CLOSE
Arts & Entertainment

by -
0 631
Igor

ADOPT IGOR!

This week’s featured shelter pet is Igor, a black, domestic short-haired male cat up for adoption at the Smithtown Animal Shelter.

Approximately seven years old, this enchanting boy arrived at shelter as part of the Town’s Trap, Neuter, Release program (TNR). Sadly, he was found covered in scars, which reveal what an incredibly rough and heartbreaking life he lived on the streets. Despite his hardships, Igor remains sweet and gentle, with a heart full of love just waiting to be embraced by a special human companion who can bring him joy and happiness.

Igor

While Igor takes some time to trust people and is a little shy when meeting new faces, he is loving and affectionate with his caretakers. Once you meet Igor, he’ll happily spend endless hours by your side, soaking up all the love and affection you have to offer. He is an endearing fella who will effortlessly pull on your heartstrings by purring through every stroke, pet and snuggle one lucky family can dish out, making up for years of neglect during his time living on the streets. Igor deserves his happily ever after and will make a wonderful addition to an adoring family’s heart and home.

The Smithtown Animal Shelter believes Igor would do best in a quiet home. However, a home with older children, calm dogs, and possibly cats would be okay as well.

All of the felines at the Shelter are current on vaccines and have received a full workup (blood work, Feline HIV & Leukemia tested, physical exam etc.) by a board certified veterinarian.

If you are interested in meeting Igor, please call ahead to schedule an hour to properly interact with him in the shelter’s Meet and Greet room.

The Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are 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.

 

 

by -
0 1231
Research associate Dr. Ejiro Umaka is pictured with BNL’s sPHENIX detectorEjiro Umaka at the sPHENIX. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL

By Daniel Dunaief

Despite their importance in making a turkey sandwich, a clarinet, and an adorable puppy wagging its tail possible, quarks and gluons don’t figure into the realm of subjects discussed at water coolers, which, incidentally, also depend on the interaction between these subatomic particles.

Ejiro Umaka has the opportunity to change that, at least for a general audience including national legislators, in under three minutes while using only one slide.

A Research Associate at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Umaka won $2,000 at BNL’s second SLAM competition, in which she and nine other junior scientists presented their research in front of a live audience. Umaka planned to present her work this past Wednesday, March 5th to an audience of politicians, judges and people generally interested in science.

Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY1) attended the previous event and extended his congratulations to Umaka.

“Dr. Umaka’s unwavering commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and her exceptional curiosity exemplify the pioneering spirit that positions Long Island at the forefront of research and technological development,” LaLota wrote in an email. “I am confident that [she] will represent Suffolk Count with distinction, and I eagerly anticipate her continued achievements.”

While the winner of the national competition will receive $4,000, the opportunity to compete and to describe her work for a general audience has already provided important experience for Umaka.

“I am honored to represent BNL,” Umaka explained in an email. “I am thrilled to discuss my work to a large audience without the usual scientific jargon, which has led to a deeper understanding of my work.”

During the SLAM competition, these scientists, whose competition will be live-streamed, use three minutes to inspire, captivate, and enlighten audiences whose decisions could affect future support and funding for important research projects.

In 2023, when Daniel Marx, Deputy Group Leader of the EIC Accelerator Design Group at BNL, traveled to Washington to represent BNL, he met several politicians from around the country, including Reps LaLota and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY2).

The politicians, many of whose districts, like LaLota’s included a national lab, were “certainly interested,” said Marx. He recalls speaking with Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN3), who served as Chairman of Energy and Water Appropriations.

Fleischmann, whose committee sets the budget for the Department of Energy and the national labs, was “very interested in having a conversation with us about the interplay between science and politics and how we can work together on that.”

Marx also enjoyed meeting with Bill Foster (D-IL14), who has a PhD in physics and has signs like “I love physics” in his office. “He has a really good grasp of what’s going on,” Marx recalled.

Foster asked penetrating and important questions about Marx’s work on developing the Electron Ion Collider.

Quarks, gluons and slowing down

Umaka is looking forward to representing BNL at the national competition and to sharing the science she does with a national audience.

Umaka works at the sPHENIX experiment, which is a radical makeover of the original PHENIX experiment. The experiment collects data at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC.

The size of a two-story house with a weight of about 1,000 tons (or about five adult blue whales), the sPHENIX detector will capture snapshots of 15,000 particle collisions per second.

After the superconducting magnet at the core of the sPHENIX traveled across the country from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California to Brookhaven, it was installed in 2021. Umaka arrived at the lab before the sPHENIX was assembled.

