Authors Posts by Heidi Sutton

Heidi Sutton

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SONGS SAY SO MUCH

It was bittersweet as the Book Revue in Huntington said goodbye to Jeff Sorg on Jan. 23. The singer/songwriter hosted his last Toddler Time at the bookstore, after performing there for 16 years. While he will continue to write music, Sorg said he plans to spend some time traveling with his wife, who recently retired. Parents and children joined Sorg for songs, some dancing and a puppet show and then met his replacement, Noah Packard (pictured on the right with Sorg) who’s first day is on Feb. 20. Thank you Jeff for the joy you have brought to so many children over the years. You will be missed. 

Photos by Heidi Sutton

By Heidi Sutton

Excitement was in the air last Sunday as the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport presented the premiere of Disney’s Frozen Jr. The audience at the sold-out show was dotted with little Elsas dressed in blue-green gowns complete with crowns, necklaces and dolls all eagerly waiting for a glimpse of the snow queen. And believe me they were not disappointed. 

With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez with book by Jennifer Lee, the show is based on the 2018 Broadway musical version of Disney’s Frozen complete with all the same popular songs from the 2013 animated movie including “Do You Want to Build A Snowman?,” “For the First Time in Forever,” “Love Is an Open Door” and “Let It Go.” The result is a lovely morning of live theater. 

The story follows Elsa and Anna, two sisters who are princesses in the kingdom of Arendelle. The elder of the two, Elsa, was born with magical powers that allow her to control and create ice and snow. When she doesn’t know how to control her powers and accidentally hurts Anna, she becomes afraid and withdraws from the world, shutting out her sister in the process. Fast forward 10 years and it is time for Elsa to inherit the throne, but on coronation day her magic unintentionally causes Arendelle to be frozen in an eternal winter. When she is accused of sorcery, she flees into the mountains to hide. Can Anna help her sister and free Arendelle from this spell?

Directed and choreographed by Steven Dean Moore, the professional young cast, ranging in age from 10 to 17, do a fantastic job portraying this tale of true love. Along with Anna and Elsa, Kristoff the ice harvester, Sven the reindeer, Olaf the snowman, Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton and Oaken who runs Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post also make an appearance.

A magical touch is the animated projections on a screen in the background depicting different locations in the Kingdom of Arendelle including the inside and outside of the castle, the snowy mountains and Elsa’s ice castle. Costumes, designed by Laura McGauley are perfect, from Princess Anna and Elsa’s pretty gowns to the furry vest and antlers for Sven. 

Catch this performance if you can – your little prince or princess will love you for it. Meet the cast in the lobby on your way out.

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Frozen Jr. through March 1. All seats are $15. Children’s theater continues with Pinkalicious the Musical from March 28 to May 3. For more information or to order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

The cast: AnnaBelle Deaner, Raquel Sciacca, Ava Cahn, James Tully, Shannon Dugan, Mia Campisi, Rachel Zulawski, Katie Dolce, Olivia Freiberger, Lizzie Dolce, Amelia Freiberger, Caprice McGuckin, Shane McGlone, Justin Frank, Ryan McInnes, Max Lamberg, Meaghan M. McInnes, Casey Beltrani and Emma Sordi

All photos by Corinne Wight

By Heidi Sutton

Do you have a case of the winter blues? A surefire cure is a visit to the Winners Fine Art Showcase, currently on view at the Mills Pond Gallery in St. James through Feb. 15. The gorgeous exhibit features the works of local artists Ross Barbera, Kyle Blumenthal, Julie Doczi and Liz Kolligs, who won the 2018 Members Showcase, along with Cliff Miller who took first place in the 2019 Water, Water Everywhere exhibit. The artists were selected by juror Dawn Lee, art curator of the Omni Gallery in Uniondale, professor and chair of the art department at St. Joseph’s College, and coordinator of the artist-in-residency program at Fire Island National Seashore. An artist reception was held on Jan. 25.

According to STAC’s Executive Director Allison Cruz, the annual exhibit was created over 30 years ago “to allow the public to experience a larger body of work from winning artists.” Each artist chose from 6 to 14 of their favorite pieces to showcase and then Cruz was tasked with the design aspect, filling four gallery rooms and the center hall on the first floor of the historic 1838 Greek Revival mansion.

