Theater Review - 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'

THEATER REVIEW - ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ - Produced by John W. Engeman Theater, Northport  

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur 

Photo by Genevieve Rafter Keddy 

Tessa Grady stars as a ‘thoroughly modern’ Millie DillmountNone of our Dear Readers, will remember the height of the Jazz Age in New York City in 1922. Matter of fact, some of you weren’t around even as recently as 2002 … the year a Broadway musical titled ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ took home more Tony Awards than did any other show that season. 

But if that’s the case, what you missed then, you can readily make up for now, thanks to the glitzy, glorious gem of a production that’s on the boards at Northport’s snazzy Engeman Theater thru July 10.

Produced by Richard Dolce (most of us know him as the father of Katie Dolce, still a few years away from starring as ‘Millie’) and directed by the inimitable Drew Humphrey, who once choreographed a blockbusting ‘White Christmas’ on Broadway, this musical is probably better than any of the huge successes either impresario has yet been involved with.

Never mind the eleven Tony nominations and six wins (including top musical) that ‘Millie’ garnered in ’02 … or the fact that remarkable Julie Andrews shot the 1967 film into orbit … the primary reason you simply must see this show is a young singing, dancing, acting sensation named Tessa Grady. 

Grady plays the title role to perfection in this nifty musical about small town girl ‘Millie Dillmount’ who arrives in The Big Apple half a century before it was commonly referred to as such. Her objective is to get some rich guy to the altar … an aspiration that, if generally undeclared in flapper days, you can bet your boyish bob existed nonetheless.

Anyway, women were just entering the workforce at the time, and Millie, who quickly falls for the ‘modern’ lifestyle, fits right in! In more ways than one, it must be noted, because if anybody ever filled a sequined chemise or a fringed cocktail dress better than Tessa Grady, we haven’t had the pleasure.

On that subject: The Engeman seems to have become acutely aware of a Show Business axiom that someone once labeled ‘dress for success.’ The period costumes in this production easily live up to the near-breathtaking standards that Richard Dolce and Kevin O’Neill have set for the company in such musicals as ‘A Chorus Line’ and ‘White Christmas,’ among others. Indeed, one wonders how Costume and Wig Designer Kurt Alger is able to fit so many changes into this fast-paced show. And the garlanded guys are as artfully arrayed as the festooned flappers.

However, the real eye candy in this visually appealing musical is Millie herself. The young woman is a clothes horse chameleon if ever there was one. She can wear any color and accommodate any style without seeming the least bit uncomfortable in her routines … she even performs one intricate tap dance number while seated … at a typewriter … yes, tapping and typing simultaneously!

Sharing the spotlight with Tessa Grady is a youthful actor named Tim Rogan. You’ll spot him right away when you catch this must see production in Northport. He plays Millie’s broad-shouldered boss at ‘The Sincere Trust Insurance Company.’ Rogan is a show biz natural. He’s got all the tools—speaking, singing, dancing—and he looks like a million bucks! To those attributes, add stage presence and an intuitive comedic sense, and you’ve got a star who belongs in the same league with Grady.

With apologies to the dozens of hoofers in this wonderful show who have not been mentioned, let it be said that the magnificent production obviously couldn’t have been mounted with only two performers … regardless of their excellence. The entire cast combined to give us an unforgettable delight, and this reviewer looks forward to singling out each contributor for praise when The Engeman brings them back in the near future. 

And the sooner the better.

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eleven novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. His newest book, THE GHOSTWRITERS, explores the bizarre relationship between the late Harper Lee and Truman Capote. It maintains that each actually wrote the other’s most famous work. Ladouceur’s revealing website is www.JebsBooks.com

Smithtown Resident Warner Reich Inducted Into LI Authors Circle

LONG ISLAND AUTHORS’ CIRCLE INDUCTS WERNER REICH OF SMITHTOWN

The Long Island Authors’ Circle has announced that Smithtown resident, Werner Reich, has been received into the organization as a member in good standing. His induction brings the select group’s total membership to eight.

