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[Jrand73]

PAGE TWO

[Jrand73]

Page Two Roland Dupree Dance.

[Jrand73]

My question for ASK BK DAY:

Did you learn any routines from Mr Roland Dupree, or were you just taught steps?

[Jane]

I had a childhood friend who had a bit of a melt down after her second baby was born, and right after her father died.  Eventually she did a short stay in a mental hospital.  She looked around and thought "The Snake Pit", snapped her right out of it.

[bk]

My question for ASK BK DAY:

Did you learn any routines from Mr Roland Dupree, or were you just taught steps?

Steps and then at the end of every class, a routine.

[bk]

I'm up, I'm up - barely - six hours thanks to a noisy morning - may go back to bed.

[bk]

I like Michelle Williams, I just don't like the writing and the silly errors.  While I understand that non-business folks don't know what an assemblage is, it's easy to explain without making a filmmaker look like an idiot.

[Druxy]

Watched episode three of Fosse/Verdon - terrible.  There is no way around it - the writing is so horrible and the anachronisms and inaccuracies are unforgivable for a show with a budget like this.  This one was directed by someone else and he's not to hot either.  To wit:

Once again, we have Miss Verdon saying "on set" in 1972.  No, never, no one ever said that then.  EVER.

We have the editor of Cabaret telling Fosse he'd like to show him the assemblage.  Fosse acts like he doesn't know what that means and says, "You edited my movie?"  It's not hard to know that EVERY editor in HISTORY does an assemblage of all the chosen takes, start to finish.  The first assemblage of Nudie Musical ran almost 160 minutes.  Then the editing process begins.  Cabaret was not Fosse's first movie and this idiotic writer makes Fosse look like a moron.

In 1972, they did not make paper shopping bags with HANDLES.  Did not exist.  Real hard to find that out.

At one point, Miss Verdon, in talking about a meeting with a director of a straight play says, "I'll see if we can establish trust."  No one said that back in 1972.  Ever.

Fosse leaves daughter Nicole with Paddy Chayefsky in Fosse's hotel room.  Miss Verdon says just what you'd think and that was not a thing in 1972 - "That's inappropriate."  No.

In the play she does, Children! Children!  the director, which I'll get to in a minute, says, "Play something active."  Not in 1972, baby.  And the director - if I were the estate of Joseph Hardy I would sue this writer from here to kingdom come.  No director would talk to a Tony Award-winning STAR the way this writer has this awful actor playing Joseph Hardy.  But any director who'd talk to ANY actor the way he does would get nothing at all from that actor.  Furthermore, he wouldn't have had much of a career, either.  It's shameful.  It's lazy writing. 

And then there's the crying baby, the endlessly crying baby, only in the shots where the baby has his back to the camera it is very clear he's not crying at all. 

They couldn't find a performer who actually resembles Joel Grey?  And Sam Rockwell is horrible, I'm sorry.  The fake bald cap, the fake beard, which looks NOTHING like Mr. Fosse's beard - this thing is way too thick and hairy, where Fosse's was trim. 

There's more, but why bother.  And people LOVE it.  I understand it to a point, and then the inaccuracies are so silly and unnecessary that I just can't. 

I have not seen FOSSE/VERNON, though I've just set my DVR to record it.

However, with all due respect, most of your criticisms seem directed at aspects of the series that I would call "dramatic license," which is employed in every film/play that is based on fact.  Perhaps it was written/directed that way for the benefit of viewers who are not of the theatre?

Just a thought. 

Looking forward to viewing the series.

[bk]

A typical Druxian response.  With all due respect, I don't think the life of Mr. Fosse and Ms. Verdon needs dramatic license that's insulting to its characters, just to create drama where there wasn't any.  I don't think it's dramatic license to get silly details totally wrong - details that a five-year-old could Google and find out - I don't know, call me crazy, but God is in the details and when the details are made up I'm done. 

I have no problem with anyone who loves this show and I understand why they do, although the ratings are horrible and I don't think anyone other than theater fans are watching and it is obviously appealing to many of them.  I'm not the only one who feels as I do, BTW.  Ms. Williams is great, Mr. Rockwell is not - and some of that is the writing.  Bob Fosse had personality - he wasn't a drudge - why would any woman be interested in what's being portrayed in this show?  Watch any interview with Bob Fosse, the actual person and you will find a completely charming, impish, boyish, fun, seductive person.  Where's that guy in this show? 

[George]

10,000 !

Congrats, Kevin!  Here's your milestone preserved for posterity:

[George]

Jan, here's a picture of Neve from late last year:

Awww, sweet.

Thanks, Jane!

[George]

FEEL BETTER BE FRIDAY VIBES FOR DR ELMORE!

~~~SUPER DITTO!!~~~

[George]

Check vibes and research vibes for DR ELMORE.

