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[Ginny]

Wednesday evening greetings!  My sister and I had a nice day trip to Lansing today.  We met Mary Linda and her Mom for lunch near their workplaces and they made a suggestion for a rehearsal dinner venue.  After my sister did some genealogy work at the Michigan Archives and I toured the historical museum, I drove her out to see the reception venue and then we went to the rehearsal dinner place to meet Mary Linda.  We all liked the space and decided over dinner that instead of a heavy sit-down dinner, we'll have a buffet of appetizers and sweets after the wedding rehearsal.

[Cillaliz]

Sounds like a great day, Ginny!!

[MBarnum]

I have booked my flight, hotel, and car for my trip to the Bank of Bur in October. I shall be in the LA area from Oct. 7th to 14th. You have been warned.

Congratulations.  I hope you find your energy long before your trip.

What hotel are you staying at?

For the first couple of nights I will be staying at the Burbank Marriott, while the HOllywood Show is there, afterwards I move to a cheap flophouse for the remainder! LOL!

[Ginny]

It was a very good day, DR Cillaliz, and I'm quite tired.  Tomorrow I'm taking my sister and her husband out for a 49th wedding anniversary brunch before I head home to Ohio.

'night!

[John G.]

I'm not into the royal wedding, but I thought these cookies were really nice.

[John G.]

Sounds like a great day, Ginny!!

It does.

[John G.]

The Fighter is a much better movie than I expected it would be.  I liked it.

It's crazy good.

[JoseSPiano]

Good Evening!

Greetings from Centreville, Virginia!

Where a line of thunderstorms just moved through... And another one may be on the way.

As DR KevinH stated earlier, the DC area has been under Severe Weather Alerts for the past couple of hours. -There were even reports of possible tornados.

[John G.]

Too many tornadoes out there. Too much hot air blowing about. vibes for all in or near their paths.

[JoseSPiano]

...And it's also been a bit scary - and hopeful - following some of my friends on Twitter. Some of them are staff and students in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and, thankfully, none of them were directly affected by the tornado that devastated parts of their downtown earlier.

Another friend of mine is currently in Mississippi helping out the Red Cross from last week's damage in a couple of counties. Sadly, 11 of the 15 areas that they've been helping out in were affected again earlier tonight.

[JoseSPiano]

Wednesday evening greetings!  My sister and I had a nice day trip to Lansing today.  We met Mary Linda and her Mom for lunch near their workplaces and they made a suggestion for a rehearsal dinner venue.  After my sister did some genealogy work at the Michigan Archives and I toured the historical museum, I drove her out to see the reception venue and then we went to the rehearsal dinner place to meet Mary Linda.  We all liked the space and decided over dinner that instead of a heavy sit-down dinner, we'll have a buffet of appetizers and sweets after the wedding rehearsal.

And what type of food arrangements have been made for the wedding reception?

Remember: It's all about the food.

Hope you get a good night's sleep tonight.

[JoseSPiano]

Back from the chiropractor and do I ever feel better.

Of course just looking at the chiropractor could make one feel better, so handsome he is.

Now I understand why my experience with a chiropractor was useless, mine wasn't good looking enough

LOL!!! DR Jane!!!

[Cillaliz]

Vibes to All in the paths of the many severe storms and tornadoes the past few days...

[Cillaliz]

And please, everyone, if they tell you to take cover....just do it.

[Cillaliz]

I don't have anything scheduled at the office on Friday....so I think I'm going to get up and watch THE wedding.   I love the pomp and circumstance and no one does that quite like the British. 

[JoseSPiano]

The lineup for the Strouse show sounds great. "Rags" is a great score, so is "Dance a Little Closer,"even if the productions were not up to snuff.

The problem wasn't the productions, it was the books! They stank.

The productions were quite lush and interesting.

I saw a production of RAGS at the late Coconut Grove Playhouse. It included If We Never Meet Again. Unfortunatly it was not sung in its entirity.

The problem with this production as I remember was the libretto as it was the original. This production elimanated characters and tried to focus on the core characters and streamline the various stories. I felt there were still too many characters and even though they tried to focus the stories instead of a kalidiscope of the imigrant experience the plot was slight

The score is still a standout.

I still remember the chamber version of Rags that American Jewish Theatre presented back in 1991(!). The cast of 30 was cut down to 9(!), and the "orchestra" was cut down to a piano, a drum set (I think), and one of the actors playing clarinet (klezmer) during certain scenes and songs.

It starred Ann Crumb as Rebecca, and Crista Moore as Bella. The book had been majorly revised and evened out the stories of Rebecca and Bella, and was told from the viewpoint of Rebecca's son. It was far from perfect, but having Crista Moore sing "Rags", and Ann Crumb singing "Children of the Wind" just 10 feet from me... WOW!

