Smithtown Dems Feeling Good About Larry Vetter's Candidacy For Town Council

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Larry VetterSmithtown Democrats have been working full time to create a message that best represents their belief in fiscal conservatism and responsible government. With those beliefs in mind they nominated businessman Larry Vetter to be their candidate in the 2015 Town Council Race.  

Mr. Vetter is a 36-year resident of Smithtown, he is the married to Loraine, a registered nurse, and is the father of four children.  Larry is the owner of Vetter Environmental Services, Inc, (VE Science), which provides residential and commercial environmental solutions. 

Larry Vetter has a history of participation in the community, serving as a volunteer for the Boy Scouts, the St. James Little League, and as a  Eucharistic minister at Holy Cross Church. His hobbies include gardening, motorcycle riding, cooking and restoring old cars.

Upon receiving the nomination Mr. Vetter stated “I’m proud to represent the New Democratic Party of Smithtown. I look forward to carrying our message of government accountability, financial responsibility and enhanced quality of life to the voters of Smithtown this fall.” Mr. Vetter describes his politics as fiscally conservative and socially tolerant.  

Smithtown Democratic Committee Chairman Ed Maher is both thrilled and optimistic about Larry Vetter’s candidacy saying, “The current Town Board cossets entirely of career politicians and retired public employees…Like most Smithtown residents, Larry Vetter earns his living in the private sector. The members of the town board should reflect the demographics of the town. He will provide new leadership with a fresh perspective.” 

Theater Review - "The Producers"

THEATER REVIEW - The Producers - Produced by: The John W. Engeman Theater - Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur 

Stuart Zagnit, ‘Encore’ winner Gina Milo, and Joel Newsome – photo by Michael DeCristofaroAn inside joke is a gag whose humor is understandable primarily for members of an in group, that is, people who are part of a particular social set, profession, or other community of shared interest. In a sense, it’s an obscure witticism that is humorous mostly to those in the know about the circumstances behind it.

With that in mind, The Producers has to be considered one of the most daring, yet successful risks ever undertaken on the Broadway stage. The show succeeds (indeed excels!) because the magical Mel Brooks has made a slew of inside jokes very funny to any number of observers who never have, and never will, share the interests of those groups he addresses with his quips.

And there was another element of risk in the first staging of The Producers, it seems to me. Though well-received Broadway shows frequently are converted to motion pictures with a modicum of success, the reverse is seldom the case. The Great White Way is littered with torn-up scripts and discarded playbills that were inspired by triumphant movies…and consigned to the trash heap after opening night. Those involved in adapting The Producers for the stage had to be aware of the potential hazards involved in attempting to fill Hollywood’s big, glitzy shoes.

However, the genius of Mel Brooks was rewarded, as we all now know, when The Producers made history by winning a dozen Tony Awards, even surpassing the nearly four-decades-long record held then by Hello Dolly. That Carol Channing hit garnered eleven Tony nominations, winning ten. Furthermore The Producers demonstrated its staying power by running for more than (count ‘em) 2500 performances!

But how did Brooks manage to amuse so many different factions with material designed, it seems, to tickle the funny bones specifically of Gays, or Show Biz habitués, or even Nazi insiders? The answer, of course…he utilized the outrageous and the irreverent a la Imus, Stern, Limbaugh, Alan King et al. By so doing, Brooks appealed to our universal tendency to laugh at off-limits situations when they’re presented in the intimacy and privacy of the theater…scenarios that might not regale us in any other setting. Perhaps there should be a “No Prudes Allowed” sign over the Engeman door for the next six weeks.

Anyway…fasten your seat belts, folks…you’re off on a non-stop…rip-roaring ride at The Engeman Theater from now thru July 12. One caveat: find something else to entertain the 12-and-under crowd for the three hours you’ll be laughing yourself silly.

Your madcap driver on this careening theatrical roller coaster is Stuart Zagnit who plays the screwball ‘Max Bialystock’ (created on Broadway by Nathan Lane) and Joel Newsome is our zany tour guide ‘Leo Bloom’ (originated at the St. James Theater by Matthew Broderick). Both of the well-traveled leads at The Engeman take up where their megastar predecessors left off…with perfectly timed, comedic characterizations that are top-notch. And Gina Milo is a red-hot riot as the delectable ‘Ulla- - voluptuous ‘secretary-slash-receptionist’ (yeahsure!) for the whacky producer team.

Igor Goldin, who directed the Engeman’s Encore Award-winning Music Man in 2013, is at the helm for The Producers, and the cast couldn’t be in better hands. Goldin has his mile-a-minute machine perfectly tuned—it purrs like a kitten when appropriate, and roars like a lion when suitable.

Antoinette Dipietropolo’s choreography is predictably well-ordered and delightfully inventive, and the Musical Director, James Olmstead, with whom Dipietropolo frequently teams up, never fails to add his wealth of professionalism to any Richard Dolce produced show.

But this classic production is not dependent on elaborate Set, Lighting, Sound, Costumes, and the like, though they’re all superb in the ultra-lavish show. What really makes The Producers a slam-bang, cheeky, waggishly shocking hit is the assortment of inside jokes that Mel Brooks (the self-proclaimed ‘equal opportunity offender’) throws around like so many hand grenades…while taking absolutely no prisoners.

