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[bk]

Well, you've read the notes, the notes have awakened in you something long dormant, and now it is time to post until the overtired cows come home.  To it, I say.

[Panni]

The most  glorious gala I ever attended was the Grand Ball that my father, Czar Nicholas, held in honor of... Ooops. I'm thinking I'm Anastasia again.

Off to bed. I'll think of gala events tomorrow (today).

[Panni]

For those who missed my late night post... I attended WHAT IF? again tonight and enjoyed it even more the second time. This time I could sit back and enjoy without opening night jitters. Despite the few glitches bk discussed, the show was wonderful.

[Tomovoz]

Best I can do for TOTD

Australian Galah.

[JoseSPiano]

Hmm... Galas... Since my father used to work under the Secretary of Transportation, we sometimes went to various galas and black tie events... However, nothing specific comes to mind right now.  Heck, I never even went to any of my high school proms.

Well, BK's mention of being overtired has brought out the overtired in me too, so...

Goodnight (again).

[Ron Pulliam]

Galas, huh?

Hmmmmmmmm....

Does a Super Bowl count?  I went to the Super Bowl in which Baltimore beat the Dallas Cowboys...it was in 1971.  The circumstances behind it were like a dream...but I was friends with this guy from Baltimore who was in the Navy with me and in school at Bainbridge MD with me...and his family was wealthy and flew us to Miami for the event for which they had a few tickets to spare...and we were back in time for us to get back to the school.

Did I mention they were wealthy?  We flew in their private jet.

Darn!  Sure wish I hadn't lost touch.



But what the hey!  Sometimes I am my own GALA event!  Nobody does it like me (oh, a "Seesaw" reference).

So why am I up and about at 3:11 a.m.  

Couldn't say really.  It might have been because of the nap I took in my chair earlier in the evening.

For some reason, though, I feel wired.  And only marginally tired.

I'm glad to read that things are going well with the revue...even if BK found the second act a bit off tonight, I'm guessing most of the audience, if not the critics, will not have been bothered by the gaffe BK mentioned.

I sure wish I could see it.  I could use some good, live entertainment, and this sounds like the ticket.

I don't suppose it's something you'll consider bringing to San Francisco.....??    

[Panni]

UP at 3:30. I just drank some of the Diet Cherry Coke I bought yesterday. Von's was out of the regular DCC, so I bought their house brand. GHASTLY!
Back to bed.

[Jrand73]

So DRJANE is in the fastlane in a BUS!    And I thought the pictures were great, too, DRJANE (and Keith)....such a beautiful country.  You knever know where you are going to go when you get to HHW!

DR MS - was the Michael Shelton in your TAKE ME OUT a tall black guy who was on ALLY MCBEAL a couple of times?

Actors who change things?  Oh my...well...did he think he had a better idea?   I am also one of those as a director OR performer who want to do it the way it works!  Ya know, once the rehearsals are over, the experimenting is done...you can make a "few" improvements, I wonder if the actor told the others onstage what he was going to do?  

Actors who won't go out after the show with the director?  Hmmmmmm.....What If? another show comes along?  

DRJOSE Phil Crosby is very good looking, and his little combo is terrific.  I think he was a little flat here and there though, as other DR's have pointed out, but after hearing tons of CD's of engineered "perfection" it's sometimes nice to hear a real performance, bolts and jolts and all.

Saturday!  And the photos from Florida are pretty drastic.  I hope we hear from our Florida contingent in short order!  

DRJAY you are correct in saying 2 minutes of Opening Ceremony and 4 minutes of commercials...and I can see that the Olympics is just an excuse for LOTS of promos for NBC's new season, which looks really sad!

That said - I DID really like the floats that showed the history of Greece....the costumes and staging was very imaginative....and the 5-story face that broke apart was very impressive.  All in all, a nice presentation!  

Here is a photo from Port Charles, Florida.

[Jrand73]

From the Opening Ceremonies!  

[Jrand73]

Another from Greece!  

[Danise]

Morning folks.  I've only been up a little while but had to turn the TV on to see about Charlie.  My Lord, you wouldn't believe some of the pictures they are showing.

Sadly, there is a mobile home park that had people who refused to leave when they were told and now they are all dead.  As the News reporter said, "They paid for their decision with their lives."  They said the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of people are missing, presumed dead.  