[JoseSPiano]

Vibes to All in the paths of the many severe storms and tornadoes the past few days...

YIKES! And I just a report that the tornado that started in Tuscaloosa, has just worked its way across four states. It just crossed the South Carolina/North Carolina state line.

[John G.]

The lineup for the Strouse show sounds great. "Rags" is a great score, so is "Dance a Little Closer,"even if the productions were not up to snuff.

The problem wasn't the productions, it was the books! They stank.

The productions were quite lush and interesting.

I saw a production of RAGS at the late Coconut Grove Playhouse. It included If We Never Meet Again. Unfortunatly it was not sung in its entirity.

The problem with this production as I remember was the libretto as it was the original. This production elimanated characters and tried to focus on the core characters and streamline the various stories. I felt there were still too many characters and even though they tried to focus the stories instead of a kalidiscope of the imigrant experience the plot was slight

The score is still a standout.

I still remember the chamber version of Rags that American Jewish Theatre presented back in 1991(!). The cast of 30 was cut down to 9(!), and the "orchestra" was cut down to a piano, a drum set (I think), and one of the actors playing clarinet (klezmer) during certain scenes and songs.

It starred Ann Crumb as Rebecca, and Crista Moore as Bella. The book had been majorly revised and evened out the stories of Rebecca and Bella, and was told from the viewpoint of Rebecca's son. It was far from perfect, but having Crista Moore sing "Rags", and Ann Crumb singing "Children of the Wind" just 10 feet from me... WOW!

That would be a wow, even though it was directed by Elmore's favorite, Lonny Price.

[JoseSPiano]

And...

Break

I'm about to start analyzing the Ballet, so...

I just need to not look at all those little black dots and lines for a few minutes.

Isn't Gemze staging the dances?

I believe all of the choreography for this production was done by Parker Esse - who was just awarded a Helen Hayes Award for his choreography on Monday. The production is in the round, so... However, as per the contract, there is still an "Original Dances by Agnes Demille" credit in the program and publicity materials.

[JoseSPiano]

That would be a wow, even though it was directed by Elmore's favorite, Lonny Price.

Well... I believe the "1991" Lonny Price is quite different from the "2000->" Lonny Price.

[John G.]

That would be a wow, even though it was directed by Elmore's favorite, Lonny Price.

Well... I believe the "1991" Lonny Price is quite different from the "2000->" Lonny Price.

Elmores never forget. Or something like that.

[JoseSPiano]

Rags 1991, cont'd...

And the young actor who played David (the son), Jonathan Kaplan, in that production, would then go on to play Jason in Falsettos the following season on Broadway.

[Cillaliz]

Elmore, I meant to say so earlier, but I'm not sure I did, so, please accept my condolences about your friend,

[Cillaliz]

I am sleepy...think I'll get some shut eye

[JoseSPiano]

Rags 1991, cont'd...

And the young actor who played David (the son), Jonathan Kaplan, in that production, would then go on to play Jason in Falsettos the following season on Broadway.

And to tie this into something we were discussing yesterday...

Josh Blake who played David in the original Broadway production of Rag, portrayed Ulysses in the Broadway production of The Human Comedy.

[John G.]

All the world's a stage ...

[JoseSPiano]

Back from the eye doctor and $350 lighter with two pairs of glasses on the way. Not happy with the total, but I have put off going for a year, and with my diabetes, that isn't good.

DR JohnG - With the food-writing and reporting that you do, have you ever had to turn down an assignment due to your personal nutritional and health needs and concerns?

A friend of mine just gave up his rather extensive food-blogging and freelance restaurant reviewing since his "professional obligation" to eat "richly" on a regular basis was starting to be detrimental to his health.

[JoseSPiano]

bk - Did  you have access to a copy of the Vocal Selections from Rags? Both "Children of the Wind" and the title song are arranged as solo numbers.

[JoseSPiano]

Thanks. It's got some great photos and great illustrations.  It's way cool. 

Nice find!

[John G.]

Back from the eye doctor and $350 lighter with two pairs of glasses on the way. Not happy with the total, but I have put off going for a year, and with my diabetes, that isn't good.

DR JohnG - With the food-writing and reporting that you do, have you ever had to turn down an assignment due to your personal nutritional and health needs and concerns?

A friend of mine just gave up his rather extensive food-blogging and freelance restaurant reviewing since his "professional obligation" to eat "richly" on a regular basis was starting to be detrimental to his health.

I try to eat just a taste or two of something I shouldn't eat, which is largely the starches, especially pasta and rice. And since cutting back, things haven't been bad. I remember a food trip to New York about 12 years ago in which we ate five multi-course meals a day for five days. It was murder on the body. And while some of the food was very good, nothing was spectacular.