Haines His Way

Well, I've already mentioned how much I love and admire ASSASSINS, but the first time I saw it staged with "Something Just Broke," I was in tears. That song tore me up, maybe because I was around during that period in history and understood what I felt then and what I feel now about it, but for whatever the reason, I think it was a terrific addition to the score of the show.

Wicked ­ Nominees Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth will perform the show’s act-one finale, “Defying Gravity”

I had a feeling they would do "Defying Gravity" but I thought they'd also combine it with "Popular".  Chenowith has little to do in "DG".

On a more pleasant note, Columbia Tri-Star is realeasing a DVD set GIDGET: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION on DVD August 30.

GIDGET, GIDGET GOES HAWAIIAN, and GIDGET GOES TO ROME.

I saw the announcement of the set's title but didn't investigate. Now, I'm disappointed that the Sally Field sitcom GIDGET isn't part of the package.  

Oh my....

Princess Diana - I was directing a production of MY FAIR LADY and I had gotten home late.  I turned on the television and there was a crawler on the network about the crash, so I turned on CNN and watched the drama unfold.  As soon as I saw the car, I knew there was no hope.   Sad sad sad.  She made the most of her few years, made some good choices, and some bad choices, but I do think she changed the British monarchy for the better.

JFK Jr - when I got up one morning they were searching the waters and the news just got worse.  Another young life sadly lost.

9/11 - I had gotten to work and there was a report that a plane had crashed into the WTC and yes I thought some small commuter plane had misjudged his position or altitude.  Then more reports came in.  And then as people began to come into the office, we heard....the second plane crash...and a third on the ground in Pennsylvania.  We turned on a television - and it was one thing to hear the reports and quite another to see the destruction.  I had a brush up rehearsal that night for a production of THE ODD COUPLE (I was playing Felix) and I almost didn't go, but I did.  And we did our second weekend to smaller audiences, but those that came said thank you...it is the first time I have smile in a few days.  But it was very surreal to be doing Neil Simon's play set in NYC that particular weekend.

Gidget, yes!  That is the ginchiest news of the day.  I am THERE, baby.

Well, Dear Friend, I'm much more excited about the john Huston MOULIN ROUGE release.  I've always loved the "Big Song," but when I finally saw the film, the song was in a different form with a different lyric!  I love both versions but find it peculiar.  The version in the film is probably closer in form to a popular chanson of the 1890s than the popular song version that became the hit of 1954(?).

I am looking forward to seeing GIDGET GOES TO ROME...I think that is the one that has Noreen Corcoran from BACHELOR FATHER in it isn't it? I guess I should have checked IMDB before posting, huh! Well, anyway I love Noreen and one of these days I am going to interview that girl!

They moved the flying equipment to the Ed Sullivan Theatre when they did the number on their David Letterman spot, so I'm pretty positive it will appear at the Tonys. What I'm wondering is if they'll schedule their performance first so Idina will have time to take her makeup off before her category near the end of the show...

Some very interesting posts today regarding moments in history from a personal perspective.  I am still looking forward to reading Tomovoz's recollections regarding the parting of the Red Sea.

I love the Song from MOULIN ROUGE as well....and if I am not mistaken, Miss Zsa Zsa Gabor at one time had her basement recreation room decorated to match the bistro in the movie so she could make her entrance as she does en le cinema!

Of course, she would have to play the record since she didn't sing the song herself....

I had a feeling they would do "Defying Gravity" but I thought they'd also combine it with "Popular".  Chenowith has little to do in "DG".

Maybe that's an indicator of how things might turn out.

I am going crazy these days wanting to munch on food.  Does anybody have any ideas for low carb/ or healthy snacks that I can munch on?

Hmm...being a youngin, I too was born long after Kennedy was assasinated. But my dad tells me that he got home from school, walked into the den, and my grandma was sitting on the floor in front of the television crying. He hadn't ever seen his mother cry before.

Diana: She was killed on my birthday, and I was having a sleepover with a bunch of friends. The Spice Girls were singing on SNL that night, so we were playing "Big Girls" and staying up to watch it. As they were being announced, the news anchor came on with the news. It was a sad birthday.

9/11: During school, people were being checked out by their parents all day long, until during my lunch block, there were eights people at my table that usually held 30. They wouldn't tell us what happened, but I remember walking by the main office and seeing the office ladies crowded around a TV crying, and I just walked in and sat down. They didn't stop me, and I saw the footage of the planes hitting the WTC. I wasn't completely familiar with what the buildings WERE, but it didn't mean the sigh of the people running and dying hurt any less. I was told not to make a scene about it, andn they made an announcement at the end of the school day.

Crime #1: I've seen people exchange drugs for money around midnight at a local gas station. We kept our mouths shut and left.

Crime #2: I took a pin from the shop at the Smithsonian once...I think I was 8, and my mom wouldn't buy it for me. I don't even know where it is.

Crime #3: I'd never ever pay for gas. That's a lot of money saved.

American Idol: I don't LIKE Fantasia, but out of the two, she's the better performer. Her last song was great last night. But ever since LaToya was kicked off, I've stopped caring who won. Fantasia will win, though. Even if she doesn't...oook at Clay Aiken. You see him everywhere...and what has Ruben been doing? Oh that's right...nothing!

Sick day today...I hate being dizzy.

I'm excited for the Tonys!

KRUL is lurk spelled backwards.  I make no apologies.  It takes all the reading you can do at this here site just to stay in the same place.  Oh, a Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There reference.

JFK Sr.  I was a sophomore at Caltech, and those in our student house had decided that there should be a reason for a party every day.  On the door of Stu and John's room was a big LET'S PARTY sign, and the reason was changed every day.

John had bought a bottle of Black & White, so when I left for Chem that morning it said, "It's Black & White Day!  LET'S PARTY!!"  I was tired that morning (maybe from the previous party), and so I decided to cut the math lecture and come back to my room to nap.  As I passed Stu and John's room I noticed the sign was missing.  I went in and asked, "Where's the holiday sign."

"It's not a holiday today," said John.  He and Stu were listening to the radio.  Kennedy had been shot, but no one knew yet if he was alive or dead.  Soon, other sophomores started drifting in from the math lecture which had been canceled.

I took it upon myself later in the day to contact the math professor and make sure everyone who lived on campus knew that that weekend's take-home exam had been canceled.

For the next few days the TV lounge was packed, but I wasn't too interested in watching all the details, until a huge "Whooop!!" arose from everyone in the lounge so loud it echoed through the building--Ruby had shot Oswald.

Hey, I was a Republican.  I didn't think I liked Kennedy.  But... this had never happened.  This was... See, that's what it was, an ellipsis.  Something just... broke.  And I can't think of a better way to express the feeling.

Some very interesting posts today regarding moments in history from a personal perspective.  I am still looking forward to reading Tomovoz's recollections regarding the parting of the Red Sea.

Oh yes, and my niece keeps asking if I remember when the asteroid killed the dinosaurs.