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[bk]

Well, you've read the notes, you've learned the choreography of the notes, you've danced the notes, and now you are ready to post until the choreographed cows come home.

[bk]

Welcome ten GUESTS.  We're talkin' about choreography.  Stay tuned for some rehearsal pix coming momentarily.

[bk]

Rehearsing

[bk]

More rehearsing

[Panni]

Finally found the new Notes on IE, but not on AOL. Strange.

Yes, I would have given a goodly part of my vast fortune to see bk demonstrating choreography. A photo, at least! As it is, the rehearsal photos are very atmospheric. One can almost smell the sweat of the rehearsal studio. (I'm not saying any of the beautiful people involved in the production sweat. Only the rehearsal studio sweats. Do they sell deodorant for rehearsal studios? ...Maybe I should just go and walk in traffic again*.)
* For obscure reference, refer to last night's notes. Or, for that matter, to any of the books featuring Minnie Kritzer.)

[S. Woody White]

...As it is, the rehearsal photos are very atmospheric. One can almost smell the sweat of the rehearsal studio. (I'm not saying any of the beautiful people involved in the production sweat. Only the rehearsal studio sweats. Do they sell deodorant for rehearsal studios?...

That one photo does look like a Sure commercial.

Much to do today, my day off, so I'm wussburgering again.  Nothing currently on any media, just haven't had time for the last few days.

[Tomovoz]

DVD: We watched "Triplets of Belleville" again today. I love watching with people who have not heard of it at all.
This week we have been watching the BBC series "To Serve Them All My Days" having just purchased the set.

I followed the Jimmie Rodgers festival of yesterday with the London Cast of "The Goodbye Girl". Think I now prefer this version to the OBC.

[JoseSPiano]

Good Evening!

Well... After all the talk of matzo-brei yesterday/today, guess what I ended up having after tonight's rehearsal?  Huh?  Guess?  Well, matzo-brei with both sour cream and applesauce.  Plus some other deli goodies: pickles, kishka with gravy, french fries, onion strings, bleu cheese...  I'll either sleep like a log... or not.  Oy vey!

*Did I spell any of that correctly?!?!

It was a fun rehearsal tonight.  And the things you can do with some spittle and a rehearsal hall mirror!  -Oh, and some gummy bears too!    *We should have taken a picture of that!

Hmmm... Now I want some hamentaschen... or honey cake... or rugelach... or strudel... or a baked apple... or  a black and white cookie... or an almond crescent... or some halvah... or...

 

[Tomovoz]

Almost bedtime in OZ.  Good morning Ben.

[Ben]

Good morning Tom.

I have two Ben Bagley CDs at work, Rodgers and Hart Revisited (Vol. 1) and Noel Coward Revisited.

Anthony has returned from his upstate film shoot and is now in air conditioned comfort in the bedroom. He will probably be sleeping when I return home for lunch.

We will watch last night's Jeopardy and last night's Two's Company this weekend. I have also begun to watch this seaon's Sopranos episodes. We no longer get HBO so Anthony's mother taped all the episodes and I can watch them at my leisure, which means I will watch them as I ride the exercise bike. It's a great timer. I watch the show and end up riding for at least an hour (or thereabouts). We will see the episodes of Six Feet Under the same way, though I won't use them as exercise material since both Anthony and I watch SFU. He doesn't care for the Sopranos so I'm free to ride and watch while he does creative things on the computer or reads or some other activity.

Well, I'm rambling and I have work to do so goodbye for now.

[Dan-in-Toronto]

Good Evening!

Well... After all the talk of matzo-brei yesterday/today, guess what I ended up having after tonight's rehearsal?  Huh?  Guess?  Well, matzo-brei with both sour cream and applesauce.  Plus some other deli goodies: pickles, kishka with gravy, french fries, onion strings, bleu cheese...  I'll either sleep like a log... or not.  Oy vey!

Hmmm... Now I want some hamentaschen... or honey cake... or rugelach... or strudel... or a baked apple... or  a black and white cookie... or an almond crescent... or some halvah... or...

You know, of course, what the problem is with Jewish food:

Forty-eight hours later, you're hungry again.

[Dan-in-Toronto]

Good morning, Ron,

How's the arm?

[Ann]

Good morning from the Burlington airport, which I am beginning to think of as home.  My father's flight got delayed again, rerouted through DC< and is schedule to arrive at 2 pm this afternoon.  I have now been here for a total of 12 and a half hours, and slept about an hour and a half.  At 6 am, when it finally got light, I walked into town and found a little diner to have some breakfast in.  Then I took another walk and got drenched in the rain.  I am now back in the airport drying off and contemplating a nap.  

[Dan-in-Toronto]

Greetings, Ann,

This is starting to sound like a Steven Spielberg movie. Hope that the coming week makes up for the past 12 hours.

