Topic: LAUGHING IN THE FACE OF SUCH INCOMPETENCE (Read 24024 times)

bk · « **on:** February 17, 2004, 12:01:42 AM »

Well, you've read the notes, you now know there meaning and intent, not necessarily in that order, and now it is time to post and post until the cows come home. And remember, there are two, two, two topics in one.

Tomovoz · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2004, 12:15:16 AM »

Does "Assassins" count as "off Broadway"? I never really know what is "off". I can think of a few shows that should have been off Broadway - a long way off.

bk · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2004, 12:19:53 AM »

Since Assassins debuted off-Broadway, yes, that's what the original production was, just like Little Shop.

George · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2004, 01:11:57 AM »

Topic of the Day #1: I don't recall ever getting to the point "When [I was] totally fed up, when [I could] take no more, when people or events [got] to [me] so much that want[ed] to burst..." I have to admit that I'm pretty mellow and can usually deal with situations in a calm manner (so far). I don't get very angry and I can't hold a grudge...well, not for very long.

Topic of the Day #2: I only know Off-Broadway shows from the recordings, but I love the recordings of:

Assassins
Dames At Sea
Eating Raoul: The Musical
The Fantasticks
The Last Five Years
Saturday Night
tick, tick...BOOM and
Zombie Prom

Michael · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2004, 04:27:57 AM »

I would like to add"
In Trousers
March of the Falsettos
Falsettoland

Someone should re-record all three since there have been changes to the score since all three have been recorded.

Michael · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2004, 04:30:23 AM »

Topic 1

To avoid it I usually go some place to be alone until I am not.

Noel · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2004, 04:39:09 AM »

The steamblower: a long bicycle ride, preferably to parts unseen.

I think I like off-Broadway revues the best:
Tuscaloosa's Calling Me ...but I'm Not Going
Upstairs At O'Neals
A...My Name Is Alice

(we certain proved the worth of that score last Thursday, as Bluer Than You and Pretty Young Men both brought down the house)

After too many years of way-too-depressing musicals (I call them "the miserables"), I stumbled into a show about the romantic troubles of performing Siamese twin sisters. It was called From the Hip and it was everything the premise demanded: hysterically funny from start to finish.

I'm also fond of The Fantasticks, and two that went on to Broadway: A Class Act and Avenue Q

elmore3003 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2004, 05:11:41 AM »

BK, I'm sure it was an awful day for you and I'm sorry for the frustration and aggravation. I'm really happy I wasn't there since I've seen the Wrath of Khan in closeup and it makes grown men weep. I do know that once your equilibrium is restored, as it seems to be, you'll find the humor in it and work it into something, maybe your next Kritzer?

As to Off-Broadway shows, I'd go for the following:

MAN OF LA MANCHA (I saw it at the old ANTA off Washington Square before it moved to Broadway)
THREEPENNY OPERA (Marc Blitzstein's great singable adaptation at the Theatre de Lys)
THE GOLDEN APPLE (imagine having the luxury to do an Off-Broadway show with a cast of more than 25 actors and orchestra of 24!)
MAN WITH A LOAD OF MISCHIEF (why the hell isn't this one on CD? There are some great songs: "Come to the Masquerade," "Make Way for My Lady" and the title song)
THE AMOROUS FLEA (I always thought the book was funny but the score not so hot)
YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN (still better than the last Broadway revival)
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS (Mary Rodgers, write some more music!)
FLOYD COLLINS (beautiful and moving production)
BIRDS OF PARADISE (good score by David Evans)
THE FANTASTICKS (still the best; I saw it in 1964 when I was 18, and whenever I see it, I'm 18 again)

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2004, 05:13:01 AM »

RE: Question #2.

I will play by Katz's rules, and only consider shows I actually saw in NYC, off B'Way:

The Club
I'm Geting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road
Boy Meets Boy
Fantastics

probably in that order

der Brucer (who avoided listing Let My People Come)

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2004, 05:55:16 AM »

Hmmmm....

