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Suzie Dunn

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'The faster we swim, the sooner we win!' The cast, from left, Stephanie Moreau, Suzie Dunn, Elizabeth Ladd, Lori Beth Belkin and Tamralynn Dorsa. Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Sweet Delilah Swim Club' Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Sweet Delilah Swim Club' Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
Elizabeth Ladd and Lori Beth Belkin in a scene from the play. Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Sweet Delilah Swim Club' Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Sweet Delilah Swim Club' Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Sweet Delilah Swim Club' Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Sweet Delilah Swim Club' Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
The cast of 'The Sweet Delilah Swim Club' Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

By Heidi Sutton

Theatre Three continues its 52nd season with a lovely production of The Sweet Delilah Swim Club. The show opened last Saturday and runs through Feb 4.

Written by Jesse Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten, the play features five very different Southern women who begin a friendship on their college swim team and make a pact to get together one weekend in August every year to catch up on their lives. For over 50 years, they meet at the same oceanfront beach cottage, the “Sweet Delilah,” on North Carolina’s Outer Banks for conversation, drinks, dinner and a dip in the ocean. 

The audience is treated to four of these reunions — the first is 22 years after their college graduation, the second and third 5 years apart, and a final visit to the cottage before it is to be demolished 23 years later. 

Expertly directed by Linda May and armed with a cleverly written script, the cast is superb and put on a beautiful show. 

Tamralynn Dorsa is perfect as Sheree Hollinger, the perennial team captain who is always governing the group, from serving healthy mung bean appetizers that the others quickly dispose of in a houseplant, to distributing a written itinerary for the week and even packing her friends’ suitcases. 

Stephanie Moreau is incredible as event planner Lexie Richards, the four-time divorcee who has her plastic surgeon on speed dial and is always on the lookout for the next cute guy to come along (think Samantha Jones from Sex in the City).

Lori Beth Belkin plays workaholic (and perhaps alcoholic) Dinah Grayson who has put her successful career as an attorney before her personal life and now has regrets. Armed with a dry martini, her character delivers some of the funniest lines in the show.

We see the most change in Elizabeth Ladd’s character, Jeri Neal McFeeley, aka Sister Mary Esther, who goes from being a nun to a single mother at age 44 and then finds the man of her dreams to spend the rest of her life with.

Suzie Dunn is outstanding as school teacher Vernadette Simms. Bad luck seems to follow her everywhere and she appears in each scene with a different cast. She also shares tales of her dysfunctional family, from an abusive husband to a jailbird son. Her appearance in the last scene suffering from dementia is one of the most poignant in the show.

The set, a cozy beach cottage designed by Randall Parsons; period costumes and wigs by Jason Allyn; and sound effects by Tim Haggerty tie everything together nicely. Grab the girlfriends, a box of tissues, and catch a performance of this hilarious and touching show before it’s gone. 

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents The Sweet Delilah Swim Club on the Mainstage through Feb. 4. The season continues with Side By Side By Sondheim from Feb. 18 to March 18, Pride @ Prejudice from April 7 to May 6, and Something Rotten! from May 20 to June 24. Tickets are$35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

See trailer here:

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Ginger Dalton and Antoine Jones in a scene from 'Perfectly Normal'
Stephen Wangner, Antoine Jones and Suzie Dunn in a scene from "Perfectly Normal"
From left, Stephen Wangner, Michelle LaBozetta and Nicole Bianco in “Playlist to Have a Crisis To”
The cast in “The Making of Medea’s Medea”
Linda May in "The Making of Medeas Medea"
Steve Ayle, Linda May, Dylan Robert Poulos, Steven Uihlein and Ryan Schaefer in “Family by Numbers”
Douglas Quattrock and Ryan Schaefer in “For a Moment in the Darkness, We Wait”
Antoine Jones and TracyLynn Conner in “The Unforgivable Sin of Forgiveness”
The cast of Theatre Three's 22nd annual Festival of One-Act Plays

By Heidi Sutton

From Mainstage productions to children’s theater, to concerts and film screenings, comedy shows and improv, Theatre Three always has a lot to offer. However, it is the Festival of One-Act Plays that many look forward to each year with eager anticipation. 

Showcasing six original works selected from 425 submissions, the 22nd annual festival opened last weekend for a nine-performance run in the intimate setting of The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre on the second stage. 

Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, each short play is exciting; some dark, some funny, some sad, with lots of twists and turns. It is the unknown, the unfamiliar that makes it all so entertaining to watch. 

