I went and found my favorite fynsworth@webtv.net post on rec. arts.theatre.musicals. Someone asked for a synopsis of Cats. fynsworth responded thusly:
Cats: A Synopsis
A bunch of people dressed as cats, sing peculiar songs for quite a long
time. Then a scraggly, scruffy female cat comes on and sings a few
lines of a song called Memory. None of the other cats like her. She is
sad and goes away.
Act Two
The scraggly, scruffy cat comes back on and decides to finish her song.
She sings it really loud so everyone can hear her on 7th Avenue. Then
she and another cat get in a tire and go up to the ceiling. This is
very moving. She actually goes into the ceiling and then there are more
songs sung by cats, while the girl who went in the ceiling has to climb
down a lot of stairs so she can get back onstage for her curtain call.
THE END
On the productive side, I got some promo material for the book I'm coming out with in a month or so. Based on wise advice, it will include little about the "case" - I was convinced by family and friends to just make the book a fun effort, where I'd planned it as an account of issues.
Here's the text we're thinking of in promoting it. Far cry from the issue-oriented book I drafted and originally Kickstartered. Parodies, just parodies - which I know Jonathan Frank and "seeseveryshow" hate so much, but what can you do?
"There are three small words to one simple truth: Parody is popular.
It’s so popular in contemporary society that you don’t even have to go to a comedy club or find an off-Broadway stage to enjoy this unique type of humor. Just flick on your television or click, toggle, and swipe away at your laptop, tablet, or other digital must-have device. Parody is everywhere…because it has to be. We need it.
In itself, parody is one of the most comforting forms of humor out there. It takes an event, topic, or medium to which the common, everyday person already has a strong emotional response and then reshapes it in a way that stirs an entirely different emotion.
Parody helps us make sense of the absurd, brings fun to the mundane, and allows us to laugh when we might otherwise want to cry or throw our hands up in the air in defeat. It lifts us up when we are down and gives a new spin to things that frustrate us, offend our beliefs, or leave us wondering what could possibly come next.
In other words, parody helps us digest what is going on in the world around us. And to that end, Fred Landau offers a unique blend of humor, music, and current events that will please your palate and leave you begging for another round.
"21st Century Oldies" is a compilation of parodies of twenty-first-century current events delivered in the form of new lyrics to classic pop songs. Mostly from the 1960s and ’70s but going even a little further back, the songs are familiar ditties that we all know and love, and you’ll love them in a new way when you see what Landau has done with them.
A graduate of Harvard Law School with a master’s degree from NYU School of Law, Landau combines his extensive background in musical theater with his clever wit and creative mind to deliver verses and lines that are not only playful but also inspirational. Landau’s lyrics are fun, sarcastic, even silly at times, and they’ll definitely stick in your head—and, maybe once they’re stuck there, you’ll be able to more easily appreciate their deeper meaning. Behind their entertainment value, the songs ultimately sing to triumph over adversity, which is a silver lining we all hope to find these days.
The first volume in a forthcoming comprehensive set, 21st Century Oldies, Volume 1 includes parodies of topics and tunes starting with the letters A and B. Future volumes will go on to cover subjects and songs from the remainder of the alphabet, to culminate in what will prove to be nothing less than an encyclopedia of laughter, smiles, and very good times.
To the memorable music of tried and true artists such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston, and Barbara Streisand, topics parodied in this volume include American Idol meltdowns, Mark Sanford’s Argentina saga, the AIG bailout mess, Bette Midler’s always-dramatic professional life, and, of course, Barack Obama.
Turn on your radio—or whatever it is you use to play music these days—and start reading this book. In no time, you’ll be singing along, laughing, and feeling a whole lot better about life."
At exactly what point does a forlorn exterior Christmas wreath cease to be very, very late and start being very, very early?
Hope you'll have fun at Anything Goes, MBarnum. It's one of my favorite scores.
DR Jane I thought you'd finished the library ebook already. I don't see how they can remove it unless you connect to the internet. But I guess it could just expire after X amount of days.
I was woke up the morning to the "music" of all the smoke alarms going off.
My wife decided to clean the oven this morning, but forgot to turn on the fan.
>:(
I've had bit of a nap, and I'm pondering food. I am very hungry.
I understand that today is Harvey Schmidt's birthday.
