More words to drive Elmore crazy by department: just finished the arrangement of "In My Own Little Corner," which Larry will be happy to hear follows the original orchestration exactly, at least to measure 75 where it breaks into unbridled swing until measure 114. I did a jazz English Horn solo over the swing part that mimics the flute line, sort of. And when the strings come back in at 114 it's luscious enough to make Richard Rodgers drop his martini and stop yelling at Mary. 
My only riposte is that when your production signed a contract with R&H to do the show, it probably has a clause about major changes, and if I were Richard Rodgers and someone did that to me without my authorization, I wouldn't be too happy either.
I still think VANESSA is a load of crap: pseudo-Chekhov libretto with foolish pretensions - 20 year-old man knocks up niece, and then marries her aunt, Vanessa, who 20 years before had an affair with his father, and the old lady who's pushing 90 refuses to speak to anyone, probably wondering why everyone keeps telling telling the 40-ish Vanessa how young and beautiful she is. A couple of beautiful arias, a lovely quintet and a big waste of time. There's a miscarriage, too.
The dinner at O'Neal's was fantastic. Great chicken pot pie and blueberry shortcake to die for.
