Theater Review - "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!"

THEATER REVIEW

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!” Produced by Theatre Three – Port Jefferson - Reviewed by Jeb Ladouceur

Lisa Brodsky, Brett Chizever, Jenna Kavaler, James D. SchultzThe comedy, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change!” with book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, and music by Jimmy Roberts, is the second-longest running Off-Broadway musical ever! Translating that accolade into its number of performances, and duration in the limelight, means that the revue was performed 5000 times in New York between August of 1996 and August 2008 … a run that could well have been predicted by its Outer Critics Circle nomination for ‘Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical’ in 1997. 

Judging from the reaction of standing-room-only aficionados at Theatre Three’s comfortable Port Jefferson playhouse last Sunday, the wildly funny offering, directed and choreographed by Steve McCoy, is probably a faithful reincarnation of the original hit. It’s just wonderful! The show made for the most fun this reviewer has had at any theater in years. 

Critics always hate to admit that they’ve missed out on something important. But in the interest of transparency, let it be known that the splendid production now on the boards on Main Street in Port Jeff, provided my first opportunity to experience this incisive theatrical probe into the human condition … the complex mechanism that makes us all tick.

And what a gamut of real-life experiences the versatile acting quartet of two women and two men navigate, as they take us through scene after scene of “ain’t it the truth” vignettes!

This revue’s cast of talented performers, (Lisa Brodsky, Brett Chizever, Jenna Kavaler, and James D. Schultz) could hardly have been more entertaining, as they led the audience along a witty series of incidents that shone a revealing light on ‘everyman’s’ libidinous proclivities. Audience members were clearly guided to a recollection of the angst associated with adolescence … were shepherded anew through the trials associated with marriage and parenthood … and some, I’m sure, even recognized the heartwarming phenomenon that is romantic love in old age. 

It’s virtually impossible to single out a given performance in this production of “I Love You, You’re Perfect…” as being exceptional. Sure, the Ethel Mermanesque “Always A Bridesmaid” is a number we’re unlikely ever to forget. Same goes for the endearing tribute to everlasting love, “Shouldn’t I Be Less In Love With You?” But honestly, this is an all-hands effort on the part of the entire company … both on-stage, and behind it. The bar is set high at the outset, and each of the performers consistently clears it.

Jack Kohl and his musicians are perfectly synchronized … Randall Parsons can create a fitting set like no one else in the business (especially with the help of Robert W. Henderson Jr.’s lighting) … and Amanda Geraci dresses everyone neatly with appropriate costumes. There isn’t a weak link in the chain.

Indeed, everybody at Theatre Three can be proud of this superlative staging. Like the hundreds who stood and cheered the other day, I am unequivocally delighted finally to have discovered an uproarious and moving show I’d heretofore missed. 

The production runs thru March 28.

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of nine novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. In his newest thriller, HARVEST, an American military doctor is seized by a sinister gang of organ traffickers in The Balkans, and ordered to perform illegal surgeries. Ladouceur’s upcoming spellbinder, THE QUANTUM SYNDROME, is based on the Atlanta child murders of the 80’s, and is due this spring.

Smithtown Town Hall Dedicated In Honor Of Patrick R. Vecchio

“I commend the Town Board for taking this well-deserved action. Supervisor Vecchio has been a longtime friend, neighbor and mentor of mine and I am thrilled that the building where he has spent the past 38 years leading the Town of Smithtown will be named in honor of him,” said Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta (R- Fort Salonga, NY).

With an audience packed with friends and supporters the Town Board surprised Town Supervisor Patrick R. Vecchio and dedicated Smithtown Town Hall in his honor.  Patrick Vecchio, with 38 years as Town Supervisor, is the longest serving Supervisor on Long Island.  The decision to dedicate the building in “Honor of Patrick R. Vecchio” was approved with a 4-0 vote (Supervisor Vecchio did not vote). The resolution was read by a solemn Deputy Suprvisor Thomas McCarthy who beamed with happiness after the resolution passed. The Supervisor had tears in his eyes as everyone stood up and applauded his service. In a conversation after the meeting Supervisor Vecchio said the he was honored by the decision to dedicate the Town Hall in his honor. As for becoming emotional,  “Of course I cried, I’m Italian.”(click on photos to enlarge)

Supervisor Patrick R. Vecchio

What's Cookin'? - Smithtown - A Delicious Transformation to Health

What’s Cookin’ ? –Smithtown

By Nancy Vallarella

Smithtown’s Delicious Transformation to Health

Kelli DiGregorio & Barbara Ann GrovaThere is no greater muse than a mother’s passion. Barbara Ann Grova considered nutrition when her child was diagnosed with precocious puberty at age six. Not willing to medicate, Barbara made it her personal mission to research alternatives that took her on a journey exploring nutritional healing and environmental impact on the human body. Grova’s desire to improve her child’s health combined with the dissatisfaction in an unfulfilling corporate career transitioned into a new profession. In 2004, Barbara Grova became a Holistic Nutritionist CHHC, AADP (Certified Holistic Health Counselor, American Association of Drugless Practitioners). She then started her own corporation, Nutritional Healing.

