Curtain Rises in 16 Days; Will It Be "Sweet"?

"Follies" Celebrates 50 Years of
Stepinac Alumni Theate

The curtain rises on Thursday, July 17 at 8:00pm for the 50th. Anniversary production of "Follies" at Stepinac Alumni Theatre. 

A lot has changed since I first stepped foot on the Stepinac stage. This summer marks the beginning of an air conditioned Major Bowes Theatre and what a difference that makes. 

Rehearsals are quite different from "back in the day" when everyone was at rehearsal. It is a real sign of busy times when chorus girls are substituted by guys because cast members are away on vacation. Vacation time during a rehearsal schedule? Never would have thought of trying to do both! Learning dance numbers to YouTube videos instead of a live pianist; rented costumes that aren't coming out of someones closet; dance numbers that challenge everyone; a full run through of the show that lurks somewhere on the horizon…

16 days until opening night. 16 days is not a lot of time to pull this off. "16" reminds me of what it was like to be "Sweet 16". The anticipation of that magical birthday, the one when you can finally drive a car, the anticipation of that "first kiss", the teenage stress of friends and relationships. That was a magical time; much like the time spent on or off stage in Major Bowes Theatre. Much like now. In 16 days the curtain rises; the magic happens; will it be "sweet"? We shall see.

On Stage at Major Bowes Theatre

It feels a bit like a time warp walking on stage at Major Bowes Theatre. There are so many memories. This summer is sure to add to the wonderful experiences that only happen in Stepinac theatre. I will bring you snippets of the events from rehearsal through production. With an air conditioned theatre this is a fabulous venue. Show dates are Thursday, July 17, Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19 which culminates in a celebratory after party. Tickets for the show are $20 with general admission seating and the final nights tickets for the after party are an additional $30 - $50 gets you preferred seating and entry into the catered after party. 

Tonight, Wednesday, June 18, we started dance rehearsal for Mirror Mirror. I try not to take things too seriously especially since I didn't have the proper dance shoes - I didn't think I was in this number. For those who are familiar with Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" it may seem obvious that Christine Donovan, my character, is dancing in Mirror Mirror; however, when we received the rehearsal schedule for this week, I wasn't on the dance schedule for Thursday night so I didn't think I would be learning a dance number tonight. I admit that I don't know this show. I read the script but we haven't had a cast read through and I thought maybe they changed some things. Can you imagine trying to learn a dance number in flip flops? I wasn't alone; only two cast members were prepared. This worked quite well as everyone was light hearted and happy as we tried not to trip over our own feet. Knowing the music will help as we move on. I enjoyed laughing with Gina, my partner, as we both tried to combine dance moves with a song we haven't yet memorized.

Lessons learned:

• Always bring dance shoes 
• Were comfortable rehearsal clothes
• Laugh at myself - it's a lot more fun this way
• Keep moving and keep smiling

Stepinac Alumni Theatre 50th. Anniversary Show

Stepinac Alumni Theatre performed the first production in 1964. 2014 marks our 50th. Anniversary and the first time we will be performing in the newly air conditioned Major Bowes Theatre at Stepinac High School, 950 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605.

A fitting production for this Golden Anniversary is Stephen Sondheim's "Follies". The show offers an opportunity to cast young and old alumni in very entertaining roles. 

                      The cast of characters:

Sally Durant Plummer:                                Ann Shankman

Ben Stone:                                  Jeff Schlotman

Buddy:                                Frank Squillante

Roscoe:                                      Peter Iasillo

Young Buddy:                                         Matt Lotaj

Phyllis:                                  Nellie O’Brien

Young Phyllis:                             Emily Schlotman

Young Sally:                                Mikie Sakanaka

Young Ben:                                   Chris Guzman

Emily Whitman:                          Mary Ellen Malarra

Theodore Whitman:                                          Jim Smith

Dmitri Weismann:                                       Dick Nagle

Solange La Fitte:                                 Elysse Godfrey

Stella Deems:                                   Irene Howard

Carlotta Champion:                               Jeannie McCabe

Heidi Schiller:                                  Mary Ann Parr

Hattie Walker:                                 Chris Matthews

Kevin:                                 Samer Akroush

“Margie” Blues:                                 Sarah Rossman

“Sally” Blues:                    Halle Mastroberardino

Major Domo:                                     Tom Kramer

Francesca:                                   Patricia Reilly

Christine Donovan:                                 Cathy Capasso

Willy Wheeler:                                     George Levy

Max Deems:                                  Mike Molinelli

Meredith Lane:                                  Gina Molinelli

Dee Dee West:                                Patricia Murphy

Vincent:                                Gabe D’Angelo

Vanessa:                                 Fran D’Angelo

Young Vincent:                              James Prestopino

Young Vanessa:                             Katie Jo Flanagan

Young Stella:                             Danielle Ricciardi

Young Solange:                                Katrina Dibbini

Young Carlotta:                                   Sabrina Miele

Young Emily:                                Elaine Forgione

Chauffeur:                             Brenden DelBene

Photographers:    Billy Maloney, Najee Stephenson 

The first rehearsal was Tuesday, June 17. We were in the music classroom where nothing has substantially changed. I can't wait to be rehearsing on stage again!

