Theater Review - "Oliver!"

THEATER REVIEW

“Oliver!”

Produced by: Theatre Three, Port Jefferson, thru June 27.

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur

Kiernan Urso (left) as Oliver- Jeffrey Sanzel plays FaginOne of the unique rewards associated with reviewing Port Jefferson’s Theatre Three productions is presented even before the curtain goes up on Production Designer Randall Parsons’ invariably functional sets: The press packet always includes a 40 to 50-page, single spaced, liberally illustrated treatise on every aspect of the play at hand. The Director includes in this valuable amenity, the show’s history along with an overview of the story itself.

That synopsis alone would be worth the price of admission for theater aficionados generally…and for students and working reporters in particular.

But Director Jeffrey Sanzel always goes the extra mile in preparing these abstracts. In the case of the current Theatre Three offering, Oliver!, for instance, not only are we treated to a written précis spotlighting the mores in mid-eighteenth century England, but the common colloquialisms, politics, and laws of the day are also clearly defined… and in the case of dress and legal tender, examples are actually shown. One need not possess the imagination of Charles Dickens to recognize the value of such background material when one is called upon to interpret Dickensian activity on stage.

But to the current production:

I have long ago stopped assuming that a given tragic play (The Diary of Anne Frank), contemporary musical (The Boy from Oz), farce (Don’t Dress for Dinner) or classic adaptation (A Christmas Carol) – cannot be topped. One no sooner makes such a judgement than along comes another boffo Theatre Three offering in the genre in question … and the bar of excellence is raised even higher. Such a play is Oliver! The Lionel Bart musical that runs on Main Street in Port Jeff is not to be missed.

Why?

Well, for one thing, if you overlook this gem, you will be depriving yourself of an entertainment treat the likes of which this critic has seldom seen matched on a Long Island stage. If you thought, for instance, that indefatigable actor/director Jeffrey Sanzel was outstanding as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (and he was), Long Island’s reigning king of theater is even better as the dancing, singing, sly (but charmingly vulnerable) Fagin in Oliver!

This is not Fagin’s production exclusively, however.

In 2013, Encore Award-winning Jennifer Collester Tully stole the show with her interpretation of Madam Thernardier in Les Miz. In Theatre Three’s current staging, Collester Tully demonstrates even more convincingly that she can play on our heartstrings as if they were her personal harp. With her big, sweet, versatile voice this veteran showman renders the score’s most memorable ballad, “As Long as He Needs Me,” with fantastic range and simpatico. In both the number’s introduction and reprise, Ms. Collester Tully evoked tears from even veteran theatergoers, and won the most fervent audience reaction in an opening night filled with them. Hopefully her young son James, himself an actor, was in the audience to hear his mother cheered.

This is a large troupe (some 25 named characters) and there wasn’t one player who seemed miscast. Robert W. Henderson Jr.’s lighting, Peter Casdia’s sound design, and in particular, Chakira Doherty’s wonderfully appropriate costumes, left nothing to be desired. Nor did Jackson Kohl’s musical direction. Indeed, violinist Marni Harris made me wonder if Fiddler on the Roof might not be a logical future candidate built around Sanzel and the obvious virtuoso.

But that’s a question for another day. For now, it seems enough to speculate on how the producers plan to accommodate the throngs likely to emulate Saturday’s sold-out crowd, and fill comfortable old Theatre Three between now and June 27^th.

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Award-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, explores the odd relationship between Harper Lee and Truman Capote.

Animal Shelter Director George Beatty To Retire June 30, 2015

May 21, 2015 Town Board meeting.  During the audience participation portion of tonight’s Town Board meeting Supervisor Patrick Vecchio announced that George Beatty, director of the Smithtown Animal Shelter is retiring. According to Supervisor Vecchio Mr. Beatty sent a letter to the Town Board earlier in the day announcing his retirement effective June 30, 2015.

Mr. Beatty has served as the director of the Smithtown Animal Shelter for over thirty years. He oversaw the creation of the cat room for homeless cats in 2007. Recently, he has come under fire for conditions at the animal shelter. Some animal activists have complained about lack of medical care for the animals and unsanitary conditions. There have been other complaints made against Mr. Beatty’s record keeping and an allegation about his personal timesheet documentation.  Public Safety has investigated the allegations.

At this evening’s Town Board meeting a speaker was making a complaint about Mr. Beatty’s treatment of an employee involving the rescue of two huskies. Mr. Beatty, the speaker alleged, was insisting the dogs be adopted together and that he berated an employee who was not following his order. At this point Supervisor Vecchio announced  Mr. Beatty’s resignation and mentioned that Mr. Beatty had recently lost his wife, the caregiver for his grandchildren, and that Mr. Beatty would be taking over that responsiblity. The audience applauded and cheered and completely disregarded any mention of Mr. Beatty’s loss.

One woman called Mr. Beatty a “cancer” another urged that he not be paid his salary. After the meeting the Supervisor questioned how people could be so concerned about the animals and lack any compassion for this man who just lost his wife.

Kings Park Shows Off Its Red Nose With Today Show Host Matt Lauer

Matt Lauer in Kings Park as part of his 225 mile bicycle ride for Red Nose DayIf you were up early and passing the Kings Park Volunteer Fire Department this morning you may have been wondering why there was so much traffic. Upon further reflection you might have started to wonder whyTraffic on 25A heading into Kings Park there was a camera crew, a drone and a large crowd of people standing in front of the Kings Park Fire Department.  If you were able to sneak another look you might have seen that NBC was filming the opening of the Today Show.  In the middle of the crowd of early morning risers was Today Show host Matt Lauer. 