~~~SUPER DITTO, TOO!!~~~

[George]

Neve is quite a beauty.

Thanks, Jrand!

[Druxy]

A typical Druxian response.  With all due respect, I don't think the life of Mr. Fosse and Ms. Verdon needs dramatic license that's insulting to its characters, just to create drama where there wasn't any.  I don't think it's dramatic license to get silly details totally wrong - details that a five-year-old could Google and find out - I don't know, call me crazy, but God is in the details and when the details are made up I'm done. 

I have no problem with anyone who loves this show and I understand why they do, although the ratings are horrible and I don't think anyone other than theater fans are watching and it is obviously appealing to many of them.  I'm not the only one who feels as I do, BTW.  Ms. Williams is great, Mr. Rockwell is not - and some of that is the writing.  Bob Fosse had personality - he wasn't a drudge - why would any woman be interested in what's being portrayed in this show?  Watch any interview with Bob Fosse, the actual person and you will find a completely charming, impish, boyish, fun, seductive person.  Where's that guy in this show? 

I guess a "typical Druxman response" gets a "typical Kimmel response".

As I said, I haven't seen the show.  I didn't even know it was on yet, but now I have it set to record.

All I know is that, when you're writing about theatre (or any profession for that matter), you often have to "write down," so that "civilians"  will know what you're talking about.  You also have to condense events to make them simpler.

You're a writer.  You should know that.   

Once I see the show, I will let you know what I think of it.

[John G.]

Chest x-ray done. Ultrasound tomorrow. Doctor next week.

[John G.]

Rainy day here. And actually cool. As in low 60s.

[John G.]

The car repairs took longer than necessary, but it helped that I got a 20% off coupon from the dealership this morning.

[bk]

A typical Druxian response to a typical Kimmelian response.  I don't think anyone has to write down to anyone.  There's a way to explain what an assemblage is without misrepresenting what actually happened and making a character look like a dope.  And why even bother explaining.  All you have to do is have the editor say what he probably said, "Here's the assemblage" and have Fosse say what he probably said, "Let's get to work and find the movie."  You know how that works because you've been there.  It would be like me getting details wrong in the Kritzer books - the details are what makes those books.  Yes, I can manipulate time lines in those books for storytelling purposes, but no one knows that I'm doing that but me.  With Fosse/Verdon you're dealing with two very public people.  Whole different kettle of what is it fish.

[bk]

Yay, Kevin H. had a milestone.

[Druxy]

A typical Druxian response to a typical Kimmelian response to a typical Druxian response:

Let me see the show, and then we can discuss this.

Who knows?

I might even agree with you...or not.

 

[elmore3003]

Another day, no check.  This hand-to-mouth bullshit has been wearing me down since September.  I'm lucky I have a couple of friends who keep me sporadically employed, and I hope I'm not feeling sorry for myself, but this is absolutely no fun.

[Jane]

Chest x-ray done. Ultrasound tomorrow. Doctor next week.

Excellent test result vibes.

[Jane]

Another day, no check.  This is getting old and it's been wearing me down since September.  This hand-to-mouth bullshit has been wearing me down since September.  I'm lucky I have a couple of friends who keep me sporadically employed, and I hope I'm not feeling sorry for myself, but this is absolutely no fun.

It is difficult to imagine the constant delay in people paying you.

[bk]

Vibes to all who need them, especially John and elmore. 

[Druxy]

Wow!

2 people I knew well have died in the last 2 days.

David Winters was one of my very first publicity clients.

And now, I've just read that Ken Kercheval ("Cliff Barnes" on DALLAS) has passed away.

Cliff was not a client, but we had a lot of interaction during the DALLAS years, as Steve Kanaly ("Ray Krebbs") was a publicity client.  I also did an autograph show or two with Ken. 

A fine actor and a nice man.

[Jrand73]

One of the things MR BK mentioned that bothered me as well was the way the director treated Gwen Verdon during rehearsals....that was rather shocking....

[Jrand73]

....besides using the weird vocabulary that seems very "now" rather than "then" in his technique.....

[Jrand73]

And this happened today:

Pluto retrograde in Capricorn is a time to reflect. If you’ve been on a power trip lately, loosen your grip and let go of the urge to control everything. Similarly, it might be time to sever ties with people who've tried to manipulate and control you. If you don't put the wheels of change in motion now, negative control issues (including obsessive/compulsive behavior and addictions) will keep repeating themselves.

[elmore3003]

Curiously, I've neither received a copy nor been alerted to its publication by the Moross family!  I am very excited that it's finally in print.
https://www.amazon.com/Gentlemen-Be-Seated-Complete-Vocal/dp/1542614171/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=gentlemen+be+seated+moross&qid=1555339194&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmrnull&fbclid=IwAR2YVeKCCyqfcSifiVX64efFfiJFnCdOsP_UH26NxX_GQGQMrr5Ud9puyso