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Barbra Streisand in a scene from 'Hello Dolly'

By Heidi Sutton

I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy, and driven. — Barbra Streisand

What can one say about Barbra Streisand? In a career spanning six decades, the legendary singer, songwriter, actress, author and filmmaker has won multiple Academy Awards, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes, Tonys and a Peabody, proving that the incredible voice that launched her career was only one of her remarkable talents. 

So it was only natural for Sal St. George to pay tribute to the legendary star in his latest Living History Production, now playing at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s Educational & Cultural Center in Stony Brook Village through June 14. 

Barbra Streisand at the 1969 Academy Awards with her best-actress Oscar for her role in ‘Funny Girl.’ Photo courtesy of Photofest

According to St. George, the show focuses on a specific turning point in Streisand’s career. “The story takes place in 1969. Barbra recently won the Oscar for “Funny Girl” and her latest movie, “Hello Dolly” has just been released,” he said, adding, “This was a pivotal time in young Barbra’s life. She was divorcing Elliot Gould at this time, as well.” 

Now the 27-year-old is a special guest on the fictitious sixties talk show, “The Dixie Carlyle Program.” Formatted as if the audience is coming to a live taping of the show, Streisand is interviewed about her life and career. 

The original script was written by St. George. “It takes approximately three months of research before the actual writing process begins,” he explained.

Gabrielle Lutz, who plays the role of talk show host Dixie Carlyle, said “I love creating a character from scratch. Dixie is fun and off-beat. You never know what she is going to do next.”

Sarah Franco tackles the role of Streisand in the show. “When Sarah auditioned and sang for us I immediately heard the sound of Barbra’s voice,” said St. George. “She is a disciplined and hard-working actor. I knew she would be able to personify the legendary singer.”

“How do you portray an icon like Barbra? I just try to master her mannerisms and vocalizations,” said Franco. “I also enjoyed the opportunity to portray the real Fanny Brice in this show. We recreate a Baby Snooks radio show.” Franco will sing many of Streisand’s hits from that time period during the 90-minute show.

Sarah Franco will portray Barbra Streisand in the show.

St. George’s son, Darren, who has been featured in numerous productions over the years, most notably as Tobias Brunt, the ruthless Bounty Hunter in “Running Scared, Running Free” and as Edgar Allan Poe, has the role of Danny DeLuca. “This is one of the most ambitious shows we have ever mounted. The finale will surprise and delight you. It was a challenge to produce, but it is all there onstage for the audience to enjoy,” said Darren.

After the performance, participants will be treated to a high tea luncheon featuring finger sandwiches (tuna, cucumber and chicken), assorted pastries, coffee and tea provided by Fratelli’s Italian Eatery of Stony Brook along with a meet and greet with the actors.

For Sal St. George, he’s already planning the next show. “This is our sixteenth year producing programs for the WMHO. Soon we will be preparing for our holiday program. The special guest has not yet been finalized. But we are looking to do the story of another successful female entertainer and icon — a very famous country western star.” Stay tuned.

Partially sponsored by Roosevelt Investments, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization Educational & Cultural Center, 97P Main St., Stony Brook will present a musical tribute to Barbra Streisand on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m., and Sundays at 12:30 p.m. Available dates at press time are May 17, 19, 23, 30, 31, June 2, 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14. Admission, which includes lunch, is $50 adults, $48 seniors and $43 for groups of 20 or more. To make reservations, call 631-689-5888. For more information, visit www.wmho.org.

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‘AND THEN MY HEART WITH PLEASURE FILLS, AND DANCES WITH THE DAFFODILS’ – William Wordsworth 

Gerard Romano of Port Jefferson Station spotted these daffodils during a drive through the Village of Port Jefferson on April 30 and stopped to snap a photo. He writes, ‘I was delighted to see these beautiful flowers growing in the west retaining wall along Village Beach Road. The sun was behind them and they literally glowed in the afternoon sun.’

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By Rita J. Egan

It was a dream come true at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts. “Dreamgirls” opened on the Main Stage last Saturday, and with a talented cast, showstopping numbers and sparkling costumes, it had everything one would expect from a musical.

A scene from ‘Dreamgirls’

Set in the 1960s and ’70s, the story follows three female singers from Chicago, Effie, Deena and Lorell, as they evolve from the Dreamettes — singing backup for a popular rhythm and blues singer named Jimmy Early — to the Dreams headlining shows on their own. Through song and a bit of dialogue, the audience gets a glimpse into the girls’ relationship, and watches as the three young women fall in love with the men in their lives: Jimmy, songwriter C.C. and Curtis, the group’s manager. 

The show also touches on the struggles of black singers to find a place on the pop charts in the ‘60s, while facing segregation in the South and watching as white pop music stars rerecorded their music.

“Dreamgirls” premiered on Broadway in December 1981 and ran for nearly four years, winning six Tony Awards. In 2006, a movie based on the musical was released starring Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx. 