May 28 be

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

This is a Wonderful Wednesday even if the weather says otherwise. I am reminded of the quote, "You can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if you have waited in darkness." The same can be said for the sunny, fun filled days of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Sun makes everything brighter. Without the grey and gloomy rainy days, would we appreciate the sun as much?

I am on a quest to understand Facebook as a marketing tool. I recently "stumbled" on platforms that promise to help you with your Facebook marketing, apps that will help you create compelling fan pages, contests, promotions, Like Gates, Fan Gates, and a host of additional terms that sound like a foreign language. Stepping back, I looked at the basic marketing pieces, the pieces of the puzzle so to speak. There is building a following and generating an email list. At the core of all this I realize is the information that is gold to my communication channels - the email list. 

As I am coming to the end of May"be" (missing posts will be added before month end), I am clearer on my goals; clearer on what I want to achieve with the time I am spending online. An idea for a contest is forming and the final May"be" post will announce it. 

Thank you for reading these posts. A parting message from Guiding Eyes Pippin (this picture was taken when he began his journey with his puppy raiser) "I wish you a Wonderful Wednesday!"

May 25 Be

Sunday, May 25, 2014:

Financial Advice from Warren Buffet

On Reputation

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.

On his most basic rules

Rule No. 1: Never lose money

Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1

On sources of income

Never count on a single income. Make investments to create additional sources of revenue.

On spending

If you buy things you don't need, you'll soon have to sell things you do need.

On saving

Don't save what you have left after spending, but spend what you have left after saving.

On taking risks

Never measure the deepness of a river with both legs.

On honesty Honesty is a very expensive thing, don't expect it from cheap people. On inheritance  A rich man must leave his children enough to do anything, but not enough to do nothing. On ideas You do things when the opportunities come along. I've had periods in my life when I've had a bundle of ideas come along, and I've had dry spells. If I get an idea next week, I'll do something. If not, I won't do a damn thing.  On the trickle theory The rich are always going to say that, you know, just give us more money and we'll go out and spend more and then it will all trickle down to the rest of you. But that has not worked the last 10 years, and I hope the American public is catching on. On investing in the future Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. On habits Chains of havit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken. On becoming rich I always knew I was going to be rich. I don't think I ever doubted it for a minute. On learning from betters It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction. On price and value Price is what you pay. Value is what you get. On taxes for the rich If anything, taxes for the lower and middle class and maybe even the upper middle class should even probably be cut further. But I think that people at the high end - people like myself - should be paying a lot more in taxes. We have it better than we've ever had it. On challenges I don't look to jump over 7-foot bars; I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over. On being rich Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars. On risk Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing. On Wall Street Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway. On how he invests I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years. On hindsight In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield. On Ponzi schemes Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked. On learning from history If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians. On healing the economy Economic medicine that was previously meted out by the cupful has recently been dispensed by the barrel. These once unthinkable dosages will almost certainly bring on unwelcome after-effects. Their precise nature is anyone's guess, though one likely consequence is an onslaught of inflation.

May 12 be

Monday, May 12, 2014

Marvelous Monday. 

The logical 12 things for today are the months of the year. Where did the names come from? The answer according to the Farmer's Almanac:

January:

Named for the Roman god Janus, protector of gates and doorways. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other into the future.

February:

From the Latin word februa, "to cleanse." The Roman Februalia was a month of purification and atonement. 

March:

Named for the Roman god of war, Mars. This was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter.

April:

From the Latin word aperio, "to open (bud)," because plants begin to grow in this month.

May:

Named for the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of plants. Also from the Latin word maiores, "elders," who were celebrated during this month.

June:

Named for the Roman goddess Juno, patroness of marriage and the well-being of women. Also from the Latin word juvenis, "young people."

July:

Named to honor Roman dictator, Julius Caesar (100 B.C. - 44 B.C.) In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar made one of his greatest contributions to history; with the help of Sosigenes, he developed the Julian calendar, the precursor to the Gregorian calendar we use today.

August:

Named to honor the first Roman emperor (and grandnephew of Julius Caesar), Agustus Caesar (63 B.C. - A.D. 14).

September:

From the Latin word septem, "seven," because this had been the seventh month of the early Roman calendar.

October:

From the Latin word octo, "eight," because this had been the eighth month of the early Roman calendar.

November:

From the Latin word novem, "nine," because this had been the ninth month of the early Roman calendar.

December:

From the Latin word decem, "ten," because this had been the tenth month of the early Roman calendar.

May 8 be

Thursday, May 8, 2014

A Thrilling Thursday

When thinking about this post I first looked into the "Eight Wonders of the World" and discovered there are timelines that impact this list. I then thought about the number eight. 

It can be a snowman without a head. 

Turn it on its side and it looks like the infinity symbol, an abstract concept describing something without any limit.