Commack Teacher Carolann Lally One Of 51 At National Gallery Of Art Teacher Institute

Carolann Lally from East Islip, NY Attends 2015 Teacher Institute on Art of the Renaissance at The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Carolann LallyCarolann Lally, an educator at North Ridge and Burr Intermediate School in Commack, NY was selected as one of only 51 participants of the 2015 National Gallery of Art Teacher Institute on Art of the Renaissance held in Washington, D.C., in July and August of 2015. The six-day seminar brought together teachers of art, English, history, math, and related subjects from 25 states. The program emphasized the social and cultural context of Renaissance art in Italy and Northern countries between the 14th and 16th centuries. The term Renaissance, meaning “rebirth,” refers to the humanistic revival of classical culture and learning with its underlying belief in the creative potential of humankind. Participants studied works by leading Renaissance artists as represented in the Gallery’s permanent collection, including the painters Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Jan van Eyck, and Rogier van der Weyden. Participants learned about the development of oil-painting techniques, the role of prints in disseminating new ideas, using works of art as primary resources in classroom instruction, incorporating art into interdisciplinary teaching, and strengthening students’ visual literacy. 

Through lectures, gallery talks, and hands-on activities, participants analyzed Renaissance artworks and focused on interdisciplinary teaching strategies. Activities were designed to meet teachers’ personal and professional enrichment needs. A demonstration of Venetian painting techniques and a site visit to a printmaker’s studio at Georgetown University rounded out the Institute’s course of study.

Generous support for the Teacher Institute was provided by the Park Foundation, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the Sara Shallenberger Brown Fund, the Anthony Quinn Foundation and National Hellenic Society, and the Annetta J. and Robert M. Coffelt Sr. and Robert M. Coffelt Jr. Endowed Fellowship.

OpEd - Sitting Back And Hoping Is Not A Strategy

By Larry Vetter

What does a vibrant industrial park bring to a town? The answer is simple: jobs and an increased tax base to ease the burdens on everyone.

There are essentially two types of economic centers within the township of Smithtown. One type is visible. This is the down town areas. The second is the industrial parks, equally important but more hidden. When we think of industrial parks, Hauppauge immediately comes to mind, however Nesconset, St. James and Kings Park also contain industrial zones.

Recently, I had the opportunity to drive through the various zones. Hauppauge, Nesconset and St. James zones consist primarily of warehouse type structures while Kings Park consists mostly of yard type commercial businesses. Many of the buildings in the Nesconset and St. James zones are empty or significantly underutilized. The Hauppauge Industrial Park was once vibrant with a mix of light industry, manufacturing and warehousing. Today there is also a malaise in this industrial park.

Suffolk County and several of the townships within the county have developed industrial development associations. They recognize the “Long Island Brain Drain” where many of our well-educated young people cannot find the type of employment commensurate with their education. The primary purpose of these associations is to entice business into the county and more specifically to our towns. Today, Smithtown contains no such association. It seems to be a rather significant oversight to have within our borders one of the largest industrial parks and yet not have any plans for developing it.

So what do we do? What seems to have occurred is that we sit back and hope. Our only initiative was to allow building owners to extend the roof heights in hopes of attracting business. So far neither idea appears effective.

We need to once again think outside of the box. My solutions to this crucial problem are as follows:
1. Develop an industrial development association. This can be done with resources we already have within the town. It is not necessary to spend additional tax revenue on this process. We can piggyback with the existing Suffolk County program.

2. Actively entice businesses to Long Island. Who is to say that Hauppauge canʼt become the next “silicone valley”? Technology companies often need minimal raw materials and shipping is often parcel post; something we are situated very well for.

3. Open discussions with Suffolk in an attempt to develop sewer system plans in Smithtown. As important as this topic is to homeowners, it is equally as important to businesses.

4. Suffolk County has a number of transportation initiatives. Why not work with the county to develop alternative transportation from our nearby rail hubs to enable easier movement into and out of the industrial park?

Smithtown is a great place. We have many hard working families that take the education of their children seriously. As a result there are well-qualified individuals to staff modern technology enterprises. We have great public schools and nearby higher education facilities as well as world-renowned research facilities. We have wonderful beaches, golf courses and several nearby townships are undergoing a revival in eateries and entertainment. Finally we are located very near one of the most vibrant cities in the world. It seems to me that it would not at all be a difficult sell, but like everything else, it must be worked for.

