JRB's Parade back in NY — Page 2

It was entirely personal -- the reasons of leaving. And entirely mutual. While I was requesting metronomes so that we could set a specific tempo, she was off searching for someone else behind my back who could read my mind. Even though I'm the one who spent hours teaching harmonies, running rehearsals, etc -- and all they brought in was an accompanist (which she had been looking for behind my back for weeks, even though I could play the score in my sleep) -- she left me out of all publicity materials. It was a tacky, personal battle.

As for casting friends -- if you know you're going to do it, do NOT audition actors from all over the city. We saw over 50 wasted women that afternoon, many of whom were better than the director and her friend.

She's talented. Yes. But I don't have to like her.

Also -- if you noticed, most of my gripe is with the producing company. She's not the producer. The producer, a Mr. Mazda, runs a sham theater company that many people look down on. I do not recommend seeing shows there, and that's just my two cents.

The rehearsal process of 'Putnam' was a joke. And I wasn't on my best behavior either.

(The reason I am pointing out her talent is because I don't want this to just be some kind of personal bashing. I guess I'm trying to say we were both wrong, but it's not an environment conducive to making good theater. I can't imagine it will be a very fabulous production. I wouldn't get excited about this being a big New York 'Parade'. It's not going anywhere. It's community theater, at best.)

And yeah. I left the show two days before because it was best for everyone. Nothing was getting done because all we did was fight. It was necessary to leave and best for the production. Sometimes that happens. And, I also offered to stay on as pianist until the accompanist was available. You do what you have to do sometimes.

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You may not care, but you may want to consider that you've given plenty enough information here for anyone to know who you are. Regardless of how inept and unprofessional this company may be, you're doing yourself no favors by kvetching about them, at length, in a public forum. I would certainly never hire an accompanist who had done that.

That you are airing dirty laundry and settling a personal score publicly is making me want to see this.

I appreciated the Taper version of Parade in London, though I didn't care for the double, triple, and in some cases, quadruple casting. I loved Letter to the Governor and didn't like that it was replaced by The Glory. I also missed Big News, reporter Britt Craig's first number, but I understand why it was cut. It made the reporter too much of the story. Still, it was a much-needed bit of comic relief.

Didn't notice the typos through the vitriol. Hope you're happier in whatever profession you're in now. Feel better soon.

Best of luck to the production. It's an ambitious piece.

See you there, Ghandi?