The Life of Brian

Hello, children…

I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted… Things have been busier than grandma sitting on a whoopee cushion the last couple of weeks…

Our new show at Starkville Community Theatre — the one I mentioned two posts ago — opened this week, and we’ve gotten a great response from our audiences. After seven years of doing the summer musical revue at SCT, I still find it as creatively and vocally challenging as ever. This year’s show — with it’s movie music theme — has to be the most technically demanding production ever for our crew, not to mention the most vocally (and, at times, physically) demanding for the cast. I’ve taken to chugging copious amounts of water after the show and beginning around noon the next day to make sure I’m ready for that evening’s performance.

Of course the drawback is that by the time the show starts, I’m running to the dressing room bathroom every few numbers because that water has coursed its way through my system. But if it means keeping my voice in good shape, I’ll survive it.

At any rate, we’re having fun, though not without a few snafus and backstage antics. During the “Sister Act II” sequence on our cold opening night (before a friends and family audience), a toddler broke free of his mama and toddled his way onto stage. It was all the cast could do not to start laughing during “Joyful, Joyful,” but M.J. — who managed to grab the child before he ran backstage — covered well.

Then of course, there was the freak thunderstorm that hit during the show, causing the lights to flicker for a few minutes. Thankfully, the power did not go out.

Of course, last night — our official opening night — was not without its fun, too. While Lyle and M.J. were on stage performing “Mockingbird,” most of the male members of the cast were backstage doing some serious bump and grind dancing with the female members of the crew and a few select women in the cast. Thank goodness no one had a video camera!
At any rate, we’re having a blast onstage. So if you’re around, come see the show and pay the $25 ticket price to enjoy the performance and champagne/dessert reception that follows. You’re essentially getting the equivalent of a full-length Broadway musical and eats, too, at a significantly cheaper price.

So until next time….

Peace, love and happiness…

Brian

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t get it out?

This happens to me on a regular basis. I’ll get some inane tune running through my head and I’ll go through my day either humming or singing the darn thing. Usually, it happens to be the first song I hear when the clock radio goes off every morning.

Now if it’s a song I like, it’s no big deal. I actually don’t mind having that song in my head. It keeps me a little bit on the perky side. Now if it’s a song I can’t stand or one that has been so overplayed on the radio that I no longer like it, it’s… “Houston, we have a problem…”

A couple of years ago, I ran into this problem. No matter what time I set my alarm clock on a particular morning, the first song played on the radio when I woke up was “Oops! I Did It Again” by Britney Spears. Now at the time, I, for some reason or another, was somewhat enamored with her and I actually bought the album on which this particular diddy was released. But after waking up for more than a month to “Oops…,” I got tired of the song VERY quickly.

In fact, I drove my co-workers absolutely bonkers because I would walk around the office humming the darn song over and over. It was like a CD player stuck in endless repeat mode. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the tune out of my mind. It also drove me insane.

So, bearing that in mind, here is my list of annoying songs I hope I never, ever, ever, ever, ever get stuck in my head again:
• “Barbie Girl” by Aqua… Featuring Minnie-Mouse-on-helium-vocals, his one ranks right up there with “Oops…”
• Any song that talks about “poo, poo, poo” anywhere in the lyrics. I think the particular song I’m referring to is by Outkast and it’s called “Roses” or “Caroline.”
• Any Michael Jackson song released after the “Dangerous” album, or when he REALLY became an utter freakazoid.
• That Spice Girls song “Wannabe”… No, I don’t want to hear what you want, what you really, really want…
• Hanson’s rendition of “O Holy Night” from about five years ago… it’s like listening to fingernails being dragged across a chalkboard… Some musical acts should never be allowed to record certain Christmas songs…

There are songs out there that I know of, but can’t recall at the current time. Suffice it to say, if any of those above or others I don’t like were to pop into my head, I would be screwed for the rest of the day… and If I get screwed by an awful song… I’m takin’ everybody else down with me…
Happy Thursday….

BLH

P.S. If anyone has any they’d like to add to my list above, feel free to post a comment or send me an e-mail…

OK, children, many of you know that I am a theater buff, which is possible even in Mississippi. In fact, the Magnolia state has a thriving theater community and a lot of real talent, though some are reluctant to give us credit for that. But I’m not bitter…. life is too short to be bitter…

That being said, theater is one of the great joys of life… A few years ago, I got involved in Starkville Community Theatre by participating in a summer musical revue that’s developed and performed each summer as a fund-raising vehicle for the regular season and any major needs at our lovely Playhouse on Main. Since then, the summer revue has become a staple for me during the latter part of June and all of July. Summer ain’t summer without singing on stage. The revue actually opened the door for me to become a more active member of SCT, and I’ve acted in a few plays since then, doing everything from comedic roles to psychopaths.

But I digress. Let’s get back to the summer show. This year’s theme is “Now Showing… SCT Goes to the Movies.” Yep, we’re doing songs from the silver screen, including some that were written for films and those that were incorporated into various movies. With everything from a mega-Disney medley (22 songs over 16 minutes) to such classics as “Moon River” from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and the title song from “Singing in the Rain” (a personal favorite of mine), the show promises to be the best we’ve ever done. I won’t give away what’s involved, but let’s just say it is one of the most unique ideas I’ve ever seen and involves some audience participation. How my dear friend Pattye comes up with the ideas for the summer show each year simply amazes me. Her creativity knows no bounds… though I sometimes wonder about her sanity as we rehearse since we love to cut up and have fun… still, we always manage to pull off a great performance…

I’m enjoying most of the numbers I’m performing in the show, but I’m still a little miffed that Pattye didn’t include songs from one of my favorite movies… the Olivia Newton-John/Gene Kelly diddy from 1980 called “Xanadu.”