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Jeb LadouceurAward-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of ten novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. Ladouceur’s newest thriller THE QUANTUM SYNDROME is patterned on the Atlanta child murders of the 80s. His eleventh book, SEQUEL, will explore the odd relationship between Harper Lee and Truman Capote.

Suffolk County Class of 2015 Valedictorians

Suffolk County’s Class of 2015 Valedictorians Honored (click on photo to enlarge)

Suffolk County’s valedictorians posed for a group photo during the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association Luncheon.School superintendents, administrators and parents acknowledged and honored the highest achieving students of Suffolk County’s Class of 2015 during the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association’s 21^st annual Valedictorian Luncheon, held at the Hyatt Regency Wind Watch Hotel in Hauppauge. 

The celebratory event was punctuated with music provided by the Islip High School Jazz Ensemble, who performed under the direction of Steve Campanella. 

Congratulating the students on their hard work and academic achievements were Dr. Roberta A. Gerold, SCSSA president and Middle Country School District superintendent of schools; Susan A. Schnebel, SCSSA president-elect and Islip School District superintendent of schools; Dr. Charles T. Russo, SCSSA vice president and East Moriches School District superintendent of schools; and Lars Clemensen, SCSSA secretary and Hampton Bays School District superintendent of schools. 

Keynote speaker Roger Tilles, a member of the New York State Board of Regents, encouraged the valedictorians to always put things in perspective, develop a backbone, become proactive and involved, use imagination and creativity to propel forward, and find a job that matters. 

“Love what you do and feel that it matters,” Tilles said. “There is no greater fun than that.”    

Each valedictorian was called to the stage to receive a certificate and gift of recognition. During their acknowledgment, the universities they plan on attending were announced, along with their intended majors. The impressive and prestigious list of schools included Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, Duke University, Fordham University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Villanova University and Yale University. The SCSSA and its corporate partners also awarded 10 scholarships to graduates planning to pursue a career in education or social services. 

This was the only event in which the Class of 2015 valedictorians were honored together, and it was a truly memorable occasion for all in attendance.  

Commack HS - Valedictorian: Scott Massa

Hauppauge HS - Valedictorian: Emily Linko, 

Kings Park HS - Valedictorian: Zachary Marcone 

Smithtown HS East : Brian Righter

Smithtown HS West -  Rebecca Chang

Photo provided by the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association

Meet The Leaders Comes To Smithtown

By Pat Biancaniello

Meet The Leaders with Patrick Halpin came to Smithtown Wednesday, May 27,2015. The Cablevision/Optimum Community program was filmed at the Eugene Cannataro Senior Center in front of an audience filled with Smithtown residents, many of them regulars at the center.  The focus of the program was Smithtown’s 350th Anniversary.  

Host Patrick Halpin interviewed Town Supervisor Patrick Vecchio and Town Historian Bradley Harris.  The two guests were questioned by the host about Smithtown’s history. Questions ranged from Smithtown’s early history including: how did Richard Smith get the patent to the land, the legend of Smithtown and more recent history including the dedication of the John V.Klein  Industrial Park and Town Hall honoring Patrick Vecchio.

Prior to the filming the audience chatted about their memories of Smithtown and how so much has changed. Audience participation followed the interview. The taped show can be seen at www.meettheleaders.com.

Cablevision/Optimum Community is a big part of Smithtown’s 350 celebration. “The Spirit of Smithtown,” an original play created by historical writer Sal St. George, is being sponsored by Optimum Community.  The play is a one-act vaudevillian musical about the history of Smithtown and its communities.  The play has been in the works for several months. There will be six performances two Fridays May 29 and June 5 @7:30pm, Saturdays are May 30 and June 6 @7:30pm and Sunday May 31 and June 7 @ 3pm. at the Smithtown Center for Performing Arts.

Tickets to the six performances are offered to the public complimentary due to the generous support of Optimum and a grant from the Gardiner Foundation. While most tickets have been distributed, there are a number of tickets at the box office for walk-ins on the day of the performances. The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts is located at 2 East Main Street, Smithtown. 

Writing For Peace - Hannah Rosenthal's Essay Wins In International Contest

Smithtown West Student a Recognized Writer for Peace

Smithtown High School West’s Hannah Rosenthal won second place in the nonfiction division of the Writing for Peace essay contest. 

Hannah’s essay, ”Jews and the Black Death,” will be featured in the 2016 issue of DoveTales, an international journal of the arts. Students were encouraged to write an essay about a social, political, environmental or familial challenge faced by individuals within a cultural group, or a personal experience with another culture.  

Writing for Peace is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating empathy through education and creative writing in order to develop a foundation of compassion on which to build a more peaceful world. Their goal is to inspire and guide young writers to refine their craft and to consider the many ways their writing focus can bring us closer to nonviolent conflict resolution, a society that values human rights, as well as environmental and economic sustainability.  

Photo Caption: Smithtown HSW student Hannah Rosenthal won second place in the nonfiction division of the Writing for Peace essay contest. She is congratulated by her social studies teacher Christina Cone.

Photo courtesy of the Smithtown Central School District