Good morning. I will be E & T from noon today until at least tomorow evening.[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]
I will be taking the afternoon off to supervise the Vixter and some of her friends in their quest for money and canned goods in support of their 30 Hour Famine which runs from noon today until 6 pm tomorrow... please send VIBES that they'll all be able to rise to the challenge and be successful!
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~VIBES FOR SUCCESS ON THE VIXTER'S FAMINE RELIEF DRIVE!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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DRvixmom, did you get my cookie order????????
And friend just emailed me that he will meet up with me tomorrow for dirty martinis and interview clothes shopping.
And friend just emailed me that he will meet up with me tomorrow for dirty martinis and interview clothes shopping.
Who here saw PRIDE AND PREJUDICE with Keira Knightley (either at the movies or on DVD)? I love the story, so I've been very tempted to get this now instead of waiting to see it on HBO (or whichever pay cable channel will feature it in six months or so).
Just curious to know others' reactions to this version, especially if you saw either the Greer Garson original or the masterful 6 hour BBC version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.
Vixmom, could you please email/PM me your address so I can send you a check for some GS Cookies? I know I want some of those shortbread cookies.
Does anyone else besides me like them cold? I like to put them in the fridge.
I'm off to do chores.
Thanks, DR Elmore, for the detailed comparisons to the various P&P versions and the book. Now, I think I'll just wait for the movie to show up on pay cable. (Or if a friend gets it on DVD and loans it to me for viewing.)
Was this guy some kind of bad sport or what? To spend his last on-camera moment bad mouthing the other players on his team just seemed like the worst kind of sour grapes to me. Or did he have legit reasons to be so angry and bitter?
Or, DR MattH, you could get on the waiting list at your local public library. My system has 33 copies on order, with a waiting list of 271.
'Morning all!
I was wondering the same thing, DR Matt. I have the BBC version you mentioned on DVD and I just LOVE it. In fact, now that you mentioned it, I shall have to watch it again.
I was also thinking of just buying the new version even though I didn't go to the movies to see it.
Vixmom, could you please email/PM me your address so I can send you a check for some GS Cookies? I know I want some of those shortbread cookies.
Does anyone else besides me like them cold? I like to put them in the fridge.
Funny elmore mentions Mr. Leroy Anderson - this past week I've had several telephonic calls with Mrs. Anderson, his widow.
And re: wednesday's LOST.
.
.
.
I loved most of it. It was the best backstory ever! Well what a creative idea to do the backstory as claire's missing weeks. I loved that. It was riveting. I loved how the french woman played into the story. And how they (claire/kate/danielle) all went to find the serum.
The only part of the show that took me down was the actual ending. And the locke/eko/guy locked up parts. I just wasn't that interesting to me.
And where the heck is michael. He has been gone for weeks!
And where was charlie? They didn't even show him.I think he would care that the baby was sick.
There are just so many characters that we can go episodes without seeing them (no jin, charlie or ana lucia). Sometimes i wonder if they just write out those who are on press tours in LA and NYC!
Oh and one more thing about the backstory. I never could have imagined that that was what had happened to claire while she was gone. Crazy.
DR Danise, you might want to (once your diet allows) check out Edy's Girl Scout Cookies Ice Cream. I bought a container of the Tagalong variety last week (which remains untouched in my freezer--I shall dig into it this weekend for shure!)
I didn't understand the bit about the costume beard/glue. I've only missed one show and it had to be the one with the Others. From what I gather, it had something to do with one of them.
DVDs: RSC's production of a Winter's Tale starring Anthony Sher.
Does anyone have a copy of the current issue of Backstage? I heard through the grapevine that Dear Friend Do-Re-Milla Ilieva won one of their Bistro Awards, but they don't have the paper on our newsstand, and it's not mentioned anywhere online. If anyone has the paper, can you confirm whether it's true before I potentially embarrass myself by congratulating her?
Hiya, Elmo!! I would dearly love to go to Artie's with you for some chicken soup... still a bit under the weather...
Hiya, Elmo!! I would dearly love to go to Artie's with you for some chicken soup... still a bit under the weather...
