Catch a screening of 'The Neverending Story' at the Cinema Arts Centre on April 27.
PROGRAMS
Books in the Barn
Children ages 3 to 5 with a parent/giver are invited to Books in the Barn, a free storytime event about farms, barns and animals at the Smithtown Historical Society’s Franklin O. Arthur Farm, 245 East Main St., Smithtown on April 25 from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. To register, call the Smithtown Library at 631-360-2480, ext. 213.
Spring Festival at the Hatchery – This event has been postponed to May 3.
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor presents a Spring Festival fundraiser on April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with kid’s fishing, food, music, games, environmental exhibitors and live animal encounters. Rain date is May 3. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. 516-692-6768
Model Train Show
Drop by the Smithtown Historical Society’s Frank Brush Barn, 211 East Main St., Smithtown on April 26 for a Model Train Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring an HO Scale operating layout from Long Island HOTracks. Proceeds go to the Smithtown Historical Society’s maintenance of farm buildings and animal care. Tickets are $5 adults. $3 kids ages 3 to 12 at the door.631-265-6768
Fink’s Touch-A-Tractor event
Join Fink’s Country Farm, 6242 Middle Country Road, Wading River for a Touch-A-Truck event on April 26 and April 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Come see and learn about the equipment that grows your food. Enjoy a jump pillow, chicken show, play area, barnyard and more. $11 per person ages 3 and up. 631-886-2272
Cuddle and Care
Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, Setauket presents a kids workshop, Cuddle and Care, on April 26 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Children will be introduced to the farm’s newest baby animals and learn what they eat, how they grow, and how to take care of them. There will also be a farm tour, crafts, and a tractor ride! For ages 3 to 10. $40 per child. To register, call 631-689-8172 or visit www.bennersfarm.com.
Storytime Under the Stars
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its Storytime Under the Stars series on April 27 at 6 p.m. Your favorite bedtime storybooks come to life in the planetarium theater! Children ages 2 and older are invited to wear their most comfy pajamas and bring their favorite stuffed animal. Tickets are $8 for guests, $6 for members at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Rocket Thru the Solar System
Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park presents a Tiny Tots program, Rocket Thru the Solar System, on May 1 at 10:30 p.m. Children ages 3 to 5 with a parent/caregiver will enjoy short walks, stories, dances, animal visitors, and crafts. $4 per child. Register at ww.eventbrite.com.
FILM
‘The Neverending Story’
Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids series with a screening of The Neverending Story on April 27 at noon. When Bastian reads a book called “The Neverending Story” about Fantasia, a fantasy land threatened by “The Nothing,” a darkness that destroys everything it touches, he begins to wonder if Fantasia is real and needs him to survive. Tickets are $13 adults, $5 kids. www.cinemaartscentre.org.
THEATER
‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical’
John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Diary ofa Wimpy Kid The Musical from March 22 to April 27. Read the books? Watched the movies? Now experience the musical! Middle school, ugh. It’s the worst. But Greg is determined not to be at the bottom of the popularity chart. He’ll leave that to his weird neighbor, Fregley. Or maybe Greg’s best friend, Rowley Jefferson. But it’s not going to be Greg…no way. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
A Royal Princess Party
Tickets are now on sale for A Royal Princess Party: A Villainous Tale of Magic! at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 East Main St., Smithtown from April 12 to May 4. Just in time for Spring Break, the princesses return to the Royal Kingdom of Smithtown. Special surprises and magical touches make this show a royal treat! Tickets are $17.50 per person. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.
‘The Adventures of Peter Rabbit’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson celebrates Spring Break with the return of The Adventures of Peter Rabbit from April 16 to May 10 with a sensory friendly performance on April 27 at 11 a.m. With the help of his sisters—Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-Tail—and his cousin, Benjamin Bunny, Peter Rabbit learns the power of sharing and caring in this adorable musical. All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
IN HONOR OF MOTHER EARTH
Stony Brook University presents its annual Earthstock Festival on April 25. Photo courtesy of SBU
Thursday April 24
Winds & Whales lecture
Join the Whaling Museum in Cold Spring Harbor for an online lecture, Winds & Whales, at 6 p.m. Rhianna Bozzi from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will speak about recent progress in offshore wind and to sort out fact from fiction when it comes to the effects this development has on local whale populations. Free. $10 donation appreciated. To register, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Native American Drumming
All Souls Church Rectory, 5 Mill Pond Road, Stony Brook hosts an evening of Native American Drumming Meditation from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.Led by elder drummer, Ric Statler, drumming meditation seeks to integrate the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of the human self, creating a state of well-being. Free. 631-655-7798
Vanderbilt Book Talk
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its lecture series with Dr. John T. Tanacredi, Ph.D., Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Former Director of CERCOM (Center for Environmental Research and Coastal Oceans Monitoring), at Molloy University, who will give a talk on his latest book, The Redesigned Earth: A Brief Review of Ecology for Engineers, as if the Earth Really Mattered, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10. To RSVP, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Next Chapter book signing
Join The Next Chapter Bookstore, 204 New York Ave., Huntington welcomes former New York Mets and author Art Shamsky from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Shamsky will be speaking and signing copies of his book, Mets Stories I Only Tell My Friends. Free admission. www.thenextchapterli.com
Walt Whitman Birthplace lecture
Walt Whitman Birthplace, 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station presents a lecture titled How Leaves of Grass Influenced Modern Day Self-Healing at 7 p.m. Museum curator Margaret Guardi and Curator Assistant Derry Schafer will discuss how Whitman’s fan and close friend Dr. Richard Maurice Bucke and his magnum opus Cosmic Consciousness. Tickets are $10. To register, visit www.waltwhitman.org.