[Dan-in-Toronto]

We will watch last night's Jeopardy and last night's Two's Company this weekend.

DR Ben,

We get Jeopardy a few times a day thanks to ExpressVu, which our building is hooked up to. I have a neighbor who watches the Manitoba Jeopardy in the early evening. Later, he's often at his parents' home and they watch the Toronto (or Newfoundland) Jeopardy. Of course he's seen it two hours earlier, but they don't know - and they think their son's another Ken Jennings.

Want last night's final Jeopardy question?

[Stuart]

You know, of course, what the problem is with Jewish food:

Forty-eight hours later, you're hungry again.

You funny, DR DIT.

Media Watch:

CD/Office:  Ripley/Skinner DUETS (I tend to keep things in the CD player here for weeks on end....)
CD/Car: PROMISES, PROMISES
DVD: Nothing
VCR:I think it's still last week's Big Brother.

And on that subject ('cause I know there are some other BB5 viewers out there), can I say how disappointed I am in this season?  Talk about a series being dominated by 2 houseguests.  And can Scott say ANYTHING nice about a departing houseguest in his little farewell videos??

[William E. Lurie]

CD - Waiting for ASSASSINS which shipped earlier this week
DVD - Finally caught the last of the recently released Judy Garlands
VHS - Nothing

Did you there is a website where the big topic of discussion is whether OKLAHOMA!'s Ali Hakim is really Persian or if he was Jewish and trying to pass.

[Dan-in-Toronto]

Did you there is a website where the big topic of discussion is whether OKLAHOMA!'s Ali Hakim is really Persian or if he was Jewish and trying to pass.

I didn't know that, nor did I check the website. But I found this interesting piece of information:

In a series of recent and influential articles, Andrea Most has traced several coded Jewish assimilation themes in R&H musicals, including Oklahoma! in which the "Persian" peddler Ali Hakim's name is actually derived from the Yiddish "hachem"- or wise guy - clearly represents the traveling Jewish merchant of the 19th century; when librettist Hammerstein jokingly performed the role of Ali at a 1944 Oklahoma! post-performance party, he did so as "Ali Hakimstein").  

[Dan-in-Toronto]

"Hachem" is also the source of the title of Mitch Leigh's "Chu Chem," which billed itself as "the first Jewish-Chinese musical."

[Stuart]

"Hachem" is also the source of the title of Mitch Leigh's "Chu Chem," which billed itself as "the first Jewish-Chinese musical."

And apparently no chuchem's (or more properly, chuchem-im) were around when they produced the '89 revival.  Otherwise they would have told him to forget it, once and for all....

It was embarassingly dreadful.  At least the '66 version that closed in Philly had Molly Picon.  For a while.....

Ironically, many years later, my Dear Partner and I, who were introduced by a mutual friend, realized that we were invited to the EXACT same performance of CHU-CHEM by said mutual friend who was the asst. company manager.  So we were in the same audience, for the same dreadful show, yet did not know each other then.  Kinda cool, eh?

Who ever thought I could tell that story because someone would bring up CHU-CHEM??

[Panni]

Good Morning. For those who have been intermitently watching the Jennings Juggernaut on Jeopardy, don't miss tonight. It's the season's finale of the show. So, assuming he wins (like he won't?) -- he'll finish off the season and be back next season. I saw a clip of Jennings on Jay Leno. When Leno asked him about this and suggested that he could just go on and on and on, Jennings replies "Yes, it's like Tantric Jeopardy." And this from a Mormon! How can you resist a guy who comes out with a remark like that?

[MBarnum]

DR Stuart, yes Scott is sort of an egomaniac! I have never seen the likes of him...he and Jase really need to be brought down, that is all I can say! I wish that Drew and Michael would align themselves with anther group...they both seem like nice guys but I guess they think they have a better chance with the 4 Horsemen.

I am still enjoying this season, however, as Big Brother (and Amazing Race) are two of my favorite reality game shows.

[MBarnum]

It is Friday and the forecast is sunny and 102 degrees! Yikes!

Probably will go to the river with friends tomorrow...but this time I will take sunscreen and a hat...I promise Jane!

[Stuart]

DR Stuart, yes Scott is sort of an egomaniac! I have never seen the likes of him...he and Jase really need to be brought down, that is all I can say! I wish that Drew and Michael would align themselves with anther group...they both seem like nice guys but I guess they think they have a better chance with the 4 Horsemen.

I am still enjoying this season, however, as Big Brother (and Amazing Race) are two of my favorite reality game shows.

Ditto.  I also enjoy Amazing Race.  I say "Go Charla and Mirna!!"

And that whole Scott/Jase/Drew thing (not so much Michael)...it's just a little freaky.....  I thought Jase's enthusiasm over Scott's crimper was a bit much....until Drew's comment about Scott being able to share the HOH room with him!  Marcellus, Bucky (or whatever his name was...) and this season's Will were never that gay!

