Arts & Entertainment

Gurwin Healthcare System has announced the availability of 18 newly built studio apartments in its Gurwin Jewish ~ Fay J. Lindner Residences assisted living community. The construction of the new studios marks a new choice option for the 210-luxury apartment community, located on Gurwin’s lush 36-acre Commack campus, and comes in response to market interest for more streamlined residences at a lower price point.

Ranging in size from 241 to 278 sq. ft., the upscale studios feature dual living/sleeping areas, a kitchenette with stainless steel appliances, spacious closets and fully ADA-equipped bathrooms. Large windows welcome natural sunlight and several studios feature courtyard views. Pricing begins at $4950 per month and includes all utilities, as well as housekeeping and maintenance services. Other available services include personal laundry, including linens and towels, and appointment transportation. Included in the monthly fee is full access to the community’s amenities, including chef-prepared meals, scheduled social activities and local outings.

“The addition of studio apartments is an evolution of the Gurwin vision. We are pleased to have an expanded choice of senior living options to offer prospective residents,” said Stuart B. Almer, CEO of Gurwin Healthcare System. “With many already spoken for, our beautiful new studios meet the needs of Long Island seniors who desire a comfortable, smaller footprint residence within a caring, active and vibrant community.”

Gurwin’s Assisted Living community includes a formal dining room, a well-stocked library, tastefully appointed gathering areas, recreation and activity rooms, a synagogue, beauty/barber salon and rooms to host guests and family. Residents also have priority access to all levels of Gurwin’s care, including Gurwin’s rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility and on-site dialysis, home care programs and adult day care. In addition, residents enjoy the community’s manicured gardens, beautifully landscaped walking paths, and myriad outdoor activities including a shuffleboard court, putting green and LifeTrail exercise stations

About Gurwin Jewish ~ Fay J. Lindner Residences

Gurwin Jewish ~ Fay J. Lindner Residences assisted living community, located in Commack, Long Island, is part of the Gurwin Healthcare System, a renowned provider of a full continuum of healthcare and senior living services. In addition to its assisted living community, the System provides skilled nursing care, rehabilitation therapy, advanced care, ventilator and respiratory care, on-site dialysis, memory care, and palliative and hospice care, as well as adult day care programs and home care services. Skilled nursing and rehabilitation services are also available through Gurwin’s affiliate, Island Nursing and Rehab Center, located in Holtsville, Long Island. The campus is also home to Fountaingate Gardens, a newly opened 129-apartment independent living Life Plan Community for seniors age 62 and older.  For more information, visit www.gurwin.org or call 631-715-8500.   Follow Gurwin on Facebook (bit.ly/GurwinAssistedLiving) and on Twitter (@GurwinJewish).

 

Photo from Whisper Woods

Whisper Woods of Smithtown, a Benchmark assisted living and Mind & Memory Care community, has ranked among the best assisted living with memory care communities in New York and the entire U.S. for the second straight year. In U.S. News & World Report’s second annual Best Senior Living ratings published today, the community was selected following a comprehensive resident and family member survey. Whisper Woods is the only senior living community in the greater Smithtown area to have earned this prestigious award.

Whisper Woods earned “Best” status by achieving the highest possible rating for assisted living. Respondents gave the community high marks in critical areas, such as overall value, management and staff, resident enrichment, dining and food, safety, transportation, maintenance, housekeeping and location.

Forty Benchmark communities throughout the Northeast received a total of 53 U.S. News awards for the second straight year.

“We are honored and humbled that our residents and their families, once again, recognized the hard work, compassion, and dedication of our 6,000-plus associates. It’s their shared purpose of transforming lives through human connection that earned Benchmark these U.S. News & World Report awards and continues to separate Benchmark communities from other senior living companies,” said Tom Grape, founder, chairman and CEO of Benchmark.

Whisper Woods’ care and experiences spans independent assisted living to specialized memory care assisted living for those who would benefit from a safer, engaging environment, chef-prepared meals, supportive living services, transportation and assistance with daily activities, such as getting dressed and medication management. Residents enjoy connecting over programs and amenities offered in many common spaces including a bistro, art gallery, hair salon and spa, fitness center, recreation room and outdoor terrace with wine bar.