Werner Reich

Mr. Reich, an accomplished speaker and author, is a graduate of the City College of New York and holds a bachelors degree in Business Management. He has been vice president of industrial engineering for several supermarket chains and later worked as a consultant to the industry.

Well known in New York literary circles, Werner Reich is one of the founders of the Long Island Multi-faith Forum. He is a frequent speaker in several area schools and colleges.

Included in his long list of achievements are Mr. Reich’s Certificate of Special Recognition from Congressman Steve Israel … the Bruce Morrell Memorial Educational Award … and a Special Proclamation from the Assembly of the State of New York.

Among his many other honors, he was awarded Long Island’s 2015 ‘Pinnacle Prize’ for his autobiographical work, “The Death Camp Magicians,” a memoir of The Holocaust, and specifically his survival of that dark period.

The Long Island Authors’ Circle is composed of published Long Island writers, 18 or older, in nearly every genre. The group holds no formal meetings, levies no fees or dues, and elects no officers. Said spokesman, novelist Jeb Ladouceur of Smithtown, “We follow no written by-laws, nor is the LIAC affiliated with any other association.”

The LIAC was established in 2015 by unanimous agreement and consent of the six existing charter members (4 women and 2 men) who hail from five different towns in both Long Island counties. New members are invited to join the group when a candidate’s application (letter and resume) are unanimously approved by these founding LIAC members. 

Former Poet Laureate of Suffolk County, Tammy Nuzzo-Morgan of Southampton, was inducted into the Authors’ Circle in 2015.

Published authors interested in learning more about the LIAC may contact any of the following Charter Members at the online addresses shown:

Pat Biancaniello pat@smithtownmatters.com

Richard Grudens celebpro4@aol.com

Charlene Knadle cbknadle@cbknadle.com

Jeb Ladouceur jebladouceur@aol.com

Elise Pearlman lotuselise1@aol.com

Dina Santorelli dina@dinasantorelli.com

Eyesore No More - Town Removes Structure On Fairview Ave.

photo courtesy of P. MiccicheAfter decades of controversy and years of negotiations the Town of Smithtown removed the structure at 10 Fairview Avenue in Smithtown on Wednesday, May 25. The site was the subject of a public hearing in 2015 when the board in a unanimous decision (4-0 with one absent) voted to clean up the property and to remove any unsafe structures at the site. The cost of the demolition/clean-up will be attached to the property’s tax lien. The buiding was completely covered with graffiti and has been the subject of neighbors complaints.

The property, a former waste transfer and collection site, was owned by John Haynes and is now ownedphoto courtesy of P. Micciche by Fairview Holdings LLC. In February of 2016 Mr. Haynes appeared before the Town Board and announced his objection to the Town’s plan.

Before the demolition Mr. Haynes had expressed hope that the Town might purchase the property.  

click on photo to enlarge

Theater Review - 'Anything Goes'

THEATER REVIEW

‘Anything Goes’ Produced by Gateway PAC, Bellport  

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur  

Theater lovers are so fortunate here on Long Island! Not only do we have some of the most comfortable, best equipped, and accessible theaters imaginable (Engeman, Theatre Three, Star Playhouse, John Drew, Patchogue … the list goes on and on) but established show business legends frequently star in the performances staged at these classic venues.

The Gateway Playhouse in the quaint South Shore village of Bellport is a prime example of the phenomenon. The place is a sheer delight … a theatrical oasis in the peaceful and bucolic setting we prize.

In most rural areas of this country, to witness a singing-acting-dancing combo like Andrea McArdle and Sally Struthers, performing in a hit show by a composer of Cole Porter’s stature, one would have to pack up, make an hours-long trek to New York City, dodge near-lethal traffic, and shell out a few hundred bucks—not here. 

We Long Islanders can treat ourselves to all the sophistication and glitz of the big city, and when the final curtain comes down on whatever star-studded production we’ve chosen, we simply applaud and head to a late dinner … confident that on another night we can repeat the process simply by driving twenty minutes in a different direction.