“It’s not every time as a physicist or junior researcher that you start off with an experiment that is new,” said Umaka. 

The sPHENIX had to work out some early challenges. Initially, the experiment planned to use a mixture of gases in the time projection chamber that included neon. The war in Ukraine, however, created a shortage of neon, so the lab switched to a different gas and added isobutane. The group celebrated with an isobutane cake. Fortunately, the supermarket hadn’t run out of them.

Umaka explained in her winning talk that her experiments allow the team to explore the universe as it was millionths of a second after the Big Bang, when the primordial soup that contained quarks and gluons came together to create the world we know.

She compares the process at sPHENIX to having chicken soup in the form of the quark gluon plasma. The researchers then shoot small objects within a jet that are similar in scale to the other ingredients in the soup so they scatter off each other. From there, they can deduce the microscopic nature or point like structure of the plasma.

The role of sPHENIX is to record jets that come from the collision of nuclei that release quarks. 

“The jet shoots through the soup, and this is why we can use jets as a probe,” Umaka explained.

In the experiments, the soup exhibits collective behavior, which is similar to the response of a school of fish that turn in unison when disturbed. When the researchers look at the soup on the level of individual quarks and gluons, the particles should behave like molecules in a gas. 

By recording lots of collisions, sPHENIX increases the likelihood of finding and recording desirable jets useful for probing the soup at the level of individual quarks and gluons.

“We want to discover how the fluid-like (collective) nature of the soup emerges from fundamental interactions of quarks and gluons,” Umaka explained. 

Nigerian roots

Born in Nigeria, Umaka moved to Houston in her teens when her parents transferred to the United States. When she was younger, she wasn’t confident in her science aptitude. She took difficult courses in which the social structure worked against her advancement as a woman.

In Houston, she took a particle physics course. The professor suggested she’d do well in his group and that she’d get to go to Geneva to do research.

“Sign me up,” she recalled saying, and she did.

A resident of Brookhaven, Umaka enjoys visiting the mall, reading books, attending yoga classes, listening to music and talking with family.

As for the SLAM event, Umaka appreciates the way the competition has increased her visibility.

“If people like the talk, they will invite you to do other stuff, which is great,” she said.

——————————————

To watch Ejiro Ukama give her presentation at the National SLAM competition, click here and go to 1:48.

 

by -
0 582
The Suffolk County Farm will host a St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt on March 8. METRO photo
PROGRAMS

Thankful Thursdays

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its Thankful Thursdays series with a free family-friendly planetarium show on March 6 at 7 p.m. After the show, they will open the observatory to the public and 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.

First Steps Into Nature 

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown presents First Steps Into Nature: Fun with Feathers for children ages 2 to 4 on March 7 at 9:30 a.m. Sweetbriar’s experienced educators help open up the wonders of the natural world for children through hands-on activities, live animals, crafts, and more. $20 per child. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Skate into STEM

Ready for a thrilling night on the ice? Enjoy a STEM takeover at the Rinx, Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson with the Long Island Explorium’s Skate into STEM: Celebrating 20 Years of Innovation event on March 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. featuring a night of ice skating, pizza, drinks and interactive experiments in celebration of science, technology, engineering and math. $35 per person. To register, please visit www.longislandexplorium.org.

St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt

Suffolk County Farm, 350 Yaphank Road Yaphank will hold its annual St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt on March 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Leprechaun’s are back and they’ve hidden their gold all across the farm! $15 for ages 3 and up (ages 2 and under are free) includes a scavenger hunt, wagon rides, photo ops and farm animals! Registration is required for both children and adults. Rain Date is March 15. For more information, call 631-852-4600. Tickets can be purchased using the link: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/stpats25

Guided Beach Walk

Town of Brookhaven kicks off its Spring Nature Programs for 2025 with a See by the Sound guided beach walk at West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook on March 8 at 10 a.m. and at the Cedar Beach Nature Center in Mount Sinai at 2 p.m. Come explore shells, gulls and other treasures on the shore. Free but registration required by emailing [email protected].

‘Leprechaun Dancing Feet’

Kids Painting Workshop

The Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite 6 & 9, St. James presents an in-studio, one day kids workshop on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to noon. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early and learn how to paint this “Dancing Leprechaun Feet” painting step by step with Miss Linda. $55 per child includes an 11″ by 14″ canvas and all art supplies. To register, visit theatelieratflowerfield.org. For more information, please call 631-250-9009.

