Late afternoon sun. I spent the afternoon cleaning, doing laundry and other chores, all the while playing Ravel’s Bolero over and over again at very high volume. Don was out and about, so I didn’t have to worry about making him crazy. The recording (from 1980) that I found at the record shop was – is – really spectacular with the ending the best I’ve ever heard it done.
Sometimes I forget how great music and a sunny day can change my mood for the better. Yesterday was one of those days.
But today is rainy and gray and it looks like it will stay that way.
I just realized that I have no idea where my script for Anastasia is. It’s here, I know it is, but I moved it from the floor right by my desk to some other place, which, at the moment, is unknown. Since rehearsals start on Thursday, I have to find it, pronto.
I’m so looking forward to working on Anastasia again. It’s such a beautiful musical. Most of the original cast will return and it will be lovely to see everyone again. And it’s Broadway, for goodness sake, which makes me very happy. While I’ve worked in NYC a lot, the majority of productions I’ve worked on have been what is considered off-Broadway. I worked on a Broadway musical well over 12 years ago which starred Michael Crawford and was big and bold and a more than a bit misguided. It had a short run.
Anastasia, on the other hand, already has fans all over the world and it has a beautiful book, written by Terrence McNally, lyrics and music by Ahrens and Flaherty (who wrote the music for the animated movie and also wrote the musical Ragtime,) and a talented cast directed by Darko.
Looking at the rehearsal schedule and the days I will have to be there, I realized that the week I’m staying in NYC for dress rehearsals and previews will be the same week that Don leaves for California.
It’s all happening fairly quickly. Anastasia, Don leaving for California and Escape to Margaritaville, and then Heartbreak House at Hartford Stage.
And sometime in the midst of all of that, I have to find time to clean up the garden and plant seeds.
Feast or famine. I’m grateful for the feast.
A must read (at least for yours truly): from John Pavlovitz – his latest post.
Happy Tuesday.
The first time I heard Ravel’s Bolero was when we were stationed in West Berlin. My husband bought tickets for the Ice Cape (I’m sure I spelled it wrong). And it was amazing to watch the skaters skate to it. When we came back to the states I had to find its recording. I have a copy of the vinyl Great Performances by Bernstein with Ravel’s Bolero. I would love to find it on CD.
I’m sure it’s somewhere in CD form, Trina. Did you see the famous Torvill and Dean skate to it? That performance is indelibly stamped in my memory.
When it comes to performers I don’t ever remember names but I remember music. And this was over 30 plus years ago when I heard it. I will have to see if youtube has them skating to it.
I’d bet money it was. That routine changed the face of skating and brought them an Olympic Gold Medal.
I saw it and it changed ice skating like you said. It was so moving and the music! Gosh that brings back memories!
I’ve watched it again over the years and it never fails to make me swoon!
I’m sure you are right. We didn’t have a television at that time. I can tell you that it was between 1981-1984 that I saw the Ice Capades.
Sounds about right, Trina!
I remember that skating routine from Torvill and Dean! Fantastic! Excellent post from John Pavlovitz. He has put into words so perfectly what I’ve been feeling for months. Hope you find your script…I’m still looking for a brass sign that I took down in order to put up a Christmas wreath…no luck! ;)
Found it – rather quickly! John Pavlovitz is my favorite writer at the moment!
So happy you are busy Claudia. It helps during these days. I’m on the mend but slowly getting better. Voice is gone again (this is my natural healing progression). I think I’ll be able to read today, I must admit to feeling so badly that I laid in bed and binged watched a PBS series on TV. No thinking!
I have become a fan of John Pavlovitz. His writings really put things I’m feeling into words. Thank you for introducing him to me. So far I’ve only had to ‘unfriend’ one person on FB. Crazy to say but I’ve also kept my promise to myself to ‘skim’ political posts. Its working.
I would love to see Anastasia on Broadway (well anywhere really). On my bucket list to see a Broadway show. I hope its one that gets fulfilled one of these days. I love Bolero and yes I saw Torvill and Dean’s performance and it was stunning! Hugs!
Take care of yourself, my friend! You’ve sure had your share of feeling under the weather lately!
It sure sounds like the pace is quickening around Mockingbird Hill Cottage. Hope you find the script soon. Busy times ahead for both of you. I have been so engrossed in my drawings (which may become a coloring book or just sketches for later paintings), that I haven’t been able to look up for a while. I do read the blog daily, if later in the evening, though.
Will you need to stay in NYC, or commute daily? Boy, do I miss it! Give my regards to Broadway, please! Love the little jade plant stretching to find the sunshine.
I’ll stay there during dress rehearsals and the first few previews because that’s all at night and it would be too hard, if not impossible, to get home. The rest of the time, I’ll commute.
Gray and wet all week here, but I’m embarking on a few sewing projects for my daughter, to be completed before she returns to college, so I have until the end of this weekend. That’s keeping me busy. Hope you find your script. It,any be in an obvious place that doesn’t seem obvious now. How long will you, and Don be working on your respective shows? Wow, this period of frenzied activity came up fast!
I found it right after I wrote that. I knew it was here, and it turned out to be on the bookshelf in my bedroom. I’ll be working on Anastasia and then Heartbreak House through May. Don will be working from early April through the beginning of July.
Thank you for linking to John’s post. His essay as well thought out and argued.
You’re welcome, Carolyn Marie.
