Haines His Way

Good Morning!

BK - Is your house already wired as it were for a wireless modem setup or will you have to purchase an Airport unit to go with your new Powerbook?

-Or are there enough people with wireless nodes set up in your neighborhood that you can just "borrow" theirs?

Mr. Mac Man said that rather than deal with a new modem from Adelphia, he just picks up an inexpensive Linux (?) device, and the current modem connects to that, and then he puts one router somewhere else in the house, so that all rooms will have signal.  The router also somehow makes the iTunes on the Powerbook play back wirelessly through my stereo speakers - don't ask me how, but apparently it works.

Strangely enough, that makes sense to me.

You can post pix all you like - we're really fine for quite a while.  The last purge was over four months ago, if I recall.

I'd love to see a film of Steven Millhauser's Edwin Mullhouse.  I'd love to see a film of the much-promised Time and Again.

And now for a few real Questions for Ask BK Day:

Were there any shows for which you produced the cast recordings of that you did not see the actual production?  If so, do you think the situation made it harder or easier for you to put the album together?

Was there an artist or group that came to you asking you to produce an album for them, but you turned them down... that then went on to have a successful album come out (produced by someone else)?

I can't remember an instance of doing a cast album where I didn't see the show.  Of course, the two studio cast albums, Drat! The Cat! and Night of the Hunter, I didn't see.  Oh, I didn't see As Thousands Cheer - but I went over the script and had several conversations with Chris Ashley about it.  It had closed, I think, prior to our recording it.  Oh, and same thing with A Grand Night for Singing, but they were both revues, so I don't think it was a problem not having seen them.  Otherwise, I'm pretty sure I saw everything.

I've been approached by lots of people and have opted not to do solo albums with them - I can't really remember any of them going on to big solo recording careers, though.  I've also been offered finished albums, which I chose not to release - Jessica Molaskey's Pentimento for one, which people seem to love.  It just didn't seem right for us at the time, even though it was a nice album.  There were a couple of people I had meetings with that I would have loved to do albums with, but the timing wasn't right or I couldn't get Varese to understand why we should do them.  One was Ann Miller, one was Lauren Bacall, and one was Nancy Sinatra - all three would have been fun to do.

Nacny Sinatra had an album out in 2004.  Have you heard it BK. I know it is available in OZ but I have not caught up with any reviews etc. (I think it is with Lee Hazelwood).

I may have missed this as I have been errant and truant for one or two days so I apologize if I am repeating.

Here are places to donate to disaster relief due to the tsunami's. They are asking only for money because they can help bolster the ailing economies over there and your money will go further there too. They aren't out of the woods yet. Over 60,000 dead and there could be thousands more deaths due to famine and disease if they don't get enough aid. Sorry to bring something of a downer to the board, but it is very important nevertheless.

Red Cross through Amazon.com (Really easy)
http://www.amazon.com

Care International:
http://www.careinternational.org

Medecins Sans Frontieres: (Doctors without Borders:)
http://www.msf.org

Oxfam
http://www.oxfam.org

Unicef:
http://www.unicef.org

My ASK BK question would be What novel that has never been filmed, do you wish someone competent would bring to the screen?

Going back to my high school summer reading lists, I would be interested in seeing J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" on screen.  Hmmm... And strangely enough, I think that's a role I could actually see Leonardo diCaprio playing.  -I can't remember the specifics of Holden Caulfield's physical description right now... so... Or maybe even Robert Sean Leonard.    The book is just so "literary" to me, it would just be really interesting to see how a director would choose to flesh it out on the silver screen.

And from my sophomore reading list - "Catcher in the Rye" was from my freshman year - and I even went to a Catholic high school! - I'd like to see Alan Paton's "Too Late the Phalarope".  His "Cry the Beloved Country" has been brought to the screen, but I'd also like to see "Phalarope" too.  It's a meatier story to me.

BK I have a feeling you will love having a Mac. I have an HP laptop myself but I have been kicking myself for not getting a powerbook instead. I have many friends who use Macs and I have found them to be much more user friendly than PCs. My next computer will definately be a Mac. The video editing and burning lab at my college just got in the new G5 desktops and they are nice! I got to use them for a video project in my english class and when I was burning choreography DVDs for a production of Godspell I am in.

OK.. I really must get to bed now.  Soon.  Later.  -Ah, A Little Night Music reference.

Must have been all those Filipino goodies I snacked upon earlier that have been fueling this round of late-night denizen-ing.

Goodnight.

Esteemed BK:

In today's notes, you mention watching a film based on a novel by

James Hadley Chase, who wrote No Orchids for Miss Blandish.

I think it was very nice of Mr. Chase to dedicate a novel named No Orchids for Miss Blandish, whoever she was, but how is it you come to remember such a detail?  I am astounded by your limitless knowledge, as always!





 

I have been hearing dreadful things about mudslides and building collapses out there on the west coast due to all this rain.  Are all you west coasters safe and sound?

I am sending vibes of sunshine and warmth, I hope they don't  dissapate over the midwest!

DR Ann & DR Elmore, how are you doing? Good health vibes to you both

I had a lovely chat with WFO last night, we have tentatively scheduled a get together on 1/2!!

Well back to the grind, grind, grind, of real estate closings.......

Last week a DR mentioned the late Steve Tesich.  He wrote a play called SQUARE ONE, a two-hander that I worked on in Indianapolis.  Interesting play, good actors, okay production.

Mr Tesich came to opening night and autographed my script for me and had some very nice things to say.  

Nice guy.

That was I, DRJRand54!  His daughter Amy is one of my goddaughter's best friends.  I've always liked his play NOURISH THE BEAST, and BREAKING AWAY is one of my favorite movies.  His wife told me that he'd written a couple of novels, which I'd like to track down.

Going back to my high school summer reading lists, I would be interested in seeing J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" on screen.  Hmmm... And strangely enough, I think that's a role I could actually see Leonardo diCaprio playing.  -I can't remember the specifics of Holden Caulfield's physical description right now... so... Or maybe even Robert Sean Leonard.    The book is just so "literary" to me, it would just be really interesting to see how a director would choose to flesh it out on the silver screen.

DR Jose, I believe (though I can't find reference of it on IMDB) that CATCHER IN THE RYE (one of my favorite books as well) WAS made into a film.  As I recall, it was a complete mess, and was one of the things that pushed Salinger through the door of reclusivity.  He also banned it from being shown after its initial release, and his forbid the subsuquent filming of any of his other books.  

I will try to find mention of it somewhere else, but I do remember reading this at one time.....

I just heard that Jerry Orbach passed away this morning.  I knew he was sick but didn't know how sick.  Long after people have forgotten his television work he will be remembered for THE FANTASTICKS, CARNIVAL, PROMISES PROMISES, 42nd STREET, etc.

Rest in Peace.

Oh, no!  He was such a lovely man.  I watch the LAW & ORDER reruns just for him.  I knew he'd been going through cancer treatment and that he wasn't looking too good, but the publicity was all positive.  I was lucky to see him in PROMISES, PROMISES, 42nd STREET, and CHICAGO.  After I did MIRETTE at Goodspeed in 1998, I ran into him at some Encores! presentation and told him I'd just done a show with Harvey and Tom.  He clearly loved them as much as I did.  I need to call Harvey to thank him for his CD.