Whisper Woods’ award-winning Mind & Memory Care program offers carefully created living environments and unique opportunities for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia to find joy in each new day. Residents are supported by 24/7 care providers who have been hired for heart and educated in memory loss, communication and empathy. Neighborhoods provide the comforts of home and have unique features that help those with memory impairment stay connected to who and what matters most to them. Thoughtful touches, visual cues and purposeful amenities further promote familiarity and wellness.

“Our team is committed to keeping our residents connected to who and what matters most through outstanding care and experiences,” said Desiree Krajnyak-Baker, executive director of Whisper Woods. “Exceeding expectations every day is what we strive for so it’s incredibly exciting to have our dedication recognized by an industry leader like U.S. News.”

For more than 30 years, U.S. News has served the American public as an unbiased arbiter of quality across a variety of important choices. Whether picking a college, selecting a hospital or moving to a nursing home, consumers go to U.S. News to research and make consequential life decisions.

“For the second consecutive year, U.S. News is providing in-depth information to help potential residents and their loved ones find the best place to help meet their needs,” said Sumita Singh, senior vice president and general manager of Healthcare at U.S. News. “Communities that are highly rated excel in making residents feel safe, well cared for and highly satisfied by the services provided.”

For more information about Whisper Woods of Smithtown, click here or go to its U.S. News profile at https://health.usnews.com/best-senior-living/whisper-woods-of-smithtown-644.

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Earthnwood Artisans pottery and woodworking

For the month of June, the Reboli Center for Art and History is showcasing the stunning pottery and woodwork of Sayville couple Bobbie and Bob Dalpiaz.

Bobbie and Bob Dalpiaz met in college where they obtained degrees in Music Education from Ithaca College. After graduation, Bobbie pursued a career as an art and  music teacher and Bob taught music in a local school district. However, Bobbie realized her true  passion was pottery and began studying sculpture, hand building, and wheel throwing at private classes and at Stony Brook University. Residents of Sayville, Bobbie retired from teaching and is a full-time potter. Bob, on the other hand, is a full-time musician and woodworker. Together this  creative duo creates unique, handmade, functional artwork using exotic woods and high-fire  pottery.  

They began working together when a lid on one of Bobbie’s pieces broke and she asked Bob to  make a replacement out of wood, leading to a new working partnership. As Bob had no experience  with a lathe, he took classes with the Long Island Woodworkers Club. Through trial and error, he  became proficient at the lathe. In 1998, they formed Earthnwood Artisans. 

According to Bob, “The creative process begins with Bobbie’s pottery, which she often hand  carves to accentuate the form. She makes her own glazes and chooses a color and texture that  complements the piece.” “Bob then selects an exotic hardwood to complement the glaze and  creates a lid that accentuates the form. We often collaborate on the final project,” Bobbie said. 

With their second career, they started traveling to art shows in the tri-state area and were awarded Best of Pottery several times at various shows. Their work is available at a few Long Island  galleries. Bobbie also teaches pottery classes. 

“This is such a great opportunity for the Reboli Center to showcase the exquisite work of this  wonderful and talented couple. I was fascinated by how they started working together and the  combination of the wooden lids with the beautiful pottery is just amazing. They are a perfect fit,”  said Lois Reboli, a founder and president of the Reboli Center.

“As artists, it can be difficult to receive feedback on our work. Being selected as Artisans of the  Month at The Reboli Center confirms our artistic vision and we are honored to show our work  among other acclaimed and well-respected artists,” said Bobbie Dalpiaz. 

Earthnwood will be on display during the month of June at the Reboli Center, 64 Main  Street, Stony Brook. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information please call 631-752-7707 or visit  www.rebolicenter.org .