I enjoyed this post right up to the part where I clicked on the link and got another reminder of how we conservative Christians get labeled.
Sigh.
Oh, well. I’m off to kill innocent animals willy-nilly, scream at people who are peacefully demonstrating, disrupt a military funeral and donate to a hit fund for another abortion clinic. (drip… drip…) :/
I think this is why so many of my conservative Christian friends give up and shut up. I don’t know anyone who would behave or even think the way that post tells about.
I do have an uncle who lapses, sometimes, in the struggle to slough off the stain of prejudice. I also have a friend whose intelligence seems to abandon him when his passion is aroused over anything, music as well as politics, making him a menace to conservatives more than to the extreme left he so deplores.
Not blaming, accusing or chiding you, Claudia. Just weary. So weary. I’ve been getting this attitude for 50 years, not always undeserved, I know. Some of that time I’ve retreated, indulging in tit for tat words and attitudes. I hope I have grown beyond that, forever.
I’m so happy for you getting to do something you so enjoy! :) I’m glad Don and you both have work. Happy for the feast, indeed!
I love seeing you get some happy.
My thought is that you might be over-reacting. He’s talking about a specific group of Evangelical Christians – not all. I certainly don’t think all Conservative Christians think alike and I know he doesn’t. He’s speaking to what I suspect is a subset. I understand where you’re coming from. I know this isn’t you or, as you say, your friends. But I have certainly run up against what Pavlovitz is addressing – in my everyday life and on this blog.
This happens with any group. Liberals are called Snowflakes and Libtards (lovely). Assumptions are made about a whole group of people and that isn’t fair, of course. And it’s something we have to fight. Myself included. xo
Thanks for you always kind and compassionate words, Aunt Lou. I do appreciate them.
Thanks, Claudia!
(I am Evangelical, too.) :)
I feel like smiting people who use libtard.
“Snowflake” used to mean acting “too white.” OH KAY? This newer use is no better.
Visceral reactions are understandable, but taking time to reason, to research and to seek wisdom is key, to me. I wonder if “overly visceral” is too insulting. Yeah, guess so. I tried to point out to my overly visceral conservative friend that he was not helping and it made him dig in harder and protest his righteousness the more emphatically. Oh, well. At least our mutual friends know what I thought of his gleeful call to “arms.” (shudder)
XO
Love our conversations, Aunt Lou! Thank you. xo
:) me, too XO
That music is beautiful and I do remember that skating performance. Beautiful!! I LOVE to turn the music up so it nearly rattles the windows sometimes when I am home alone. It is freeing in some sort of form.
A dark day here and in the world of education. I worry about things like the arts and special education. Public education has played a huge part in the building of our country. “Some people” who have never entered a public school in their lifetime are unaware of this, I fear. We are in for a mind numbing result of Nov 8. Our children and our communities will lose more than we can fathom. But the Koch brothers won and that is what seems to matter. The “charter schools” and the private schools will explode, with no need for accepting anyone who isn’t “perfect”. This is a travesty.
I agree. I’m heartsick. What will happen to our children? And disabled students, like my nephew? She is incredibly unqualified and, even more, extremely dangerous.
Really want to thank you for telling us about John Pavlovitz. I am LOVING what he writes – so insightful. He’s very active on Twitter too. An outstanding individual with a real gift for cutting through to the critical part of an issue – and for clarifying complex issues so all can understand. A real voice for the future…
I agree. You’re welcome, Janet!
I’m confused: I didn’t think Anastasia was Disney?
You’re right – directed by former Disney animation directors.
It’s great you’ll be busy working! I do hope you’ll have time to garden as well.
I’ll make time, Chris!
I love the way the sunshine streams through your windows Claudia..it certainly does contribute to happier feelings…with our being right beside the woods on the edge of the ridge we don’t get much sun shining in the windows…We have been getting a lot of rain here and tonight the snow is coming possibly 3-6 inches…I didn’t realize you were going to be working on Broadway with Anastasia..how wonderful!!! You and Don will be living in a whirlwind for a while…Great post by John P…
Thanks, Nancy. I’m headed into the city a day early because of the snow.
Claudia,
Great posts I look forward to reading.
And thank you for turning me on to John Pavlovitz’s blog ! He is so right. When it comes to hearing these folks go on and on about God….. living down here in a RED state, one hears this syrupy fake “good people” s. He has their number.
I am still pulling away from the news media, (sadly) although I must keep on top of what this president says and does next, even though it hurts so many of us. It is bad and we all know it. Remember during the Viet Nam war and we, as a large group of young people (bred on the teachings Dr Spock to) moved through this Nation and we did bring about change? I still feel a bit of pride in that we did gather and work to end some injustices .. yes, some..my heart is still wanting LOVE and PEACE. I just listened to CSNY “Helplessly Hoping” on my computer, followed the Beatles’s “Here comes the Sun” by the late, loved and beautiful ~~George Harrison. I got rather misty.
So…………
I am very glad I found your lovely place here on the web, to visit, and read your posts.
Have a beautiful week. I plan on setting about reading a lot more fiction, thanks to your reviews and the lovely way you remind us of how much fun it is to read fiction “stories”. I have been way too blue about other things. My library will order whatever I need and I just run to the door and pick the books up!
Good Evening~~~~~
Thank you so much for your kind words, Katheryn. Reading is a delicious escape and we all need that right now. Those beautiful songs you just mentioned are now going through my head. Love them.