Well, dear readers, is there an echo in here? There is and I’ll explain that in a mere moment. Not a moment, mind you, but a MERE moment. But first, I need bliss – I mean Bliss – more hot Bliss so I’m now going to put on my all-time favorite version of A Colour Symphony from one of the best recorded albums of the 1970s by Sir Charles Groves – the album also included a fantastically done suite from the masterpiece that is Bliss’s score for the film Things to Come. This is on CD and is a must-have for those who must have. Also, and there’s always an also, has anyone noticed that today is the last day of October? How did that happen? And tomorrow will be November and it is my fervent hope and prayer that November will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. Now, back to the echo. Back in 1959, a new and quite weird magazine appeared and with volume one number one it was to be a bi-monthly thing. The name of it was Echo – a magazine of sight and sound. The cost was one dollar and fifty cents, which wasn’t so cheap back in 1959. The size was approximately 7 1/2 x 7 1/2. There was a nice hole right in the middle of the cover that went straight through and out the back cover. In the magazine, there was, of course, text and images – both photos and art – but the big draw was five long-playing records. This was a spiral bound affair. If you wanted to play the records, you simply folded open to that page and put the whole thing on the turntable spindle. It worked perfectly. Now, maybe when I first got on eBay back in 1997 or 1998 for some reason, I found volume one number one. I had no idea if the thing ever got beyond that to number two. I had to have it, of course, and I think it cost me around ten or twelve bucks. This very first issue included the first article – Nichols and May Conversation at Breakfast – The Operating Theatre. There was text, then original – ORIGINAL Jules Feiffer drawings entitled About Mike and Elaine. And then the long-playing record. Next article was by jazz columnist Nat Hentoff and was called Fred Astaire The Art of Knowing Time. And after the article the second long-playing record, Fred Astaire dances to Jazz at the Philharmonic. Third article was about the great harmonica player Larry Adler and was written by the great humorist, James Thurber. Then long-playing record number three, Adler playing three pieces on harmonica, with Ellis Larkins accompanying. Next up, Gypsy – Gypsy Rose Lee and Jule Styne preview a new musical. This is, of course, the major thing of interest in issue one. The article features great costume sketches by Ann Roth. And the fourth long-playing record is called Gypsy at Home with Jule Styne at the piano. And finally, Alexander King – The Human Dilemma, which is also the fifth long-playing record. We are promised in future issues, France Nuyen as Suzie Wong, Sidney Poitier, Marilyn Monroe, Maurice Chevalier, Pablo Picasso, about a new play by Paddy Chayefsky (I’m guessing that would be The Tenth Man), and much more. I did play the Gypsy record back then but can’t remember anything about it.
Anyway, there are two copies of issue one on eBay, both going for around $200, which, given the rarity of this thing, sounds cheap to me. And they list it in a category that no one would be interested – comics. I would list it under theater memorabilia for sure. So, interest piqued again, I did some research, and it turns out it lasted through number four, and I got them all using some eBay credit. So, soon I’ll have a complete set. I do know one issue has Mary Martin in it. Don’t know about any of the other promised stuff. And they were cheap. I don’t really understand it, given their uniqueness, but sometimes you just have to get to the right people. Anyway, that’s the Echo story.
Yesterday was another somewhat frustrating day but not terrible. I got about six and a half hours of sleep, got up, had a Zoom with my set designer and it’s basically now finalized and looks really great. After that, I answered e-mails, had mac and cheese for food, took pills, did a bunch of stuff on the computer, approved another track, so just two more to go and that’s done, then dozed off for ninety minutes. Later, had a muffin for a snack and took pill two, then actually watched a motion picture entitled Intrigo – The Death of an Author based on some novellas by Hakan Nesser, a Swedish author who like his compatriot Henning Mankell, who created Wallander, created his own detective called Van Veeteren. I have several of his books but of course haven’t read them, but I did see the first Van Veeteren movie, which I don’t really remember, so maybe I’ll see if I can find it. Who knows, maybe I even own it on DVD. Anyway, this movie is from 2018 and stars Ben Kingsley. Have no idea how faithful to the novella it is but it’s a bit convoluted and hard to follow and it’s not really satisfying and it’s not hard to figure out what Mr. Kingsley is doing there. There are apparently two sequels that I’m not that interested in seeing, frankly. It was well directed by the guy who did the two Dragon Tattoo sequels in Sweden. The score isn’t bad either.
After that, I had a cookie and the third pill, had a telephonic call, and that was that.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up and I’m sure the day will be spooky and scary because it is, after all, Halloween, a spooky and scary event. I will keep the porch light off and give away no candy, even though no one ever trick or treats on this street. I’ll go to the mail place and hopefully pick up two important envelopes, and then I really have to relax and not get stressed about anything. We have offers out to those we want to cast but haven’t heard back yet. Of course, I don’t know why they’d audition if they didn’t want to do the show, but I don’t really understand this generation of actors for the most part. I’ll eat hog dogs, I think – I’m thinking of getting some chili from Tommy’s burgers – just a big cup of their excellent chili, and then I can make my own chili, cheese, and onion hot dogs. Then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
The weekend will be prepping for our first rehearsal on Tuesday, getting everyone their music to learn, printing out the latest draft of the script so I can start making some notes – just general stuff as I don’t really like to plan much until I see the actors on their feet. I am going to try and at least stage the opening number and the finale, just to get them done.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, be spooky and scary, not give out candy, hopefully pick up two important envelopes, not get stressed, have hot dogs, take all pills, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray/streaming player? I’ll start – CD, Bliss. Blu-ray, the Brit Maigret series. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have done some fine Echo research.