk @ 09/26/2003 07:20 PM PST

Had a wonderful rehearsal with the fabulous Maureen Taylor today. I think Tuesday at the Donnell is going to be the show to see. (Click my name for details.) And it's free.

The mock auditions I set up for my college students turned out to be a great class.

Of Mary Rodgers songs, I'm particularly fond of Don't Laugh, Judy Holliday's first number in Hot Spot. The credit reads Lyrics by Martin Charnin, but the rumor hath Stephen Sondheim. Can anyone shed light?

Posted by Noel @ 09/26/2003 07:40 PM PST

The concert sounds truly wonderful, Noel, and I wish I could be there to see it! If you don't mind my asking, which performers are going to sing your songs?

Posted by Maya @ 09/26/2003 07:45 PM PST

Sarah, don't tell me that the "Crying Baby" episode of Sex and the City will not make you look at Sharper Image and all back massagers differently?

:)

I know I sure do...

Posted by Emily @ 09/26/2003 07:49 PM PST

Looking at the Playbill article again, I think I just answered my own question, Noel!

Sorry....I'm a ditz sometimes, lol

Posted by Maya @ 09/26/2003 07:50 PM PST

Woo Hoo! 100 posts people!

(and I didn't even realise I was posting that milestone post! Double Woo hoo!)

Posted by Emily @ 09/26/2003 07:50 PM PST

You know you're getting old when ...

Tony Roberts - dashing star of How Now, Dow Jones, etc. - has been cast in the Jack Gilford role in Cabaret.

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 09/26/2003 07:52 PM PST

Would everyone like to know how I am spending my fun and wild Friday night?

I have discovered that my ab fab DEVELOPING AREAS: ARAB WORLD prof. has posted recordings of his lectures on the class website. I can now listen to all previous lectures over and over and over again in MP3 format. I can even download them and burn cds of nothing but the booming lecture voice of my professor. Next week I'm going to have to ask a question so that I can hear my own voice over the internet.

Have I mentioned that I'm on mind altering medication right now? Is it really that obvious? :)

My only pleasure is that at the same time as listening to these edifying remarks I can also gleefully plan NYC-2003 and think of ways to convince as many people as possible to spend the oodles of money and join me.

I've even gone as far to suggest to a good friends' boyfriend that he WON'T be expected to join us in seeing any theatre. I dragged him to MISS SAIGON against his will and I doubt he'll ever forgive me.

Some people, alas, will NEVER "get" musical theatre. They are bizarre, but I guess I just have to accept the fact and move on to his girlfriend. :)

Posted by Emily @ 09/26/2003 08:20 PM PST

Emily: It was a NECK massager :)

Maya: I love Samantha because she says stuff like "Here I am, Mary F*g Poppins." and I break into fits of laughter over it....speaking of which.

*Pause for random giggle break*

I just talked to my friend Ted on the phone for 30 minutes and said absolutely nothing of anyu importance. THAT'S how bored I am. But the fact that he called is something, because I KNOW he's not the only person online able to see my away message, yet, he's the only one that called. Good friend, Ted.

Blah, off to pace more.

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 08:28 PM PST

Pacing is fun when you do the bored pacing dance.

*PACE PACE PACE SPIN PACE PACE SPIN PACE PACE POSE!* :)

Posted by Emily @ 09/26/2003 08:30 PM PST

A captain of a ship spots something a few miles directly in front of him. He sends out a message saying "Change your direction 10 degrees East."
The return signal said "Change YOUR direction 10 degrees West."
The man says "Excuse me, but I am a naval officer, YOU change YOUR direction!" The return message was "And I am a seafarer. Please change your direction." The man becomes SO frustrated that he pages "I AM A COMMANDER OF A NAVAL SHIP AND I WILL NOT CHANGE MY DIRECTION!" A few seconds later, the return message was "Well, I'm a lighthouse. Your call."

I'm so BORED! SOMEONE post :(

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 09:22 PM PST

Just got in from a wonderful evening with my friend, David, and Ms. Annie Morrison (Mary in the Broadway MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG), who recently participated in the final workshop of GOLD! and had many things to say about the way BOUNCE actually turned out. Many laughs were had, and much dirt was dished, and I shall be spending the next two days with them. We may be supping with Mr. Anthony Rapp tomorrow, but it sounds like he has other plans. Tonight we had dinner at a simply fabulous restaurant on 10th Ave. and 50th St. called DRUIDS...tasty and CHEAP! I had a great burger, a side salad (that came with the meal) and some really great home fries for $10.00--and that included soda, tip and tax! I highly recommend it.

Tomorrow I shall be seeing the matinee of THE BOY FROM OZ and the evening performance of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, starring our very own Ms. Kerry Butler. I'm quite excited.

One of the temps (my new best buddy at MTI--he's very nice), has co-written a new musical that will have a premiere in Germany sometime next year. He informed me today that he may need me to participate in the final reading/workshop in November. That would be fun, don'tcha think?

I think my cold has returned...I'm all stuffy. Everyone in New York, it would appear, is coming down with this thing, so maybe its good I'm getting this out of my system and being done with it.

Anywho, I need to run. I started a new book yesterday afternoon, and I'm hoping to finish it before I get to bed tonight. I'll start the sequel tomorrow. Have a good evening, all!!

Posted by Jason @ 09/26/2003 09:33 PM PST

Perhaps I missed this in an earlier post, but according to Playbill.com, the Roundabout Theatre Co. will, indeed, be producing the first Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's ASSASSINS at Studio 54 next March. How very, very exciting!

Posted by Jason @ 09/26/2003 09:40 PM PST

I'M HOME!!! IN MY OWN ROOM!!!

*deep breath of happiness*

I made $80...they love me :)

Posted by Sarah @ 09/26/2003 09:58 PM PST

I don't know if I'll post to the Saturday notes because I will be errant and truant for the weekend. We have a birthday party on Long Island. I'll try to check in when I can.

Posted by Ben @ 09/27/2003 05:28 AM PST

Ssturday's child is full of woe.

Posted by Jrand53 @ 09/27/2003 05:36 AM PST

I don't know that I'd forgive a friend who dragged me to Miss Saigon either and I love musicals. How did MS offend me? I can't count the ways...

Posted by Noel @ 09/27/2003 06:10 AM PST

In my CD player are three CD's o got from the library:

Julie Andrews Sings Classic Broadway

Leading Men Don't Dance

Marry Me a Little

The library can be so nice when you have the chance to listen to CD's before you buy them. Almost as goos as the listening booths in record stores.

Posted by Kerry @ 09/27/2003 06:40 AM PST

DR TCB,

I have the PBS broadcast version of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC on tape and can dub you a videotape copy. Can't promise great quality, but just e-mail me if you're interested.

Posted by Matt H. @ 09/27/2003 08:00 AM PST