“That is my favorite part of the show … those days before when I get to spend time with the works and figure out how each piece might be best presented in what space,” she said. “It’s a challenging puzzle but so satisfying and I really learn so much about the artist during this time.” 

The executive director is proud of the end result. “I think this is an impressive exhibit. There is such a wide variety of painting styles and mediums and techniques by five accomplished artists … and all from Long Island! Viewers should easily connect with the works in this show.”

While completely unintentional, much of the artwork shares a common theme − the beauty of Mother Earth. “I love the threads of nature that run through almost all the works in this show,” said Cruz. “Each artist clearly has a love and respect for the natural world. Although their work is very different in style, medium and color palette, that theme is strong throughout the show. That does not usually happen in a Winners Show but when it does it is just wonderful. It makes for a strong exhibit.” 

A perfect example of this is “Mountain Mallards” by renowned illustrator, portrait artist and muralist Cliff Miller. Beautifully executed, it is sure to be a conversation starter (yes, it is an oil painting; no it is not a photograph!). The Seaford resident has several other pieces in the show including a jaw-dropping Western-themed portrait titled “Desperado” and a humorous oil on gesso panel piece titled “The McDivots,” which features a golfer riding an alligator to the next tee.

Pastel lovers will be drawn to Julie Doczi’s delicate landscapes including “Croatian Stream,” “Connecticut Marsh” and one of the artist’s favorite, “The Lavender Harvester.” In her artist statement, the Port Jefferson Station resident said, “My journey into painting as an adult began when I encountered the medium of pastel. I began to find my view of the world around me opening up in a way never experienced before. It is a joyous experience to put these perceptions onto paper, to capture a scene and ultimately have it achieve its own unique identity.” Doczi’s “First Bloom” depicting a blue morning glory is simply stunning.

If you have a soft heart for horses, you’ll love the large equine oil on canvas paintings of Liz Kolligs including “A Herd of Your Own,” “Reflection” and “Bell – A Portrait.” The artist also has several beautiful wildlife paintings on display including “At the Edge of the Woods” and “Mill Neck Creek.” As a lecturer and demonstrator of equine painting techniques and anatomy throughout Long Island, the Glen Cove resident has truly perfected her art.

Perhaps the most unique art represented in the exhibit is by Kyle Blumenthal, who also has the most pieces in the show. Drawing inspiration from nature, her large 3-D paintings made from fabric, including several from her “All the Future Is in Today” series, explore the ocean and the Earth in an abstract manner. 

“I like to see my work float in midair,” the Stony Brook resident said in a recent interview with TBR News Media. “More and more of my paintings have started to come away from the wall as if to free themselves from restrictions and straight edges.”

Rounding out the exhibit are the massive landscape paintings of Ross Barbera. Created in acrylic on canvas and watercolor on paper, Barbera “strives to create images that communicate a sense of beauty, painterly integrity, and capture specific places in terms of time, light, space and texture,” according to the Ronkonkoma resident’s artist statement. One can’t miss the 48- by 72-inch winter-themed piece, “The Athabasca Glacier, Alberta Canada” or the eye-popping “Bonnie’s Summer Garden.”

“These talented artists are making passionate statements about the things they value in this world but in a gentle way,” said Cruz. “There is so much room for wonder!”

The Mills Pond Gallery, located at 660 Route 25A, St. James, will present the Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Winners Showcase through Feb. 15. The gallery is open Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

The Harmonic Tides Quartet. Photo by Chris Beattie

They’re back! Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Harbormen, the local choral group affiliated with the national Barbershop Harmony Society, will be available in groups of four to sing in homes, offices, restaurants, hospitals, schools and more for the romantically inclined.

“A great home video memory,” as one satisfied customer said, not to mention a good Instagram story with each quartet in bright red blazers and bowties.

Love songs have great histories and each has its own way of getting to the heart. Some evoke longing, others celebrate the object of affection. “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” one of the songs that the Harbormen quartets sing to Valentines, was written in 1910 by Leo Friedman and Beth Slater Whitson. It went on to be recorded by Bing Crosby, the Mills Brothers, Pat Boone and was sung every year for decades by Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard on Mother’s Day. Bette Midler sang the song in “The Rose” and Shirley McLaine sang it in “Downton Abbey.”  It even ended up on the recent TV hit, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”

Quartet members include scientists, salesmen, engineers, an air traffic controller, a chef, author and policeman, among others.