It’s hard to believe that it is already almost up to South Carolina.  

I feel so lucky that it passed by us.  I hope everyone else on the board from Florida are alright.  This was a horrible, horrible storm--It's being compared to an Andrew.  

I need a cup of hot tea so I have to go but I’ll be back later.  

[Jrand73]

Good to hear from you Danise!

[Jrand73]

Whew!  What a storm.  Here is a link to some photos....just click on "next" to continue to the next photo.  

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/weather/special/storm/2004/atlantic/charley/photos/index.html

[Jrand73]

Hmmmmm everyone is still asleep!

BLACK SUNDAY was on A/E, so I decided to watch my DVD.  Interesting movie.

I think I may buy THE BAD SEED, I have the video, but I would like to hear Patty's commentary.  And Nancy Kelly does indeed eat the Warner Bros. scenery dept. out of house and home.  No need to strike that set, there was nothing left.

Will have to listen for Henry on the radio!  MR BK says that Miss Heckart is not exactly a screen actress, and here she is certainly given her stage performance, but she did a nice movie job in BUS STOP that same year as Marilyn's friend....I love the scene in the dressing room when Marilyn is showing her the map....

Heckart:  What happens in Hollywood?

Marilyn:  What happens?!!  Honey, you get tested with options and everything....and ya get treated with a little respect!

[Ron Pulliam]

Well. I am up and dressed after a few hours sleep.

We shall see how this day turns out.

Oh!  Yes!

We shall see!

I had a cryptic note Thursday from a friend who lives in Sarasota FL.

He said, "We're moving.  A hurricane is coming.  My mother is here.  I'll write more when things have settled."

I simply had NO idea how to respond.  Three great anxieties taking place simultaneously.

I'm very grateful Sarasota was spared the fury of Charlie.

[Matt H.]

Biggest gala event I ever attended was the Carolinas' premiere of STAR! in December 1968. Yep, black tie event with a champagne cocktail reception. I don't think there were any high level Fox executives there (by then I suspect it was already clear to them the movie was going to be a disappointment; numbers had already been cut including "My Ship" and the dialogue portions of the "Red Peppers" sequence), but it was a gala event nonetheless, and I did get a souvenir book and a "Playbill" like program for the film which are undoubtedly collectibles now.

[Matt H.]

I agree completely with BK about Nancy Kelly's stagy and stiff but overstated film performance in THE BAD SEED, but I disagree violently about Eileen Heckart. I've always thought she was wonderful in everything I've seen her in on stage or screen, and my favorite Heckart performance was in UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE where she plays Henrietta Pastorfield, the "hip" teacher with a crush on a star student whom she finds making out with the school slut in a utility closet in the school. That was one of my favorite books growing up (must have read it 20 times since I wanted to be a teacher), and she was exactly as I had pictured Henrietta from my reading.

[Matt H.]

Even though Warner Bros. was a guiding force in the DVD movement from the beginning, their record of full frame transfers is pretty disgraceful, so finding out they had full framed THE BAD SEED wasn't particularly surprising.

I know they went back and did right by BONNIE & CLYDE after its initial full frame release, but there are still quite a few quality features they have only out in full frame.

[Matt H.]

We've been "enjoying" the outlying proof of Charley's strength all morning with a very rainy and exceptionally cool climate. The high today here is only going to 72, about 20 degrees below normal for this time of year. Wild!

After living through the Category 4 Hurricane Hugo in 1989, my heart goes out to all who experienced Charley's wrath over the past day or two.

[Jay]

I don't have a "she of the evil eye" of my own, so I spent some time yesterday vacuuming and dusting and putting my abode into somewhat presentable order, as a good friend is arriving today for a somewhat extended stay.

I hope he isn't too appalled when he sees just how UNstocked the larder is here at Chez Jay!

[Jay]

The most glamorous event I've ever been to was in 1985, when AIDS Project Los Angeles held its first gala fundraising dinner event at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.  It was the first large demonstration of support by "The Industry" in the fight against the disease, which at the time carried considerable stigma.

One could not fall down at this event without hitting a celebrity.  Mizz Liz and Dear Abby were two of my favorite sightings that evening.  Ricardo Montalban asked me if I had a light for the cigarette the woman he was with wanted to smoke.  I did and I lit it for her.  At the end of the evening, I waited for my car to be returned from the valet along with Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas and.......wait for it......Cher.

