Haiku #380 - SWEETHEARTS in the Studio

Gilbert in his studio, "The Spot"

all of the layers

listening so carefully

to get the right mix

Haiku #379 - Sheri Sanders in Concert

me with my friend Rebecca and her friend Sam
Ready to see Sheri Sanders rock!

a force of nature

happens when you know your stuff

rock the audition

Haiku #378 - Perfect Broadway Day

church bells are chiming

"no business like show business"

at quarter to two

Every Wednesday at 1:45 pm, the church bells at St. Malachy's on 49th St. call theatrical parishioners to matinee by chiming "There's No Business Like Show Business". Today at that time, I was sitting across the street by an open window in the rehearsal studio, alternately playing dance breaks for a Book of Mormon rehearsal and reading a book about Irving Berlin, who wrote that song, as well as many others that form part of the American soundtrack. Perfect.

After rehearsal, I had sushi with a friend and colleague, saw the evening performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, and had a nightcap of matzo bowl soup at a nearby diner afterwards. Perfect.

Not every day is this perfect, but there truly is no business like show business, and I wouldn't trade it for all the cute babies in day care.

Can you believe I'd NEVER tried matzo ball soup before?!

Haiku #377 - In the Studio

tracks are all laid down
next there's magic to be made
in the studio

Haiku #376 - Broadway Cares Flea Market

Surrounded by my Mormons at the Book of Mormon's booth at the
Broadway Cares Flea Market

playbills for a buck

never know what you will find

at the flea market

Marc (waving, on the right) and some awesome Broadway-bound kids
working the Broadway Workshop booth

I also stopped by Revolucion Latina's booth, but forgot to take a pic! I love how the Broadway community comes together to take care of each other!

Haiku #375 - L'Shana Tova

I have to confess that I had little to no awareness of Jewish culture when I moved to New York, short of having read a few books like Number the Stars as a kid. There are simply not very many Jews in New Mexico, and aside from a childhood friend named Rachel who was culturally Jewish but didn't know much about that heritage, and two short-term college roommates who halfheartedly tried to keep kosher with their three Gentile compatriots (at least we had 2 fridges?), I was clue-free about the Chosen People until I moved to New York. I've had many Heebpiphanies, if you will, from my first real bagel to realizing my coworker whose last name was Levy was not, in fact, a light-skinned Latino (of which there are many in New Mexico). Even now, I usually become aware of approaching Jewish holidays via facebook, or in this case, my lovely delivery grocery store, Fresh Direct (order now! we will sell out of Rosh Hashanah meals!).

I love living here, where people of so many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds coexist in relative peace - a politically correct, sometimes slightly hostile peace, but peace just the same. That is a fact I won't take for granted after trying to educate myself about Syria this week. There was a graphic that caught my eye that purported to explain why the conflict got started: a color-coded map showing all the different religious and ethnic sects living in close proximity. I suspect a map of Queens would look much the same. So...there but for the grace of (fill in the blank with your preferred higher power) go we. Still...there must be a way. But I think peace has to be the goal, not just a byproduct of some other goal.

To that end, to my Jewish friends, and all friends who wish to celebrate peace and new beginnings, from your Shiksa friend, with love:

L'Shana Tova
may we all have peace and sweet
apples and honey

Haiku #374 - Eleanor Roosevelt

I'm back! After taking (most of) the summer off, it's now past Labor Day, and I have no more excuses. So I'm starting off with a total cheater haiku, a 17-syllable quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. Despite its cheaterness, it's a lovely quote for starting the academic year - no matter how long I'm out of school, this time of year always brings with it the feeling of excitement, new projects and pursuits... 

My writing partner is getting married to her badass fiance this weekend, and next week is the first stage of the Sweethearts of Swing demo recording session, after which all the rest of our generous contributors who picked the haiku-perk will begin receiving their thank-you haiku. Lots of new things afoot!

Also, Happy New Year to all my Jewish friends!

the future belongs

to those who believe in the

beauty of their dreams

near West 72nd St and the West Side Highway