TUESDAY
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Rod and "Valor" Palm Beach, 2003. Photo by
Carol Widel
A Thought for Today
Paradise is.
ALOHA FROM MAUI
RODS FIRST REPORT FROM HAWAII
I wish I could tell you it’s just another day in Paradise but alas it’s
another WORKING day in paradise. Mind you this is a helluva place to be at
work and I’m having a wonderful time.
Each day here opens up as beautiful as the last, warm, inviting, magical.
This is my first time on the island of Maui and it definitely won’t be my
last. Last week that big full moon and Mars were so close I’m sure they
were making love. We had a feast of feathery falling stars three nights
running. One of the more adventurous members of our cast, John Scoggins,
hiked up to a volcano rim, built a bonfire and spent the night watching
the meteors melt to earth. We are told the night was graced with a
multitude of naked prancing and dancing. The Gods were no doubt pleased
but alas Sascha Alexander the company’s resident documentarian went
missing that night.
SOULMATES
The cast for SOULMATES is first rate and with the exception of Mary Jo
Catlett (Sister Mary Theresa), James Milanase (Joe) and myself they are
all from right here in the Hawaiian islands. What a joyful noise they make
as soloists and in their ensemble work. The voices and cast are of every
age and color and I’ve made new friends and friendships.
Mary Jo plays the Nun we all wish we knew and she sings an hilarious self
written number entitled “Nun of the Above.” It’s all about a bad lady gone
good. James plays a rock and roll pop star trying to reconcile fame and
faith. His transformation is a wonder to watch. Patricia Watson wrote the
script and score and plays Joe’s counterpart Jessica. Patricia has been
working on SOULMATES for over a dozen years and is still writing new songs
and fine tuning others.
As Father Jim I have three songs, a lot of ensemble work and a doxology.
On Sunday I finished writing a new song, “September Comes Around,” that
has been added to the score. I sing it near the end of the first act.
Patricia and I wrote another number together that we duet on, “A Prayer
for Peace.” And wait until you see me in my priestly robes.
TIME AND TIDE AND TOM
Rehearsals under David Galligan’s direction are moving at a steady pace
but it is still hard to believe we are two nights away from a full dress
and a mere three from the first paid performance. For those of you
planning to attend any or all of the shows this coming weekend I can
promise you won’t be disappointed.
My buddy Tom Truhe has spent the first week of my stay here as companion,
driver and all around sounding board. Tom’s the best and one of the most
totally giving friends I have. In the past eight days he has read three
biographies, the local and international papers on a daily basis and is
growing a bit stir crazy so is off to Honolulu for a few days in search of
action, adventure or whatever, before returning for the weekend shows.
Ben Macmillan arrives from the mainland today to spell him for week two.
Ben is a writer, musician and an associate of Chuck Ashman who is now
guiding my career. No doubt we’ll write a song or two together if time
provides an opportunity, but the rehearsal schedule is getting hot and
heavy now that opening night looms. Twelve hour days are not unusual and I
have a ton of lines and lyrics to learn.
I’m tanned but not tired. I swim every day but with no TV and only a few
phone calls I feel out of the swim of normal life. This arrangement suits
me fine. The first day I arrived I slept for seventeen hours. Maui onions
and pineapples are part of every meal, the people are beautiful and
gracious and a cat named Miss Kitty has adopted me so I get my daily
feline fix. A lithe and lovely yellow gecko keeps me company until I turn
off the lights at night and fall asleep with an episode or two from the
7th season of The X Files (courtesy of DVD.)
Is this living or what? [To be continued.]
RM 8/18/2003 7:45 PM HPST
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If
the cat's got your tongue, it's got your attention.
Imagination is the "a la mode" of talent.
Only those inside its funnel fully
comprehend the hurricane.
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FOLIO |
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Ludwig Answers His Critics
Moonlight Sonata. The nickname of
Beethoven’s Sonata in C# minor, Op. 27, No.2, not titled by the
composer, but probably due to a description of the first movement by
Rellstab. It does not fit the other two movements in the least.
Had I wanted to write
a lunar sonata
I’d have kept the left hand
playing triplets with spirit
like da-da-da, da-da-da
da-da-da-, dot, dot, dotta.
A bit boring perhaps
to some of you chaps
but I wouldn’t have had
to hear it.
Castrati
Giovanni Battista Velluti ( 1781 -
1861 ) One of the last male sopranos. Senor Velluti was celebrated
throughout Europe for managing to reach notes few men or women dared
attempt.
Don’t pity the lad selected to be
lad forever and ever
that snip of a boy whatever age he
is no less a man or less clever
than those who succumb
to the hot breath of lust
and when called to come
go sprinkle their dust
on the coals of the bed of desire.
So save all your tears
for yon boy soprano
who though old in years
only played with piano,
and resist if you can
fag jokes ala tutti and frutti,
all kinds of men make up species, man
Casanova as well as Velluti.
- from Rod McKuen’s Folio No.57 |
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