 



The St. James Farmers Market is set to start up on June 3 and run through Oct. 7. Photo from St. James Civic Association

The St. James Farmer’s Market reopens for the season on Saturday, June 3, in the parking lot of St. James Lutheran Church, 230 Second Ave., St. James from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

On opening day the market will feature 40 vendors, including Bakewicz Farm, vendors selling microgreens, fresh organic flowers, honey, coffee and teas, mushrooms, pickles, Brooklyn baked breads, treats from Norway, Polish Pierogies, craft beer, self care items, artisan crafts and much more. 

There will also be hot empanadas, live music by Perfect Strangers, free face painting, on the spot poetry project as well as a Kids Corner. Organized by volunteers of the Community Association of Greater St. James, the market will run through Oct. 7. 

 

Santiago Smalls

This week’s shelter pet is sweet Santiago Smalls, a little man with a huge heart who loves meeting people, gives out kisses freely to anyone willing to receive them and is simply endearing. 

Santiago Smalls

Santiago is very unsure around other animals; with proper introductions he will likely do well with other pets. He does like to lift his leg, so belly bands may be needed in the beginning. He also is just learning what it means to be walked on a leash but he is a quick learner and a happy soul that any family would be lucky to have.

If you would like to meet Santiago, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with him in a domestic setting. 

The Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are currently Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.

Catch a screening of 'The Dark Crystal' at the Cinema Arts Centre on June 4.

PROGRAMS

Reptile & Amphibian Appreciation Day

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor hosts a Reptile and Amphibian Appreciation Day on June 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with live exotic reptiles and amphibians presented by the Long Island Herpetological Society. The Hatchery’s own New York State native reptiles and amphibians will also be on display. Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. Call 516-692-6768 for more information.

Frogs and Friends

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, 581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown presents Frogs & Friends on June 3 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. From frogs to toads, to newts and salamanders, amphibians are an amazing group of animals! Join the park staff to learn more about these amazing cold blooded creatures and try to find them in their natural habitat. For children ages 7 to 15. Advance registration required by calling 631-265–1054.

Turtle Walk

It’s that time of year! Join Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown for a Turtle Walk on June 4 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Help check the fields for box turtles, examine the turtles and tag them if needed.    Meet some of the Center’s resident, non-releasable turtles and make a craft to take home. Meet behind the main house. For ages 4 and up. $10 per person. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org.

Family Hour Sundays

Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington continues its Family Hour Sundays series with Dual Language on June 4 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Children are invited for a family-friendly art experience with Museum Educator Tami Wood. Explore exciting works of art on view in the Museum and create fun art projects using simple materials. $10 per child, adults free. Advance registration recommended by visiting www.heckscher.org. 

One Fish, Two Fish

Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park offers a Tiny Tots program, One Fish, Two Fish, on June 8 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Children and their parents will connect with nature through short walks, animal visitors, and crafts. For ages 3 to 5. $4 per child. To register, visit Eventbrite.com and search #NatureEdventure.

Next week:

Pizza & Painting

Registration is now underway for a Pizza & Painting event at the St. James Calderone Theatre, 176 Second St., St. James on June 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy a pizza lunch and create a painting to take home. $20 first child and adult, $10 additional child/adult. To register, visit www.celebratestjames.org. Call 631-984-0201 for more information.

THEATER

‘Cinderella’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson closes its children’s theatre season with its original retelling of the poor waif Cinderella from May 27 to June 17 with a sensory sensitive performance on June 4 at 11 a.m. The classic love story finds its power in a pumpkin, a palace, a prince and a young girl whose belief in herself can overcome any obstacle. When her Fairy Godmother adds a dash of excitement, the magical possibilities are endless. Don’t miss this musical enchantment for the entire family. All seats are $10. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. See review on page B3.