An Evening of Comedy
The Comedy Club returns to Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson at 8 p.m. with another outrageous night of live stand-up featuring Paul Anthony, John Larocchia and Joe DeVito. Come early and enjoy a beverage from Griswold’s Bar. Tickets are $40. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Friday April 25
Community Blood Drive
Brookhaven Town Hall 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville will hold a blood drive in the Second Floor auditorium from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments preferred but walk-ins welcome. 631-451-6647.
Earthstock Festival at SBU
The signature Earthstock Festival returns to Stony Brook University’s West campus, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with vendors, live music, a duck race, lots of activities and performances. Free and open to all. Visit www.stonybrook.edu/earthstock for more info.
Arbor Day Tree Giveaway
In celebration of Arbor Day, the Town of Brookhaven will hold its annual tree seedling, mulch and compost give away in the South Parking Lot of Brookhaven Town Hall, located at 1 Independence Hill in Farmingville from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The tree seedlings available for pick-up are Red Pine; American Hazelnut; Bear Oak; Hybrid Poplar; Wetland Rose; Bristly Locust; Sand Cherry and Prairie Willow. Free mulch and compost will also be available in bulk — residents must bring shovels and containers to load it into their vehicles. All items will be available on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. For more info, call 631-451-TOWN.
Vaudeville in St. James
Join Celebrate St. James, 176 Second St., St. James for a presentation by Christina Hurtado-Pierson titled Vaudeville in St. James at 7 p.m. Through stories, archival materials and historical insight, learn the role of St. James in the story of vaudeville’s rise and legacy. Refreshments will be served, Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Call 631-984-0201 to purchase.
Hawaiian Heritage Night
The Leo P. Ostebo Kings Park Heritage Museum, RJO School, 101 Church St., Kings Park presents a Hawaiian/Polynesian Heritage Night at 7 p.m. Join them for a magical night of music and dancing. The museum will be open at 6 p.m. to browse the collection. Free. kpheritagemuseum.net
Friday Night Face Off
Long Island’s longest running Improv Comedy Show, Friday Night Face Off, returns to Theatre Three’s Second Stage, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson tonight at 10:30 p.m. Using audience suggestions, FNFO pits two teams of improvisers against each other in an all-out championship! Recommended for ages 16 and up, due to adult content. Tickets are $15 at the door, cash only. 631-928-9100
Saturday April 26
Spring Craft & Vendor Fair
Time to shop! Comsewogue High School, 565 North Bicycle Path, Port Jefferson Station hosts a Spring Craft & Vendor Fair with over 50 vendors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission. 631-474-8179
Antiques in April
Huntington Historical Society’s annual outdoor Antiques in April sale returns to the Dr. Daniel W. Kissam House, 434 Park Ave., Huntington today and April 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring close to 20 antique dealers on the lawn; books, antiques and furniture from the Society’s Barn, and specials from the Antique & Collectibles Shop. Free admission. Held rain or shine. Call 631-427-7045, ext. 401 for more info.
Spring Festival at the Hatchery – This event has been postponed to May 3.
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor presents a Spring Festival fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with kid’s fishing, food, music, games, environmental exhibitors and live animal encounters. Rain date is May 3. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. 516-692-6768
Arbor Day Walk
Town of Brookhaven will host an Arbor Day Walk at West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook at 10 a.m. and at Cedar Beach Nature Center in Mount Sinai at 2 p.m. Join them for a closer look at the trees that shape the landscape and support the ecosystem on these beautiful north shore peninsulas. Free but registration required by emailing [email protected].
SBU Spring Vendor Fair
Shop local for your Mother’s Day gifts or get something just for you at a Spring Vendor Fair at the Student Activities Center Plaza at Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Rain date is April 27. 631-632-9912
Model Train Show
Drop by the Smithtown Historical Society’s Frank Brush Barn, 211 East Main St., Smithtown for a Model Train Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring an HO Scale operating layout from Long Island HOTracks. Proceeds go to the Smithtown Historical Society’s maintenance of farm buildings and animal care. Tickets are $5 adults. $3 kids ages 3 to 12 at the door.631-265-6768
Superheroes of the Sky – This event has been canceled
Join Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Sweetbriar from 11 a.m. to noon for Superheroes of the Sky, a walking tour of the Center’s birds of prey to learn about their incredible adaptations that help them survive in the wild. You’ll be seeing and learning about bald eagles, turkey vultures, owls, hawks and many more. Tickets are $10 adults, $5 children. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org.
Earth Day Celebration – This event has been postponed to May 17.
West Hills County Park, Sweet Hollow Road, Melville and Suffolk County Leg. Rebecca Sanin will host an Earth Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy a DDR horse show, live poetry readings and music, lawn games, farmers market, food vendors, environmental information booths and free giveaways. No registration required. 631-854-5100
Northport Walking Tour
Join Dan Sheehan of the Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport for a Historic Main Street Walking Tour at 1:30 p.m. Travel back in time as you hear the stories of the people and landmarks that helped shape Northport, including Jack Kerouac, the Northport Oyster Barons, Rum Runners and the Trolley.All ages welcome. $15 per person, $12 members. To register, visit www.northporthistorical.org.
