A Zappadan Morning to You…
My involvement with Zappa and his music goes back a ways…
In 1968 I was in my Graduate year working on my MA in the Northwestern University Theatre Department (which I got in ’69) and I was looking for something to direct for the Spring shows. I had been working with Dr. Gus Rath in the Engineering Department and Jack Burnham in the Art Department on developing a Theatre equivalency to “Art and Systems”, something Jack had been writing books and articles about and running classes in…Gus was a systems engineer and together they were combining creative expression with systems engineering discipline.
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That was the year I organized the first of several Systems Theatre companies which I would work with in Evanston, Chicago and New York City.
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Needing to find something for the group to perform, I decided to to adapt Frank Zappa’s LUMPY GRAVY (which I had just been turned on to) for the stage. Now, 43 years later, I realize what a lack of knowledge I had… I tried getting hold of Zappa for permission to proceed and received no reply on several attempts… so I just went ahead and did it (something I must warn you theatre youngsters out there that you should NEVER do).
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It was a successful production which was later repeated at Chicago’s Kinetic Playground (a major Rock N Roll hall – equivalent to New York’s Electric Circus) between live sets by Albert King and BB King, two of the world’s greatest bluesmen.
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So that was my first Zappa involvement… and it just stuck.
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Here’s the opening of Lumpy Gravy… a piece called Duodenum:
This was rereleased by Frank in 1984 with lyrics:
Posted on December 5, 2011, in Art, Arts, creativity, event, funny, humor, Music, quote, Theatre and Art, Video, Word from Bill and tagged Duodenum, Frank Zappa, Kinetic Playground, Lumpy Gravy, Northwestern University, Systems Theatre. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
Under The LobsterScope 
Hey David, Hi Tchak-Dan Einbender here. To my amazement, I can some how add a few more names to the cast of Lumpy Gravy including Jamie Hamlin, Sandy Landish, Karen Wexler, Callista Card, and Zvi Honor.
Gee, Danny… Thanks for the reminder. I haven’t thought about Zvi Honor in years!
In 1970 when I was president of the NU film society I heard Zappa (my idol) had made a film. I decided to invite him to come show it and maybe like bring along his guitar. I forget who I called in NY but they asked if I had “frank’s” number — he gave it to me. I called from my apartment on Foster st. When someone said “hello” I knew immediately – this WAS FRANK ZAPPAS HOME PHONE NUMBER. He wasn’t thrilled and directed me to his manager — the wind-up is that the Mothers were doing a Mother’s day reunion tour that spring and — oh god – it’s a long story but we actuallly produced the concert at the Auditorium THeater – had no idea how to advertise and ended up bankrupting i don;t remember how many campus organizations who’d put up seed money (we were gonna make THOUSANDS!! and then host a series of free concerts on the lakefilll)
Sorry Bill — had to share — next time ask me about the piece I tried to do on Zappa with Morley Safer when I was at 60 Minutes.
I still love his music – my daughter even likes a lot of the tunes on Uncle Meat and YES! I saw lumpy gravy in the theater in the school of speech and if I’m not mistaken Dan Einbender had a prominent role. I was so thrilled to see somebody else held him in enough esteem to actually produce this theater!!!
Point is – it’s just as well he never got back to you – the curtain might never have gone up.
Danny Einbender was part of the Lumpy Gravy cast along with Carlotta Willis, Penne Pigott and a bunch of others whose names I can’t recall. Glad you had a chance to see it.
Thought your story was fascinating… glad I didn’t get through to Frank after all.
In 1970 while you were having your Auditorium Theatre experience I was long gone from Evanston and teaching prep school in Massachusetts.
Great story!
I thank you, my comics hero.