‘Flat Stanley’

John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley from May 28 to July 2 with a sensory friendly performance on June 10 at 11 a.m. Stanley Lambchop is an ordinary ten-year-old who longs to travel the world and do something amazing! Careful what you wish for, Stanley! One morning, Stanley wakes up really, REALLY flat! In a whirlwind musical travelogue, Stanley scours the globe for a solution to his unusual problem. He’s stamped, posted and mailed from Hollywood to Honolulu and beyond hoping to once again become three dimensional. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

FILM

‘The Dark Crystal’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of The Dark Crystal on June 4 at noon. On another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and to restore order to his world. Rated PG. Tickets are $12, $5 children 12 and under. Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

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A CELEBRATION OF INVENTION The 6th annual Makers Faire Long Island heads to Port Jefferson on June 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. File photo by Kyle Barr/TBR News Media
Thursday June 1

Vanderbilt lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will host Scott Chaskey, poet-farmer and pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for a presentation of his latest memoir, Soil and Spirit: Cultivation and Kinship in the Web of Life at 7 p.m. Chaskey will share a life in verse, agriculture, and ecology. Tickets are $10, free for members at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.     

Friday June 2

First Friday at the Heckscher

The Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington continues its First Friday series tonight from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Explore the exhibitions during extended viewing hours and enjoy a special performance by Gail Storm at 7 p.m. Free admission.  631-380-3230

Saturday June 3

Super Cruisers Car Show

Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, 430 Sheep Pasture Rd., Port Jefferson will host the 2nd annual AHEPA Chapter 319 Port Jefferson Car Show with the Super Cruisers Nostalgia Car Club from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Breakfast and lunch available. Free admission for spectators. 516-885-7445. 

Community Yard & Craft Sale

Rescheduled from May 20. St. Cuthbert’s Episcopal Church, 18 Magnolia Place, Selden presents its first Community Yard & Craft Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with antiques, clothing, crafts of all kinds, crystals, jewelry, home decor, yard sale items, Mary Kay and more. 631-732-8773.

Community Yard/Vendor Sale

Time to shop! Setauket United Methodist Church, 160 Main St., Setauket hosts a Community Yard and Vendor Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come shop for unique treasures and new merchandise. 631-751-7375.

Scientists in the Community

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum‘s Reichert Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Rd, Centerport will host a Scientists in the Community event from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Join scientists from Brookhaven Lab as they discuss the wonders of the universe at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Take a turn with hands-on experiences that show the different weights in different planetary gravities, explore craters of the moon, and more! Free. To reserve your spot, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Art in the Park

After a three-year hiatus, the Art League of Long Island’s Art in the Park returns to Huntington’s Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington today and June 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with fine arts, crafts, vendors, music, food and art demonstrations. Free admission. 631-462-5400 

Maker Faire Long Island

Long Island Explorium hosts its 6th annual Maker Faire Long Island at Harborfront Park, 101 E. Broadway,  Port Jefferson from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A celebration of creativity and innovation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and math, the event will feature over 100 makers with exciting exhibits and performances, including a demonstration of blacksmithing techniques, Ray’s Robots and the return of the popular Saber Guild Endor temple. Tickets are available in advance at www.longisland.makerfaire.com or at the door. 631-331-3277

Spring Street Fair

Farmingdale Fire Department will host a Spring Street Fair along Main Street from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with vendors, bonsai exhibit, fire department open house, medieval times demonstration and more. Rain date June 10. 516-249-3710.

PUBlic Art Crawl

Huntington Chamber of Commerce presents the 3rd annual Huntington PUlic Art Crawl from noon to 5 p.m. Featuring live mural painting, live music, Art Fair and the launch of a summer music series, Summer in the Streets. Plus, specials and discounts at the best eateries and pubs in town. 631-423-6100

Library Summer Kickoff

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a Summer Kickoff from 2 to 4 p.m.  Enjoy, crafts, farm animals, a mobile makerspace demo, and much more! No registration necessary. 631-928-1212

Whales Ales & Salty Tales

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor hosts its annual Whales, Ales & Salty Tales fundraiser from 2 to 5 p.m. The indoor/outdoor event features craft brew tastings from local breweries, scrimshaw crafts, museum tours, whaleboat chats, Ales Tales in the workshop and live music. Tickets are $40, $15 designated driver at the door or at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. 631-367-3418