The DSL men
The TIVO men
The FEDEX men
The Mail Man
The Lawnmower man (a "3hree" reference)

What must the neighbors (Not Jim) think of the parade (a two-fer reference, Brown and Herman) of men marching to BK's door?

der Brucer (a always, concerned for our dear moderator's reputation)

New Painting: "Jogging Jew Hurls Vile Epithets at DSL Man"

PennyO · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2004, 05:55:45 AM »

Hiya, gang. My fav's are Jacques Brel and Fantasticks. Simplicity and heart.

BK - I go for walks along the beach, along a country road, in a park; I write in my journal - just dump it all on the page and get it OUT of my head, clear out the trash so Peace of Mind can re-enter. I listen to favorite music, feed the birds, watch a funny movie. I weed the garden. I turn my attention to a creative task, and the stress and sturm und drang just evaporate as I concentrate on Something Else.

We are in control of our own mental states. When we center ourselves, we have all the power. Nobody and nothing can break our balance without our permission. It's all in the intention. Beauty and abundance are all right there around us, mixed in with the ugly and frustrating. But the human mind can only concentrate on as many as five or six things (and that's pushin' it) at a given time... we can choose where to put our attention. We can choose peace and harmony and beauty.

PennyO · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:02:14 AM »

Oh - I forgot to mention this:

Bristol Riverside Theatre folk are coming to NYC on Monday, Feb. 23, in search of 2 men and 3 women of color for Ain't Misbehavin' -- tell yer Equity and non-Equity friends. It's a good gig, with nice housing, and they bend over backward to please their artists.

AND they need an audition accompanist- their guy isn't available that day. They are paying $15/hour, I think the gig is 11-5, and the number to call is 215-785-0100. Ask for Susan, and tell her I told ya to call about the audition pianist gig. (I know it's not a princely sum, but some of you might be unemployed, and might welcome a few dollars...)

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:09:39 AM »

Sorry I've been E&T but the Internet Explorer on my computer at home has been doing losts of strange things... like freezing the computer. I'm at work now (and have already read the notes I missed - I'll catch up with posts later). I've copied the Internet Explorer from here and will replace the one at home with it which should hopefully correct the problem.

Favorite Off-Broadway Musical: MAN WITH A LOAD OF MISCHIEF.

Does any DR know the meaning of the term "bling bling"? I've seen it used in the papers in a variety of different ways and wonder if it has any meaning or is just a funny sounding expression.

PennyO · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:19:23 AM »

Quote from: William E. Lurie on February 17, 2004, 06:09:39 AM

Does any DR know the meaning of the term "bling bling"? I've seen it used in the papers in a variety of different ways and wonder if it has any meaning or is just a funny sounding expression.

Hi - I think it means "shiny, sparkly stuff." The "Bling!" is meant to convey the momentary flash and brilliance - remember the Pepsodent commercials? Just a propos of "Bling! Bling!" - a staffer here at the theater mentioned yesterday that I seemed to have lots of sparkly stuff, sequins, glittery stuff... so I told the assembled the Orloff theory of theatrical presentation: Audiences (well, ME, anyway) are a lot like chimpanzees... when their attention wanders, it's good to give them something sparkly to look at.

PennyO · « **Reply #14 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:22:57 AM »

Hey, Brucer! Forgive my techno-challenged little self, but I just can't figure out how to work that message thing. So, anyway, I'm on my way to the theater in a little while, and I'll have the box office hold your seats for you. love, p

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #15 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:26:54 AM »

Quote from: PennyO on February 17, 2004, 06:22:57 AM

So, anyway, I'm on my way to the theater in a little while, and I'll have the box office hold your seats for you. love, p

What color roses?

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #16 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:50:04 AM »

BK, on hearing, yet again, that the DSL man "has been delayed":

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #17 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:02:14 AM »

Quote from: William E. Lurie on February 17, 2004, 06:09:39 AM

Does any DR know the meaning of the term "bling bling"? I've seen it used in the papers in a variety of different ways and wonder if it has any meaning or is just a funny sounding expression.