I am home and very happy that I went to physical therapy. I'm developing a phobia about leaving the apartment, and I think it's good to deal with this problem before I end up a prisoner here. A car service drove me to 95th Street and I was lucky to catch the first cab coming down Columbus Avenue.
Back to bed!
Hi and everything.
Head is a mess today. This split level orchestra thing for the Heights show is frustrating.
That's all I have
Hi and everything.
Head is a mess today. This split level orchestra thing for the Heights show is frustrating.
That's all I have
Will you be ready by opening?
DR Matthew have a great opening!!!!
Twitter is down.
Twitter is down.
And that is a bad thing?
Still no package. I'm glad I went for a walk this morning
Still no package. I'm glad I went for a walk this morning
They tried to re-deliver it, but you were not home. ;)
Once upon a time, I had the pleasure of portraying Sir Evelyn.
Did you then exile yourself to an attic where you aged unmercifully while Sir Evelyn remained young and vital in the real world?
Well whaddayaknow?
Today is National Chocolate Milkshake Day! :)
DR Jane I thought you'd finished the library ebook already. I don't see how they can remove it unless you connect to the internet. But I guess it could just expire after X amount of days.
I finished it and since I'm so close to the expiration time I figured I would see what happens if I don't turn on my Nook, and then if I don't connect the internet on my Nook. Over and over I have read that if you don't connect to the internet the book is still available to be read. I'll let you know what happens.
Twitter is down.
And that is a bad thing?
I still have not figured out how Twitter works. I have looked at it, but just don't quite get how it would be useful or fun.
I am home and very happy that I went to physical therapy. I'm developing a phobia about leaving the apartment, and I think it's good to deal with this problem before I end up a prisoner here. A car service drove me to 95th Street and I was lucky to catch the first cab coming down Columbus Avenue.
Back to bed!
George, we want a full report on Secondhand Lions.
DR Jane I thought you'd finished the library ebook already. I don't see how they can remove it unless you connect to the internet. But I guess it could just expire after X amount of days.
I finished it and since I'm so close to the expiration time I figured I would see what happens if I don't turn on my Nook, and then if I don't connect the internet on my Nook. Over and over I have read that if you don't connect to the internet the book is still available to be read. I'll let you know what happens.
Hi and everything.
Head is a mess today. This split level orchestra thing for the Heights show is frustrating.
That's all I have
Will you be ready by opening?
Oh yeah, we'll be ready tonight! It's just something that needs tweaking. As the MD, it's the first time I've relinquished control to the sound designer to mix us in the house. It's frustrating.
Tonight is an invited preview (friends, etc) Friday is paid preview, Saturday is opening. We basically have 1 day to get it right!!! I appreciate the vibes, though. :)
Opening night vibes for DR MATTHEW....split level and all.
I am off to work in the box office for the opening night of HARVEY.
I still have not figured out how Twitter works. I have looked at it, but just don't quite get how it would be useful or fun.
DR Jane I thought you'd finished the library ebook already. I don't see how they can remove it unless you connect to the internet. But I guess it could just expire after X amount of days.
I finished it and since I'm so close to the expiration time I figured I would see what happens if I don't turn on my Nook, and then if I don't connect the internet on my Nook. Over and over I have read that if you don't connect to the internet the book is still available to be read. I'll let you know what happens.
Ah an experiment. Well better to experiment when you've finished the book. I think some others who have commented have a kindle (?)
DR Jane I thought you'd finished the library ebook already. I don't see how they can remove it unless you connect to the internet. But I guess it could just expire after X amount of days.
I finished it and since I'm so close to the expiration time I figured I would see what happens if I don't turn on my Nook, and then if I don't connect the internet on my Nook. Over and over I have read that if you don't connect to the internet the book is still available to be read. I'll let you know what happens.
This is correct. My library's downloadable content through OverDrive is not automatically removed from my Kindle or even made unavailable when it's "due" unless I specifically have Wi-Fi turned on (that's not a euphemism). I can be connected to my computer (and have Wi-Fi turned off) and it still won't remove books that are overdue. That's a feature that they feature. :)
Opening night vibes for DR MATTHEW....split level and all.
I am off to work in the box office for the opening night of HARVEY.
~~~Break Leg Vibes For Jrand's Opening Tonight!!~~~
I am glad you got it, DR Jane! :)
Terrific thunder, lightning, and rain here.