The show kicks off with Tom Slot’s “Playlist to Have a Crisis To.” Teenager Alexis (Nicole Bianco) has just hit a burglar dressed in a Santa Claus suit (Stephen T. Wangner) with an encyclopedia and he’s on the floor unconscious. She calls her girlfriend Tanya (Michelle LaBozzetta)to come over to wait for the police to arrive. When the man wakes up he claims to be the real Santa Claus. He knows things only Santa would know, but everyone knows he’s only a legend, right? And if he is real, will Alexis always be known as the girl who beat up Father Christmas?

Next up is “For a Moment in the Darkness, We Wait” by Libby Leonard, the touching story of two gay men, the older Bernard (Douglas Quattrock) and teenager Connie (Ryan Schaefer) struggling to hide their sexual identity in New York City the 1940s. You feel their pain, their frustration and their sadness in this emotional performance. 

The mood lightens greatly with “Perfectly Normal” by J. Joseph Cox, a hilarious look at the changing workplace. Antoine Jones, Suzie Dunn, Steve Wagner, Nicole Bianco and Ginger Dalton star in this delightful comedy. There’s a new boss in town and we hear of the workplace changes from breakroom gossip. “He swept in here like the Gestapo!” Employees are disappearing, Human Resources is boarded up, cavity searches are being conducted, and the final blow, coffee has been replaced by tea. This is normal?

“Family by Numbers” by Arianna Rose is the heartbreaking story of a family that loses a son in a hiking accident. Beautifully written, it  begins when the parents first meet, get married, raise three boys and then struggle with their tragic loss and one less number. Powerful performances all around by Steve Ayle, Linda May, Dylan Robert Poulos, Steven Uihlein and Ryan Schaefer.

After intermission, Rich Orloff’s “The Unforgivable Sin of Forgiveness” takes the stage. A wife (TracyLynn Conner) confesses to her husband (Antoine Jones) that she has been having an affair for three years. His response? “I know.” Taken aback, the wife turns the tables and demands to know why he hasn’t let on that he knew all this time. “You lied to your wife when all these years I’ve been faithful six days out of seven?” she exclaims in disbelief.

The final and longest act, “The Making of Medea’s Medea” by Chas Belov, is where the production of Medea’s modern-day retelling of her own story of revenge is played out on Theatre Three’s Mainstage while being turned into a documentary. We meet Medea, Jason, the actors that play them, the actors that play the part of the employees at Theatre Three, psychologists, Greek playwrights and more. The entire cast takes part with special mention to Linda May as the heartbroken and vengeful Medea.

With an excellent lineup and incredible cast, this festival is not to be missed. Get yourself a ticket before they sell out.

Sponsored by Lippencott Financial Group, Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson will present the 22nd annual Festival of One-Act Plays through May 5. Running time is 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

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The cast of 'The Wizard of Oz'. Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
Dorothy and friends delight audiences at the Engeman

By Rita J. Egan

The John W. Engeman Theater closes out its 2017-2018 Children’s Theater with a charming version of the cherished children’s tale, “The Wizard of Oz.” The Northport venue debuted the musical on March 24, and Suzie Dunn has done an excellent job directing the eight adult actors down the yellow brick road.

Based on the children’s books by L. Frank Baum, “The Wizard of Oz” tells the story of young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto. When a tornado sweeps Dorothy away from her home in Kansas and over the rainbow to a magical land, she meets witches, Munchkins and three charming travel companions. While the Engeman’s “Wizard” is an abridged version of the story — no poppies and less of the witch’s monkeys and guards — all the favorite characters and songs from the 1939 MGM Studios motion picture are present.

Danielle Aliotta’s portrayal of Dorothy is as endearing as Judy Garland’s was in the movie, and the actress sings a sweet “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” with strong, clear vocals.

 

Jacqueline Hughes and Danielle Aliotta in a scene from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Photo by Jennifer Tully

Her companions down the yellow brick road are just as delightful. Jacqueline Hughes (Scarecrow), Danny Meglio (Tin Man) and Andrew McCluskey (Cowardly Lion) do fantastic jobs during their respective numbers, “If I Only Had a Brain,” “If I Only Had a Heart” and “If I Only Had the Nerve.” McCluskey’s vocals are also wonderful during his solo “If I Were King of the Forest.”

Maeve Barth-Dwyer has perfected the evil shrill voice of the Wicked Witch, and Antoine Jones plays the Wizard of Oz and the Emerald City doorman with just the right amount of quirkiness. Marielle Greguski is lovely as both Glinda and Auntie Em and sings beautifully with Aliotta on the reprise of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

With no poppies to put Dorothy and friends to sleep, the witch tries to undermine their mission with the help of a tap dancing jitterbug played by Marquez Catherine Stewart, an upbeat number that was cut from the original motion picture to shorten it. While the song and dance routine may not have been fitting for the perilous journey in the movie, it is perfect for a live production for children. Stewart, Aliotta, Hughes, Meglio and McCluskey do a fantastic job with this refreshing number.