I just came in from getting the mail and what did I find? A lovely get well card from our very own DR MBarnum! Thank you so much! It really made my day!
Are they still letting him write only in crayon?:)
And friend just emailed me that he will meet up with me tomorrow for dirty martinis and interview clothes shopping.
Speaking of LADY AND THE TRAMP, I can remember that my mom
Who here saw PRIDE AND PREJUDICE with Keira Knightley (either at the movies or on DVD)? I love the story, so I've been very tempted to get this now instead of waiting to see it on HBO (or whichever pay cable channel will feature it in six months or so).
Just curious to know others' reactions to this version, especially if you saw either the Greer Garson original or the masterful 6 hour BBC version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.
'Morning all!
I was wondering the same thing, DR Matt. I have the BBC version you mentioned on DVD and I just LOVE it. In fact, now that you mentioned it, I shall have to watch it again.
I was also thinking of just buying the new version even though I didn't go to the movies to see it.
Vixmom, could you please email/PM me your address so I can send you a check for some GS Cookies? I know I want some of those shortbread cookies.
Does anyone else besides me like them cold? I like to put them in the fridge.
The obnoxious little despot who runs the Home Theater Forum, a site filled with idiocy of the highest order, where "reviewers" mangle English, don't know what they're talking about, etc., has just posted a mini-review of Dog Day Afternoon, a film he loves. That's fine - I love it, too. What is astonishing is that he then lists his four favorite films of ALL TIME (emphasis his and mine). Of ALL TIME, mind you. The list:
Glory (Columbia)
1776 (Columbia)
Dog Day Afternoon (Warner)
Braveheart (Paramount)
Of ALL TIME. Braveheart. Glory. I know it's all subjective, but I mean that list just makes me want to vomit on the ground. Of ALL TIME. This is a guy who admits that prior to DVD he had never seen a classic film. Whatever one may think of Braveheart and Glory (and I don't think much of them), there is something terrible awry if those are one's favorite films of ALL TIME.
I just remembered to turn the page on my calander. I am looking at a picture of the beautiful Royal Exhibition Building inMelbourne. Thank you Tomovoz!A "temporary" structure to house Australia's first national Parliament in 1901. It is much loved here and is one of only two Australian buildings with World Heritage listing.
In my CD player: Lionel Bart's fings ain't wot they used t'be. After that will be "Miss Gulch Returns: The Wicked Musical," written and performed by Fred Barton. ;D
DR DakotaCelt - Chipotle is a Tex-Mex fast-food joint. Burritos, Fajita Bowls, Tacos, and Salads. It's a very basic and limited menu, but the selection of salsas and other condiments ups the variety. Basically, you pick your protein: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Black or Pinto Beans. Pick your "platform": burrito, taco shells (hard or soft), lettuce (for salad). Then get them dressed up with a choice of salsas, cheese and sour cream. Everything is assembled, nothing is cooked (like a quesadilla).
It's good, filling food, and pretty easy of the wallet. Additionally, the chicken is free-range, the beef and pork are anti-biotic free, etc.
Oh, and it's owned by the McDonald's corporation. There are even some side-by-side operations here and there. At the MCI Center in DC, Chipotle and McDonald's have separate counter areas, but share lobby and seating areas (and bathrooms).
*And I believe that Chipotle's healthier menu has influenced McDonald's recent healthier trend too. Of course, if both chains can buy all their chicken breasts from one supplier and save a couple of bucks per gross in the process, that's probably not a bad deal either.
And re: wednesday's LOST.
.
.
.
I loved most of it. It was the best backstory ever! Well what a creative idea to do the backstory as claire's missing weeks. I loved that. It was riveting. I loved how the french woman played into the story. And how they (claire/kate/danielle) all went to find the serum.
The only part of the show that took me down was the actual ending. And the locke/eko/guy locked up parts. I just wasn't that interesting to me.
And where the heck is michael. He has been gone for weeks!
And where was charlie? They didn't even show him.I think he would care that the baby was sick.
There are just so many characters that we can go episodes without seeing them (no jin, charlie or ana lucia). Sometimes i wonder if they just write out those who are on press tours in LA and NYC!