Artist in the Gallery
Visitors to the Building the Ballot Box exhibition at the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook will have the unique opportunity to meet David Bunn Martine, an artist featured in the show, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. His painting, “Shinnecock Ceremony, 18th Century,” is on view in the exhibit. Included with museum admission. 631-751-0066
Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser
St. James United Methodist Church, 532 Moriches Road, St. James invites the community to a Spaghetti Dinnerand Dollar Auction from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $15 adults and children ages 13 and up, $6 children ages 4 to 12, children ages three and under are free. To reserve your spot, call or text 631-921-0680 or 631-513-7497.
Pop Girlie Party
Attention Swifties and Livies! The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 East Main St., Smithtown presents a Pop Girlie Party featuring the music of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and others with American Idol Golden Ticket winner Julia Jewel at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $46.50 to $56.50. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.
Sunday April 27
Antiques in April
See April 26 listing.
SWR Earth Day Cleanup
The Wading River Shoreham Chamber of Commerce invites the community toparticipate in an Earth Day Clean-up event from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River for a day of environmental stewardship. Supplies will be provided or feel free to bring you own. Community service credits available. Held rain or shine. Register at www.wadingrivershorehamchamber.com.
Fabulous 50s, 60s Car Show
The Fabulous 50s & 60s Nostalgia Car Club presents its annual judged car show at The Maples, 10 Ryerson Ave., Manorville from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featuring classic and muscle cars, hot ruds, customs and more with vendors and music. $20 per vehicle, $5 for spectators. Rain dates is May 3. 631-463-4983
Spring Appreciation Day
Rescheduled from April 26. Spring Appreciation Day returns to the Stony Brook Village Center, 111 Main St., Stony Brook from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can enjoy a variety of entertainment and experiences during this free event, including Steppin’ Out Ponies & Petting Zoo; Mustang & Shelby Club of Long Island Car Show; live music by Brenda & Burke; a scavenger hunt with the Ward Melville Heritage Organization Youth Corps; and a Stony Brook Fire Department Open House. For more information, visit stonybrookvillage.com.
Community and Music Festival
Rescheduled from April 26. Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce presents its 4th annual Community and Music Festival at Elk’s Lodge and McNaughton Park, 41 Horseblock Road, Centereach from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy live music by Foreign Journey, Chris Devine Acoustic and The Band Easy Street; food trucks; craft vendors; beer garden; kids activities and much more. Free admission. 631-681-8708
Motorcycle Show
Rescheduled from April 26. In conjunction with their current exhibit, Getting There, the Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook presents a Motorcycle Show in their parking lot from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Curated by Nelson Medina, the event will feature custom, classic and unique motorcycles that are sure to impress. Free refreshments and posters will be offered. 631-751-0077
Cherry Blossom Festival
Stony Brook University’s Charles B Wang Center, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook hosts its 25th annual Sakura Matsuri: Cherry Blossom Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Featuring taiko drum performances, koto plays, Japanese traditional dances, martial arts demonstrations, bonsai workshops, calligraphy workshops, ikebana flower arrangement, tea workshops, manga drawing, origami paper folding, kimono dress-ups, and cosplay for all ages. Admission is $30 adults, $20 seniors/students, $10 children ages 6 to 12. 631-698-2467
Earth Day at Sweetbriar
Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown invites the community to an Earth Day is Every Day celebration from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Children will meet resident animals, make a craft and go on a scavenger hunt to find out some of the things they can do to help the natural world. Best for families with children over 4 years old. $15 per child, $5 per adults. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org.
Karen Bella in concert
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brookpresents a concert by the Karen Bella from 3 to 4 p.m. The event is free with general admission ticket purchase. 631-689-5888, www.limusichalloffame.org
Comedy Night Fundraiser
Farmingville Residents Association hosts a Comedy Night & Chinese Auction fundraiser at Gambino Catering Hall, 2005 Route 112, Medford at 6:30 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m. Auction drawing winners will be selected at the show’s conclusion — must be present to win. Tickets are $25 per person. Contains adult content. To order, visit www.farmingvilleresidents.org. For more information, call 631-260-7411.
Monday April 28
College and Career Fair
Hauppauge High School, 200 Lincoln Blvd., Hauppauge hosts a College and Career Fair from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This event is free and open to all students and parents. College representatives will be on hand to answer questions and offer information. Presented by WSCA. To register ahead of time (optional), visit gotocollegefairs.com.
Nutrition Workshop
Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, 233 North Country Road, Mt. Sinai is hosting Integrative Nutritionist Iman Marghoob for a discussion/demonstration class at 6:30 p.m. in Voorhees Hall. Ms. Marghoob will address Endocrine Disruptors and Supplements.$20 per person. To register, call 631-473-1582 or email [email protected].