Scrap the Winter Blues Away

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, 581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown presents a family program, Scrap the Winter Blues Away, on March 8 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.  Make a nature inspired scrapbook keepsake! Supplies will be provided. Bring pictures and any other special items to add to your pages. $4 per person. Registration required at www.eventbrite.com.

Superheroes of the Sky

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown presents Superheroes of the Sky on March 8 from 11 a.m. to noon. Take a walking tour with Jim while he feeds the Center’s birds of prey and learn about their incredible adaptations that help them survive in the wild. You’ll be seeing a bald eagle, turkey Vultures, owls, hawks and many more. Fee is $10 adults, $5 children. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org.

12 

My Grown-Up and Me

Temple Beth El, 660 Park Ave., Huntington  presents My Grown Up & Me, a program for ages 18 months to 4 years, on March 9 from 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Children and a parent or caregiver will enjoy a craft, snacks and storytime. $20 per child. For more info or to RSVP, email: [email protected]. 631-425-5835

Women in Science!

In honor of Womens History Month, Nissequogue River State Park, 799 St. Johnland Road, Kings Park presents a family program, Women in Science!, on March 9 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Learn about the women who made our scientific advancements possible. Fee is $4 per person. Reservations taken at www.eventbrite.com.

Happy Birthday Girl Scouts!

In honor of the Girl Scouts anniversary, all Girl Scouts wearing their uniform with an accompanying adult will receive a free Hatchery Tour at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor on March 9 at 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. with paid admission. 516-692-6768

Story & Craft with Nana Carol

The Next Chapter bookstore, 204 New York Ave., Huntington hosts a Story and Craft event with Nana Carol on March 10 at 10:30 a.m. Free. No registration required. Appropriate for ages 0-4. 631-482-5008

Life Cycles

As part of its Pollywog Adventures series, Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor presents Life Cycles on March 12 at 11 a.m. Children ages 2 to 5 will enjoy an activity, craft, story and feeding the hungry trout. $20 fee includes admission for the day for one child and one adult. Pre-registration required at www.cshfishhatchery.org. 516-692-6768

Homeschool Hangout

Join Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket for a Homeschool Hangout, a get-together designed for homeschooled children ages 5 to 12 on March 12 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy casual hangout time before diving into creative group crafts, experiments and activities including bracelet making and building leprechaun traps Questions? Email [email protected].

THEATER

‘Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz’

Theatre Three, 423 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Dorothy’s Adventures in Oz from Feb. 19 to March 29. Join them for an unforgettable trip down the Yellow Brick Road as Dorothy Gale is whisked away by a tornado to that magical land that lies just Over the Rainbow. Follow Dorothy and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Lion ­as they encounter challenges and celebrate friendship. All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical’

Up next at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is Diary of  a 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.

FILM

Catch a screening of ‘Harry and the Hendersons’ at the Cinema Arts Centre on March 9.

‘Harry and the Hendersons’

As part of its Cinema for Kids series, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents Harry and the Hendersons on March 9 at noon. Everything changes with a crash for the Hendersons when they meet a real-life Bigfoot named Harry after a car accident. When the authorities set out to capture him, the household comes together in a race against the clock to return the loving Sasquatch to his natural habitat. Tickets are $13 adults, $5 kids. www.cinemaartscentre.org

Send your calendar events to [email protected]

 

by -
0 735
Magician TJ Tana joins Jim Vines and Mike Maione at Theatre Three’s Parlor of Mystery on March 13.
Thursday March 6

Community Blood Drive

Mather Hospital, 75 North Country Road, Port Jefferson will hold a Spring Into Action & Give Blood Drive from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms A & B. Appointments preferred, walk-ins welcomed if space permits. To register, visit donate.nybc.org.

Thankful Thursdays

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its Thankful Thursdays series with a free family-friendly planetarium show at 7 p.m. After the show, they will open the observatory to the public and 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.

Friday March 7 

Wines Around the World

Sip and savor your way around the globe at a new wine tasting event at the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Enjoy wines from Australia, Africa, Portugal, Chile, Long Island and more! ​Grab a whaler’s passport and follow in the wake of the ships of the Cold Spring Whaling Company, tasting wines inspired by the countries and cultures they encountered along the way. Explore historical artifacts and exciting tales at each port you visit. For ages 21 and older. $45 per person, $35 members. To register, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/ 631-367-3418

WinterTide Concert 

The Port Jefferson Village Center, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson presents award-winning finger style guitarist and songwriter Rupert Wates in concert from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. as part of its WinterTide series.  Free will donation. Sponsored by St. Charles Hospital and Greater Port Jeff-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council. 631-473-5220

Saturday March 8

Guided Beach Walk

Town of Brookhaven kicks off its Spring Nature Programs for 2025 with a See by the Sound guided beach walk at West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook at 10 a.m. and at the Cedar Beach Nature Center in Mount Sinai at 2 p.m. Come explore shells, gulls and other treasures on the shore. Free but registration required by emailing [email protected].