During 2014, Barbara and her Shrink Your Body, the Holistic Way ™ program guided attendees in Saint James and Stony Brook to a healthy lifestyle. Her clients managed to tally up a bonus 6,000 pound weight loss! This program is scheduled to take place in two new locations: Calvary Church of God of Saint James - 210 Woodlawn Avenue, Saint James and Mary Kay Studio - 1727 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Islandia.

Calvary Church of God of Saint James is also host to the Saint James Emergency Food Pantry where there is a need for donations especially laundry and hygiene products.  Church administrator, Debbie Capaldo welcomed the opportunity to have Barbara Ann Grova hold the program at this location. It is a great example of community working together. The church has a large dining area with a kitchen perfect for Shrink Your Body, the Holistic Way ™ workshops. Barbara is helping the church fill the pantry with donations.

Sweet potato apple soupCarolyn Borella of Borella Wholesale Nursery, Inc. in Nesconset just finished attending a beginner Shrink Your Body the Holistic Way ™ workshop.  She states her ultimate goal is to, “die young at a very old healthy age.”  The SYB program is about disseminating information and educating people on how to live a healthy lifestyle. Borella explains, “You learn about what nutrients found in food impact our bodies in a positive healing way. I acquired label reading skills to determine things like the levels of sodium and identifying sugar in processed food that will have a negative impact on my health. Shopping techniques, recipes and cooking skills are taught and practiced.” Always a smoothie fan, Carolyn was amazed that the Shrink Your Body delicious smoothie recipes contained ingredients such as kale and spinach. She enthusiastically states, “If it weren’t for the green color, you would never know those vegetables were included. The smoothies tasted great, gave me energy and I even slept better. I may be 60 but I feel like I’m 30! I can’t believe I feel this good. Life is a gift. Living a happy and healthy life is your choice.”

Saint James mother of five, Kelli DiGregorio was a client four years ago. Kelli confides, “My weight was out of control. No matter what I tried, nothing worked. I did not feel good.” Kelli took the time out for herself and spent Wednesday nights in the program led by Barbara. “It wasn’t just about food. I became interested in learning the many aspects of a healthy lifestyle. After completing the beginner program, I continued to sign up for advanced programs. I spent a year as a client and the experience transformed my life.” Kelli went on to become a Certified Nutrition Counselor through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She now runs the beginner groups for the Shrink Your Body program. 

Barbara Grova offers a supportive casual group environment and one on one counseling. Her clients are among the young and the mature.  I had the opportunity to observe a workshop she conducted for children this past December.  She masterfully engaged eighteen 8-12 year-olds by warming the group up with exercise led by Crossfit Kids Stony Brook and demonstrated how to cook a healthy meal (Breakfast Quesadilla). Fun, nutritious snacks (Bunnies Hopping in the Snow & Snowman Kabobs) were made throughout the session. They even played games - Spy Kids with Nutrition and Blind Taste Test.  This impressive, action packed, interactive, pure genius program pumped the kids up for learning and practicing healthy lifestyle choices.  

This recipe was created by Kelli DiGregorio for Shrink Your Body, the Holistic Way ™ 

Sweet Potato Apple Soup

1 cup of diced onions
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
2 1/2 lbs of Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
5 cups of vegetable or chicken stock—low sodium
Pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add in onions—cook until translucent, not browned. Add in sweet potatoes, carrots, apple and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes until veggies are tender. Puree soup either in a blender or with an immersion blender. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Enjoy.

New sessions of the Shrink Your Body, the Holistic Way ™ program begin March 5^th   & March 10^th.  Call Barbara Ann Grova at 631-428-2427 for additional information.  

Smithtown's Alex Ladouceur Takes First Place In SUNY Athletic Conference Meet

Suffolk’s 2014 High Jump Champion Takes First Place In Upstate SUNY Athletic Conference Meet

SUNY Oswego freshman Alex Ladouceur at his grandfather’s Whisper Vineyards book signing event held earlier this year Photo by Debbie Lange Fifer In his first year competing as a collegian, Smithtown’s Alex Ladouceur provided his Oswego track and field teammates with a resounding victory in the SUNY Athletic Conference high jump event.

The freshman sensation from Smithtown West High School led 15 upstate SUNY jumpers with his leap of six feet – six inches! Ladouceur’s winning effort was good enough to prevail over senior Phil Longo of Geneseo, and No. 1 seed, Nick Vachon of Cortland. The hotly contested meet was held at the Special Events & Recreation Center in Brockport, New York, on February 27 & 28.

Known primarily for its champion Ice Hockey teams, the Oswego Lakers (so called because the campus is situated on the southern shore of Lake Ontario in upstate New York) look to newly enrolled scholar athletes like the 19-year-old Ladouceur to usher in a new era of excellence in Track & Field … both for Oswego and the entire SUNY conference. Said one observer of the heroics turned in by the underclassman Smithtown resident, “If the SUNYAC Meet, and Alex Ladouceur’s performance, are any indication, Oswego will be a force to keep any eye on in the foreseeable future. Both indoor and outdoor track and field seasons will certainly bear watching.”