Tuesday April 29
NSJC Social Club event
North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to talk by Shari Kopelman about Israel’s emergency medical organization Magen David Adom at 11 a.m. Bagels and coffee will be served. $5 per person, $4 members. 631-928-3737
SBU University Orchestra concert
Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook presents the University Orchestra in concert on the Main Stage at 7:30 p.m. Conducted by Susan Deaver, the program will include Dukas “La Peri” fanfare for brass, Chadwick’s “Jubilee” from Symphonic Sketches, Lovreglio “Fantasia da Concerto on themes from La Traviata” and Holst’s The Planets featuring movements Mars, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter. The featured soloist is clarinetist Maximo Flores. Tickets are $15 adults, $10 seniors, $5 students. To order, call 631-632-2787 or visitwww.stallercenter.com.
Wednesday April 30
Cruise Night at The Shoppes
The Shoppes at East Wind, 5720 Route 25A, Wading River hosts a Cruise Night Car Show tonight and every Wednesday through October from 5 to 9 p.m. Visit the Shoppes, enjoy a bite to eat and then check out the fine array of classic cars in the parking lot. 631-929-3500
Goat & Alpaca Yoga
The Smithtown Historical Society, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown will host a 45 minute session of yoga with friendly, interactive goats and alpaca from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and again from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m courtesy ofby Steppin’ Out Ponies and Petting Zoo. Tickets are $35 per person via Eventbrite.com. Please bring a mat & towel. For more information, call 631-265-6768.
Harris Becker
Long Island Guitar Festival
The 33rd annual Long Island Guitar Festival kicks off tonight at The Setauket Presbyterian Church, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket with a concert from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and runs through May 4. Scheduled performers include Raphaella Smits, Hao Yang, Jérémy Jouve, Kithara Duo, Mela Guitar Quartet, Harris Becker & Friends, Nathan Park and more plus master classes and workshops. For a schedule of events, visit www.ligfest.net.
Thursday May 1
Long Island Guitar Festival
See April 30 listing.
Thankful Thursdays at the Vanderbilt
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its Thankful Thursdays series with a free family-friendly planetarium show titled Earth, Moon and Sun at 7 p.m. After the show, an astronomy educator will invite you to look through a telescope at the night sky (weather permitting). Recommended for ages 8 and up. For complimentary tickets, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Strictly Sinatra at The Jazz Loft
The Jazz Loft Big Band, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents Strictly Sinatra! with vocalist Pete Caldera tonight, May 2 and May 3 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. $40 admission with senior, student and child discounts. To order, visit www.thejazzloft.org. 631-751-1895
Film
‘Front Row’
The Port Jefferson Documentary Series closes its spring season with Front Row at the First United Methodist Church, 603 Main Street, Port Jefferson on April 24 at 7 p.m. The film showcases the Ukrainian National Ballet’s poignant company tour as it performs far from the frontlines and invites a soldier who lost his legs to partake in a singular performance. Followed by a conversation with Stony Brook Professor Juliette Passer, journalist Nataliia Tuiahina and SBU grad student Tetiana Fedotova. Tickets are $10 at the door (cash only) or at www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com.
‘Pink Floyd at Pompeii’
A screening of Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII, the groundbreaking 1972 film directed by Adrian Maben, now digitally re-mastered in 4K from the original 35mm footage with enhanced audio, will be held atthe Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington on April 24 at 7:30 p.m. and April 27 at 7 p.m. Set in the haunting ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheater in Pompeii, it showcases Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert without an audience. The film includes stunning visuals, behind-the-scenes moments, and unforgettable tracks like “Echoes” and “One of These Days” along with additional Abbey Road Studios documentary segments covering the recording of 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon. Tickets are $18, $12 members. www.cinemaartscentre.org
‘Gotta Dance’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson in collaboration with the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council presents a special screening of the documentary Gotta Dance on April 27 at 7 p.m. The film inspired the musical Half Time, the incredible true story of ten determined dreamers who audition to dance at half time for a major basketball team with three things in common — they love to dance, they have something to prove, and they are all over 60 years old. Followed by Jeffrey Sanzel in conversation with director Dori Berinstein (Dirty Dancing). Tickets are $10. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘Wicked’
Join Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station to watch Wicked starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Jonathan Bailey on April 29 from 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. To reserve your seat, call 631-928-1212 or visit www.cplib.org
Theater
‘Waitress The Musical’
John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Waitress The Musical from March 13 to April 27. Based on the 2007 movie, ittells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker, stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop until a baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness. To order, call 631-261-2900 or go to www.engemantheater.com.
‘The Minutes’
North Shore United Methodist Church, 260 Rte. 25A, Wading River presents three performances of The Minutes on April 25 and 26 at 7 p.m. and April 27 at 3 p.m. A comedy by Pulitzer Prize-winning Tracy Letts, the play is written as a city council meeting happening in real time, with a motley crew of community members vying for control and influence.Presented by Riverhead Faculty and Community Theatre, directed by Huck Hirsch. Tickets $20 adults, $15 students $15 in advance by calling 631-929-6075 or at the door.