Well, word from the motherland is that "bling bling" is acceptable:

An article n MTV News comments:

The next time you and your pals coin a slang term to describe your latest bejeweled accessories, don't bet on keeping it exclusive. The linguistics "gangstas" over at the Oxford English Dictionary aren't "new jacks" to the latest "def" lingo.

The venerable definitions resource has already added other hip-hop-turned-mainstream terms like "jiggy," "breakbeat," "dope" and "phat" to the online updates of the 20-volume dictionary, and now it has started drafting an entry for the latest OED-approved term, "bling bling."

The term, which is used to describe diamonds, jewelry and all forms of showy style, was coined by New Orleans rap family Cash Money Millionaires back in the late '90s and started gaining national awareness with a song titled "Bling Bling" by Cash Money artist BG.

The rapper, who is currently promoting his new album, Living Legend, told MTV News, "I'm so surprised that that word has spread like it has. But I knew it was serious when I saw that the NBA championship ring for the Los Angeles Lakers had the word 'bling bling' written in diamonds on it."

And while BG once felt territorial about his much-loved term, he's since opened his arms to the slang's universal appeal.

" 'Bling bling' will never be forgotten," he said. "So it's like I will never be forgotten. I just wish that I'd trademarked it, so I'd never have to work again."

der Brucer (maybe Noel can pen "Bling Bling - The Musical")

Jrand73 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:12:07 AM »

There is NO SUCH THING as Customer Service anymore!

Hmmmmmm.....Off Broadway shows I like....oh wait....favorites....hmmmmmmmm:

Eating Raoul
Little Shop Of Horrors

I will stop at two although I am close to adding Jacques Brel!

Matt H. · « **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:20:44 AM »

I have a dear internet friend named Penny whom I met through my connection with Christopher Meloni, and she and I share everything on-line with each other - good times and bad. I've unloaded a lot of frustration on her, and she has done the same with me.

Off-Broadway musicals I adored:

THE FANTASTICKS - the first one I ever saw so of course it ranks high on the list. That score is just one great song after another. Amazing work.

CURLEY McDIMPLE - a campy hoot

DAMES AT SEA - since I love old MGM musicals, this was like the next best thing to the "small" MGM musicals like I LOVE MELVIN and TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE.

YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN - captured the tone and texture of those cartoon strips in a captivating way. Really did not like the revisionist revival of a few years ago.

AND THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND - the best revue I've ever seen with the most versatile cast I've ever seen.

Jennifer · « **Reply #20 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:29:11 AM »

Yep bling is expensive diamond jewelry!

I think when I'm frustrated it definitely helps to write it down, either in a journal, or by writing whoever annoyed you a letter/email.

DR Jose: Why is your roomie doing all the cleaning? Shouldn't whoever MADE THE MESS be cleaning it?

Matt H. · « **Reply #21 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:34:46 AM »

"What is bling-bling" was one of the questions on the Miss America Pageant this year. Only three of the five contestants knew.

(Ordinarily, I don't watch the pageant any more, but Clay Aiken was singing, so that's why I tuned in this year.)

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #22 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:35:21 AM »

PennyO & DerBrucer --- Thanks for the definition of "Bling Bling". Next time I see it used at least I'll know what they are talking about. Where could I have found that out if it were not for our DRs.

Since I have not had the chance to check out yesterday's posts yet, I don't know if it was mentioned here or not that Nancy Opel has replaced Barbara Barrie as Yente in the FIDDLER ON THE ROOF revisal that is currently in previews. Ms. Opel is a fine and talented performer who will probably make a wonderful Yente, but she doesn't seem nearly as suited to the role as Ms. Barrie (who is also the sister-in-law of the lyricist Sheldon Harnick). Does anyone have "the story behind the story"?

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #23 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:36:09 AM »

Matt---
What state was Clay representing?

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #24 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:51:33 AM »

My pals from CA stick to the bigots on the right!

Front Page Story in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Gays answer GOP call for candidates

Log Cabin Club members vie for 4 Senate, 7 Assembly seats

Several weeks ago, Assembly and Senate Republican political strategists put out a call to GOP groups asking them to recruit candidates for legislative districts where the party needed to show the flag.