The dog is going nuts. :-\
On the productive side, I got some promo material for the book I'm coming out with in a month or so. Based on wise advice, it will include little about the "case" - I was convinced by family and friends to just make the book a fun effort, where I'd planned it as an account of issues.
Here's the text we're thinking of in promoting it. Far cry from the issue-oriented book I drafted and originally Kickstartered. Parodies, just parodies - which I know Jonathan Frank and "seeseveryshow" hate so much, but what can you do?
"There are three small words to one simple truth: Parody is popular.
It’s so popular in contemporary society that you don’t even have to go to a comedy club or find an off-Broadway stage to enjoy this unique type of humor. Just flick on your television or click, toggle, and swipe away at your laptop, tablet, or other digital must-have device. Parody is everywhere…because it has to be. We need it.
In itself, parody is one of the most comforting forms of humor out there. It takes an event, topic, or medium to which the common, everyday person already has a strong emotional response and then reshapes it in a way that stirs an entirely different emotion.
Parody helps us make sense of the absurd, brings fun to the mundane, and allows us to laugh when we might otherwise want to cry or throw our hands up in the air in defeat. It lifts us up when we are down and gives a new spin to things that frustrate us, offend our beliefs, or leave us wondering what could possibly come next.
In other words, parody helps us digest what is going on in the world around us. And to that end, Fred Landau offers a unique blend of humor, music, and current events that will please your palate and leave you begging for another round.
"21st Century Oldies" is a compilation of parodies of twenty-first-century current events delivered in the form of new lyrics to classic pop songs. Mostly from the 1960s and ’70s but going even a little further back, the songs are familiar ditties that we all know and love, and you’ll love them in a new way when you see what Landau has done with them.
A graduate of Harvard Law School with a master’s degree from NYU School of Law, Landau combines his extensive background in musical theater with his clever wit and creative mind to deliver verses and lines that are not only playful but also inspirational. Landau’s lyrics are fun, sarcastic, even silly at times, and they’ll definitely stick in your head—and, maybe once they’re stuck there, you’ll be able to more easily appreciate their deeper meaning. Behind their entertainment value, the songs ultimately sing to triumph over adversity, which is a silver lining we all hope to find these days.
The first volume in a forthcoming comprehensive set, 21st Century Oldies, Volume 1 includes parodies of topics and tunes starting with the letters A and B. Future volumes will go on to cover subjects and songs from the remainder of the alphabet, to culminate in what will prove to be nothing less than an encyclopedia of laughter, smiles, and very good times.
To the memorable music of tried and true artists such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston, and Barbara Streisand, topics parodied in this volume include American Idol meltdowns, Mark Sanford’s Argentina saga, the AIG bailout mess, Bette Midler’s always-dramatic professional life, and, of course, Barack Obama.
Turn on your radio—or whatever it is you use to play music these days—and start reading this book. In no time, you’ll be singing along, laughing, and feeling a whole lot better about life."
And now, I'm off to meet my friends in downtown Olympia so that we may carpool up to Seattle to see the new musical version of Secondhand Lions! :D
Until later!
Feel better vibes to Elmore and TCB!
And broken legs to JRand and Matthew.Feel better vibes to Elmore and TCB!
And broken legs to JRand and Matthew.
From me too!
2013 Kennedy Center Honorees Announced:
Carlos Santana, the Mexican American guitarist and songwriter who pioneered the genre of Latin-infused rock, and Billy Joel, the New York-bred piano man who became one of the best-selling musicians of all time, are among the five artists to receive the 2013 Kennedy Center Honors. The honorees, announced Thursday by the Kennedy Center, also include opera singer Martina Arroyo, jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and actress Shirley MacLaine.
Very exciting news today - you'll remember that I'm going to be producing a new studio cast recording of And the World Goes Round - we've just set the two men for the recording and you won't believe it: Brent Barrett and Jason Graae. I suspect we're on our way to something special!
Very exciting news today - you'll remember that I'm going to be producing a new studio cast recording of And the World Goes Round - we've just set the two men for the recording and you won't believe it: Brent Barrett and Jason Graae. I suspect we're on our way to something special!
I am happy to announce that kismet has gotten a clean bill of health. What's coming out of this is he has an enormous appetite and I can't seem to satisfy it. Thank you all for all your good wishes and vibes for him. I am so happy that he is feeling well.