‘Wait Until Dark’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage season with Wait Until Dark from April 18 to May 11. Jeffrey Hatcher’s gripping new adaptation of Frederick Knott’s classic sets the action in 1944 Greenwich Village. Susan, a woman who recently lost her vision, is imperiled by con men searching for a mysterious doll. Trapped in her apartment, Susan draws on new depths of resourcefulness as the story builds to its extraordinary, breath-taking conclusion. Contains adult situations. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’
Suffolk County Community College, 533 College Road, Selden presents Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — The Musical in the Shea Theater in the Islip Arts Building April 17 to 19 and April 23 to 26 at 7:30 p.m. andApril 27 at 2 p.m. Based on the smash-hit movie, the play is the heartwarming, uplifting adventure of three friends, a glamorous Sydney-based performing trio who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian outback. Featuring hits like “It’s Raining Men,” “I Will Survive,” “Hot Stuff,” “Go West,” “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” and “I Love The Nightlife.” General admission is $15, veterans and students 16 years of age or younger $10. SCCC students with current ID get one free ticket. To order, call 631-451-4163. S
(mostly) TRUE THINGS
The Performing Arts Studio, 224 East Main St., Port Jefferson presents a (mostly) TRUE THINGS Storytelling Show on April 26 at 7 p.m. Join them for a compelling evening of true stories – with a twist on the theme GAME ON! Hosted by Jude Treder-Wolff, the show will feature Marc Abbott, Aaron Foss, Cyndi Zaweski, and Jezrie-Mercano-Courtney. Tickets are $20 online at www.mostlytruethings.com, $25 cash at the door.
‘South Pacific’
The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport continues its Main Stage season with South Pacific from May 15 to June 29. This beloved musical takes place on a South Pacific island during World War II where two love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. With songs such as “Some Enchanted Evening,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “Younger Than Spring-time,” and “There Is Nothin’ Like A Dame,” South Pacific’s lush score contains some of the best songs ever written by Rodgers & Hammerstein. For more information and to order, call 631-261-2900 or go to www.engemantheater.com.
Class Reunions
— Ward Melville High School Class of 1975 will hold its 50 year reunion at St George Golf & Country Club in East Setauket on June 14 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. $126.00 per person includes hors d’oeuvres, Prime Rib buffet dinner and open bar. Contact Cary Fichtner-Vuat 703-861-8259 or [email protected] for tickets by June 2. No walk-ins.
Farmers Markets
Huntington Farmers Market
Spirit of Huntington Art Center, 2 Melville Road North, Huntington Station hosts the Long Island Winter Farmers Market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from Jan. 5 through April 27. 631-470-9620
Port Jefferson Farmers Market
The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market returns to the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Jan. 12 through April 27. 631-802-2160
CALENDAR DEADLINEis Wednesday at noon, one week before publication. Items may be mailed to: Times Beacon Record News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733. Email your information about community events to [email protected]. Calendar listings are for not-for-profit organizations (nonsectarian, nonpartisan events) only, on a space-available basis. Please include a phone number that can be printed.
Words pour out of our mouths like different kinds of liquids.
Sometimes, those words can offer necessary relief from white hot anger, agony or discomfort, serving as a cooling salve, bringing a smile to our miserable faces and turning, as the cliche would suggest, a frown upside down.
Other times, the words people choose to share can exacerbate an already inflamed state, serving as lighter fluid, threatening to turn us from a mild shade of pink into a deep red.
Words can also become an avalanche, forcing us to look elsewhere as a nonstop collection of words, phrase or ideas threatens to bury us beneath their verbal weight. Desperate to get away, we might hope the speaker gets distracted by a flying turtle.
A diatribe, lesson or self-aggrandizing soliloquy can be exhausting and irritating.
But, it’s not just the words and their effect that are so familiar in conversations.
No, you see, it’s the facial expressions. Many people have a remarkable ability to run the gamut of human emotions and thoughts without saying a word. A tightening of the skin around their eyes, a slight narrowing of the lids, a crooked smile, or a baring of teeth, which is probably the least subtle of the facial reactions, can reveal something about our inner state or disclose how we’re feeling about the world around us or, more precisely, the person in front of us.
To varying degrees, actors and actresses have mastered the art of using their often photogenic, compelling, or sympathetic faces to tell stories and, perhaps, to reveal the inner conflict we know they are feeling when, say, their sister asks them to be a bridesmaid when she’s planning to marry a person the actress has loved for years. Yes, that was a mildly amusing movie and yes, you probably know it.
The rest of us mere facial mortals, however, may not be as capable of altering our features to reflect the wide range of emotions we might reveal in response to the way we feel behind the masks we try to wear.
When I lived in Manhattan, I thoroughly enjoyed people watching. It’s a form of endless entertainment. Leaning on the railing at Rockefeller Center in mid December years ago, I watched an elderly couple gliding around the rink together, holding hands and glancing contentedly at each other, clearly enjoying the moment. With gloved fingers interlaced, they synchronized their legs as well as any pairs figure skaters might.
While I imagined that they had been together for decades and that they might have gone to an ice skating rink on an early date, they also could have been together for a couple of months or, perhaps, gotten married a year earlier.
Either way, their faces, which I can still picture decades later, revealed a keen and profound satisfaction.
Some people undoubtedly have mastered the art of the poker face, appearing interested or attentive when they are thinking about where to eat dinner later that night, what laundry they need to take to the dry cleaner, or when to sell a stock that’s been teetering with all the others amidst concerns about corporate profits and a potential slowdown in the economy.
Others, however, can reveal the equivalent of an SOS call, with a slight turn of their neck, widening eyes, and a faint but noticeable grimace around their pained mouths.
When we get to know family or friends well, we can read their expressions or hear the flat tone in their voices, knowing that the word “interesting,” or “you don’t say,” really means, “please stop talking. I’ll pay you to stop talking. In fact, here is a set of fake plastic ears that look like mine. Chew on them and, when you’re done, please recycle what’s left over.”