Needle-Felted Egg Workshop

Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead will hold a Needle-Felted Egg Workshop in the Hudson-Sydlowski House from 10 a.m. to noon. Led by fiber artist Michele Miroff, participants will learn to create a decorative needle-felted egg to take home. Fee is $40, $30 members. There is an additional $25 fee for the needle felting kit, payable in cash to the instructor on the day of the workshop.  To register, visit www.hallockville.org. 631-298-5292

Coffee with a Cop 

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to drop by from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to grab a beverage, have a snack, and chat with a 6th Precinct officer. No registration required. 631-928-1212

Superheroes of the Sky

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown presents Superheroes of the Sky from 11 a.m. to noon. Take a walking tour with Jim while he feeds the Center’s birds of prey and learn about their incredible adaptations that help them survive in the wild. You’ll be seeing a bald eagle, turkey Vultures, owls, hawks and many more. Fee is $10 adults, $5 children. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org.

Second Saturdays Poetry Reading

All Souls Church in Stony Brook continues its Second Saturdays Poetry Reading via Zoom from 11 a.m. to noon. Featured poet will be Geri Parisi Kaplan will be the featured poet. An open reading will follow the featured poet; all are welcome to read one of their own poems.  For more information, please call 631-655-7798.  Participants can access the program through the All Souls website https://www.allsouls-stonybrook.org/

Polar Plunge Fundraiser

Join the Smithtown Children’s Foundation for a Polar Plunge fundraiser at the Smithtown Bay Yacht Club, 552 Long Beach Road, Smithtown with registration at 1 p.m. and plunge at 2 p.m. with coffee, hot cocoa, bagels, donuts and raffles. $30 per person. To register, visit www.smithtownchildrensfoundation.com. For more information, call 516-521-7234.

Studio 268 Art Reception

The community is invited to an opening reception for an exhibit featuring the plein air paintings of Stony Brook artist James Engelbert at Studio 268, 268 Main St., Setauket from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit runs through March 28. For more information, call 631-220-4529.

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 Kelynn Z. Alder, an artist featured in the show, on the afternoon of International Women’s Day from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Alder will be in the gallery to discuss her art and life and answer visitors’ questions about her. Included with museum admission. 631-751-0066

Dreams of Spain Duo in Concert

All Souls Church, 61 Main St, Stony Brook welcomes the Dreams of Spain Duo featuring Kate Amrine (trumpet) and Nilko Andreas (guitar) at 6 p.m. as part of its Saturdays at Six concert series. The program will feature classical music, Spanish compositions, Brazilian choro, and more. Free. Please bring a can of food to donate to help feed the hungry in our community. 631-655-7798

Sunday March 9

Huntington St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) invites the community to its 91st annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Huntington at 2 p.m. Grand Marshal New York State Assemblyman Keith P. Brown will lead the procession down New York Avenue to Main Street before ending at The Church of St. Patrick. Long Island’s oldest and largest, the parade will feature dozens of pipe bands. For more information, visit www.huntingtonhibernian.com.

Maple Sugaring at Hoyt Farm

The annual, educational Maple Sugaring classes return to Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve, 200 New Highway, Commack from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The event covers the history of maple sugaring, from its discovery by Native Americans to modern-day technique and includes a special interactive portion for younger participants to learn about tree anatomy, chlorophyll’s role in sap production, and photosynthesis in maple syrup creation. Tickets are $5 per person (cash only). Due to high demand, it is recommended that guests arrive by 1 p.m. to register. 631-543-7804.

