Poisoned Punch Bowl

a diary of thought.








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www.poisonedpunchbowl.com
2003-10-27
4:10 p.m.


I haven't updated this diary in awhile because I have been spending quite a bit of time having a good time. I have been going to a lot of shows lately. Trying to enjoy NYC before it gets too cold to leave the house.

One of the best shows I have seen recently was Fran Landesman�s show at Joe�s Pub. Fran is an amazing poet who puts her words to music, While she is not a singer in the technical sense, she can work a stage and give a song life without having to belt it out or even sing on pitch. Bob Dorough (famous for composing Schoolhouse Rock) joined her for some numbers on the piano. An amazing musician himself, reminiscent of the old vaudeville greats, I left assured that true talent is still alive and kicking. Fran�s lyrics are genius in that they touch on the less expressed emotions and thoughts of all of us. Songs like �There�s Something Irresistible In Down�, �Too Stoned To Care.� And �Scars� left me smiling for hours after the show was over. Bob Dorough also sang one of my favorites, �Small Day Tomorrow�, a genius set of lyrics about partying and sleeping late that is backed by a melody that sticks in your head for days. If Fran Landesman or Bob Dorough ever come to a venue near you, do yourself a favor and buy yourself a ticket.

I saw Modern Man at the Duplex last week and I can honestly say that I have never laughed so hard in a theatre before. Modern man consists of 3 guys who write some hysterically funny lyrics. The songs mixed with their stage presence and quirky personalities left me laughing so hard I was borderline crying through the whole show. With songs like �You Can�t Eat Dog In Taiwan� and �Jews Don�t Camp� these guys had the room in stitches. Not only are they hysterical, but they are great musicians. It is beyond my scope of understanding how they are not a household name. Keep your ears open, they may be soon enough.

I saw the Boy From Oz on Broadway last week and it was more like the Hugh Jackman show. I did get exposed to more of Peter Allen�s music through the show (I do like some of his songs), but it is very hard to do a musical based on someone�s life so it ended up being a little bit scattered. The stage set also left much to be desired.

The cabaret convention was a great night. My friend was performing as part of Hirschfeld night, which consisted of all performers who were drawn by Hirschfeld. Tommy Tune opened up the show with a great dance number. Dressed in a sparkling, bright red tuxedo, he was the spokesperson for the (perceived) glitz and glamour of �showbiz� I was very excited to see Elaine Stritch, who is one of my favorites. She didn�t sing, but she gave a great speech and looked marvelous. Marcia Lewis also came out and did her famous, �Nobody Loves A Fairy Who�s Forty.� KT Sullivan�s performance left me wondering how many people she had to blow to become famous. There were some less-than-fabulous performances, but it was still a mind-blowing show. The Cabaret Convention was one of those magical nights that makes me so overjoyed that I live in New York City. Nights like that make me romantic toward this city and grateful to be here. Today however, I am on a California Craving.

Went to see �Listen To My Heart: The Songs Of David Friedman� upstairs at Studio 54 the other night. It was an enjoyable night. The room was good for people watching because it was jam packed with NYC�s upper crust. Lots of suits, furs and facelifts. Kathy Lee Gifford and Frank sat next to us. The venue was all over her like she was Madonna or something. I was surprised at how much younger she looked in person. We went to the �exclusive� after party afterward and downed a couple of glasses of free champagne. We split after about fifteen minutes, came home and played Scattergories. So went another NYC night.

I need to get my ass in gear and start writing more and going to open mic nights. I have been slacking off lately with my own creative projects because I have been having fun watching other people�s creative projects. I suppose it is a positive thing though, because I am picking up some helpful hints and gathering memories and inspiration. I think that when I finally do sit down to write, I may write for 24 hours straight and pour out some good stuff. One would hope, anyway.

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