Bob Mackie was too overworked to accept my commission for a little something for that evening, so I was decked out in a rented tuxedo.

[Matt H.]

Unlike some of you, I will probably not watch one second of the Olympics (really despise the tally board where countries are seemingly in competition for medals instead of celebrating athletic prowess regardless of nationality). I'll just keep up with it in the newspaper and give the time over to watching DVDs.

[elmore3003]

Good morning, all!  I've been listening to DRBen's "Ben from New York" radio reviews for Beverly Humphreys' "Showtime."  He lacks the oozy smarminess of the Times radio critic Ben Brantley, and that's all to the good.  Kudos, Ben!

Gala Event?  The first anniversary party for SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.  I was invited since I had nominated the show for the Pulitzer Prize, and it was a fantastic event at Sondheim's house in Turtle Bay.  Everyone involved with the show was there, and I saw lots of friends like the late great Mathilde Pincus and the late Larry Taylor, both of Chelsea Music and two people I still miss quite a lot.  Steve was a great host, and I remember the place being filled with people.  It began around 11:00 pm after the performance.  My date was my roommate at the time, Marilyn Barton, and she looked fantastic.  I wore my tux, as I recall, and I don't remember getting home before 3 am.

[Jrand73]

Oh...a gala event....I shall write more later!

I just have to take this moment to present The Nancy Kelly Bad Seed Overacting Award to Mr Bruce Dern in BLACK SUNDAY....whew!

DR MATTH - I had forgotten Miss Heckart in UP/DOWN/STAIRCASE....yes she was wonderful, and I too loved the movie.  Read the book many times and didn't know HOW they were going to do it, but I liked the movie a lot....Sandy Dennis was charming and reminded me so much of some of my Jr High and High School teachers.

[Jrand73]

Groucho Marx:  It was a gala day....and a gal a day is enough for any man!

[Jennifer]

DR Danise, that is terrible about the people in the trailer parks.  I wonder why they would not leave.

I really like the Olympics.  I'd like to watch the diving and swimming today.  I guess when I'm home, I'll try to keep the tv on the background and hopefully I will catch them.

I know they will be on probably between 1pm-5pm.

I saw a bit of the Opening Ceremonies last night.  But the Greek alphabet confused me.  They kept saying that USA was number 56. And Canada was 72.

Luckily we have A LOT of coverage here.  Between NBC, CBC, TSN (sports network) ... that is a lot of coverage.

[Ben]

At the 1996 NAMES Project Washington DC display there was a fundraising dinner for the organization. It was also offered as a thank you to some of the more dedicated volunteers. It was held at the National Building Museum and what a beautiful space it was. Elegant and understated with amazing decorative touches all set off by some of the panels from the NAMES Project hanging around the room. There were mid-level politicos there along with Miss Judith Light, a long-time supporter and down-in-the-trenches display worker, and Miss Betty Buckley who sang many numbers during our meal. The only thing to take away (slightly) from the evening was the loathsome Fred Phelps family who stood outside the facility across the street with their signs of vile epithets and curses. If anyone even looked like they would approach to confront them, they would scream like wounded babies for the phalanx of policemen assigned to ensure that nothing untoward would happen (nothing did happen, btw, most of us were smarter than the toads). I don't often make blanket statements like this, but what a pile of sh*t those people are. I know that Woody and others don't like the word "hate" to be thrown around with abandon (and I agree with that), but in this case, I think it applies. They are hate-mongering toads who are the personification of evil. Even if they really believe what they spew out it is hard to treat them with anything but contempt (end of rant  ). Other than that, the evening was a great success and a beautiful part of the NAMES Project display.

[Panni]

I accidentally signed off HHW in the middle of a long ramble about galas and now it's gone. Skammen.

[Panni]

I wonder if the actor told the others onstage what he was going to do?  

It's a bit he does alone in the audience (with an audience member) at the top of Act 2, so the other actors aren't involved -- except for the fallout if he screws up.

[Ron Pulliam]

I agree completely with BK about Nancy Kelly's stagy and stiff but overstated film performance in THE BAD SEED, but I disagree violently about Eileen Heckart.

Everybody run!  Hide!

Imminent bloodshed and havoc being wreaked!

Danger!  Danger! Will Robinson!