Theater Review " Plaza Suite"

THEATER REVIEW

“Plaza Suite”

Produced by: The John W. Engeman Theater - Northport

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur

You needn’t be Macaulay Culkin to find yourself luxuriating in a sumptuous Plaza Suite in New York—but his was a somewhat better fate than the one befalling playwright Neil Simon’s fictionally troubled characters in this Tony-winning comedy of the same name. Unlike the film Home Alone—Part Two, memorable for only brief scenes featuring inventive Kevin in the storied Plaza, this stage play takes place there exclusively. And after all was said and done in 1968, Mike Nichols had taken home a Best Director Tony, while Neil Simon and Maureen Stapleton had been nominated for Best Play and Best Actress respectively.

We all know what a hit the oft-reproduced series about the lost kid was … but probably only septuagenarians will recall that Plaza Suite on stage featured George C. Scott … later Dan Dailey … and later still, Peggy Cass. The comedy ran for 1100 performances! New Yorkers loved it, and judging from Saturday’s receptive audience at Northport’s John W. Engeman Theater, suburbanites love it still.

Movies about the famed Plaza aside, it’s necessary that the set for this trio of essentially one-act plays appear just as impressive as everyone knows the actual landmark venue to be. It’s a big order, but last year’s Encore Award winning set designer, Jon Collins (selected for Twelve Angry Men – also produced at Engeman) is more than equal to the task. The set’s gorgeous!

As for the story line: Three sets of characters wind up sequentially in Plaza’s Suite 719. The first pair might come to wish they hadn’t planned the re-enactment of their honeymoon there … the second duo, friendly but unmarried (to each other) is similarly steered off-track by events … and things really seem destined for ‘hell in a hand basket’ when the third couple’s daughter turns ‘runaway bride’ in their bathroom.

If Noel Coward fans have read his ‘Suite in Three Keys,” they’ll find something familiar about this show, and will probably agree with the famed literary wit who said, “…different plays…all in a hotel suite…good idea…wonder where Simon got it…”

But the source of Neil Simon’s inspiration notwithstanding, it was up to Plaza Suite’s veteran Director Patricia Zaback to interpret the script for her versatile cast and get the best out of them. Zaback does so, and subsequently this traditionally slow-starting play builds steadily and logically—as expected. By Act III hilarity has set in and it’s off to the races on a riotous romp down the home stretch.

Joan Barber is outstanding as a Joan Rivers-like Karen and Norma, and she’s capably complemented by Michael Scott who doubles as Sam and Roy. But the biggest surprises of the evening are the wonderful Gina Milo and Todd Lawson in Act II. Timing’s everything in a comic show like this where actors must play off one another’s cues with relentless precision, so if I had only one star to give, it would probably have to go to Director Zaback. With that sure Helmsman, nimble Cast, and impressive Set, all in place—don’t be surprised if California Chrome isn’t the only Triple Crown winner this season.

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Award-winning Smithtown writer Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eight novels, and his theater reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. In Ladouceur’s next thriller, “Harvest” due in late summer, an American doctor is forced to perform illegal surgeries for a gang of vital organ traffickers in The Balkans.

Dead In Committee - Legislator Lindsay's Proposal To End Automatic Pay Increases For Electeds

Some say it’s an overdue reality check, others say it’s just a political ploy to look good to voters. Whatever side you fall on, Legislator William J. Lindsay III has gotten attention by proposing to end automatic pay increases for Suffolk County Legislators. A county law* enacted in 2001 guarantees legislators an annual salary increase based on the Cost of Living Index or a maximum of 4 percent whichever is less. According to Robert Lipp, Director of Suffolk County Budget Review the increase in legislator’s pay has averaged 2.73 percent.

Having a Suffolk County Legislature costs Suffolk County residents nearly $10 million a year. There are 123 active emplyees working for the Legislature, remuneration for those employees totaled $8,798,662 in 2013. There are eighteen legislative districts thoughout the county. Each legislative district has an elected legislator who has three staff members, most maintain an office in their district (rents vary) and an office at the William T. Rogers bldg. in Hauppauge. In addition to the annual salary of $98,260.00 (up from $86,196 in 2008** - 13.98% increase).** legislators are entitled to the same benefits as other county employees including pension, paid healthcare and access to low cost eye care and dental benefits. Legislators may use County cars and phones for offical business. 

Nassau County legislators earn $39,500 a year and have not received a salary increase since the county legislature was created in 1996. Nassau and Suffolk County legislators have the same responsiblities.

Recently a bill sponsored by Legislator William J. Lindsay III (D-Bohemia) a proposed law to end automatic pay increases for Suffolk County legislators. The bill went into the Government Operations, Personnel, Housing & Consumer Protection Committee and never came out. Not a single legislator of the five remaining committee members seconded the legislation to move it to the legislature. In attendance at the meeting were Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory (D) as well as committee members Robert Calarco (D) , Tom Cilmi (R), Kara Hahn(D), Kevin J. McCaffrey (R), and Jay Schneiderman (I). 

