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BK – I was writing and directing, and had stopped acting by that point, so I started a record label with some friends of mine called Bay Cities, back then. We did mostly re-issues; we had the first CD issues of “Woman of the Year”, “Chicago”, “A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Forum”- we put all those cast albums out first on CD. At that time, Angel Records was not interested in doing those things on CD. We did 93 releases and I wanted the company to go into making original recordings, but there was no way it was ever going to happen with the people involved, so I was asked by Varese Saraband label, (that I had had something to do with starting), to come over there and do anything I wanted. RP – Anything you wanted? BK – Yeah. Anything. RP – That sounds great! BK – Start you own line, they offered. I said, “if you’re inviting me to do this, I don’t want to put my toe in the water – I want to jump in! RP – Oh? BK – And he allowed it! I think the first year I was there I did 19 albums, which I continue to do every year, and that’s how it started. I had never really done it before, except on a really small level at Bay Cities, I just jumped in and fell in love with it and found the success that had eluded me in other facets of my career and it was great. I’ve done about 150 albums or so to date. RP – These are compilation albums or original music? BK – These are a lot of cast albums – Broadway and Off Broadway cast albums. A lot of singer albums of Broadway vocalists and a lot of albums that were my concepts, like doing cut songs from hit shows and doing great songs from flop shows and those series did very well, and whatever concept I came out with, I was allowed to do, which was great. RP – Yeah – it sounds like a terrific job. BK – It couldn’t have been better. RP – So, have you written any more plays since Deceit? (Editors’ note – see our reviews) BK – I have written one comedy since then which I haven’t done yet – we’ve done a couple of readings of it and I am writing a play for an actress friend of mine, Cindy Williams, who was on Laverne and Shirley. RP – I think everybody remembers her BK – So those two things, plus the musical that we’re doing. RP – And of course, you’re doing – “The Brain from Planet X”! BK – We are! (laughing) RP – How did that concept come about? That sound really wild. BK – I wrote it as a script for a movie, back in the late ‘80’s, and it was bad. It was really bad! RP – On purpose, I hope? BK – NO! It was just bad! And back in 1998 or 1999 I showed it to my friend David Wechter, with whom I had written a movie called “The Faculty” which was directed by Robert Rodriguez and he read it and really liked the idea of it. He felt there were problems with what I had done, but that they were not hard to fix, so we talked and talked about it and then we decided to write it as a musical, which the film wasn’t. David is really good with structure and characters and stuff, we just sat together and did it. It took a long time because we were both working a lot in those days, so it took a long time getting the draft that we ended up using. We did a staged reading in May at Los Angeles City College (LACC). It went very well and we learned a lot about what was still not working and we made a lot of changes over the summer. It was fun creating, because we both love the movies that we’re sending up. We love those “bad” sci-fi movies, but I think we were both smart enough to know that you can’t just send up anything . . . you have to have a real show with characters and a plot. RP – Of course. How does one write music for “a brain”? BK – Well, - You’ll find out! He has several songs – the brain, and we have now seen, for the first time last Wednesday, the guy who’s playing The Brain started working in his Brain head. RP – I see BK – I tell you, I was on the floor! On the floor. RP – That’s great. Tell me, how did you happen to select Los Angeles City College for this project? BK – I am an alumni – I went there in the ‘60’s, and I have always gone back and tried out stuff there, for years. All of my musicals that I’ve written I tried out there and moved, thankfully. In fact, when I made my film in the ‘70’s “The First Nudie Musical” half the people in the film were from City College. I used all my friends. RP – We have something in common at LACC – I work there now teaching in the Community Services department. BK – You do? Well, I’ve always loved it there. Then you know that in the ‘60’s the Theatre Department was the only theatre department that anyone with any sense wanted to attend. RP – Well, you have a long history of illustrious graduates. BK – Yeah! Incredible people, including Cindy Williams who was in my class and the director Mike Lembeck and Paul Winfield and Donna Reed – an unbelievable list and now it doesn’t quite have the cachč it had then because there are so many places that are doing it. But we’re trying to bring it back. We’re trying to bring musicals back, so it’s been fun. RP - I bet. I noticed in your press release of the Brain From Planet X you list some professional actors and some student actors. BK – Right RP - Is there a difference, you think, directing a student actor vs. a professional actor? BK – I try for there not to be – on purpose, because I want the students to know what it’s like to work with other professional actors. So if I run up against a student who doesn’t quite have the work ethic of a pro yet, I try to put that in them, and not sort of go down to the student level. But