Thursday, October 03, 2013

Tim Zavadumb Thinks He’s “Norma Rae”

Tim Zavadumb thinks he’s reenacting “Norma Rae” when in reality he’s stuck in a remake of “On The Waterfront”.

Ah, the members of the Hormel Symphony . . .
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10 comments:

  1. Danen RubbraOctober 04, 2013 6:54 PM

    Is that Lawrence Perelman of the Star Tribune a comedian, or is he actually serious?

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  2. Drew80October 04, 2013 10:40 PM

    I know nothing about Perelman, but I presume he takes his own op-ed letter seriously.

    Someone at the office remarked that Perelman had declared bankruptcy—TWICE—and that he had a very low reputation in town. Otherwise, I could not tell you a thing about the man.

    However, if you need to know more, I can easily find out.

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  3. Danen RubbraOctober 04, 2013 11:36 PM

    No thanks. I was just curious how anyone who seriously considered such a crazy proposal could call himself an "advisor" on ANYTHING. No wonder he has declared bankruptcy. Only some kind of moron and/or totally clueless, post-modern Neanderthal could actually suggest that the musicians of the MO could operate like the Vienna Phil. The members of the Philharmonic already have full-time jobs; they don't give more than about 12 programs a year; most, if not practically all the revenue they make selling tickets must go to cover costs other than musician salaries. The VP musicians all but unpaid for their concerts.

    Equally curious to me was the number of comments expressing support for his ideas.

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  4. Drew80October 04, 2013 11:44 PM

    You must keep in mind at all times: at least half the people in Minnesota are totally crazy.

    In the event of any doubt, think: Al Franken.

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  5. Danen RubbraOctober 05, 2013 10:54 AM

    Sounds like Minnesota would be a great place for Boris Pgluerschmidt to try out his upcoming folk opera, "Wenn wir uns kennen," a warm politically relevant look at women's rights in Berlin during May, 1945. Or, maybe the people of Minnesota would find Clarence Uh's "Stalingrad: the Musical" even more appealing.

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  6. Drew80October 05, 2013 7:47 PM

    Can you believe that local people are “protesting” the musical, “Miss Saigon”, currently playing in Saint Paul?

    Can someone explain to me the point of “protesting” some cornball musical that has been playing, worldwide, more than twenty years?

    Given the various local insanities, Mr. Pgluerschmidt and Mr. Uh might want to try out their shows in some other city.

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  7. Danen RubbraOctober 07, 2013 10:54 AM

    It took some "finding," but here is a brief review of Mr. Pgluerschmidt's wiork, courtesy of TAW:

    "CAPSULE REVIEW: July 11, 2013

    "Kehl, Germany

    "Viennese playwright and producer Boris Pgluerschmidt may be totally unknown to American theater audiences, but he is gigglingly notorious among the world’s civil engineer-designers as the only man in history to have successfully designed a modern skyscraper without elevators. I write 'successfully' so only because the builders of that infamous structure in Canton, China had practically topped out the core at 91 floors before even realizing the impracticality of certain built-in, insurmountable facts.

    "Whether intentional or not, Canton Tower provided the perfect metaphoric backdrop to Herr Pgluerschmidt’s new opera, premiered last evening at Volksoper Kehl, in Germany. “Wenn wir uns kennen” (“Getting to Know You”), based upon his own novel, “Two Million Brides for Two Million Comrades,” is as layered as the playwright’s other inaccessibly storied laughing stock. Quite a number of other familiar plots leap into the mind during the opera’s seven acts, Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music” and “Sweeney Todd”; “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” of course, not to mention “The Guns of Navarone,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Lord Jim,” “Duck Soup,” “Ryan’s Daughter,” and even “Heidi.” Indeed, I couldn’t help but think that “Wenn wir uns kennen” could boast more layers than the President’s birth certificate.

    "Pgluerschmidt himself directed the staging and even conducted the orchestra (with a wurst-wrapped baton). It was obvious that the singers had received little if any performance guidance during rehearsals, as the principals had all they could do but imitate other actors from other plays. Herr Oberst Trotsky, played by Max Kleiger, for instance, had Howard Keel down pat. Lisle Kumpf, singing the defiant Sabine Frauen, paid homage to Angela Lansbury’s Mrs. Lovitt; Billie Parikmacher, bless her heart, had trouble remembering her unmemorable lines while otherwise doing one sterling impression of Margaret Hamilton’s Madame Armfeldt.

    "As for the curtain call, bleating howls from the pit . . . ."




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  8. Drew80October 07, 2013 9:48 PM

    The jokes I loved most of all: “Two Million Brides For Two Million Comrades” and “Sabine Frauen”. The latter joke passed me by on first reading—and I am duly awarding myself a Certificate Of Retardation. You have a great, great gift for satire.

    On that “Two Million Brides For Two Million Comrades” subject: what do you know about Frida Leider and her treatment by the Russian invaders? In her book, Leider goes into some detail about the matter, but others have claimed—citing no evidence—that Leider sugar-coated the episode, and that in fact Leider (and even her aged mother) had been raped. Is there any truth to such claims?

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    Replies
    1. Danen RubbraOctober 08, 2013 10:18 AM

      I think Frida Leider was in denial. I honestly do not believe that any of those two million savages overlooked a single woman, regardless of age. They even unmercifully assaulted young "Heidi's," as well.

      (Remember that this is the same Soviet Army that pulled up every single exiting underground plumbing fixture in the western part of the city, with the intent tof utterly wasting those sectors which had been consigned for the occupation of French, British, and American soldiers.)

      "Upturn every conduit, leave no female unspoiled."

      It is understandable, however, that Leider would deny her private experience. Rape is the most psychologically humiliating thing that can happen to a woman; many victims even today will not report.

      There is no excuse for today's historians downplaying or ignoring the facts of those tragic times.

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    2. Danen RubbraOctober 08, 2013 3:17 PM

      A couple of errors to correct: ". . . consigned for the occupation BY (not "of") French, British . . . ."

      Also, is there some kind of humiliation which is NOT psychological?

      Sorry

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