Very exciting news today - you'll remember that I'm going to be producing a new studio cast recording of And the World Goes Round - we've just set the two men for the recording and you won't believe it: Brent Barrett and Jason Graae. I suspect we're on our way to something special!
And the word of the day is: METONYMY!
kismet has gotten a clean bill of health
Brent Barrett and Jason Graae.
Oy! I see I posted "the DR version" instead of "the DR Charles Pogue version" this morning. :-[ Mucho apologies.
~ ~ ~ SAFE TRAVEL VIBES TOMORROW ~ ~ ~ for DR ChasSmith!
We're off to see the Wizard.
I just got a call from our friend on Long Island and we have tickets for the Friday evening (September 20th) showing of The Wizard of Oz in 3-D and IMAX. Our friend (he's 81 years old) has never seen the movie and this was a good way to get him to see it. Anthony will go out early next week and take care of some business on LI and I will go out Friday after work and we will spend the weekend out there.
They are making a big deal of the re-release in anticipation of the 75th Anniversary. After this 1-week special engagement they will release a special Blue-Ray edition of WOO (along with a digital download, if I recall correctly).
I'm excited to see it because our friend has never seen it but this is one of those times when you scratch your head and say "Why are you doing this? The movie was fine without the enhancements"
Oh, well. A good time will be had by all.
Very exciting news today - you'll remember that I'm going to be producing a new studio cast recording of And the World Goes Round - we've just set the two men for the recording and you won't believe it: Brent Barrett and Jason Graae. I suspect we're on our way to something special!
My crown was reseated on Tuesday and it is happily residing on my molar
Speaking of NYC, there just isn't any way I'm going to make it there this fall. I'm still thinking about January and hope ATTK is still running.
Opening night vibes for DR MATTHEW....split level and all.
I am off to work in the box office for the opening night of HARVEY.
~~~Break Leg Vibes For Jrand's Opening Tonight!!~~~
Very exciting news today - you'll remember that I'm going to be producing a new studio cast recording of And the World Goes Round - we've just set the two men for the recording and you won't believe it: Brent Barrett and Jason Graae. I suspect we're on our way to something special!
tell me you will record in NYC and I can attend and the news will be perfect!!!
Congratulations!!
kismet has gotten a clean bill of health
Happy news, indeed! :)
Tomorrow night I'm going to the Premiere of Ride with Larry
http://ridewithlarrymovie.com/ (http://ridewithlarrymovie.com/)
Larry and Betty are friends of mine and I'm also friends with others who went on the ride and figure prominently in the movie. I was at the finish line and volunteered that day. I'm not sure if I'll be in the movie, but it's possible. It would just be the crowd scene as the finished the ride across South Dakota. Can't wait!
Putting update on Kickstarter about why I cancelled previous project, will try a new one.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1269320272/parodies-in-an-a-minor-key-a-case-of-bias-after-th/posts/596812
I am home and very happy that I went to physical therapy. I'm developing a phobia about leaving the apartment, and I think it's good to deal with this problem before I end up a prisoner here. A car service drove me to 95th Street and I was lucky to catch the first cab coming down Columbus Avenue.
Back to bed!
Hope you'll have fun at Anything Goes, MBarnum. It's one of my favorite scores.
It's the Tops! :)
2013 Kennedy Center Honorees Announced:
Carlos Santana, the Mexican American guitarist and songwriter who pioneered the genre of Latin-infused rock, and Billy Joel, the New York-bred piano man who became one of the best-selling musicians of all time, are among the five artists to receive the 2013 Kennedy Center Honors. The honorees, announced Thursday by the Kennedy Center, also include opera singer Martina Arroyo, jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and actress Shirley MacLaine.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"A room without books is like a body without a soul."
MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO
Very exciting news today - you'll remember that I'm going to be producing a new studio cast recording of And the World Goes Round - we've just set the two men for the recording and you won't believe it: Brent Barrett and Jason Graae. I suspect we're on our way to something special!
Vixdad bought our first computer in 1996-- the Vixter was 3 and she immediately began playing the educational games Vixdad installed for her and was soon teaching me how to use the dang thing (she still is showing me how to do stuff)
We had dial up AOL for years...
my first groups were "mother's groups" and then I discovered ebay... a great source for cheap toys