OCTOBERFEST AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING "D"S

[Rodzinski]

Yeah, MATTH. I'm anxious to hear your BOSTONIANS thoughts.

[Matt H.]

Thanks for the pics, DR Danise. Always nice seeing our friends "in the flesh."

[JoseSPiano]

DR Danise - Glad to know you made it to the theatre - even with the unexpected delay.  -Do you know where the light fell from?  Was it from the lighting rig in the theatre?

And what did you think of my friend, Erin Dilly, who plays Truly Scrumptious?  

And I'm glad that you were able to join us for dinner at Artie's - even if you did have to rush off to get the theatre.  I'm looking forward to spending more time with you as the week goes by.

[JoseSPiano]

Nope, I wrote in detail about THE BOSTONIANS the other day, probably while you were playing those auditions.

It's nostalgic watching ACL, as bad as it is. I love the show, having done it twice myself for extended runs, and seeing the bits and pieces of the original show that are in the movie brings back fond memories.

BTW, A CHORUS LINE has a beautiful DVD transfer. Naturally.

Ah, sorry - my bad...

As for the movie version of ACL... Boy, does Baayork Lee have stories about all that mishegas!  -And I believe there's a book in process too, so stayed tuned.

[JoseSPiano]

Thanks for the pics, DR Danise. Always nice seeing our friends "in the flesh."

Ah... DR MBarnum "in the flesh"...

 

[Rodzinski]

I missed the BOSTONIANS review too! I shall go back and look.

[JoseSPiano]

Hmm...  Watching the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live"... Not bad so far...

Hmmm....

[Rodzinski]

Hilarious bit with Mike Myers and Kanye West.

[Matt H.]

Ah, sorry - my bad...

As for the movie version of ACL... Boy, does Baayork Lee have stories about all that mishegas!  -And I believe there's a book in process too, so stayed tuned.

That's a book I would KILL to read!

The movie went through lots of hands before Attenborough finally got control. All of that behind-the-scenes deal making and deal busting would be fascinating.

[Matt H.]

I missed the BOSTONIANS review too! I shall go back and look.

I tried to go back and find it by using the "search the last 100 posts" button, and the site dumped me off. Sorry.

[Matt H.]

All right, I am now officially past my bedtime, so I'm off the net and down to bed.

Good night, all.

[JoseSPiano]

Hilarious bit with Mike Myers and Kanye West.

That was a nice bit.  And, actually, a pretty good show overall.  Not laugh out loud funny, but funny.

I did miss Tina Fey during Weekend Update, but at least she had a good excuse for being absent tonight - she had a baby three weeks ago.

[JoseSPiano]

Well, it's been another long day.  And another good day.  And tomorrow promises to continue the trend...

Goodnight.

[bk]

Back from a lovelier than lovely repast, about which more in the notes.  Have quite a few nice photographs to share as soon as I can get them from my camera onto the computer and onto this here site.  Notes may be a teensy bit late as I have to relax for at least forty-five minutes before writing them.

[Jed]

Glad to hear all the NYC folks are having a grand time so far.  What I wouldn't give to be back there with all y'all!

As for my evening, we had another strong show tonight.  The audience wasn't necessarily the most responsive, but they certainly enjoyed themselves, and the whole cast's energy just seemed to be up, so it was great fun for us.  Just one more to go tomorrow afternoon!  

And, as a lovely surprise, I headed out to the lobby after the show and found my favorite aunt and uncle there.  I had no idea they were coming down to see the show.  It was really wonderful to see them and chat for a little while.

All in all, a very nice evening.  Now I'm craving ice cream...

[George]

DR George, I put the package for you in the mail today, so be on the lookout for it next week.

Thanks!  Your video will be in the mail early in the week, also.  Does anyone else want a copy of the West Coast version of "Will and Grace?"  I can make copies before I send it to Matt.  Let me know.

[Jrand62]

Thanks anyway, DRGEORGE.  

Yes it sounds like the HHW contigent in NYC is being well hosted and toasted and roasted!

Shows, food, and drink, and fine company!

DR MATTH - I couldn't agree with you more.  The mistake in A CHORUS LINE was not NECESSARILY with Sir Richard as a director but with a choreographer whose main claim to fame was that he worked on Michael Jackson's Thriller video.  UGH!

[Jrand62]

Lovely photos - but MBARNUM's plate doesn't look any too empty.

And did he get to meet Mr Brian Kelly's nephew?

[Jason]

Mmmm...John's Pizzeria. The best pizza in NYC, IMHO. 44th & B'way, directly across from the Majestic Theatre (PHANTOM).

I'm up again a 2:45. This is getting to be a habit with me. Not good.

I just finished watching "I Want To Live!," which is one the best examples of Award-winning overacting that I've ever seen. Now I'm watching "Pretty Woman," which I haven't seen since it came out in the theatres in the early 90's. I'd forgotten how much I love the soundtrack to this movie. I tried ordering it through BMG or Columbia or whatever but they said they were indefinitely on backorder. I dunno...

And now it's time for a shower and bed.

[George]

I've been home all day doing not much of anything.  However, I have to shower and shave and go to work for a couple of hours.  Right after that, I go downtown to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts and usher for a concert by the one and only Melissa Manchester!  I can't wait!  I've never seen her perform live and although I don't know all of her songs...or even that many , I really like what I do know.  I also have the LA Theatre Works recording of the show that she wrote called I Sent a Letter to My Love.  I'm going to bring it on the off-chance that she'll sign it.

Well, I'm back from the Melissa Manchester concert (and have been for a while, now), and I must say that the concert was wonderful!  I only knew three or four of the songs that she sang and of the ones that I didn't know, most were from her newest CD, When I Look Down That Road.  She had brought some to be sold at the theater and they all sold!  Everyone of them.  I don't know how many she brought, but they all sold.

She talked a few times during the show and was quite engaging and delightful and funny and overall, just a great performer.  Her band was a guitar player, a keyboard player (who also played a second guitar on a couple of songs), electric bass and drums.  Melissa played piano on probably half of the songs that she sang.  Her big known songs were re-arranged to be more bluesy than the originals and I absolutely loved how they were redone.  If you get a chance to see her live in concert...TAKE IT!!  You won't be disappointed, unless you just don't like her or her music.  At the end of the concert (before her encore), she announced that she would be signing autographs in the lobby and she stayed until everyone who wanted one, got her autograph.  She also allowed pictures to be taken and spoke with everyone...probably about 50 or so.  I bought her CD and got her autograph, too!  See:

[George]

AND I brought my CD of I Sent a Letter To My Love and she signed that, too!  No one who saw my CD had ever heard of it.  AND AND Melissa said that she's writing a new musical!  But she didn't give me any more information than that.  Darn.  I'll just have to wait.  But here's here other autograph:

[George]

I had a good evening.  I hope everyone in New York and L.A. and everywhere had a good evening, also.

[George]

During the show, Melissa talked about how she had taken a break from show business for a couple of reasons.  One was that the music industry was moving in a different direction that what she wanted to do (Britney Spears, et. al.) and two, to raise her children.  Quite a few people after the show thanked her for coming back to performing and music writing.  It was quite touching.

[George]

Topic of the Day:  a quote from the musical City of Angels:

"That's a ballgame of a different color."

I've just always loved that line.

[TCB]

George, Chris wants to know when you are coming to see MY FAIR LADY.