Second Saturdays concert

All Souls Church, 61 Main Street, Stony Brook continues its Saturdays at Six concert series with a performance by classical guitarist Francisco Roldán at 6 p.m. Program will include music from Argentina (Morel, Piazzolla), Cuba (Brouwer), Colombia (Roldán), The Dominican Republic (Landestoy), Paraguay (Barrios), Puerto Rico (Cordero) and Venezuela (Figueredo, Montes). Free. 631-655-7798

A Psychic Evening

Celebrate St. James hosts an evening with Jason Donegan, The Psychic Godfather, at the St. James Calderone Theater, 176 Second St., St. James at 7 p.m. Each guest will be addressed individually and when a question is asked, will receive a Spirit message. Tickets are $45, $40 members and seniors. To order, visit www.celebratestjames.org. 631-984-0201.

Sunday June 4

Art in the Park

See June 3 listing.

St. James Car Show

Long Island Cars will host a “Super Swap Sunday” Car Show at Flowerfield Fairgrounds, Route 25A, St. James from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring street rods, classics, muscle cars, antiques, imports and cars of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s along with vendors, food and entertainment. Admission is $10, free for ages 11 and under. Rain date is June 11. 631-567-5898, www.longislandcars.com

Smithtown Festival Day

The Greater Smithtown Chamber of Commerce presents Smithtown Festival Day along Main Street in Smithtown from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy craft and business vendors, music, face painting, karate demonstrations and live performances. Free admission 631-979-8069, www.smithtownchamber.com

Thai Fair

Vajiradhammapadip Buddhist Temple, 110 Rustic Road, Centereach hosts a Thai Fair from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with crafts and food. Thai music and dance show starts at 12;30 p.m. $5 admission fee, children 12 and under free. 631-471-8006.

Spring Festival of Gardens Tour

The Huntington Historical Society presents the Spring Festival of Gardens Tour from noon to 4 p.m. Come spend a day enjoying some of Huntington’s gorgeous gardens during this self-guided tour to delight and inspire you. And don’t miss refreshments and the Society’s popular plant sale at the historical Kissam property, 434 Park Avenue, Huntington. Tickets are $50 per person, $40 for members, $55 day of the event, if available. 631-427-7045, www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org

Tribute to Jean Sorbera

Theatre Three , 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Throwing You a Kiss: Remembering Jean, a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Jean Sorbera, resident choreographer for over two decades, on the Mainstage at 7:30 p.m. Jean’s work spanned hundreds of productions in theatres and schools across Long Island. The evening will celebrate her exceptional work and a heart that touched literally thousands of lives. The event is free and will also be streamed live. 631-928-9100

Monday June 5

No events listed for this day.

Tuesday June 6

No events listed for this day.

Wednesday June 7

Centennial Flower Show

Deepwells Mansion, 2 Taylor Lane, St. James hosts a Centenial Flower show, “Sands of Time,” by the North Suffolk Garden Club today from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and June 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local members as well as members from sister GCA Garden Clubs will be displaying their talents in horticulture, flower arrangement and photography in this juried show. Free admission. www.northsuffolkgardenclub.org. See story on page B15.

Shibori Dyeing Workshop

Huntington Historical Society hosts a Shibori Dyeing Workshop at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Shibori dying is a thousand-year-old process from Japan that is the combination of origami and tie dye. Learn different folding and indigo dying techniques like kanoko, miura and kumo to create stunning pieces. Participants will be given four squares of fabric to practice and will have  a choice of using a light cotton scarf or pillow for their project. $55 per person, $50 members. Register at www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org. 631-427-7045, ext. 401

Thursday June 8

Centennial Flower Show

See June 7 listing.

Whaling Museum lecture

Join the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor for a virtual lecture titled Gender at Sea at 7 p.m. Explore the intricacies of gender among the crews of whaling and sailing ships. Discover hidden stories and historical photos of women secretly dressed as male mariners, as well as surprising tales of sailors who posed as gals for lighthearted entertainment for their crewmembers. Suggested donation $10. Register at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.                        