(Legislator Lindsay did not return phone call by publication time. photos SC Legislature Website)

* County charter provides elected officials with automatic pay increases of 4percent a year/or the increase in the regional consumer price index whichever is lower. Section 205-2 Salary schedule - amended 11-15-1999 by L.L no 42-1999: 9-27-2005 LL 32-2005

A.  The salary of all elected officers specified in Subsection B holding position under the Suffolk County Charter shall be increased annually commencing January 1, 2001, by an amount equal to the lesser of 4% or the amount of increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the New York - Northern New Jersey - Long Island Region published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States.

**”Pay and Perks Vary Widely for County Legislators,”By David McKay Wilson- The New York Times, February 24, 2008**.   

2014 Memorial Day Photos - Smithtown

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2014 Memorial Day Photos - Commack

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Overlay District Public Hearing Canceled Due To Error In Town Clerk's Office

Councilman McCarthy, Town Attorney Matt Jakubowski and Supervisor VecchioThe scheduled May 22nd public hearing on the proposed overlay district* in the Hauppauge Industrial Park came to an abrupt halt just as the hearing began. Public hearings provide residents a forum  to listen, learn,  ask questions and make statements.  The public hearing was canceled after Town Board members decided that the protocol requiring a posting of notice about the hearing, mailing letters of notification and placing an announcement in a print newspaper for two weeks in advance of the public hearing had not been followed.

The hearing began shortly after the board meeting started. The near capacity audience focused on what Planning Director Frank DeRubeis was saying, some were anticipating what he might say. Many in the audience were at the meeting to speak in opposition to the Town’s proposed overlay district. Instead of discussing the overlay district, Mr. DeRubeis apprised the board that the town had not advertised the public hearing the required two times in the Smithtown News (Town designated newspaper Jan. 2014). Mr. DeRubeis offered assurances to the Board that the Town met its legal obligation under state law; but he said, Smithtown Town Code is more stringent and required two postings in a local paper.  DeRubeis’ solution was to continue the meeting and adjourn rather than close the meeting. The Clerk’s office would advertise a public hearing notice with the new date for two weeks. After allowing the proper notification citizens not available to speak at the May 22nd meeting would have the opportunity to ask questions and comment at the newly scheduled hearing.  Councilman McCarthy seemed very reluctant to do this. Supervisor Vecchio explained Mr. DeRubeis’ proposal to the audience and he placed blame for the cancellation on the Town Clerk’s office. He did not allow Town Clerk Puleo to address the audience or the board. Audience members didn’t quite understand the proposal and became incensed that Mr. DeRubeis would be permitted to continue with his presentation.  Several people were calling for Mr. DeRubeis to be fired even though he, as the messenger, was not the cause of the delay. 

Residents at May 22 Town Board MeetingDeRubeis’s plan did not sit well with Councilman McCarthy who questioned Mr. DeRubeis before huddling  with Town Attorney Matthew Jakubowski and Supervisor Vecchio.  A decision was reached to cancel the public hearing and to re-advertise this time for the two weeks in the Smithtown News, post the notification and to mail letters to residents as required by law.  Members in the audience were not happy and sought reassurance that Mr. DeRubeis would not get to speak on the overlay district until after the next scheduled public hearing for the overlay district. Some sought reassurance that  they would receive notification about the date of the new meeting which is currently scheduled for June 19,** 2014.

Councilman McCarthy, in a telephone interview on Tuesday, May 27, was still unsatisfied.  “It is extremely unfortunate that one of the most important public hearings ever in the the Town was canceled.The proposed overlay district has the potential to bring millions of dollars in tax revenue and to bring jobs into Smithtown. ” When asked why he did not agree to continue with the hearing and then to adjourn it, McCarthy said he is not opposed to changing the Town Code if it is decided that the current code is too restrictive. “That is something to be discussed down the road. For this public hearing it was important that the town get it right. I don’t want an article 78 brought against the town because we didn’t follow our own code.”

Town Clerk, Vincent Puleo was out of his office when called by Smithtown Matters.  Documents supplied by The Smithtown News clearly indicate that a single week to advertise the public hearing was ordered.  An employee in the the Town Clerks office verified that only one week was requested.

*Overlay zoning is a regulatory tool that creates a special zoning district, placed over an existing base zone (s), which identifies special provisions in addition to those in the underlying base zone. In the Hauppauge Industrial Park the district will provide for outdoor storage, parking garages and increasing the height of building structures. According to Town Planner David Flynn Smithtown already has an overlay district which was created in the flood hazard area of the town.  

Date of the meeting changed to reflect the approved date**