Oh and one more thing about the backstory. I never could have imagined that that was what had happened to claire while she was gone. Crazy.
Friday, March 3: Make way for the Wonder Pets! A new animated series on Nickelodeon, "Wonder Pets" sends Tuck Turtle, Ming-Ming Duckling and Linny the Guinea Pig on adventures throughout the world to save animals in trouble. And they rescue the animals in song! Every episode is a twelve-minute operetta written by some of musical theater's finest. The first episodes air on Friday 3/3, and JRB's episode (written with Larry Hochman), "Save the Unicorn!" premieres at 12 noon that day. The whole show is unspeakably adorable. Want more info? Here's the Daily News article about the show's launch:[/size]
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/393137p-333367c.html (http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/393137p-333367c.html)
OH!... And speaking of Jason Robert Brown... I just received this via e-mail:[/size]
Sounds like something that DRs SWW and DerB may want to consider taping for their grandlads.
-And I'm sure DR elmore will be happy to see Larry Hochman's listed as lead composer.
DR Jose, have you read the book, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel?
The movie is good and I heard she had a hand in the writing of the script.
I keep visualizing Gertrude on this horse with one of the men associated with Pancho Villa with scanty clothing.
Good morning, all! I'm listening to Leroy Anderson conducting his music. This great CD set I have includes a lot of music from GOLDILOCKS, and I have become addicted to the "Lady in Waiting" ballet music, which is quite a wonderful variation on the song's melody. Since this was an Agnes DeMille show, I'm wondering if the original dance arrangement was notated by Trude Rittmann for Anderson to compose, as she did for Weill on ONE TOUCH OF VENUS?
Today I hopefully finish Miss Karen Ziemba's chart and get back to Toyland full time.
TOD:
CD: Leroy Anderson, Lisa Richard, Guy Haines, some of the Classics for Pleaaure operetta discs
DVD: Mozart operas
VCR: for DR Jose, THE PLUMBER COMES
I believe Larry's supervising all of their 10-minute(?) musicals. Good for him!
Have you all seen Michael Riedel's hysterically funny column about Harry Connick?
http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/64553.htm
Mr Leroy Anderson is one of my favourite light music composers! If I'm not wrong, I do believe DR MattH helds him in high estime too!
Other films that I like are Somewhere in Time,...
Next up was LADY AND THE TRAMP. Yes, it does look and sound terrific, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I had forgotten how entertaining "He's a Tramp" was with the dogs providing very individualized accompaniment to Peggy Lee's vocal. I had this huge grin on my face from beginning to end of that sequence and replayed it because I enjoyed it so much.
I never realized that Peggy had supplied the voice of Darling. I knew she did the cats and, of course, Peg.
Oh yes, Liza is wonderful in that.
I also like her in Cabernet, Teahouse of the Julie Moon, and King Arthur. Did you know she is the daughter of Judy Dench and Vincent Van Gogh? And she was on Broadway in Flora Dora Girls, The Ring (with Rita Moreno), and Act Two.
Oh yes, Liza is wonderful in that.And that WFO auditioned for the Wizard in "Wicked".
I also like her in Cabernet, Teahouse of the Julie Moon, and King Arthur. Did you know she is the daughter of Judy Dench and Vincent Van Gogh? And she was on Broadway in Flora Dora Girls, The Ring (with Rita Moreno), and Act Two.
Now that it seems official that John Travolta has been signed to play Edna Turnblad in the film of HAIRSPRAY, can someone explain to me why everyone involved thinks this is such good casting? Divine and Harvey Fierstein made significent inroads in their careers doing drag, so it was natural for them to play this part.
But why does anyone think Travolta can do drag successfully? Yes, he's a big name (but not one that means much at the box-office any more). Why is this supposed to be such a good thing?
Well we're off to the church soon to start the Bibke Study portion of the eveing laters!!!
I like Lady and the Tramp. Peggy Lee is from North Dakota.
I never realized that Peggy had supplied the voice of Darling. I knew she did the cats and, of course, Peg.
DR George, good luck with the real estate search. I think it's great you're contemplating buying something.
I hoped they would sign Lainie Kazan, but perhaps Mr Travolta wants to do drag.