Mr. Lauer came to Kings Park as part of his 225-mile bicycle ride fundraiser for Red Nose Day. His stop in Kings Park was on the fourth day of his five-day bike ride from Boston to NYC. The Red Nose Day Fund was established to support impoverished children in the U.S. and throughout the world.Crowd many from local schools and organizations.
The Goldsteins from Kings Park were early morning risers making there way to the Fire Department Kings Park residents got up early and made their way to the Fire Department on the corner of Indian Head Rd. and 25-A in Kings Park to see Mr. Lauer and also to show their support for Red Nose Day. DONATE NOW: Support Matt’s ride to help lift children around the world out of poverty

Why film in Kings Park a person asked Matt during the break between filming? An ideal spot along the pre-planned bike route, was the response. Kings Park residents would concur with Mr. Lauer, Kings Park is an ideal place!

Budget Votes - May 19, 2015

Budget Votes

Commack - Budget Passed 1927 yes 575 no - Trustee - Behar 1698 Marchesi 642

Hauppauge - Budget Passed 1458 yes 442 no Proposition 2: Passed 1150 yes 710 no - Trustees (2) *Stacey Weisberg 1122, *Michael Buscarino 1098, Susan Hodosky 984 (*elected)

Kings Park - Budget Passed 2065 yes, 577 no, Proposition 2: passed yes 1998 no 542, Proposition 3: passed 2087 yes, 455 no,  Trustee (*2 elected) *Kevin D. Johnston 1886, *Diane Nally 1821, Charles Leo 1108

Smithtown -Budget Passed 2582 yes 761 no Proposition 2: passed yes 2507  no 715. Trustee: (Elected *) *Alcure 2395(unopposed) - *Thode 2144, Rafferty 862

Smithtown West Travels Upstate for Trophy

Smithtown West Travels Upstate for Trophy

Boys Track Team Takes Title at Queensbury Invitational

By James B. Teese

Photos Courtesy of Smithtown West Track 

It’s always a more satisfying bus ride home when you’re also bringing home the title!

That’s the story of the trek home from near Lake George for the Smithtown West Boys Track team this past weekend as they brought home the top team score from the Dr. Jack Iron Queensbury Track Invitational. 

“Everything seemed to come together this weekend,” said Coach Peter Schieck.  “Steps were on, starts were explosive and sticks were crisp,” he explained about his team’s battle with 24 teams from the State’s Section Two and surrounding counties.  Smithtown West and East compete in Section One – comprising Suffolk County — one of the toughest sections in New York.

West totaled 95 points, outdistancing host Queensbury High School with 81 points and third-place South Glens Falls High School with 78 points.

Solid Performances

Nick PaquetteNick Paquette led the West team, accounting for 28 of the team’s 95 points.  He won the High Jump with a personal best and meet record 6 feet,-4 inches, and also won the Long Jump with a leap of 20 feet, 4 inches.

Paquette then joined Mike Traina, Cameron Baker and Ethan Scully to place second in the 4x400 Meter Relay in a time of 3:38.

Max Doughty was the other individual event winner, earning gold in the Shot Put with a toss of 42-2.5.

Numerous athletes finshed in the scoring to aid the West championship.

Ethan Scully placed second in the 200 Meter Dash.  John Barone (4th ) and ChrisJohn Barone & Chris Quilla Quilla (3rd) contributed big points with stellar performances in the 110 High Hurdles and the 400 Meter Intermediate Hurdles.

Distance runners also contributed.  Mike Grabowski placed 4th in the 3200 Meter run, and Nick Sabia was 5th in the Invitational Mile event.

Alex Grabowski placed 5th in the Discus, and James Moran found his steps to place 4th in the Triple Jump.

In the Pole Vault, Ryan Budney had a near miss with the bar at 11 feet, but still placed 6^th overall.  Jagger Kachejian had a personal best at 10’-6” and finished just outside the scoring.

Scott Dinger Chris Murphy placed seventh in the High Jump.  The 4x100m relay team of Matt Cappock, Xavier St. John, Matt Cacace, and Tyler Scully placed 4th.  Scott Dinger and Matt Maidhof went 7-8 in the 3,000 Meter Steeplechase to earn ribbons.  Cameron Baker also placed in the 800m to add a point.

“And I have to note the busiest guy of the day, Bobby Montoni,” said Schieck of his entrant in the five-event Pentathlon.  “He placed 7^th in his very first try at the Pentathlon!”.

Hammer Squad

Schieck was especially proud of his underclassmen, whose hard work, he said, has produced solid results and a promising future.

“For the first time we have six freshmen on the Hammer Squad list – marking a particularly good time or score in the list of Track & Field events — so we are very excited for the future with this group,” said the coach.

“This time of the season was particularly challenging for us due to the rain-outs and rescheduling of meets.  We have had to go from meet to meet to meet for several days, and were concerned that the guys would be a little flat.  We had a relaxing day on Friday and the guys were able to perform well [at Queensbury,]” he added.

Upcoming Championships

“Now it’s time to prepare for the championship part of the season,” said Schieck, referring to the upcoming League, Division, and State Qualifying meets.

On May 27 and 29, West will compete in the Division Championships to be held at Comsewogue High School.

A week later, the Section XI Individual Championships and State Qualifier will take place at Port Jefferson High School on June 5 at 3:00 pm and on June 6 at 12:00 noon)

The qualifiers culminate in trips to the statewide NYSPHSAA Championship to be held at SUNY Albany on June 12 and 13.