Monday, September 26th
Another week has come and gone. I'm in a bit of a fog as I simply try to get from point A to point B meeting all of my deadlines. It's a slog between now and the 23rd of October. At that point, things are going to get a lot easier and I have a lot less to do during the months of November and December - with the exception of all the usual holiday madness.
Tommy has finished two weeks of 'The Lion King' laundry and has three more to go. That finishes up on the 16th. We're going to take some time together in November to do some traveling. Looks like we're going to be bopping around Florida, assuming it doesn't bow away in Hurricane Wilma round about the middle of October. Anything's possible this year. I'm in the throes of 'Phantom of the Opry' rehearsal. We open on the 14th. It's going OK. I've got to learn my lines this next week. They shouldn't be too hard, especially after Shakespeare - just have to do it so I can get the script out of my hand and figure out the finer points of blocking and performance. Some of the country numbers are sounding pretty darned good. Now we just have to keep it from being a 'stand there and sing' show.
Leaving on Sunday for the usual West Virginia run. Be coming back on Tuesday next week so I can attend a performance of 'The Lion King' with Tommy that night and see the costumes actually in use. We saw it last Christmas but it'll be interesting to see it with some knowledge of the inner workings.
Not a lot of excitement at work. Clinic and more clinic. Also trying to keep all my contractual responsibilities fulfilled. I'm behind on a couple of legal cases and writing a lecture but should get that done this week.
Thursday, September 15th
I am, once again, over committed. What's new about that? Lets just say that the next few weeks are going to be on overdrive while I get all of my obligations, professional and personal met. I have to race to Atlanta tomorrow for a recruitment drive for new fellows, race back on Saturday to rehearse for a local performing arts festival that happens on Sunday and, in the middle of all that, take care of a bunch of stuff related to church, get to the bank, and do this weeks dictations. Fortunately, Tommy got called to work 'The Lion King' for the next five weeks (as the company laundry person) so he's got his own maximum overdrive with which to contend.
Next week is a lot of rehearsal for 'The Phantom of the Opry' (the music is down, now we have to block, choreograph and in general get it into show shape), the beginning of tap lessons that I won at last springs Alzheimer's Garden Art Party auction (somehow the thought of me in tap shoes does not inspire confidence), preparation for the annual church show, a friends wedding, and a lecture to the Jewish Community Center's Alzheimer's support group. The schedule looks like that up through the beginning of November. At that time, it's time to take a break. I think the week before Thanksgiving week and Thanksgiving week are going to be spent out of here. I have a business meeting in Orange Beach and one in Orlando and we should be able to make it a bit of a Florida vacation.
I am not doing a show once 'Phantom' closes until after the first of the year in order to give me time to do all the stuff I've been putting off so those of you waiting for kites, doll houses, genealogical records etc. should begin to see some progress.
Friday, September 9th
I'm in a seriously grumpy mood. The continuing fiasco regarding response to Katrina makes me extremely irate, so much so that I've had to turn the TV off or risk throwing my shoe through it every time W or one of his toadies shows up yammering about what a wonderful job they've done. What I don't get is why the press, after finally developing a spine last week, is all of a sudden backing off. Mike Brown's lies and complete lack of experience have been well documented - so why isn't every paper and TV news program in the country calling for his head and looking for the rest of the dirt that Bushco covers up with such stunning regularity.
Enough of the political rant. 'Twelfth Night' is over. Time to move on to the next show, 'Phantom of the Opry' which opens in five weeks. My part should be pretty easy as I only sing in three numbers and don't have all that much stage time. Due to a complex set of circumstances, I also find myself president of the board of Center Stage - not something I really intended, but I'll try to help them muddle through this next year.
I wrote the annual church show over the last few days. A parody of a football game pre-show with the color commentary, the interviews, the commercials and all of the other lunacy that attend that particular ritual. I just don't have time to do much more with it so it's been turned over to others for the execution. Next up, a preview show for Center Stage's upcoming season to be performed on the 18th. I also have to start working on the next version of Politically Incorrect, though fortunately it's been pushed back to the first of the year.
Off to Atlanta for twenty-four hours next weekend. I could use some time away.
Friday, September 2nd
I think I'm starting to suffer from Katrina fatigue. The horrible images of places I know relatively well combined with the ineffectual and indifferent attitude of GWB and the federal government has left me somewhat numb. Well, partially numb, and partially sharpening my pitchfork and drawing up plans for a guillotine on the ellipse to take care of BushCo once and for all. How this country could have elected that incompetent boob and his evil toadies twice is beyond me. But then again, there's ample evidence that they didn't and that machinations within the GOP swung both elections.
Fortunately, there's ample evidence that the country is starting to realize just what sort of people are running this country and they're not very happy about it. If nothing else, the GOP should come crashing down in the midterm elections next year, that is if there is a country and elections. I think the ripple effects of Katrina are just starting to be felt on the economy and who knows when or how the house of cards might ultimately collapse.
We're considering doing a benefit performance of 'Politically Incorrect Cabaret', but after watching GWB, Condi, Chertoff and the rest of the gang in performance this last week, I think they've moved into an alternate universe that's beyond satire. Nothing I could come up with could be more farcical than reality. Where do you start?
In terms of personal experiences, the storm did hit Birmingham, trees down, power out, but nothing worse than countless other fronts that come through here. We're starting to get large numbers of evacuees (the population of the affected area is about two million - that's a small country that's been displaced) and we're all trying to figure out how to take care of frail elders that have been displaced with nothing.
Three more performances of 'Twelfth Night' this weekend. I guess we're doing a public service as people need to laugh to relieve the tension. Then on to rehearsal for 'Phantom of the Opry'.