The Gateway’s current production of ‘Anything Goes’ with its corny, dated jokes and sight gags, is probably faithful to the original Cole Porter musical mounted on Broadway in 1934. In those days, story lines were mere vehicles to give performers a reason to burst into appropriate melodious lyrics. It was the music that was important. Porter himself called his ‘Anything Goes’score “perfect” featuring as it does, songs that have become standards like ‘I Get a Kick Out of You,’ ‘You’re the Top,’ ‘Easy To Love,’ ‘It’s De-lovely,’ and of course the great show-stopping title number.

And they’re all from the first act, folks!

It was a revelation to see how, like the great Judy Garland, Andrea McArdle (‘Reno Sweeney’) has evolved from the endearing child star who was the original ‘Annie,’ and has blossomed into an attractive, agile performer with a great big voice and free-and-easy stage presence to go with it. Similarly, Emmy Award winner Sally Struthers (All in the Family) brought back fond memories with her impeccable timing and comedic genius in the limited role of ‘Evangeline.’ One cannot take one’s eyes off of Struthers.

But the most rewarding part of the evening for this reviewer was the emergence as an A-number-one star of Josh Canfield. He’s the male lead, ‘Billy Crocker.’ Make a note, this young man is the real deal! He has a beautiful, wide-ranging singing voice … and he dances up a storm, whether waltzing or performing a buck-and-wing. What’s more, Canfield’s spoken pacing is impeccable. He pulls off the near-impossible task of keeping the often tedious story moving along … something that must be seen (and heard) to be believed.

Director Jayme McDaniel obviously must be credited for keeping Canfield and the rest of his charges on an even keel, but he probably could have chopped half the insipid dialogue from this otherwise nifty show and thereby improved it by a factor of two.

Derek McLane’s vast ‘ocean liner’ set, Jose Santiago’s impressive lighting, and the attractive period costumes by Martin Pakledinaz are all what we have come to expect of Long Island mainstage productions. Particularly satisfying, however, was Don Hanna’s Sound Design. Call me a purist, but I am always distracted by the obvious presence of microphones visible on the faces of stage actors. In ‘Anything Goes,’ not once did I spot a mic … and the sound levels were spot-on … the best I have witnessed in years!

In sum, The Gateway’s current production is a fitting tribute to Cole Porter’s inexhaustibly witty rhymes (‘The world has gone mad today—and good’s bad today—and black’s white today—and day’s night today…’) and his toe tapping melodies—even if the four guys who wrote the book might have been three too many.

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eleven novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. His newest book, THE GHOSTWRITERS, explores the bizarre relationship between the late Harper Lee and Truman Capote. It maintains that each actually wrote the other’s most famous work. Ladouceur’s revealing website is www.JebsBooks.com

Commack HS Students Design Metal Grate To Block Floodwater From Subway

Saving the Subways from Flooding

Kyle Mitra is on the left, Raymond Janis on right.Two Commack High School juniors are in the spotlight for designing a metal grate that would block almost all floodwater from reaching the subway tunnels, as it did during the storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Raymond Janis and Kyle Mitra, both Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Finalists, presented their design prototype at the recent competition in Phoenix, AZ, and are featured in the Society for Science online journal https://student.societyforscience.org/article/teens-invent-way-keep-floodwaters-out-subways. 

Floodwater enters the subway system via ventilation grates, which are at ground level. Using the same size grate dimensions as those in use now, Ray and Kyle created a scale model using a 3D printer that allows the grates to be closed. When the grate is open, there is air flow to the tunnels below. Unlike the grates used now, the teens’ invention, operated with a tamperproof key, allows the grate to be closed, blocking water from entering. 

Their research project, entitled “Combating Storm Surge Inundation in New York City Subway Stations” also won the RICOH Sustainability Award, the American Metertological Society Award, and the the Best in Fair, All Categories, at the State level competition (NYSSEF). The students’ invention would not be expensive to implement, and subways world-wide would benefit from using their system, as it is adaptable for use on any size grate.