Bob Morris Irish Band in concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook  presents a concert by the Bob Morris Irish Band from 3 to 4 p.m. Expect plenty of jigs and reels along with many of your favorite sing along songs from old Erin. The event is free with general admission ticket purchase. 631-689-5888, www.limusichalloffame.org

Sunday Street Concert

The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook, in partnership with WUSB-FM and the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council, continues its Sunday Street Concert series with Celebrating Lou Reed and Paul Simon in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room at 5 p.m. Featuring performances by Gene Casey; Caroline Doctorow; Andrew Fortier, Andie Juliette Fortier, and Cole Fortier; Bryan Gallo; Ray Lambiase; Russ Seeger; and Hank Stone. Tickets are $25 in advance at www.sundaystreet.org, $30 at the door (cash only)

Monday March 10

TVHS Lecture

Three Village Historical Society continues its lecture series at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket with A Step in Time: The History of Irish Dancing at 7 p.m.  Today, Irish dancing is a recognized art form performed around the world. But what are its origins? Join Dr. Tara Rider of Stony Brook University as she explores the history of Irish reels and jigs and more. Free will donation. To RSVP, visit www.tvhs.org. 631-751-3730

SHS Spring Lecture

Smithtown Historical Society continues their Spring Lecture series in the Frank Brush Barn, 211 East Main St., Smithtown with The Tallmadge Trail: Military Journey of Spymaster & Major Benjamin Tallmadge at 7 p.m. Historian Robert Von Bernewitz will discuss Tallmadge’s military journey during the American Revolution. No registration necessary. Free, donations appreciated. 631-265-6768

Sound Beach Civic Meeting

The Sound Beach Firehouse, 152 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach will host a meeting by Sound Beach Civic Association at 7:30 p.m. On the agenda will be the first Out of This World Kids Day. Anyone interested in participating or want to know what the plans are as well volunteering is invited. 631-744-6952.

Astronomy Night

Join the Observatories at Avalon Nature Preserve in Stony Brook for a free live observing session, “Some Objects Near & Some Really Far,” from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (weather permitting). Pre-registration is not required. Parking is at the Avalon Barn on Shep Jones Lane. Please note that access is only available from Route 25A, North Country Road due to the Harbor Road closure. Questions? Call 631-689-0619.

Tuesday March 11

NSJC Social Club event

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to “Everything you wanted to know about Purim, but were afraid to ask” with Rabbi Aaron Benson at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee will be served. $5 per person, $4 members. 631-928-3737

Community Conversation at the LIM

Against the backdrop of the Voices and Votes exhibition, the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook invites you to join a “Community Conversation” on the theme of Equal Rights for Women from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This particular conversation will be anchored in a speech from Shirley Chisholm, which she gave on the floor of Congress on May 21, 1969. This event is free; preregistration is preferred by visiting www.longislandmuseum.org.

Tony Bennett exhibit opening

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook will hold an opening reception for its latest exhibit, Tony: A Live Well Lived. from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. featuring hors d’oeuvre and the Jazz Loft Trio presenting the Tony Bennett Song Book. Tickets are $25 at www.thejazzloft.org.

Wednesday March 12

Chair Exercise Class

Rose Caracappa Senior Center, 739 Route 25A, Mt. Sinai hosts a Beginners TheraBand Chair Exercise class from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Improve muscle strength and range of motion with a gentle beginners exercise class. Bands will be provided.  Free. To register, call  631-451-5312.

Thursday March 13

The Parlor of Mystery

Theatre Three, 412 Main St. Port Jefferson presents an evening of magic and wonder with The Parlor of Mystery at 8 p.m. This captivating show promises an unparalleled experience that combines mind-bending illusions, jaw-dropping magic, and side-splitting comedy. Featuring Jim Vines, TJ Tana and host Mike Maione. Tickets are $40. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Film

‘Shaking it Up’

The Port Jefferson Documentary Series kicks off its spring season with Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter at the First United Methodist Church, 603 Main Street, Port Jefferson on March 6 at 7 p.m. The film explores the story of the eponymous woman who was witness to and involved in some of the most historically significant moments of the 20th century, as among her many roles, she was the first female executive assistant to a vice president for Lyndon B. Johnson and then press secretary for Lady Bird Johnson. A conversation with director Abby Ginzberg will follow. Tickets are $10 at the door (cash only) or in advance at www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com.

‘American Graffiti’

As part of its Reel 1970s series, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will screen American Graffiti on March 6 at 7:30 p.m. An enduring classic, American Graffiti celebrates an America of the early 1960s, where teenagers cruise the streets in hot rods and rock and roll tops the music charts. A story of coming-of-age, it remains one of the most successful films in history.  Hosted by film historian Glenn Andreiev. Tickets are $16, $10 members. www.cinemaartscentre.org

‘It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World’

Cinema Arts Center, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Best of the Big Screen series with It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World on March 11 at 7:30 p.m. This 1963 epic Hollywood comedy is an extravaganza of slapstick excess that lets loose an unparalleled cast of legends—including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Spencer Tracy, and Jonathan Winters—in a hunt for buried treasure. With introduction by film historian Philip Harwood. Tickets are $16, $10 members. www.cinemartscentre.org.