Fred Conway, a retired math teacher with the group since 1966, has sung in all kinds of situations.  “I remember showing up at an overcrowded bowling alley to deliver our songs to a bowler, and trudging through eight inches of snow to sing to a secretary and her audience of fifty amused colleagues.”

Herb Mordkoff, another member, remembers being hired to sing with his quartet to a waitress in a diner near MacArthur Airport one year, then being hired to return when her husband proposed. “Not a dry eye in the whole diner,” he said. A year and a half later, his quartet was singing for the couples’ child’s first birthday party.  

The package for $75 includes two songs, a box of chocolates, personalized card and a signature rose.  To book a quartet for a singing Valentine or any occasion, call 631-644-0129 or email [email protected]. A portion of the proceeds go to the Good Shepherd Hospice in Port Jefferson.

GIVING BACK

During the holiday season, Suffolk Federal joined forces with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island and raised $5,932 for their Holidays for Kids Sake program. “Giving back and enriching our local communities is both a mission and a passion for Suffolk Federal,” said Ralph D. Spencer Jr., Suffolk Federal president and CEO. Pictured above, from left, Keith Miller, executive vice president and CLO at Suffolk Federal and BBBSLI president’s council member with Mark Cox, chief executive officer, BBBSLI. 

Photo from Suffolk Federal

Image courtesy of PSEG

PSEG Long Island announced on Jan. 21 it has launched a new mobile app that enables customers using Apple or Android devices to securely and easily manage electric accounts while on the go. 

“Our world is driven by technology. Today’s customers expect companies to do everything they can to make it easier and more convenient to do business,” said Dan Eichhorn, PSEG Long Island’s president and COO and chief customer officer for PSEG Long Island and PSE&G. 

The new app allows customers to make payments, compare and manage energy use, report an outage, manage payment options and contact customer service. To get started, customers simply link their My Account to the new PSEG Long Island app.

Rick Walden, vice president of customer services at PSEG Long Island, said, “Ultimately, our customers are at the heart of everything we do. This new app, as well as the other customer service improvements we are pursuing, help PSEG Long Island provide our customers with best-in-class experiences and become the electric company of the future.”

The exterior of Wahlburgers in Port Jefferson Station. The restaurant sign was recently removed. File photo

Restaurant chain Wahlburgers officially closed its only New York location in Port Jefferson Station at 4837 Nesconset Highway over the past weekend. 

Donnie Walhberg takes photos with a fan during his December, 2018 appearance. Photo by Rita J. Egan

A statement was issued on the restaurant’s Facebook page on Jan. 26 that read, “To our Port Jefferson Wahlburgers fans: Our Wahlburgers location in Port Jefferson has served its final burger. Thank you for all the love since we opened our doors in 2016! We look forward to seeing you all again at one of our other restaurants in the future!”

Donnie Wahlberg, co-owner of the chain along with brothers Mark and Chef Paul Wahlberg, last visited the location on Dec. 28, 2018. The interior decor was filled with photos and memories celebrating the Wahlberg brothers’ life journeys from Dorchester neighborhood kids to rising chef and international superstars.

Known for its gourmet burgers, sandwiches, tater tots, macaroni and cheese and frappes, the chain is currently in 18 states including New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts as well as Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The shuttered Port Jefferson Station site has played host to a number of eating establishments over the years including Eldorado Southern Bar & Grill, Road Trip American Ale House and the Driftwood Inn. Plans are currently underway to open a new restaurant within the next few months.

Compiled by Heidi Sutton

Stock photo

All Souls Church in Stony Brook hosts a Shamanic Drumming meditation session in its Parish Hall basement, 10 Mill Pond Road, Stony Brook on Thursday, Jan. 30 from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Led by experienced shamanic drummer Ric Statler, the meditation seeks to integrate the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual parts of the human self, creating a state of well-being. Free. Call 631-655-7798 for more info.