Topic: TICKLING MY FANCY (Read 27146 times)

bk · « **on:** July 07, 2004, 12:01:46 AM »

Well, you've read the notes, the notes have tickled your fancy, your fancy has tickled the notes, we're all now tickled and slightly pickled, so now it is time to post until the tickled cows come home.

George · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2004, 12:20:25 AM »

Okay, it's about 12:20 and I'm finally going to bed. Good night all!

But wait! Questions for Ask BK and Anyone Day:

What's the longest that you've stayed up? And why? And how long ago was it?

Me? I've been involved in The American Cancer Society's Relay For Life for the past 5 years. Teams raise money any way they can and then the teams all get together (within a county) and walk for 24 hours. Well, at least one person from the team should be on the track at all times. This past relay, which was in June, I woke up on Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. and didn't go to sleep (for the night) until 9:30 p.m. Saturday. I did get about three hours sleep (in half hour chunks), so I don't really count that. One year I was awake for 37-1/2 hours with not even a nap! Other than the relay events, I haven't stayed awake that long since college!

George · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2004, 12:20:59 AM »

Now, I'm off to beddy-by land.

bk · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2004, 12:27:43 AM »

The day before my scheduled draft board appearance back in 1967 or '68 was an all-nighter, because I wanted to look really haggard and awful, which I did. That is a whole other tale, however, and if I ever ultimately do a book of Kritzer short stories, that may end up in it.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2004, 12:39:34 AM »

I and The Lovely Wife shall be attending 110 In The Shade this Friday.

When we fly to London, I routinely am up early the day of departure and usually stay up all through the 10 and half hour flight and, once in London, try to stay up until ten or eleven that night...we often go to the theatre the first night we're in.

Also on long drives across country, I've been know to stay up twenty four hours and then some. Larry Drake and I would be known to close a dinner theatre show in Dallas on a Sunday and then get immediately in the car and drive through the night all next day to the next theatre we were touring...be it Columbus or Atlanta or Florida, usually getting in on late Monday and then being ready for brush-up rehearsal bright and early Tuesday morning. Sometimes we'd beat the rest of the cast who would be flying in.

Tomovoz · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2004, 12:41:25 AM »

DR George: I can not sleep on planes so anytime I have been from here to London has meant about 26 hours flight time between Melbourne and London plus the 4 hours before I left plus another 16 hours or so on arrival in London. A Flight from New York to Melbourne via LA was almost as bad. I don't watch movies on planes either - reading is it!

S. Woody White · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2004, 01:30:09 AM »

A QUESTION FOR ALL DRs:

Who is your favorite theater historian, the writer you learn the most from?

S. Woody White · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2004, 01:30:44 AM »

Back to bed.

Ann · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2004, 01:33:26 AM »

Last year, spring finals week...I was awake almost from Wednesday morning at about 6 to Friday night late...can't quite remember when I went to sleep, but sometime after 1. I slept about 4 hours on Wednesday night, but that was it. I had a killer final on Wednesday afternoon, so I woke up early to study for it...then a final Thursday morning and two papers due Friday, so I just didn't sleep, except for a few hours, until everything was done...then went to work Friday afternoon, went to a concert in Seattle Friday night, then came home and helped a friend move until about 1 am.

Tomovoz · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2004, 02:09:08 AM »

For S Woody's question: My first reference was "The World Of Musical Comedy" 4th edition - by Stanley Green.

Tomovoz · « **Reply #10 on:** July 07, 2004, 02:12:27 AM »

Today's Birthdays: Anton Karas and Richard Starkey. Bring on the Zither and Drums duets.

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #11 on:** July 07, 2004, 04:34:06 AM »

Going without sleep?

When I index a book (one of various freelance jobs I take on) I find that, no matter how organized I try to be, I'm working down to the wire. The deadline is tight and not negotiable (everyone's breathing down your back because it's the last job before printing - which has been booked). I've vowed not to put in any more all-nighters, but it's a promise just about always broken.

Emily · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2004, 05:05:02 AM »

Let's just say I needs my beauty sleep!