Sometimes, when I know someone well enough, I’ll watch their faces as they listen to a perspective that irritates them, a joke they don’t find remotely amusing, or a comment they don’t appreciate and I’ll recognize the unspoken but deeply held thoughts etched in their faces.
With all the finely tuned muscles in our faces and our ability to raise or lower our eyebrows, we can send signals that the attentive listener or others can read like a subtle or, perhaps more obvious, signal.
A statue of Balto in Central Park. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Roman Eugeniusz
By Leah S. Dunaief
Leah Dunaief, Publisher
While most of us know “of the famous ride of Paul Revere,” quoting Longfellow, there is another ride that happened 100 years ago that we can commemorate. It has to do with one of my favorite dogs. His name was Balto, an Alaskan husky and sled dog born in Nome, and he led a team of sled dogs, driven by Gunnar Kaasen and carrying vital diphtheria antitoxin through fierce Alaskan storms across the wilderness and into history.
The serum was desperately needed to combat an outbreak of the disease. Planes such as they were in 1925, were grounded by the intense weather. The only hope for rescue was with the perilous trip by sled. Kaasen insisted that Balto was the true hero. A movie, a nationwide tour on the vaudeville circuit and a bronze statue in Central Park resulted.
Now I visited Central Park most Sundays, when the weather permitted, throughout my elementary school years, with my dad and younger sister. It was my dad’s way of giving my mother a few hours off and of having some time with us since he worked six days a week, left early in the morning, and only returned for a late dinner. He would cook us breakfast, and then we would walk through the Park, taking a different route each time until my mother would join us in the late afternoon with a picnic supper.
Most often, he made sure our meanderings took us past the statue of Balto. I would climb up on the rock on which he stood, then sit astride his back, and listen as my dad read the words on the plaque adorning the site “dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the winter of 1925: endurance, fidelity, intelligence” Visuals of the trip would run through my mind as I sat there, courtesy of Jack London, whose books I read. I loved Balto.
But there is quite a back story.
For starters, Balto was an underdog in a literal sense. He was owned by Leonhard Seppala, a native Norwegian, sled dog breeder, musher and competitive racer, and was named after an Arctic explorer. Balto had a black fur coat, a small, stocky build with two white stocking front feet and was considered “second rate” as a racer by Seppala, who had him neutered at six months and used him to haul freight for short runs and help pull railcars with miners over a disused railroad track. Gunnar Kaasen, another native Norwegian and a close family friend of Seppala, with 21 years of dog sledding experience who worked for the breeder, came to know Balto and believed Seppala had misjudged the dog because of his short stature.
Early in 1925, doctors realized a deadly diphtheria epidemic could affect thepeople of Nome, Alaska, and putting the city under quarantine, transmitted with Morse code that the town desperately needed more serum, whose supply was almost depleted. Mushers were summoned to relay the precious cargo. Radio, a recent invention, picked up the story, as well as newspapers, and followed the more than 20 mushers as they took turns through storms and strong winds. Kaasen was appointed to drive a team of Seppala’s dogs, and although Seppala wanted a dog named Fox to lead the team, Kaasen picked Balto. They left the town of Bluff with the antitoxin at 10 p.m.
Shortly after they started, a blizzard caused them to become confused and lost. Kaasen yelled, “Go home, Balto,” and the dog, used to hauling heavy loads, navigated his team through the wild winds. At one point, Balto unexpectedly stopped before some ice on the Topkok River that broke in front of him, thereby saving Kaasen’s life and that of the entire team, according to the musher. The package was delivered in time, and the residents were saved.
There is more to the story. Especially as money entered the picture, lies and deception, jealousy and hatred all became part of the human saga. But Balto will always remain my 100-year-old dog.
Symptoms can range from dizziness and lightheadedness on standing to an inability to get out of bed.
These symptoms, which are characteristic of several medical conditions, are at the heart of a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS.
Affecting considerably more women than men, POTS, which is caused by a sudden and sometimes dramatic increase in heart rate when people stand, can be anything from a nuisance to a debilitating condition.
On Saturday, April 26, at 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., several doctors, working with Dysautnomia International, will present information at a continuing medical education course at the MART auditorium at Stony Brook University about POTS, which people can also attend virtually. Details and registration can be found below. This course is designed for medical professionals, but patients and caregivers are welcome to register too.
The condition is triggered by a problem with the autonomic nervous system, which controls heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and temperature regulation among other functions.
“I’ve had patients who were previously athletes who can’t exercise anymore,” said Dr. Jeffrey Boris, a pediatric cardiologist with a private practice, an expert in POTS, and one of the speakers at the course at Stony Brook.
In a previous study Boris conducted, he found that two out of three of his POTS patients had at least 10 symptoms, while half of them had at least 14 symptoms and 30 percent had at least 26 symptoms.
“The degree of debility can vary from some exercise intolerance to pretty much unable to get out of bed,” said Boris, who sees patients exclusively through telehealth and who is licensed to practice medicine in 18 states, not including New York.
An estimated one to three million Americans had some form of POTS before Covid. That number has increased to as many as six million.
Often triggered by an infection like the Epstein Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis, by Lyme Disease or even by concussions, POTS has no specific standard of care, as doctors have used a variety of pharmacological and non pharmacological treatments to help people suffering with these symptoms.