“Xanadu” was probably one of the last movie musicals made before a long hiatus in Hollywood that has only recently ended with the success of “Moulin Rouge,” “Chicago” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” The film combines elements of ’40s big band with disco and 1980 rock and roll, along with some of the most outlandish haircuts and clothing I have ever seen in any film. The film is as cheesy as they come… I’m talking limburger here, mmmkay? But for some reason or another, I like it… I don’t know why… I guess probably because Olivia Newton-John looks REALLY hot throughout the whole film… Back in elementary school and junior high, I had a MAJOR crush on her… Heck, I still do…. She looks hot even today!

But again, I digress… Despite its cheesiness, “Xanadu” had a few great songs in it, including a big band-style duet between Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John called “Whenever You’re Away From Me” and the title song, “Xanadu,” which is performed at the climax of the movie. The latter song is one I felt Pattye should have included in the summer show… I could just see some of the women in our show — namely Casey and Cindy — singing “Xanadu” while the rest of us did a choreographed routine on roller skates like they did in the movie… You know people would have paid $25 bucks just to see that spectacle alone!

However, it ain’t gonna happen. Just as Pattye deflects attempts by myself and M.J. to throw in some choreographed booty slaps into a number, there will be nothing from “Xanadu” in our show.

This has sent me into a state of severe depression… I’m so upset by this that I can’t even enjoy my Cinnamon Toast Crunch at breakfast… What am I gonna do? Hmmm….

AHA! I’ve got it! Since I’m performing “Singing in the Rain,” I can throw in a booty slap or two while dancing around on stage with an umbrella… It will be so subtle that no one will notice… and I’ll have my “Xanadu” revenge! BWAH, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!

So watch when I sing that song… you never know when the booty slap might come over me… or if I may feel the obsequious need to burst into the chorus of “Xanadu”…

“Xanadu… (dom, dom, dom, dom, dom) [and booty slap and booty slap]
“Xanadu- ooo-ooo, Now we are here in Xanadu-ooo-ooo-ooo (ba-da-dum, dum-dum [lots of violins playing quickly]) [and booty slap and booty slap]
“Xanadu… (dom, dom, dom, dom, dom) [and booty slap and booty slap]
“Xanadu- ooo-ooo Now we are here in Xanadu-ooo-ooo-ooo [and booty slap and booty slap]
“Xanadu, your neon lights will shine… for you.. Xanadu-ooo-ooo!”

OK, I think I’ve gotten that out of my system… Pattye will probably breathe a sigh of relief when she reads this… but you just never know if I might get the urge… hmmmm…. ;-D

‘Til next time…

Peace, love and happiness…

Brian

OK, friends, family and those out there in cyberspace who may be reading this, I don’t know why I decided to do the blog thing, but given how much I write anyway — I mean, it IS what I do for a living — I figured, why not?

This blog will probably be a journal of sorts, or as I feel like posting random thoughts on various topics. Feel free to respond, give me feedback, you know, no big whoop…

At any rate, I’m at the office setting this thing up after another full day of work at the SDN (that’s Starkville Daily News to those who haven’t heard of it, and I know there are a few!). I’ve just put the paper to bed (that’s what the editor does) after coming back from a community theater rehearsal for a summer musical revue that opens in three weeks (AAAARGH! too much music to learn).

It’s shortly after 11 p.m., and I am trying to get myself out of the chair to get home and get some sleep. I’m a little wired right now, can you tell? Even though I’m tired as all get out, I’m a little bit hyper. The news business does that to you at times (of course, the large root beer and foot-long chili dog from Sonic has probably contributed to my state of hyperactivity).

More than anything, I am grateful that I didn’t have to spend the day traipsing around the county covering the aftermath of Hurricane Dennis the Menace. The storm was forecast to drop significant rainfall and bring damaging winds to Starkville (that’s in Miss. for you other readers out there), but the storm’s eye ended up staying just to the east of us, so we only got about an inch and a half of rain and a few downed trees here and there. No significant damage, thank the Lord. We had been told by the folks at our state emergency management agency to be prepared for the worst. The way they were talking, we were going to get hit hard. Thankfully, that didn’t happen.

But we didn’t take chances Sunday night as the storm moved in. My staff and I got the paper to the press WAY early (as in 6 p.m. when our usual deadline is 11 p.m.) so that the carriers could deliver it before the main brunt of the storm hit. Luckily, it worked well. Things did get a little rough between midnight and 3 a.m. We had some of those “howling winds” — you know, the kind that sound like wolves letting loose on a full moon. They kept me a up a bit when I was trying to sleep. At any rate, I spent the dark and stormy night curled up on my couch watching movies and not worrying about being out in the mess. Some of my police officer friends asked me if I wanted go riding with them and stay out all night in the storm, but I only had one thing to stay — in the immortal party dude voice of Wayne Campbell — “NOT!” Staying curled up on the couch was a better option, especially since it initially appeared I might have to run my tail off covering the aftermath of Dennis the Menace. But we got lucky… and my Monday was a lot less stressful than originally anticipated.

There’s something to be said about that. Many folks on the Gulf Coast weren’t as lucky. It just serves to remind you to be thankful for the little things and focus on the more important things in life. And for that, I am always grateful…

Well, I’ve blogged enough for one day. It’s now 11:30 p.m. and I have to drive home and sleep. Tomorrow is another day, and it will be a busy one…

Until next time, enjoy reading this, give me some feedback and take care of yourselves, mmmkay?

Peace, love and happiness…

Brian