The longest I've been awake for would probably be from this christmas' trip to NYC where I was awake from 9:30am on a thursday until 3:00am on a saturday.

There was a little hour nap in there somewhere... but that was about it.

Emily · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2004, 05:05:55 AM »

please excuse the lack of capitalization in that last post... it's too early to actually perform the exertive (is that a word) task of holding down a shift key

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2004, 05:19:07 AM »

I just caught up on last night's late posts. DR Ann, good luck with the weights.

I recently found an excellent program, which I'm about to start on:

1. Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5-lb. potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides, and hold them there as long as you can.

2. Try to reach a full minute, then relax. Each day, you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.

3. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb. potato sacks. Then 50-lb. potato sacks, and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb. potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.

4. After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks. But be careful.

Jason · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2004, 05:55:42 AM »

Mornin', all... I began my day with CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, but in a much more focused and "normal" state of mind. I'm sure I'll have a few bouts with temptation to pick up the phone or feelings of sadness and anxiety, but right this minute I feel alright.

BK: I'm sorry about your licensing woes. I'm sure something will work out soon enough.

And now, off to work. (Bleh!)

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2004, 06:24:41 AM »

Wasn't "What Tickles My Fancy" one of Benjamin's favorite songs?

And speaking of Benjamin, I have now received the money from the readers who promised to help cover the fee to submit it for a Pulitzer. As soon as I get the books from BK, off it will go to tickle the fancy of the Pulitzer judges.

Longest I have stayed up? When I was in college I was a dj on the campus radio station (I did a Broadway show weeekly, plus a more general show as well) and over finals week we stayed on the air 24 hours a day with an all request show. I would take the all night shift the day after my last exam, answering phones and playing whatever was requested. I also used to pull all-nighters when I worked in summer stock but as someone in a tree said, I was younger then.

Theatre historians? Since Ken Mandelbaum has only written two books and Peter Filichia only one (currently being updated and revised), I'd have to say Ethan Mordeen. It's interesting that I find his books on musical theatre so informative and readable but I don't care for his fiction.

Noel · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2004, 06:44:26 AM »

I was bemused and amused by Mark Steyn's Broadway Babies Say Goodnight

Jason · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2004, 06:58:48 AM »

TomfromOz: I just read about the "killer kangaroos" on CNN.com. You stay away from those things!

Noel · « **Reply #19 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:06:45 AM »

I picked up the Post yesterday, and all I could think was, "Well, this is stupidity in action. I mean, Dick Gephardt's going to hurt the campaign. Way too many think negatively of him. The ticket needs some new blood. Like that guy I voted for, what was his name?"

Yes, I saw Liza Minelli in Victor/Victoria, one of the low-points in my theatre-going life. When she expresses disbelief at the idea that she could pass for a man in drag, the audience wanted to shout, en masse: "But you are, Liza, you are!"

Noel · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:15:55 AM »

Whenever I hear an intriguing song that's been cut from a musical, it brings up the BK question, was it considered for Lost In Boston, and why didn't it get on?

That Old Piano Roll from Follies
Long Live the King (If He Can) from The Girl Who Came To Supper
I've Never Had a Manifestation from High Spirits
How Much Richer Could One Man Be? from Fiddler on the Roof
We May Never Be Younger from Kiss Me Kate

S. Woody White · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:45:45 AM »

Quote from: William E. Lurie on July 07, 2004, 06:24:41 AM

Theatre historians? Since Ken Mandelbaum has only written two books and Peter Filichia only one (currently being updated and revised), I'd have to say Ethan Mordeen. It's interesting that I find his books on musical theatre so informative and readable but I don't care for his fiction.

I enjoy Mordden a lot, even when I find myself taking his writing with a grain of salt. I'm a bit frustrated, though, with his next volume of theater history to cover the 80s onward, while we wait for his book on the 30s. I've a hunch he's got something to say about the connection during that decade between Broadway and Hollywood, which could be VERY interesting...and controversial.

Matt H. · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:51:08 AM »

Ethan Mordden would also be the theater historian I most respect. Like William Lurie, Ken Mandelbaum and Peter Filichia just haven't written enough books (although Mandelbaum's daily columns could be collected into MANY volumes of helpful theater information) for consideration.