‘Every Little Thing’

The Port Jefferson Documentary Series continues its spring season with Every Little Thing at the First United Methodist Church, 603 Main Street, Port Jefferson on March 13 at 7 p.m. Filmmaker Sally Aiken profiles bird rehabilitator Terry Masear, who has devoted her life to saving and protecting hummingbirds in the Los Angeles area. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Terry Masear, Dr. Carl Safina, Patricia Paladines, and Dr. Maria Bowling. Tickets are $10 at the door (cash only) or in advance at www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com.

Theater

‘Les Misérables’

Smithtown High School West,100 Central Road, Smithtown presents Les Misérables on March 6, 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. Join them for an unforgettable performance of this Broadway classic! Refreshments and raffles will be available for purchase during the event, Tickets are $15 at the door.

Festival of One Act Plays

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents the 26th annual Festival of One-Act Plays at The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre on the Second Stage from March 8 to April 5. Featuring the world premieres of 7 one act plays. Tickets are $25. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘Lobby Hero’

Suffolk County Community College, 533 College Road, Selden presents Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonerga in Theatre 119, Islip Arts Building on March 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, and 15 at 7:30 p.m. and March 9 and 16 at 2 p.m. When Jeff, a luckless young security guard, is drawn into a local murder investigation, loyalties are strained to the breaking point. As Jeff’s tightly wound supervisor is called to bear witness against his troubled brother, and an attractive rookie cop finds she must stand up to her seasoned partner, truth becomes elusive and justice proves costly. No late comer seating. $15 general admission, $10 veterans and students 16 years of age or younger: Suffolk students with current ID: One FREE ticket. To order, call 631-451-4163 or visit sunysuffolk.edu/spotlight.

‘Menopause the Musical’

It’s back! Menopause the Musical returns to the Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main St., Smithtown from March 15 to April 6. A hilarious celebration of women and The Change, this musical parody set to classic tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles. See what more than 15 million women and fans worldwide have been laughing about for over 20 years. Tickets are $61.50, $56.50 seniors. To order, call 1-800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

‘Ring of Fire’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage season with Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical Show from March 1 to March 30. From the heart of the songs of singer-songwriter Johnny Cash  comes a unique musical show about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, home and family. Ring of Fire captures America’s legendary Man in Black in an exhilarating, tuneful, foot-stomping celebration. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students, $25 children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘Waitress The Musical’

Up next at the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is Waitress The Musical from March 13 to April 27. Based on the 2007 movie, Waitress tells 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 visit www.engemantheater.com.

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 to the end of April. 631-802-2160

Vendors Wanted

◆ Sound Beach Civic Association seeks vendors for its “Out of This World” Kids Day on June 1 from 11 a.m.  to 3 p.m. on New York Avenue in Sound Beach—a free event celebrating children and their uniqueness. Craft/retail vendors, vendors providing only information or kids activities, food trucks, and non-profits should call 631-744-6952 or email [email protected].

◆ Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket seeks vendors for its popular  Easter Egg Hunts on April 19 and April 20. Fee is $55 for one day, $90 for two days for a 10’ by 10’ spot. For more information, call 631-689-8172 or email [email protected].

◆ Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket seeks full-season, seasonal, pop-up and food truck vendors for its 11th annual Three Village Farmers & Artisans Market on Fridays from May 2 to Oct. 24. Hours are 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. from May to September, and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in October. For an application and more information, visit www.tvhs.org or call 631-751-3730. 

◆ Port Jefferson Historical Society seeks Antique Dealers for the Antiques and Garden Weekend at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101A East Broadway, Port Jefferson on May 3 and May 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information,, visit portjeffhistorical.org or email [email protected].

CALENDAR DEADLINE  is 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.

 

by -
0 348
'Leprechaun Dancing Feet'

The Atelier at Flowerfield, 2 Flowerfield, Suite 6 & 9, St. James presents an in-studio, one day kids workshop on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to noon

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early and learn how to paint this “Dancing Leprechaun Feet” painting step by step with Miss Linda.

$55 per child includes an 11″ by 14″ canvas and all art supplies.

To register, visit theatelieratflowerfield.org or click below. For more information, please call 631-250-9009.

REGISTER

by -
0 676
Menopause The Musical®
A  Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change

It’s back! Menopause the Musical returns to the Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main St., Smithtown from March 15 to April 6.

Come join the sisterhood! Four women at a lingerie sale have nothing in common but a black lace bra AND memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex and more! This hilarious musical parody set to classic tunes from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles! See what more than 15 million women and fans worldwide have been laughing about for over 20 years!