Film

‘Her’

As part of its Science on Screen® series, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents From ‘Her’ to Here: ChatGPT & the New Age of AI Companionship on June 3 at 7 p.m. The event will feature a screening of Her starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson (rated R) followed by a lecture and Q&A with Anthony Zador, MD, PhD, and Kyle Daruwalla of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Tickets are $15, $10 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Theater

‘The Sound of Music’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is The Sound of Music from May 18 to July 2. The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Something Rotten!’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage productions with Something Rotten! from May 20 to June 24.  Living in the shadow of Renaissance rock star The Bard, two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being to thine own self be true—and all that jazz! Contains adult humor and situations. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’

The Carriage House Players continue their 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Two Gentlemen of Verona from June 4 to 30. Young Valentine travels to Milan to find his fortune, but instead falls for the fair Silvia, daughter of the Duke. His world is turned upside down when his best friend, Proteus, abandons his love, Julia, in Verona to woo Silvia for himself. With a pair of bumbling servants and a dog, it’s a lively Shakespearean comedy about the complexities of love, lust, and friendship. Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘(Mostly) True Things’

The Performing Arts Studio, 224 E. Main St., Port Jefferson presents (Mostly) True Things, a game wrapped in a storytelling show that features true stories with a twist on the theme Out Loud in honor of Pride month, on June 10 at 7 p.m. This show features 4 true stories but 3 of them include subtle little lies. In the second act, the audience questions the storytellers, then votes for the person they think told it straight. Winners get a tote bag, and the whole truth about each story is shared before the end of the evening. Storytellers will include Jude Treder-Wolff, Calvin Cato, Jamie Brickhouse, Rosemary Flanagan and Rev. Yunus Coldman. Tickets are $20 online at Eventbrite or $25 at the door (cash only). Visit www.mostlytruethings.com for more info.

‘Princess Ida’

Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St. Smithtown hosts a performance of Princess Ida, the classic comic opera by Gilbert & Sullivan, on June 17 at 8 p.m. Presented in an all-new production by the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island, the opera follows Princess Ida who has fled an arranged marriage to the son of King Hildebrand and instead sets up a college for women, where she teaches the then-unthinkable principles of women’s rights and equality for all, regardless of rank, gender, wealth or nationality. Featuring a 23-piece orchestra.  June 17 at 8 p.m.  $30, seniors and students $25.  Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main Street, (516) 619-7415; www.gaslocoli.org.

Class Reunions

Hauppauge High School Class of 1978 will hold its 45th reunion on July 22, 2023 with a reunion party on July 21 and a reunion picnic on July 23. For details, email [email protected].

Ward Melville High School Class of 1973 will hold its 50th reunion at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket on Sept. 9, 2023 from 6 to 11 p.m. For ticket information, contact Tibo Dioguardi at [email protected].

Save the date! Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17, 2024. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

Noted Poet-Farmer reflects on ‘Soil and Spirit’
On Thursday, June 1, the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centeport  will host Scott Chaskey, poet-farmer and pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for a presentation of his latest memoir, Soil and Spirit: Cultivation and Kinship in the Web of Life (Milkweed Editions, 2023).
Scott Chaskey. Photo by Lindsay Morris

As a farmer with decades spent working in the fields, Chaskey’s worldview has been shaped by daily attention to the earth. His career as a writer has been influenced by these experiences, showing a profound commitment to the promotion of food sovereignty and organic agriculture. In both writing and farming, his efforts have been animated by a central conviction—namely, that humble attention to microbial life provides us with invaluable lessons for building healthy human communities.

Soil and Spirit is a collection of personal essays, mapping the evolution of Chaskey’s thoughts on ecology, agriculture, and society through decisive moments in his biography. In its pages, he takes readers to his original homestead in Maine; the rugged Irish countryside, complete with blackberries, heather, and Nobel-Prize-winning poets; the ancient granite cliffs of the Cornwall coastline; Santa Clara, New Mexico, where he harvested amaranth seeds alongside a group of indigenous women; and finally, to Amagansett, in Suffolk County, where he recalls planting Redwood saplings and writing poetry beneath a centuries-old beech tree.

The lecture will take place at 7:00 pm in the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium. Tickets are available here. Support for the lecture series is generously provided by a grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.


