Thursday, November 14, 2013

BUDDY’S TAVERN==>Totally Enjoyable!



Thursday==>Good morning my loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the morass known as cyberspace. Your favorite blogger here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, wants to get today’s posting started ... so ... let’s do it ... with ...

Billi Pod’s thoughts/comments on last night’s entertainment event, a Developmental Lab Presentation at The York Theatre (remember, he does not usually assign letter grades to readings and workshop performances) ...

BUDDY’S TAVERN, about an Italian-American factory worker on Staten Island in 1956 who wants a bar where he can sing his heart out to his customers==>totally enjoyable, emotionally involving and thought-provoking.

It is extremely well performed, especially Alexander Gemignani in the lead role of Buddy. It is a developed production because the cast is completely off-book.

The show borders on being an opera because a lot of the story line is developed in the song lyrics.

The show’s message is basically: “Follow your dreams wherever they take you and don’t be afraid of failure.”

My seat was excellent, on the first row. Seated next to me was Raymond de Felitta, who wrote the book for the show. He also wrote and directed the award-winning independent film “Two Family House” (Sundance Audience Award, 2000) on which BUDDY’S TAVERN is based.

We had several nice conversations before the show, at intermission, and when it was over. I told him how much I enjoyed the show and he seemed to be very appreciative.

I hope it can move forward in the developmental process.

Billi Pod says==>see it if you can.

It is playing at The York Theatre (one of my favorite venues) on East 54th Street, has a running time of 2:00, with intermission and the remaining performance dates are November 14 and 15.

Moving on ...

Tonight’s entertainment event is a concert ...

8:00==>BRIGHT STARS ON BROADWAY @ Town Hall - “A concert featuring a host of talent from the world of musical theatre.” (concert - complimentary ticket)

This show was put together after the solo evening with Tony winner Barbara Cook was canceled. I really don’t have any more info about this show other than I am rather confident that my comp. seat will be in the upper nosebleed section.

Now ... a bit of sports ...

I want to share with you sports fans some rather interesting information I discovered about the puzzling question of why major schools, whose football teams have had a less than stellar season, accept invitations to participate in minor-league bowl games, like The Toilet Bowl, The Regurgitation Bowl, The Bucket Bowl etc etc. To be bowl eligible the team must have at least 6 wins.

The source of the following revelation is a recent article in The Orlando Sentinel.

First, it ain’t the money. The fees will just barely cover the cost of transporting the team, coaching staff, University bigwigs and major-supporters to and from the game.

No, the reason is==>additional coaching time. Yep, that's right ... the primary benefit of qualifying for a bowl game is the 15 additional December practices teams are given by NCAAF rules in order to prepare. Coaches use a good bit of this time to develop younger players for next season.

It gives them an opportunity to evaluate young players in a game situation and, also, to showcase older players to NFL scouts.

If no bowl bid, then according to NCAAF rules the season is over and no practice time in December is permitted.

So ... schools accept minor-league bowl bids that they know will not excite their fan-base in order to begin early preparation for the next season.

Now, for the Gators==>unless we pull an unlikely upset of either South Carolina or FSU, our season will end on November 30th.

There you have it ... you are sooooooooooo very welcum.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.14 miles (or, 4,684 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/13==>462.61 miles (average 3.40 miles per day)

GO GATORS==>FIRE COACH MUSKRAT!!!!! 

Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”




No comments: