Day 6: Randy!!

Well, you might remember me as the woman with lackluster feelings about L.A., so I guess tonight my whole act is going to be totally unconvincing, because I just had such a great night!  It even came with it's own theme song, the great Randy Newman's I Love L.A.  My mother in law invited me to see Randy Newman's show Harps and Angels at the Mark Taper Forum.  I had never been there - it's a great stage, right next to the impressive Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.  Harps and Angels is a show conceived by Jack Viertel, who has been hooked on Newman's songs, and knew he wanted to set all those characters and stories in Newman's writing to stage a musical.  The songs performed were all theatrical, sung soulfully by an engaging troupe of 6 actors, including Michael McKean and Katey Sagal.  Newman's writing is poignant, funny, can be at times tongue in cheek,  satirical and political.  A highlight for me was God's song, in which an incredible African American singer Adriane Lenox plays god, and belts out, "You must all be crazy to put your faith in me, that's why I love Mankind."

Well, I'm really exhausted, otherwise I would ramble on some more.  But here's the thing:  as we were leaving our seats, milling toward the exit, I heard the voice of the man walking and talking next to me - it was Randy Newman!  I told him, "great show!" and he said, "thanks."  Outside, my mother in law, Maryann asked Randy's wife if Randy might be up for signing her program.  She said sure.  So Maryann said to Randy, "your wife said it would be ok for me to ask if you would autograph my program."  He asked for her name, and signed the program.  I told him I saw him at the Hollywood Bowl a few years ago.  He said, "that was a weird show!" I agreed, but told him I really liked it.  As I recall there was something really weird about it - I think it was a show about the Dodgers and there were fireworks.  But he sang "I love L.A." It was great then, and it was great tonight.

>From the South Bay to the Valley
>From the West Side to the East Side
Everybody's very happy
'Cause the sun is shining all the time
Looks like another perfect day

I love L.A. (We love it)
I love L.A. (We love it)