Danielle Aliotta, Danny Meglio and Jacqueline Hughes in a scene from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Photo by Jennifer Tully

Young audience members at the Sunday show were thrilled to see the actors walk through the aisles while they were on their way to the Emerald City to see the Wizard. Costume designer Jess Costagliola has done a wonderful job replicating the character’s costumes, especially Glinda’s pretty pink gown, and a few of the actors dressed in giant hats with big googly eyes are adorable as the Munchkins.

Sponsored by Bethpage Federal Credit Union, the Engeman’s “The Wizard of Oz” is a special treat for audience members of all ages, and a wonderful tribute to a nearly 80-year-old classic that proves there’s no place like home. Running time is 90 minutes with one 15-minute intermission, booster seats are available and children can meet the cast in the lobby after the show for photos and autographs. (An autograph page is included at the back of the program.)

The John W. Engeman Theater, located at 250 Main St., Northport, presents “The Wizard of Oz” through April 29. Children’s Theater returns for the 2018-2019 season with “Shrek The Musical” from July 28 to Sept. 2 followed by “The Little Mermaid Jr.” from Sept. 22 to Oct. 28, “Frosty” from Nov. 24 to Dec. 30, “Seussical The Musical” from Jan. 26 to March 3, 2018, and ends with “Madagascar: A Musical Adventure” from March 23 to April 28. All seats are $15. For more information, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

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Alyson Leonard, Antoine Jones and Marquez Stewart in a scene from 'The Cat in the Hat'

By Heidi Sutton

For generations, Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, has entertained and delighted children and adults alike with his whimsical tales and wild imagination. Out of the 60 children’s books published during his lifetime, one of Seuss’ most popular is “The Cat in the Hat.”

Written in 1957 as an early reader book, it has since been translated into more than 15 languages and was adapted into a feature-length film starring Michael Myers in 2003. And just last week, Warner Animation Group, in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced that a fully animated version of the popular book is in the works, the first of many planned to keep the Dr. Seuss legacy alive.

In our neck of the woods, a theatrical adaptation of “The Cat in the Hat” by Katie Mitchell opened last weekend at the Engeman Theater in Northport. The adorable children’s musical will run through the first week of March. The script, which is guided with voice-overs by Steve Wangner in the wings, follows the book closely and provides for a fun afternoon of live theater.

It’s a rainy day and Sally (Danielle Aliotta) and her brother (Kevin Burns) are bored, with only their goldfish Fish (Danny Meglio) to keep them company. Their mother has gone out for a while, so they sit by the window and watch the rain fall. When the brother says “How I wish we had something to do,” the door suddenly swings open and in walks the Cat in the Hat (Antoine Jones), ready to entertain the children with some tricks he knows, and the fun begins.

Now everyone who shares their home with a cat knows that cats make messes, and this feline, although he’s wearing a hat, is no exception. In the first act he impressively balances on one leg while holding books, an umbrella, a fan, a rake, milk on a dish, a toy ship, a toy man, a cake and poor Fish before it all comes crashing down.

The cast of Dr. Seuss’ ‘The Cat in the Hat’. Photo by Jennifer Tully

In the second act, that mischievous kitty releases Thing 1 (Alyson Leonard) and Thing 2 (Marquez Stewart) from a box and things only get crazier from there. They fly kites in the house, breaking things along the way, much to the delight of the young audience. “It’s a beautiful mess,” exclaims the Cat in the Hat.

When the kids see Mother coming down the road, they know that they have to catch Thing 1 and Thing 2 and clean up before she gets home. An exciting chase scene, accompanied by the Benny Hill theme song, ensues. Will they succeed or will time run out?

Directed by Suzie Dunn, the seven adult actors do an excellent job portraying the story. The actors interact with the audience often, making them feel like they are a part of the show. At one point Meglio makes his way through the audience with a bubble machine. Later on, Aliotta invites children on stage to dance with her. Special mention should be made of Jones who clearly loves children and is funny and engaging. From the moment his character’s red-and-white-striped hat appears around the door, the audience knows they are in for a real treat. So run, don’t walk, to see the cat, The Cat in the Hat!

Running time is one hour and 10 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. Booster seats are available. Meet the cast in the lobby after the show for photos and autographs.

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport will present Dr. Seuss “The Cat in the Hat” through March 4. Up next in children’s theater is “The Wizard of Oz” from March 24 to April 29. All seats are $15. For more information, call 631-261-9700 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

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