Bull Smythe Relay - Sunday, March 1 Come Out And Support The Participants

The Bull Smythe Relay kicks off Smithtown’s 350 Anniversary celebration this Sunday, March 1 at 6am. The public is encouraged to come out and cheer on the runners as they carry a baton containing a copy of Smithtown’s historic 1665 patent.  

The relay begins at Town Hall at 6am and will loop around the Town ending at Town Hall sometime after 4pm. A brief ceremony will take place at Town Hall as the Smithtown 350 Foundation members present the patent to Town officials.  

Below is a list of Mile sponsors. Each sponsor has donated $250 to the Foundation to support Smithtown’s 350 Anniversary Celebration.

Visit Smithtown350Foundation.org to learn more about celebration.

Bull Smythe Relay mile sponsors -  

Mile #

 1.  Smithtown Matters

 2.  St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center

2a.  Old Nthpt.-Lawrence Rd Task Force & Kings Park Civic Association (KPCA) & Kings Park Notebook

 3. Wolke-Perri

 4.  Tanzi Family

 5. Nissequogue River State Park Foundation (NRSPF)

 6. Legislator Rob Trotta

 7.  Councilman Robert Creighton

 8.  Councilman Ed Wehrheim

 9.  Kings Park Chamber of Commerce

10.  Commack-Kings Park Rotary Club

11.  Debbie Virga

12.  Navas-Biancaniello Family

13.  Commack Fire Department

14.  JRD Technical Associates

15. The  Smithtown News

16.  Smithtown Democratic Committee

17.  Smithtown Planning Department

18.  Town Clerk Vincent Puleo

19.  Hauppauge Fire Department

20.  Team Dart, Gagliano, Cohen, and Andrews

21.  Branch Brook PTA

22.  Friends of Smithtown Library

23.  Leslie & John Kennedy

24.  Storybook Homes

25.  Mancini Architecture

26.  St. James Chamber of Commerce

27.  Friends of Deepwell

28.  Carole Palmer

29.  Harbor Country Day School

30.  Harbor Country Day School

31.  Knox School

32.  Peggy Micciche

33.  Joan Harris

34.  Smithtown Historical Society

35.  Richard Smith

36.  Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick

37.  John Carro

38.  Residents of the Village of the Branch

39.  350 Foundation

Route of the Bull Smythe Relay:

The relay gets started at Town Hall at 6AM, it proceeds west from Town Hall down Main St.(Rte 25) until it gets to the statue of the bull where it hooks onto 25A.  It proceeds up 25A looping around Oakside Rd. Nowick, Trent, St. Nicholas, Monroe and back to 25A crossing over Rose St. where it becomes St. Johnland Road.  It then follows St. Johnland Road into Kings Park  where it continues past the Nissequogue River State Park  At this point the relay continues on Sunken Meadow Road until it picks up 25A.  It takes 25A/Fort Salonga Road up into Fort Salonga before it runs into Bread and Cheese Hollow Road.  It then takes Bread and Cheese Hollow Road south until it becomes Townline Road and then eventually Commack Road.  It follows Commack Road until New Highway.  The relay then heads east down New Highway making a turn south down Adams Avenue (this is all in the Hauppauge Industrial Park). It follows Adams until it hits Oser Ave and it then proceeds east down Oser Ave until arriving at Old Willets Path where the relay will head north to Veterans Highway (454). The Relay will proceed east down Vets until the Townline Road split where it will then follow Townline Road east. (we’re in Hauppauge now).  It continues down Townline until it hits Nichols Road (into Nesconset) and follows Nichols Road Northeast until it arrives at Alexander Avenue.  It then follows Alexander Avenue north to 347.  At 347 it takes a quick jog east before hanging a left on Moriches Road (heading into St. James).  It follows Moriches Road up to the Lake Avenue intersection where it will take a quick right on Lake before taking the next quick right onto North Country Road.  From North Country it then proceeds up to Thompson Hill Road.  It takes the left onto Thompson Hill Drive.  It follows Thompson Hill (we’re in Head of the Harbor now) to Three Sisters Hollow Road, where it takes a right onto Three Sisters Hollow.  It follows Three Sisters Hollow northeast until it meets up with Bacon Rd.  It follows Bacon Road north to Harbor Hill Road.  It then takes Harbor Hill back down following it south and then west to Cordwood Path.  The relay then takes Corwood Path to back to Moriches where it heads west.  (Heading into the Village of Nissequogue).  It follows Moriches all the way west to Nissequogue River Road where it hooks south.  It follows Nissequogue River Road/River Road all the way south to the Main Street/25/111 intersection.  The relay proceeds down Route 111 all the way south to Darling Avenue (into the Village of the Branch).  It proceeds west on Darling to Maple Avenue where it heads north on Maple.  The Relay proceeds north on Maple all the way back to Main Street where it then hooks west and back to Town Hall.