In the middle of the night, I was struck by the lyric of the Pufnstuf song sung by Jack Wild called "Mechanical Boy" - I'm recalling it to the best of my memory because I can't find the actual lyric on the web:
I do as I'm ordered
I never ask why
I never can laugh
And I never can cry
I never have lived
So I never shall die
That's because I'm a mechanical boy
I was hoping to buy something, also. But he told me he wasn't for sale.
DR Jose, have you read the book, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel?
The movie is good and I heard she had a hand in the writing of the script.
I keep visualizing Gertrude on this horse with one of the men associated with Pancho Villa with scanty clothing.
btb (by the bye in Internet Lingo) Matt, what is your source for this information?
Waiting for the other shoe to drop. Paris Hilton as Tracy?
And then when it is godawful at the box office, the pundits will say "musicals don't sell."
OH!... And speaking of Jason Robert Brown... I just received this via e-mail:....The grandlads already get Nick on their television satellite antenna.
Sounds like something that DRs SWW and DerB may want to consider taping for their grandlads.....
Page Five Dalmatian Dance!!!
But why does anyone think Travolta can do drag successfully?
Maybe he has had a lot of practice 8)
Seems we were just talking about this not long ago, and now Shirley Temple's Storybook Theater is coming to DVD April 25 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQ5UIM/102-1109951-8158567?camp=2025&dev-t=D2JUTWY2CB9NCH&link%5Fcode=xm2&n=130 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQ5UIM/102-1109951-8158567?camp=2025&dev-t=D2JUTWY2CB9NCH&link%5Fcode=xm2&n=130)
I read in SECOND ACT TROUBLE that Liza also started the Chicago Fire.
I'm just bored with the whole "drag" thing. I've never found it funny. Dame Edna bores me to tears. I always hated the Monty Python drag sketches. I was glad when Bosom Buddies got rid of the whole drag conceit. I never liked it much in reverse when Shakespeare had women masquerading as men. The only time drag ever worked for me was in Charley's Aunt and seeing Charles Pierce, but with Charley's Aunt there was a point. And with Charles Pierce, it was his wicked "star" impersonations that were the draw. Good God, there are few enough good roles in the theatre and on film for women of a certain age, do we really need men co-opting them?But the role of Edna wasn't written for a woman in the first place, it was written for a man. This was true of the original film, it is true of the stage musical, and it should be true of the filmed musical.
Der Brucer wants his din-din. Bye.
Another LONG day at work tomorrow.
And now, I have to say, that I am overwhelmed....and I know it is 20 years too late.
But my 99 cent video of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE arrived today, and I watched it from beginning to end for the first time ever.
I am overwhelmed.... I thought everybody was outstanding, yes, DR RLP, EVERYBODY.
Sometimes a show comes along that just proves everyone else is just playing around with the musical....
But my 99 cent video of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE arrived today, and I watched it from beginning to end for the first time ever.
I am overwhelmed.... I thought everybody was outstanding, yes, DR RLP, EVERYBODY.
I read the Travolta/HAIRSPRAY all over the net today including VARIETY, E!, TV GUIDE, Playbill, and Zap2It.
Just catching up on the last couple of days...
Matt: LOVED the pink elephants page dance. That's one of my favorite Disney movie numbers ever, and a coupla years ago a woman performed the song "Pink Elephants" in a class I was taking, and it was the funniest live performance I have ever seen in my life, ever. Her name is Adrienne Doucette, and she is brilliant. I actually almost peed my pants in this class.
Ooohhh...
And when I went upstairs, I noticed that my Dad had come home from work, and he had left a nice collection of leftovers from work on the counter. (He's the cook for the Secretary's Mess at HHS.) Well...
Baked Cod
Baked Salmon
Sauteed Spinach
Mac 'n' Cheese (!!!!!)
Fresh Fruit - Strawberries, Oranges, Mango, Grapefruit, Watermelon
Nothing like a nice mid-afternoon "snack". :)
Oh, and chocolate chip cookies too!