Saturday March 15 2 PM

Sunday March 16 2 PM

Friday March 21 8 PM

Saturday March 22 8 PM

Sunday March 23 2 PM

Friday March 28 8 PM

Saturday March 29 8 PM

Sunday March 30 2 PM

Friday April 4 8 PM

Saturday April 5 2 PM

Saturday April 5 8 PM

Sunday April 6 2 PM

Tickets are $61.50, $56.50 seniors. To order, call 1-800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

by -
0 422

Join the Northport Chorale for their annual fundraiser, “A Night at the Line Dancing!” at Christ Lutheran Church, 189 Burr Road, East Northport on Saturday, March 15 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Enjoy a hot and cold buffet, dessert table, raffles,“Baskets-By-Rachel’,” 50/50, line dancing and a pre-St. Patty’s Day old fashioned Irish sing-a-long to finish the evening. Tickets are $35 per person. To order, please call 631-754-3144. For more information, visit northportchorale.org.

 

by -
0 528

The New York Blood Center has declared a blood emergency, meaning there is only 1-2 days supply of blood for hospitals.

In response, Mather Hospital, 75 North Country Road, Port Jefferson will hold a Spring Into Action & Give Blood Drive on Thursday, March 6 from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms A & B. Appointments preferred, walk-ins welcomed if space permits.

Register at https://donate.nybc.org/…/schedules/drive_schedule/322086

 

by -
0 1110
Lou Reed and Paul Simon will be honored on March 9. Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Rita J. Egan

Music lovers will experience two distinctive sounds during the Sunday Street Concert on March 9 at The Long Island Museum.

Local singers Gene Casey; Caroline Doctorow; Andrew, Andie Juliette and Cole Fortier; Bryan Gallo; Ray Lambiase; Russ Seeger; and Hank Stone will come together to commemorate the music of two legends — Lou Reed and Paul Simon. Both are inductees in the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Andrew Fortier said he finds Simon and Reed to be polar opposites.

“I also think they’re both geniuses and brilliant and really that’s the fun discovery of it all,” he said.

Producer Charlie Backfish said during the concert, titled Lou Reed & Paul Simon: Two Songwriters from Long Island, the artists will each perform one song from Simon’s catalog and one of Reed’s songs. Simon, 83, and Reed, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 71, both have ties to Long Island.

Born in Brooklyn, Reed graduated from Freeport High School in 1959 while Simon graduated from Forest Hills High School in Queens in 1958. 

Reed played guitar and was a member of a doo-wop group in his younger days, while Simon, along with classmate Art Garfunkel, joined forces first as the group Tom and Jerry. The duo would go on to record simply as Simon and Garfunkel and recorded hits such as “I Am a Rock” and “Scarborough Fair” before Simon pursued a solo career. Reed also embarked on a solo path after being a member of the rock group Velvet Underground for five years.

The artistic paths of both accomplished singers and songwriters would cross in 1980 when Simon wrote and starred in One Trick Pony. Reed played a record executive in the same film.

Backfish said he chose the two artists for this show because of their ties to Long Island as well as their musical genres, which are “rather different, although they share some common roots.”

He added that the two, in addition to graduating from Long Island high schools and appearing in a movie together, both had an interest in Doo Wop. According to Backfish, their interests in the genre continued throughout their careers.

“Obviously not every recording, but there are elements of it in their music, and especially in their early years that kind of intrigued me,” he said.

Ray Lambiase, who chose Reed’s “Pale Blue Eyes” to perform, said as he was deciding on a song from the singer’s catalog, especially from Velvet Underground, “I was struck by how — as quirky as his recordings were — you can still pick up an acoustic guitar, and they still have the fundamental elements of a well-written song.”

Lambiase said finding a Simon song is as challenging as picking a Reed song. He added that many of Simon’s songs can be musically challenging.

“Paul Simon is such a terrific guitar player that a lot of his songs are difficult to play,” he said.

“There are some songs that are simpler than others, but he was a very sophisticated guitar player, and also his chord patterns were much more sophisticated than what we would think of as traditional folk singers.”

Lambiase will perform “Paranoia Blues” from Simon’s first solo album, which he feels will be a fun song compared to some of his more serious pieces.

“It might be a good idea to break things up and show that he had a humorous side, too,” the performer said.

Caroline Doctorow, who will sing Simon’s “The Dangling Conversation,” which she recorded on her “Dreaming in Vinyl” album, and Reed’s “Sunday Morning,” said it’s important for performers to try to sound different than the original artists.