[Dan-in-Toronto]

Ironically, many years later, my Dear Partner and I, who were introduced by a mutual friend, realized that we were invited to the EXACT same performance of CHU-CHEM by said mutual friend who was the asst. company manager.  So we were in the same audience, for the same dreadful show, yet did not know each other then.  Kinda cool, eh?

Who ever thought I could tell that story because someone would bring up CHU-CHEM??

Who ever thought I'd know anyone who'd seen CHU-CHEM?

But did anyone see:

[MBarnum]

Ditto.  I also enjoy Amazing Race.  I say "Go Charla and Mirna!!"

And that whole Scott/Jase/Drew thing (not so much Michael)...it's just a little freaky.....  I thought Jase's enthusiasm over Scott's crimper was a bit much....until Drew's comment about Scott being able to share the HOH room with him!  Marcellus, Bucky (or whatever his name was...) and this season's Will were never that gay!

Ya, what was that about Drew being happy about being able to share a bed....in the dark...in the HOH room...with Scott! LOL!

And I do love Charla and Mirna...and the old couple too! Those are my two fave teemas on Amazing Race! Oh, and the bowling moms.

[Stuart]

Who ever thought I'd know anyone who'd seen CHU-CHEM?

But did anyone see:

No, but I had a Zayda.  Two of them, in fact.  Both gone before I was born, though.....

Does that help?

[DERBRUCER]

Rehearsing

Did anybody finally get a cab?

[DERBRUCER]

And the critics, too, have claws:

'Catwoman' a muddled bore

By Christy Lemire
Associated Press
(AP) -- If the "Spider-Man" movies represent all that can be wondrous and inspiring in a comic book adaptation, "Catwoman" is the absolute opposite.
It's cinema for the attention span-challenged -- a soulless amalgamation of quick edits, computer images and swooping, nausea-inducing dolly shots. The dialogue (credited to four different people) is too awkward to be unintentionally funny and the urban setting is too muddled to be considered gritty.
The most egregious sin of all: For an action movie, it's mind-numbingly boring.
…
Actually, calling this a comic book adaptation isn't completely accurate, since Berry's character, Patience Phillips, has nothing to do with the original Catwoman of the DC Comics series, Selina Kyle, who's previously been portrayed by Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. She's not a villain -- she's not even a villain with a heart of gold. She just dresses like a bad girl and roams around at night, displaying her frightening martial arts skills, and ends up being mistaken as a criminal.

Catwoman has changed identies – four screen writers!

I have an idea: Pogue and Panni can collaborate on a new “Superman”. Superman is now Melvin Thorpe, line-cook at Burger King. For the dialog Pogue writes the even words, Panni the odd (for the first half) then reverse roles for the last half. Maybe be could get Larry Moore to adapt some Monkees music for the score with a Donny Osmond inspired theme for the flying love scenes. JRand could choreograph a great number with Superman dancing along the counter tops at Burger King singing "Your Way".

der Brucer (as usual, waiving his creative consultant’s fee)

[Jay]

According to today's L.A. Times, in the tour of Hairspray that just arrived at the Pantages Theatre in the heart Hollywood, U.S.A., Mr. Bruce Vilanch is appearing in the role of...Mr. Bruce Vilanch.

Then, of course, there is the Vilanch Factor. Most Angelenos will not have had the pleasure of seeing Winokur's Broadway co-star, Harvey Fierstein, perform as Edna Turnblad. Immortalized in the film version by the legendary cross-dresser Divine, Edna is "Hairspray's" most flamboyant part. Though there was talk last year of bold plans to cast a woman as Edna in L.A., ultimately it was decided that her frocks would be filled by writer-comedian Bruce Vilanch.

Instead of a Fierstein's gravelly baritone, Vilanch delivers Edna's patter with a low-pitched bleat. With his large frame and fleshy, trapezoidal face, Vilanch in drag looks like Dame Edna's ugly stepsister — in other words, a perfect fit. But aside from his physicality, Vilanch's performance is often at odds with the material.

Given his background, Vilanch's comic timing is excellent. He insists, however, on underlining every joke by mugging to the audience after each punch line. That tendency, along with numerous double takes and other affectations, makes Vilanch's Edna perhaps the hammiest local performance since Charles Nelson Reilly tried to turn "Strike Up the Band" into a one-man show. The only real harm in this is that he's usually playing off Winokur, whose more natural performance suggests a real mother-daughter bond would be possible — if only Vilanch were playing Edna as a character instead of a cameo.

Musical purists may wish they had Fierstein, but Vilanch does bring something new to this production. In his Act 2 number, "Timeless to Me," Vilanch brought down the house as he broke character and interjected his own signature zingers into the show (On opening night, he let fly with Gov. Schwarzenegger, Whoopi Goldberg and Linda Ronstadt jokes, though they will likely evolve nightly as the run continues).