Not anymore. :)
I love the movie and have also read the book. I actually have to rewatch the movie sometime soon and then write a midterm paper on what family therapy approach and treatment plan I would use. I think my treatment plan will in some way incorporate the cooking that is so much a part of the family's culture and history of expression emotion toward one another.
Here's a link for the Broadway.com story. Queen Latifah will also star
http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=525780
So yes, thank you all for the vibes; apparently it worked, because I did get that dream job I wanted. I have to say, though, it is REALLY tough right now. Today was my last day of "training"; in other words, the last day that I had the previous assistant to show me stuff. And there is SOOOO much going on, it's really overwhelming trying to make sure I'm doing everything right and making sure all the bases are covered and the CDs have what they need to run their auditions next week. The timing is just nuts because there are multiple projects going on at once and I have GOT to stay organized and keep on top of things.
I know it will be fine, but right now I'm basically getting thrown to the lions. I'm armed with the right food, but there's just enough for each beast and I have to know who prefers which dish and how they like it prepared, and if I don't cook and serve each lion the correct dish cooked the way they like it, they'll just eat me alive instead. :o
Now that it seems official that John Travolta has been signed to play Edna Turnblad in the film of HAIRSPRAY, can someone explain to me why everyone involved thinks this is such good casting? Divine and Harvey Fierstein made significent inroads in their careers doing drag, so it was natural for them to play this part.
But why does anyone think Travolta can do drag successfully? Yes, he's a big name (but not one that means much at the box-office any more). Why is this supposed to be such a good thing?
She kicked over the bucket?
Fighting the flu/cold that has been going around. Good thing about it, is that I lost more weight 46 pounds and counting.
Tonight a tribute to Lenny Dee, organist extraordinaire who passed away last week. Among pop organists, only Ken Griffin tops Dee, in my opinion. Dee could rock out a bit though, where Griffin wouldn't dare.
This is a particularly bizarre and fun cover...
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Maclord/ldee.jpg)
Back from another excellent show with a fantastically appreciative audience - lots of laughs from start to finish, and for the second time, the problem actor gave a winning performance - not perfect, mind you, but yards better than he's ever been. Maybe someone told him I was about to replace him.
I just (about 45 minutes ago) got back from the high school production of Sweet Charity that the daughter of a co-worker is in. The daughter (Mandy) played Helene and was quite good. The Nickie was very good, too, and obviously a trained dancer. The Charity was not bad. She was spunky and optimistic and a good actress, but not a great dancer (although she could move) and not a very loud singer (they only had floor mics). The guy playing Oscar was very good...nice voice, appropriately neurotic, and cute (and much too young for me, so don't get any ideas ;)).
Overall, the show was very enjoyable. There was a lot of energy on the stage. Sadly, there was a little too much energy in the audience. :P A little into the second act, a girl behind me on my left started talking to her friend and then a guy behind me on my right started talking to a friend of his and I could hear two different conversations! I turned around to each of them and the guy got quite right away. The girl, however, kept talking sporatically throughout the early part of the act and I had to actually look sternly at her. That helped until the very end when SPOILER!!!....Charity gets dumped by Oscar and the girl behind me yells, "I KNEW IT!" very loudly. A couple of people on stage almost broke character. Damned high school audiences. ::)
Oh...and they didn't have a "Daddy Johann Sebastian Brubeck." There were only seven boys in the entire show! They had a Mama Brubeck:
Mama started out in San Francisco
Tootin' on her trumpet loud and mean
Suddenly a voice said, "Go forth Mama,
Spread the picture on a wider screen."
I have seen really good high school productions and I have seen really bad...
I was surprised when I saw a presentation of Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore...
I have seen a decent prodcution of Fiddler on the Roof...
The worst production I have ever seen in a high school production was Arsenic and Lace.... It was not pretty...
It worked well enough for a high school production. :)
And they changed the line: "Hit the road Daddy, leave your common-law wife" to "Hit the road Mama, leave your worries and strife."
Hmmm, wonder if it was a miscue or the school requested the change.
I am not familiar with Sweet Charity but I am curious...
And on that note (G flat), I'm heading to bed. I want to go into work tomorrow and then I'm ushering for a local orchestra concert in the evening. Goodnight!