“You want to add something to your interpretation,” Doctorow said, adding it can be “challenging in a really wonderful way.”

“I’m so happy that Charlie does these shows,” she said. “It’s a nice opportunity to just spread your wings a little bit in a way that you might not otherwise.

Andrew Fortier agreed that the concert series and Backfish’s WUSB-FM radio program “Sunday Street” take performers and listeners on a journey, introducing them to singers they may have never considered.

He added he feels the audience will enjoy hearing both artists’ music and that fans of one will find the other songwriter’s work fresh and new. Fortier and his children, Cole and Andie Juliette, were on a road trip listening to some of Simon’s and Reed’s work to look for songs that resonated with them.

“The truth of it is that it is really fun when you dive into an artist that you really aren’t that familiar with, because you really can dig deep, and you really get an appreciation for what they do,” Fortier said.

Andie Juliette Fortier added, “It’s always interesting. It gives you a chance to get to know each artist a little bit more and really explore parts of their catalog you maybe wouldn’t normally listen to.”

Singer/songwriters Lou Reed and Paul Simon, pictured here in their high school yearbooks, will be honored during the March 9 concert. Photos courtesy of Charlie Backfish

After listening to Simon’s and Reed’s work, Andrew Fortier decided to sing Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years” and Reed’s “Satellite of Love.” Andie Juliette Fortier will perform “Kathy’s Song” by Simon and “I’ll Be Your Mirror” by Reed. Cole Fortier has chosen Simon’s “Hearts and Bones” and “Going Down” by Reed.

The Fortiers are looking forward to hearing the other performers’ interpretations, too.

“There’s always surprises,” Andie Juliette Fortier said. “It’s always nice to hear how people interpret different songs and put their own style on it.

Lambiase said he enjoys the “insights from the different steps of the journey of their personal growth and journeys” when he performs an artist’s work at a Sunday Street concert.

“I think that’s a really big part of the show to humanize the artists by taking their songs and reducing them to their core essentials, and keeping some insight into their journey, because every musician, especially people with careers as long as Paul Simon and Lou Reed, there’s a beginning, a middle and the later part.”

Doctorow said older songs usually stir up a sense of nostalgia, and she hopes audience members will remember the music, and the songs will bring back memories while they connect with them in a new way.

“It’s like that Hugh Prestwood song — called ‘The Song Remembers When,’” she said. “You hear these songs from your youth, and you remember things that you might not normally remember. It just sort of washes over you, and in difficult times like we’re in now, the songs comfort people.”

Sunday Street Concert Lou Reed & Paul Simon: Two Songwriters from Long Island is produced by Charlie Backfish and is a not-for-profit collaboration with WUSB-FM, The Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council and The Long Island Museum. 

The show takes place on Sunday, March 9 at 5 p.m. in The Gillespie Room at The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook. Advance sale tickets are $25, plus a service fee, through March 7. Tickets at the door are $30, cash only. For more information, visit www.sundaystreet.org. 

 

by -
0 474
'Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way'

Kicking off a new free film series, Film@LIM, the Long Isand Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook in partnership with the Greater Port Jefferson Northern Brookhaven Arts Council will screen Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room on Tuesday, March 4 at 7 p.m.

Enjoy an inspiring film about Geraldine Ferraro’s historic Vice-Presidential nomination, and the first full profile of the trailblazing woman who helped change the face of American politics forever.

Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way is a feature-length documentary about the life of the trailblazing woman who made history in 1984 as the first female Vice Presidential nominee on a major national party Presidential ticket.

The film profiles Ferraro’s journey from an impoverished childhood, the struggles she endured while growing up, and the hurdles she faced and overcame both professionally and personally in order to achieve what no woman had done before.

A primary focus of the film is Ferraro’s public service and political career, from District Attorney in Queens, NY, and later member of Congress, to the emotional night of her Vice Presidential nomination and the tough campaign that followed.  Though the Mondale-Ferraro ticket was ultimately not elected, the film explores how Ferraro’s nomination and her conduct during that campaign changed the national perception of what was possible for women.

The film features never-before-seen archival footage and stills, intimate interviews with Ferraro, and commentary by many leading political figures, both Democrat and Republican, as well as journalists who covered her campaign.

The screening will be followed by a talk from Donna Zaccaro, Geraldine Ferraro’s daughter and the film’s director and producer.

Admission is free but registration is preferred by visiting www.longislandmuseum.org/events or click here.

Prev1...373839...977Next Page 38 of 977
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©