This November take the opportunity to vote for individuals that will work toward solutions and not accept excuses for why things canʼt happen. Letʼs reverse the “Brain Drain” and give us all a chance to keep families together on Long Island. 

Larry Vetter is the Democratic candidate for Smithtown Town Council

Theater Review - 'West Side Story'

THEATER REVIEW - ‘West Side Story’

Produced by: John W. Engeman Theater, Northport

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur

‘West Side Story’ is invariably described as an American musical suggested by Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ That is akin to stating that a ham sandwich is inspired by Easter. Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, and Jerome Robbins are all fortunate to have had expert press agents, but for them to invoke The Bard in this crotch-grabbing, expletive-riddled show, borders on literary sacrilege.

That said, the sometimes tedious story about young love sprouting in the unlikely atmosphere of Manhattan’s pre-Lincoln Center upper west side has been ambitiously produced, and executed with inexhaustible flair on by the Company.

Indeed, neither director Igor Goldin, nor choreographer Jeffry Denman, need drop William Shakespeare’s magic name to win accolades for the energetic undertaking that runs at the plush Engeman thru November 8^th. At the conclusion of its opener on September 19^th, the sold-out audience was on its feet cheering the principals, Zach Trimmer (Tony), Samantha Williams (Maria), and Karli Dinardo (Anita) in their leading roles.

‘West Side Story’ is known primarily for its memorable Bernstein tunes, secondarily for its Sondheim lyrics, and finally for its book by Arthur Laurents. Significantly, the Broadway musical neither won (nor was even nominated for) Tonys in any of those categories. The show (which was up against an endearing ‘Music Man’ in the bidding that year) did capture the coveted awards for choreography and scenic design in 1958, however.

Visit The Engeman in the next six weeks and you’ll see why.

In the current mounting of the story built on a race-based rivalry between two neighborhood gangs, The Sharks and The Jets, the shows dancers perform some of the most perfectly executed movements ever carried out on a Long Island stage … or any venue, for that matter. In sequence after sequence, we are treated to synchronization that is nothing short of eye-popping. From first routine to finale, every finger, every toe, and every swirling skirt produces the kind of symmetry we’ve come to expect only in the artificial milieu of motion pictures.

What unerringly coordinated dancers these young people are! Throughout the show-stopping dance number, ‘America,’ for instance, I literally held my breath as the indefatigable Tori Simeone, Karli Dinardo, Victoria Casillo, and Ashley Marinelli danced in perfect harmonization to James Olmstead’s nine-member orchestra. The effect was spellbinding.

This is not to imply that the current Engeman offering is purely a dance-fest. The romantic leads in this excellent ‘West Side Story’ bring remarkably well-trained voices to the production. One would never guess that Zach Trimmer’s pitch-perfect tenor or Samantha Williams’ sweet soprano are enhanced by veteran sound designer, Laura Shubert. In the ballads ‘Maria’ and ‘Tonight’ Trimmer and Williams provide ideal balance for the raucous, combative vocals of ‘Cool’ and ‘The Rumble’ hammered home by the warring neighborhood factions.

With each new musical that the team of Richard T. Dolce and Kevin J. O’Neill presents, it becomes increasingly obvious that there’s nothing The Engeman can’t produce … and produce well. Just when we thought that ‘The Music Man’– and ‘A Chorus Line’ couldn’t be topped … along comes director Goldin with this superbly sung and choreographed show. It’s a staging that’ll make you glad you came to Northport’s swanky Main Street playhouse for a look see.

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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 Harper Lee and Truman Capote. He will introduce the novel at the Smithtown Library’s Main Branch on Monday, November 9. Ladouceur’s website is www.JebsBooks.com

PARADE DAY IS HERE - ONCE EVERY FIFTY YEARS CELEBRATE SMITHTOWN

Celebrate Smithtown continues with the largest parade ever in the Town of Smithtown as more than 2,100 participants are expected to be a part of Smithtown’s 350th Anniversary Parade.  

The committee planning the parade, under the direction of Chairman Mike Donnelly, has been organizing this celebration for over a year.  The parade will include almost EVERYTHING! 