About the lecturer:

Scott Chaskey is the author of Soil and Spirit. He is also the author of a memoir, This Common Ground: Seasons on an Organic Farm, and a book of nonfiction, Seedtime: On the History, Husbandry, Politics, and Promise of Seeds. His poetry, first printed in literary journals in the early seventies, has been widely published over four decades.

A pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for thirty years he cultivated more than sixty crops for the Peconic Land Trust at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett, New York, one of the original CSAs in the country. He is the past president of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and was honored as Farmer of the Year in 2013.

Chaskey was a founding board member for both the Center for Whole Communities, in Vermont, and Sylvester Manor Educational Farm, in Shelter Island, New York. He taught as a poet-in-the-schools for over two decades and as an instructor for Antioch International and Friends World College in Southampton. He lives and works on the east end of Long Island, New York.

 

Kara Vertucci stars as the rebellious Princess Ida in the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2023 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Princess Ida. (Photo by NanMagna. Copyright 2023 The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island.)

The battle of the sexes will break out into open warfare when the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island brings its 2023 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s classic Princess Ida to the Smithtown Performing Arts Center on Saturday, June 17, at 8 p.m.  The production will feature a 23-piece orchestra.

 Princess Ida—which debuted in 1884 at London’s Savoy opera, with book and lyrics by W.S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan—is a favorite with Gilbert & Sullivan aficionados, with its score in particular regarded as perhaps Sullivan’s greatest.  The current production is the Light Opera Company’s first since 2007.

More dramatic in tone than any other Gilbert & Sullivan work, c In the end the story boils down to whether the opera’s young people are doomed to grow into their parents, repeating all their mistakes, or if they can escape the machinations of their parents, move beyond hatred and violence, and forge a new future for themselves.

In the new production of the opera, Kara Vertucci of Lindenhurst plays Princess Ida and Joseph Anthony Smith of Freeport plays Prince Hilarion, with Chris Jurak of Brightwaters as King Gama and Ben Salers of Northport as King Hildebrand.  Lady Psyche is played by Patricia Gallagher of West Hempstead, and Lady Blanche by Terry Hochler of East Meadow, with Alyssa M. Mener of Massapequa Park as Melissa; Jordan Breslow of Bellmore plays Florian and Richard Risi of Locust Valley plays Cyril.  Ida’s brothers, the formidable Warriors Three, are played by Henry Horstmann of Lindenhurst (Arac), John Benvenuto of Floral Park (Guron) and Marc Eliot Stein of Brooklyn (Scynthius).  Tamara Shyngle of Brentwood plays Sacharissa, Claudia Arroyo of Port Washington is Chloe and Hanna Roth of Upper Brookville plays Ada.  The director is Gayden Wren, and the music director is Leonard Lehrman.

Princess Ida is unlike any other Gilbert & Sullivan opera,” said Wren, a longtime member of the company and also the author of an acclaimed book about Gilbert & Sullivan.  “It’s Shakespearean in its scope, and its humor—which combines farce, slapstick, satire and burlesque—is in the service of a story of unique emotional power.  Ida and Hilarion are two sides of the same coin, young aristocrats who’ve been pawns in their fathers’ rivalry almost since they were born.  The story pits them as enemies, but as the opera progresses they begin to see something of themselves in each other, and to sense the outlines of a future different from the one they’ve always been told awaits them.

“Ultimately this is a story of generational conflict, of young people trying to get past the mistakes and hatreds of their parents, trying to forge a new world they might actually live in together,” Wren concluded.  “When people ask me what it’s about, I say it’s about a prince, a princess and an arranged marriage … but also about climate change, racial and ethnic rivalries, inequality, social justice and pretty much anything else that’s going on in the world today.  It’s funny, it’s beautiful, but there’s no Gilbert & Sullivan story that’s more directly relevant to the world of today.”

Princess Ida will be presented on Saturday, June 17, at 8 p.m. at the Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main Street in Smithtown.  Admission is $30, seniors and students $25.  For further information, call (516) 619-7415 or visit www.gaslocoli.org.