The Best of Days, the Worst of Days

Did some very good work on Qatar today...not as much as the last couple of days, but sketched lyrics for each character that would counterpoint with Behind Every Story in the audition sequence...each character would sing their inner thoughts as the lyricist is singing the opening number of the show within a show to them. The Egyptian producer would sing about not understanding one word but that doesnt matter as long as he OWNS ever word. The Qatarian Movie star would sing about this year it's a musical and next year a movie starring me, without the songs of course, making him the Middle Eastern Tom Cruise. Nazirah, who has a crush on the American lyricist would fantasize about being married to him and moving to New York, finally leaving the Middle East behind. The composer at the piano would be singing about how they all seem rapt and loving his music (that is until he hears a stray snore coming from the producer). I think even the lyricist singing will have his inner thoughts revealed...he will realize that no one is listening to anything he is singing and that it's horrible to be performing in the window of a piano store just two blocks from the 2005 London Tube bombing. This could work. Saw Follies at Encores tonight. I knew I was letting myself in for a disappointment. I am now one of those people who say "but I saw the original!" Well, I did. And everytime (including the very exciting Philharmonic concert in the 80s) I see another Follies I cannot get the original out of my head and it will never be as good and that's that. Returned home to phone message and then two phone calls from my collaborator Jeff and his wife is not well at all. It is getting more obvious that he will not be coming to NYC to work on the Kander and Ebb (on a happier note, spoke to Charlotte Rae today and she MIGHT stay in NYC and do the show and sing YES from 70 Girls). Tomorrow we shall find out who will be playing the piano and musical directing the evening. It all makes me very nervous and there is too much on my shoulders here, but it's the way it is. Let's see what tomorrow brings.