Haines His Way

Yes, DRMATTH - I remember now you talked about visiting the MCNY.

*GASP!* She works for "The Mouse!?!" So do I in a very roundabout way...they're practically taking over MTI. Glad to hear you're getting out...Florie did it - so can you!

I do indeed!  My apologies for all the secrecy- I just read an article about people who have been fired for posting negative info with their company's names... I'll be able to complain much more freely once I have moved on.

That's crazy that you know Florie...but of course you would being at MTI.  And in response to your earlier post, I also did some time at Roundabout.

Hi DRGINNY....I am taking my MAMMA MIA! program to show the cast how their faces SHOULD look.  It's pretty grim right now.

DR JRand - Maybe you need to get your director's assistant to take some photos.  Candid shots reveal a lot!

I've always thought if a theater could set up a video camera and record a rehearsal/run through and show it to the cast. at least in my case, I could work on things about my own performance that I don't like and I think could use improvement, even if the director had given no notes on it. The director can't see everything, but with each person looking at his own work,  I think it might be personally helpful. I've never done it, though.

When I look at a show tape of something I've done, liek FOREVER PLAID for instance, I can see places where a head bob wasn't in sync with the others or a gesture wasn't quite right in character. The director didn't catch it, but if I could have seen it ahead of time, I could have done something about it.

I've dealt with the 3 major publishing houses when it comes to shows, and MTI by far is the best for costumer service and their understanding of music and orchestrations and such.  Tams Whitmark has never been very helpful in that respect.  And let's not even talk about Samuel French, who has the poorist upkeep of their musical materials out of anyone I've mentioned.  Things like missing pages and such, they don't seem to care.  The 'cello book for "The Secret Garden" came with the top line totally missing on every page, they sent us a new one and the bill for overnight postage.  UGH!   Oh - and R&H Theatricals are great, too - but MTI is the best!

The music director had unending gripes about the music materials that Samuel French provided for LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. She said they were the worst she had ever seen.

I've caught up with today's posts. Back later. Back to Potter!

My dear friend Hal got his copy in the mail on Saturday afternoon and was finished by Monday morning. Probably would have been finished Sunday night but he had meals to prepare for him and his partner and a pool to keep cleaned.

What a strange coincidence--

Last night I sent an email to DRJose about a terrific New York spot that only makes French Fries. It's called Pommes Frites--it's in the East Village, and they make Belgian french fries that are served in a cone with a choice of 26 toppings.

I sent this info before the notes went up and potatoes became the topic of the day. Psychic powers at work.

Don't forget the Museum of the City of New York at 105th and 5th - I keep telling people about it, but nobody EVER goes!  

 I saw a listing for that but didn't look at their web page. If you recommend it then it must be good. I will have a look-see!

MBarnum, here is the link to Museum of Television and Radio.

http://www.mtr.org/

Here are the hours:

The Museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. and Thursday evenings until 8:00 p.m. The Museum is closed on Mondays and New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

It costs $10 for admission.

Unfortunately, you don't have unlimited time at the Museum. If you're a non-member you can only watch (if I recall correctly) 2 hours worth of material. More info from the Web site:

Choosing a Program from the Collection
Access to information on the Museum's vast collection is literally at your fingertips in the Library. (You must make a reservation to use the Library at the lobby front desk when you arrive.)

Using a Macintosh computer, you search the database for the television or radio program of your choice. A Visitor Services staff person will be glad to assist you at any time!

When you find a program you want, you reserve it and then go to a console room, where you watch or listen to the program at a monitor with headphones.

The museum is a wonderful place but it's not as supported as one would think for such a valuable resource. They have just announced a cutback in staff and hours and although they have Macs for searching they were (at least when I was there last) not current Macs running the latest software. The database in which you search is somewhat clumsy AND even though they have thousands of hours of material, they don't have everything. Don't be surprised if you look for something and it's not there. The staff is very nice and willing to help but they are understaffed and sometimes overwhelmed with requests. Keep that in mind. Also, the viewing equipment is not state-of-the-art either. Everything is on videotape so there are some pieces which are not in great viewing shape.

There is a large room right off the entrance where material is played all day. The material is related to whatever the exhibition or series being mounted at that time. You can enter that room and stay for as long as you like. When we went the Muppets were on exhibition so we saw some great Henson/Muppet stuff.

The Web site doesn't give you a lot of information and you can't search their database from the Web site (unfortunately) but you should be able to glean something from looking at it.

All that being said, I think a trip to the Museum of Television and Radio is a great event and you'll have a wonderful time.

[size=10]A HUGE THANK YOU FROM OZDEREK[/size]

The museum of TV and Radio is definitely worth a visit; just come with a list of thngs you want to see so that if they don't have one thing, you can go to another. They have always had everything I wanted to see, and I keep returning to favorites like JULIE AND CAROL AT CARNEGIE HALL.

Note to DR OzDerek:  My thoughts are with you today. I hope you are able to have a good visit with your family and a Happy Birthday.  And CAKE!

I haven't seen this in years.  It was a wonnerful telepic with solid performances from Maureen Stapleton and Charles Durning.  I hated the ending, though.  I always wondered if the story about it being imposed by CBS was true or not.

Yes it was true. She sinned by carrying on with a married man. It was latter rectified in Ballroom and the revisal Queen of the Starust Ballrom

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