Some studies suggest that genetics plays a role in contributing to the disease.
Several high profile women have shared their battles with POTS, including Olympic gold-medal swimmer Katie Ledecky and Tori Moore, the wife of Super Bowl winning quarterback Nick Foles. Some doctors recommend swimming to POTS patients.
Medical education
The health care field hasn’t focused as much on POTS as it does on other diseases or conditions.
Doctors don’t always recognize POTS because they never learned about it in school, don’t believe it exists or didn’t train for this in their specialty work, Boris said.
The combination of these factors makes it harder for patients to receive a diagnosis.
Additionally, several other conditions have similar symptoms, including thyroid disease, low vitamin D, low iron and Addison’s Disease, among others.
The average patient takes four years to get an accurate diagnosis, according to Lauren Stiles, founder and president of Dysautonomia International (DI) and Research Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. Stiles is the course co-chair for the POTS.
Indeed, Jennifer Samghabadi, who works as a registered nurse for neurologist Dr. Mark Gudesblatt, had symptoms of POTS as early as 2004, but didn’t receive a diagnosis until after her symptoms worsened in 2012 following a bout with swine flu.
POTS “is often misdiagnosed,” said Samghabadi, who is a resident of Port Jefferson Station. “Symptoms mimic so many other things. Your autonomic nervous system is misfiring in every which way.”
Stiles, who founded DI in 2012 and has created support groups in over 80 countries for people who suffer from this condition, has been working with medical schools around the country to create more training for doctors.
Patients are typically treated through a combination of pharmacological and non pharmacological approaches. The medicines they have used, including ivabradine, have been approved for the treatment of other conditions and are used in an off-label basis.
Boris is planning to talk to doctors about various types of treatments he’s used that work.
“I can’t routinely predict what therapies are going to help,” Boris said. “It’s really variable from patient to patient. It can be a lot of trial and error.”
Non-pharmacological treatments include elevating the head of the bed frame about six to eight inches. That can cause the kidneys to hold onto salt and water, which can lesson symptoms, Boris explained.
Additionally, doctors recommend a high salt, high liquid diet, which can include three liters or more of water each day.
Boris has had some success working with abdominal binders, which he has found are more effective than compression stockings.
To be sure, some patients have gastrointestinal issues, including nausea, bloating and constipation. For those patients, as well as people who have autism spectrum disorder, abdominal pressure won’t likely provide any relief and may make some symptoms or discomfort worse.
In the talk Boris is giving, he would like doctors to recognize that the disease exists, it’s validated and it’s something that, if health care professionals are creative and thoughtful, they can find possible treatment options for patients who are often suffering through different levels of symptoms.
At this point, federal funding for research into POTS stands at about $4 million per year, which is up from $2 million per year before Covid, but is still short of what doctors and advocates would like to see for a potentially debilitating disease.
Boris hopes that further research will provide a better idea of what is leading to POTS, which may lead to a Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment.
People who wants to learn more about the condition can visit the web site CurePOTS.org. Dysautonomia International offers a list of doctors skilled in diagnosing and treating POTS as well as other autonomic disorders.
Samghabadi, who is on the board of DI, urged medical care professionals to attend the course.
“It’s going to teach you everything you need,” she said. “It’s practical, evidence-based strategies for diagnosing and treating dysautonomia and is immediately applicable to patients.”
Even doctors who don’t think they can treat these patients should be aware of it so they know where to send patients, she suggested.
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DETAILS AND REGISTRATION:
Dysautonomia International and Stony Brook University School of Medicine invite you to join us for a Continuing Medical Education course, Updates in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome Clinical Care & Research, on Saturday, April 26, 2025, 9am-4pm ET, held at the Stony Brook University MART Auditorium.
A networking reception with light refreshments will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. after the course.
Advanced registration is required. Up to 5.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ are available for online or in person CME registrants. Please see the event website for details on CME credits. The lectures will be recorded and made available to all registered guests after the live event. CME credit is only available by watching the live broadcast or attending in person.
If you are unable to attend in person or watch the livestream, but would like access to the recorded lectures, you can register for the “Livestream with no CME credit” option.
Detectives from the Suffolk County SPCA have charged a Kings Park woman with alleged animal cruelty and abandonment charges.
Roy Gross, Chief of the Suffolk SPCA, said that its detectives charged Hanchao Zhang, 37, on misdemeanor animal cruelty alleging that she abandoned her male one year old labrador mix puppy named Cola at Sunken Meadow State Park on April 14.
New York State Park Rangers who discovered the dog after being abandoned without food, water, or shelter in a semi wooded area of the park. The dog was transported to the Smithtown Animal Shelter and is now up for adoption. Read more about Cola here.
Suffolk County Police Seventh Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed a
pedestrian in Manorville on April 23.
Thomas Regan was crossing Route 111, just north of Chapman Boulevard, at approximately 5:40 a.m.
when he was struck by a northbound 2024 Porsche, driven by Robert Ziemer.
Regan, 64, of Manorville, was pronounced dead at the scene. Ziemer, 58, of East Hampton, was not
injured. The Porsche was impounded for a safety check.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call the Seventh Squad at 631-852-
8752.
24 tons of concrete was illegally dumped in the Pine Barrens. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. was joined by Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico, the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office’s BEAST Unit and other Pine Barrens advocates on Earth Day, April 22, to announce the results of two investigations following residential and commercial dumping incidents around the Pine Barrens preservation area.