sometimes it’s hard for them to have that focus and energy because they’re young and they haven’t been around that long, but it helps them to see and actor like Kevin Spirtas or Alet (Taylor). To see that kind of focus and dedication and work ethics, there’s nothing more fun for them than to be in the rehearsal room – not to be outside talking or smoking a cigarette. RP – You did an album with Kevin prior to this, didn’t you? BK – I directed his one-person show, which we recorded for CD and DVD – we put out a DVD, since I have my own record label now, so I can do anything I want. RP - How does it feel to be at this point – where you can do anything you want? RP – Well, it’s fun. You have to have a lot of money, which I don’t, but I love it. It’s been a real journey for me – and and interesting one, because I like being around corners, you know what I mean? I don’t always like going in a straight line, and I probably would have gotten further had I only chosen one thing to concentrate on, but I think when you’re blessed with talent – which I think I was blessed with, I don’t know. I think it’s a sin not to nurture what you do – I think. RP – To its fullest – definitely. BK – And I love doing different things. I love directing, I love writing, I love composing – so why should I not do them? RP – Were you one of those kids that at the age of six or seven started playing piano or something? BK – I didn’t, strangely enough. I started playing piano when I was fifteen – I sat and started writing. I was a big huge fan of musicals back then buying LP’s and stuff . . . RP – And you just started writing music – just like that? BK – I don’t remember why even – You know – I’ll tell you what it was. I’ve written several novels, and the first three are fictional versions of my childhood. In the third one I go into this, and it’s (I think) because I saw “Stop the World – I Want to Get Off!” and Anthony Newly had written it and directed it, composed it and starred in it and I think I sat there in the theatre and said to myself – “I want to do that!” RP – Really? That’s terrific! BK – I talk about that in a chapter in the book; about sitting at the piano and having a tune just come out. I took lessons – piano lessons for about a year from a piano teacher who didn’t teach conventionally – RP – You took lessons for only one year – and that’s gotten you to where you are now? Wow! BK – Yeah (laughing). He didn’t teach how to read music conventionally, even though I ultimately taught myself. He taught chord structures and harmonic structures – he was a really interesting guy, and I learned how to hear – you know what I mean? RP – Yes – I think so. BK – I was able to hear what he was talking about and hear how he would go from key to key and put things together. It was preferable for me to learn that way, because I don’t know if I would have had the patience to learn conventionally. RP – You mean scales and all that? BK – Yeah - I don’t have the patience – although there are times when I wish I had it. RP – Let’s discuss your project. You have the “Brain From Planet X” opening on December 8th? BK – December 8th – My birthday! RP – Well – may you have a happy birthday. You’re a Sagittarius – creative BK – I am – and so was Sammy Davis Jr. RP – So what do you have after the “Brain From Planet X”? BK – I’m directing a kids’ project. I want to say it’s like a concert for kids – sort of a rock and roll concert for kids, it’s a really interesting concept show. Then I’m doing two one person shows for friends of mine – and writing a new book. RP - Writing a new book? Amazing. How does one write a book – do you sit and say – “I’m going to write a book and just start plunking at the keyboard – ‘once upon a time’? BK – (laughing) I don’t know – I’ve done six books in six years and the first three were things about my childhood, but the other books are not about me. (I wrote) two mysteries and a book of short fiction; that has been the best thing about them all – just doing it – and I write about what I know about. That journey is really interesting for me. Things just come into my head, either they work, or they don’t work. RP – Well, your play “Deceit” worked pretty well – are you planning to do more with it. BK – Oh I’m happy you said that, because as you know, you and the Tolucan were the only people who thought so – RP – Well, I had a couple of minor pans – but I thought the whole structure worked well. BK – It was an interesting experience – the audiences loved the play- but the LA critics . . . RP – Hated it - ? BK – Yes. Hated it! And it was really fascinating for me; I think some hated it because it wasn’t what they expected from me. Maybe they wanted a musical or I don’t know what it was, but it was interesting that you guys got it and they didn’t. RP – Well – thank you. Well, we are looking forward to seeing “The Brain from Planet X”. As a closing, is there anything you would like people to remember as a result of this interview? BK – I just want people to go to the theatre and have a good time and be positive about the experience. So many people go in to be negative or hate things. It’s just so much fun to enjoy things and not have an attitude. RP - I’m sure people will enjoy your new play. Thanks for your time and best wishes on “Brain” BK – You’ll be there opening night, I hope?” RP – Absolutely. December 8th at LACC*. Thanks again. BK – Thank you. Visit Bruce Kimmel’s website at: http://www.brucekimmel.com
El Camino Theatre 855 N. Vermont
Avenue, between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, CA |