According to Mr. Donnelly, there are 16 floats created for the occasion, school bands and a pipe band (because everyone loves the music).  There will be antique cars, the oldest Smithtown resident Marie Sturm (104 years old)  and the first baby born at St. Catherine of Siena on our historic 350th Anniversary of March 4, 1665 -  Patent Day.  There will be schools, scouts, businesses, churches, military, Suffolk Count Police, and Fire Departments with their historic fire trucks.  There will be dignitaries: Supervisor Patrick Vecchio, Council members Thomas McCarthy, Robert Creighton, Lynne C. Nowick, Congressman Lee Zeldin , County Executive Steve Bellone, NYS Senator John Flanagan, Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick, Legislators Kennedy and Trotta, County Comptroller Kennedy and Town Clerk Vinnie Puleo.

Richard Bull Smith, a direct descendent of Smithtown’s founder Richard Smythe, will be Grand Marshall followed by Smith family members. Making a grand entrance will be Town Historian Bradley Harris joined by parade Master of Ceremony Noel Gish.

Join the fun be a part of Smithtown’s 2015 history and come out and celebrate. Wear a costume or just cheer on the parade. We expect large crowds to watch. Main St Smithtown from Brooksite Dr. to Rte. 111 will be closed to traffic from 11 am until 3pm.

Theater Review - "Sweeny Todd"

THEATER REVIEW - Sweeney Todd - Produced by: Theatre Three, Port Jefferson

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur 

 ‘Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,’ didn’t have a particularly long life span at New York’s Uris Theatre; it opened there in March, 1979 … and closed in June of ’80, after 557 stellar performances. As Broadway musicals go, the show was a success, of course … but was hardly spectacular in its duration on the Great White Way.

Extenuating circumstances notwithstanding, this relatively brief run is rather surprising in view of the seven Tony awards … and eight New York Drama Critics Circle awards that ‘Sweeney’ garnered. The critics and theatergoing public alike were in obvious agreement—with Len Cariou excelling as the malevolent star in the musical’s title role, and Angela Lansbury as his darkly comic accomplice— Stephen Sondheim’s gruesome show was a bloody hit!

Now ‘Sweeney Todd’ and his grisly collaborators have come to Long Island. Led by Steve McCoy (the sympathetic, but convincingly ruthless barber), Suzanne Mason (his delightfully cold blooded coconspirator) and Linda May (the beggar woman who ties everything together in a standout performance) the presentation is breathtaking in its overall artistic brilliance.

Conceptually, this play is not a far cry from Stanley Ellin’s cannibalistic masterpiece, ‘The Specialty of the House,’ a short story wherein unlucky gourmand’s are selected regularly to be served up as stew to members of an epicurean brotherhood. As in that famous tale, we don’t know who this story’s next victim might be, because the wrongfully imprisoned ex-convict (Sweeney), having apparently lost his wife and daughter to a villain of Simon Legree proportions, has sworn revenge on the world at large.

All of Sweeney’s various victims willingly and unwittingly climb the stairs to the vindictive barber’s second story tonsorial parlor (conveniently located above Mrs. Lovett’s Meat Pie Shoppe), there to receive …the closest shave they’ve ever had…before being killed and dumped in a sort of laundry chute that leads to the basement meat grinder. Furthermore, no one is immune from swift dispatch via Sweeney’s straight razor … not even Generals, as a stanza in one clever number tells us … nor, for that matter, his privates! Anyone might wind up in one of Mrs. Lovett’s tasty pies. “God, that’s good!” the Act II song goes. Yum!

All this activity requires a high degree of theatrical virtuosity, naturally, and if there ever was a more ingeniously devised stage set than the one designer Randall Parsons has created for this show, I haven’t seen it. The three-level rendering in rowdy old London is absolutely fantastic. What’s more, it is incredibly well lit by Robert W. Henderson, Jr. Truly, this team has served up a ghostly, yet vibrant venue for the ages, and Ronald Green III’s costumes could not supplement it more effectively.

‘Sweeney Todd’ has a cast of two dozen, and not a single member of the company seemed uncomfortable in his or her assigned role. The action is fast-paced, and the actors climb or descend to their appointed locations on stage with ballet-like confidence and grace. It’s the sort of precision we’ve come to expect from director Jeffrey Sanzel, but credit choreographer Sari Feldman as well. Her work in “Les Miserables” resulted in similar meticulousness.

Jackson Kohl’s seven-piece orchestra was flawless, as always, with Marni Harris and Annette Perry shining on violin and cello respectively. Theatre Three can be proud indeed of the memorable production kicking off its 2015 – 2016 season. The show runs thru October 24^th.

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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 Harper Lee and Truman Capote. He will introduce the novel at the Smithtown Library’s Main Branch on Monday, November 9. Ladouceur’s website is www.JebsBooks.com.