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon addressed the illegal dumping in the Pine Barrens at a press conference on April 22. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office
“The Sheriff’s Office has been patrolling the Pine Barrens for over 30 years and we take our role very seriously,” said Sheriff Toulon. “These arrests are a direct result of enhanced surveillance, interagency teamwork, and the diligence of our environmental enforcement units. Both individuals could have disposed of their waste legally—but they chose not to. Illegal dumping is lazy and harmful to our Island’s environment and taxpayers’ wallets.”
Sheriff Toulon and officials announced the arrest of Joao Abreu for allegedly dumping 24 tons of concrete in a remote wooded area off Long Island Avenue in Yaphank.
A six-week joint investigation between the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau and the District Attorney’s BEAST Unit, which included license plate checks, vehicle tracking, background checks, and witness interviews, led to the arrest of Joao Abreu owner of Chase Construction Enterprises. Abreu, of Port Jefferson, was charged with Felony Criminal Mischief, punishable by up to 7 years in prison. Additional charges are pending, including fines up to $150,000.
Investigators also discovered that Abreu had 27 license suspensions and did not hold a valid CDL license. His commercial vehicle, which was used in the crime, was seized and found to have 19 safety violations. It was immediately placed out of service by the Sheriff’s Office’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit.
Household debris was illegally dumped in the Pine Barrens. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Toulon and officials also announced the arrest of Riverhead woman Jeanne Rodriguez after a trail camera captured a U-Haul truck illegally dumping household items—including mattresses, box springs, dressers, and a television—in a secluded section of the Pine Barrens in Manorville. Following a thorough investigation, Rodriguez was arrested and charged with Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree, a Class D felony as well as multiple violations of local dumping laws.
“Our environment is precious, and one of the reasons why Suffolk County is such a beautiful place to be. These types of crimes cannot and will not be tolerated, and law enforcement will find and arrest anybody who dares to illegally dispose of any waste in Suffolk County,” said County Executive Ed Romaine.
“These alleged acts of illegal dumping in our treasured Pine Barrens were egregious and demonstrated a blatant disregard for environmental laws designed to protect our ecosystem,” said District Attorney Ray Tierney.
“I want to express my gratitude to the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office who along with our Pine Barrens Enforcement partnership were instrumental in bringing these alleged offenders to justice.Suffolk County’s environmental heritage is not negotiable, and we will continue pursuing maximum penalties for individuals who choose to prioritize convenience over conservation of our irreplaceable natural resources,” he said.
Sheriff Toulon also highlighted the Pine Barrens Enforcement partnership as well as their investigative tools, which include trail cameras, license plate readers (LPRs), and other advanced technology helping to catch and deter dumpers. The Sheriff’s Office urges residents to report illegal dumping by calling 1-877-BARRENS.
One in 36 children aged eight in the U.S. were diagnosed with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in 36 means that around 32 students are affected by ASD in a high school of 1238 students–the number of students enrolled at Smithtown High School West from 2023-2024. It means that 76 students from kindergarten to sixth grade in the Three Village School District may have trouble socializing, communicating and learning.
The number of adults impacted is less defined, with some adults going undiagnosed, though the CDC estimates 1 in 45 adults in the U.S. have ASD. These individuals are artists. They are educators, technicians, writers, engineers and leaders. They helped make our community, but our community was not made for them.
Often people with ASD have to “mask.” According to the National Autistic Society, people with ASD sometimes mask in order to appear non-autisitic. Autistic people have described masking as “tightly controlling and adjusting how you express yourself based on the real or anticipated reactions of others.”
ASD causes the person to have trouble communicating in social situations. They may exhibit repetitive behaviors called “stimming” or strictly adhere to a fixed routine. They may get overstimulated by certain sensations or experiences. Autism is a spectrum, so it affects everyone in varying degrees.
People with ASD have helped shaped our society in significant ways. Greta Thunberg, for example, is a 22-year old environmental activist who inspired thousands to advocate for environmental protections. She is also on the autistic spectrum.
Renowned actor Anthony Hopkins is also reportedly on the autistic spectrum and was diagnosed late in his life.
Most people have some connection to a person who has ASD. Expanding consideration to the different needs and preferences of autistic individuals does not take much work. Offering different resources and services, like Father Andrew Garnett is doing in holding a sensory-friendly church service, is a great way to show that people with different abilities are valued. We can ask questions–what can we do to help? Perhaps we can communicate differently and avoid sarcasm. We can be cognizant of sensory issues. Most importantly, we can listen. Let’s make an effort to be more considerate to those with ASD and to learn about how we can make our community more inclusive, not just this April during Autism Awareness Monthbut always.
Suffolk County Police arrested a man on April 22 for driving in Huntington Station with 74 license
suspensions on 12 dates.
A Second Precinct officer initiated a traffic stop on Maplewood Road, near White Pine Court, after Walter Castillo Ochoa was observed operating a 2010 Toyota without a valid inspection sticker at 5:13 p.m. Upon further investigation, it was determined Castillo Ochoa had 74 suspensions on 12 dates.
Castillo Ochoa, 45, of Huntington Station, was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle 1st Degree, a felony. He was released on a Desk Appearance Ticket and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date. The Toyota was impounded.
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