It turns out the flag they're showing is rainbow-colored.
The group that recruited the largest number of candidates was the Log Cabin Club, the main gay GOP organization in the state.
…
If they become the party nominees -- and seven are running unopposed in the March primary -- that guarantees the Log Cabin members a seat on the state GOP central committee and the possibility of more seats, depending on how well the candidate runs.

"We want people to have a true choice," said Shane Connolly, 35, a corporate finance manager and a Log Cabin Republican running in the 13th Senate District, a South Bay seat. "We want to send a message that the Republican Party isn't what you may think it is."

It's a message that some Republican leaders are happy to send.
"We are the party that allows for diverse positions on any number of issues," said California Republican Party Chairman Duf Sundheim, who spoke supportively of the efforts of the Log Cabin members.
…
Even (Democrat Gay Assemblyman) Leno concurs that being a gay Republican "seems like a tortured and strained position."

Log Cabin Republicans say they're Republicans first.
"I could never be comfortable in the Democratic Party, no matter how supportive they were of gay rights," Bissiri said, citing his objections to the Democratic positions on foreign policy, taxing, spending and "the way they revert to class warfare."

"Gay rights ultimately will be won through the Republican Party because the only way we're going to win is when middle America gets it, and middle America is Republican," (state chairman of the Log Cabin Club) Bissiri said.

der Brucer (Hey, Rome wasn't built in a day!)

DearReaderLaura · « **Reply #25 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:57:56 AM »

Incompetence? Like when it takes the plumber three weeks to repipe a house? Or like when you're executor of a will and you can't get the stuff in order because one company won't give you the stuff you need and keeps requiring more and more papers?

I go to the park and feed the ducks. I've been feeding a lot of ducks lately.

JMK · « **Reply #26 on:** February 17, 2004, 08:10:30 AM »

My latest run-in with alleged "Customer Service" was when I got this new computer a few weeks ago. They had not loaded a full version of Windows XP, sent no system disk, had not pre-loaded IntelliPro for the wireless keyboard and mouse, but, strangely, had pre-loaded some weird anti-virus software (Panda?--you've gotta be kidding me, is all I thought) which kept manifesting annoying pop-ups every 15 seconds telling me my registration info wasn't valid. No one at the computer 800 number spoke anything resembling English, and I finally gave up and simply fixed everything myself.

My fave off-Broadway show--well, I never saw it, but have always wondered about "the road you didn't take, etc." When I was back visiting family in NYC (probably the summer of 73, but don't quote me on that), an off-Broadway musical called "Smith!" had just "temporarily closed", looking for a bigger house. I believe (again, don't quote me--I bet Noel will know for sure) this was a Karr/Dubey show about a man (Don Taylor, IIRC) whose life keeps turning into a musical. I can't remember what the connection was, but one of my Uncles either was renting to someone in the show or one of the creative team, and I was invited over to a closed-house read-through they were doing to keep everyone fresh while they scouted for a new, bigger house. Well, I decided not to go, and, of course, they never found a bigger house and never re-opened and I have spent the last 30 years wondering what I missed.

Ben · « **Reply #27 on:** February 17, 2004, 08:16:54 AM »

I was E&T this weekend having a great, relaxing time on the Isle of Long doing nothing, although Ant doesn't like it when I say that. We ate, played with the doggie MacGregor, laughed with his parents and went shopping. We took the afternoon train home yesterday and now I'm at work busily getting ready to teach some of my colleagues about how to better index grants.

Here is some news from Playbill On-Line about part of the Partridge Family and her offspring.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/84403.html

Panni · « **Reply #28 on:** February 17, 2004, 08:26:45 AM »

Good morning.
bk - Is a "poion pen" some kind of French fish? (What is it, French fish?) It sounds like it would be delightful with a light fruity Chardonnay.

DearReaderLaura · « **Reply #29 on:** February 17, 2004, 08:28:10 AM »

Even Lucy had a chance to pose with Swedish Chef Hat over the weekend. She must have been thrilled.

News:

Author Topic: LAUGHING IN THE FACE OF SUCH INCOMPETENCE (Read 24024 times)

Ben