Craig Zadan's SONDHEIM & CO. is invaluable, but I guess he's too busy producing films now to write anything else.

JMK · « **Reply #23 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:52:00 AM »

Exciting news for Percy Faith fans (and you know who you are): quite possibly the rarest set ever of Faith recordings is finally available here in the US on the Living Era label. Though the 2 CD set is called "Delicado," it actually contains all (as in *all*) of Percy Faith's pre-Columbia recordings for labels like RCA, etc., all from compiler Alan Bunting's personal collection (and all really well remastered and noise reduced with CEDAR). Alan also included the first few Columbia singles as a bonus, hence the title tune, and a nice reedited version of "Moulin Rouge" combining Percy's vocal and instrumental versions. There are a couple of tracks featuring Hildegarde and quite a few featuring Percy's early "vocalese" choir, the Magic Voices. Highly recommended, especially to Faith fans who know his late 50s-early 60s oeuvre, as this set features the first recordings and arrangements of tunes he later did during his Columbia years.

Matt H. · « **Reply #24 on:** July 07, 2004, 07:53:35 AM »

Looking forward to cracking open my CHARLIE CHAN box this afternoon and beginning to watch these six films. I understand from reading reviews that these six Monogram features are the only ones owned by MGM. The other Monograms that featured Sidney Toler and the last ones with Roland Winters aren't controlled by them. That's a bummer. These may be the only CHANs we get.

Ben · « **Reply #25 on:** July 07, 2004, 08:08:32 AM »

More information on Spamalot from Playbill On-Line

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/87211.html

A brief summary:

Tim Curry as King Arthur, David Hyde Pierce as Sir Robin and Hank Azaria as Sir Lancelot will star in the upcoming Broadway musical version of the "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," set to begin Feb. 7, 2005, and open March 10, 2005, at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre as Monty Python's Spamalot. Mike Nichols ("The Graduate," "Angels in America") directs the work.

George · « **Reply #26 on:** July 07, 2004, 08:18:28 AM »

Quote from: S. Woody White on July 07, 2004, 01:30:09 AM

A QUESTION FOR ALL DRs:

Who is your favorite theater historian, the writer you learn the most from?

Everyone here at HHW!

bk · « **Reply #27 on:** July 07, 2004, 08:44:53 AM »

Quote from: Noel on July 07, 2004, 07:15:55 AM

Whenever I hear an intriguing song that's been cut from a musical, it brings up the BK question, was it considered for Lost In Boston, and why didn't it get on?

That Old Piano Roll from Follies
Long Live the King (If He Can) from The Girl Who Came To Supper
I've Never Had a Manifestation from High Spirits
How Much Richer Could One Man Be? from Fiddler on the Roof
We May Never Be Younger from Kiss Me Kate

That Old Piano Roll was, of course, recorded by me, but on Unsung Sondheim, my very first Varese album, done before Lost in Boston was a reality. The only other song on your list that I heard was the Fiddler song and I didn't like it as much as the two we chose.

bk · « **Reply #28 on:** July 07, 2004, 08:47:03 AM »

Tammy has made her decision - we are moving to Plan B, which I'll talk about a bit later. But, in a final Blue Surge irony, the agent of the original leading man of the Public Theater's NY production called this morning and said her client would love to do the role in our production and he'd be willing to fly out to do it. In the letter I'm going to write that will be included and that letter is also going to the author, because I think she ought to know what her representitives are doing.

Panni · « **Reply #29 on:** July 07, 2004, 09:24:38 AM »

Good morning. Have some errands to do, then plan to put in a heavy day of writing. Which means I won't be around here much today. Tomorrow I lose a good few writing hours at the Humanitas Prize Luncheon. That's always a nice occasion and I'll report on anything interesting. (It's one of the few awards of its kind with which big checks are given -- and to the writer, no less. My kind of thinking.) I'll take my handy dandy phone camera and see if there are sparkling people to snap.

News:

Author Topic: TICKLING MY FANCY (Read 27146 times)

Ben