With book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger, Ronald Green III masterfully directs a talented cast of 22 actors in SPAC’s latest production. The local presentation originated at The Noel S. Ruiz Theatre at the CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale in September last year under the direction of Patrick Grossman, and many of the original cast members, sets and costumes remain the same.

A scene from ‘Dreamgirls’

Crystal Fauntleroy (Effie), Aisha Phillip (Deena) and Amanda Camille (Lorell) blend beautifully together as the Dreamettes/Dreams, and when Effie is fired from the group, Steffy Jolin (Michelle) effortlessly replaces her. The actors are excellent in the musical numbers “Move (You’re Steppin’ on My Heart),” “Dreamgirls” and “One Night Only.”

Fauntleroy is dynamic as Effie, portraying her with just the right amount of attitude and strength, and shines in every number. During the emotional “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” she delivers the song with all the passion audience members expect from this number. For anyone who has ever suffered a broken heart, be warned, tissues will be needed.

As the musical progresses, Phillip transitions from timid backup singer, to confident front woman with ease. After Curtis decides he wants a singer with a softer voice leading the group, believing the sound will be more acceptable to pop audiences, he moves Deena to the lead spot and Effie to the back. Phillip has a melodic singing voice that is fit for this role. This is especially apparent during the tender duo with Curtis, “When I First Saw You.”

A scene from ‘Dreamgirls’

Camille is sassy as Lorell, and she has the opportunity to show off her powerful voice during “Ain’t No Party.” Jolin as Michelle embodies the spirit of a girl group singer. Her stunning smile and the way she carries herself seems to say, “I don’t care if I’m not the lead singer, I’m a star.”

The ladies are not the only ones who are front and center in this show as the male actors have exceptional stage presence. Dondi Rollins is on fire as he plays a James Brown-inspired Jimmy. Rollins sings and dances his way into the hearts of the audience, especially with the high energy “Fake Your Way to the Top.”

David William Hughes is convincing as the slick Curtis, and his smooth vocals help to deliver a swoon-worthy performance. It’s no surprise that both Effie and Deena fall for their manager. 

Londell Collier is a sweet and endearing C.C., and his vocals are just as sweet, especially when he starts off the ensemble number “Family.”

Hughes, Rollins, Collier and Kevin Knight as Marty, Jimmy’s manager, sound fantastic together during “Cadillac Car.” Seneca Bell plays the masters of ceremony with flair, Justin Steele as Tiny Joe Dixon adds to the sensational vocals, and the whole ensemble rounds out the cast perfectly.

The musical has its comedic moments, too. After Jimmy and friends think they have a hit with “Cadillac Car,” Hans Paul Hendrickson appears on stage as a Pat Boone-inspired character singing the song and looking as wholesome as a ‘50s sitcom character. During the number “I Want You Baby,” Rollins is hysterical as he portrays a restrained Jimmy during a show in a whites-only club in Miami.

Once again, SPAC has produced a musical worthy of Broadway, and those behind the scenes also deserve to be applauded. The fast-paced musical is filled with fun dance moves choreographed by Milan McGouldrick, and conductor Melissa Coyle and the theater musicians magnificently accompany the singers on each number. Green, doubling as costume designer, also ensures all the bright colors and sparkling attire of the era are represented beautifully.

The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, located at 2 E. Main St., Smithtown will present “Dreamgirls” through June 17. Running time is 2 1/2 hours with one 15-minute intermission. Tickets are $38 adults, $34 seniors, $25 students. For more information or to order, call 631-724-3700 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

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Thanos (Josh Brolin) in a scene from ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

By Kyle Barr

Marvel movies tread a line between being formulaic comic-book style action movies and surprisingly nuanced examinations of real world problems with real emotional heart. Some do better than others with that. 

A scene from ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” was as much a condemnation of modern government surveillance as it was a spy-style action thriller. “Black Panther” was an exploration of afro-futurism and a condemnation of isolationist policies as much as it was a high-tech, high-flying romp. 

That’s not a bad thing, and in fact the formula has grown to the point it’s now expected that Marvel movies cannot have their introspection without the action, and visa versa.

So what extra edge does “Avengers: Infinity War,” directed by the brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, have to set it apart from its contemporaries in the action genre? Well, to avoid spoilers, the most I can say is that it flips the genre formula where “heroes learn a lesson and win the day” on its head. 

 

In this movie, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the main villain is also the main character. Thanos, played with such subtle menace and intelligence by Josh Brolin, searches the universe for the infinity stones, glowing rocks that control an element of existence, from time to reality. Superheroes from Earth and beyond must find a way to stop him before he commits the biggest act of genocide the universe has ever seen.

Unlike a normal Marvel movie, it is the villain whose decisions drive the plot. In most Marvel movies, the main characters need to learn, grow and change in order to win the day. In “Avengers: Infinity War,” even if a character learns a lesson and even if they make the right decision, it doesn’t necessarily mean they win.

Being that this is the most recent big crossover Marvel movie, it is impossible to list the characters and actors who play them without leaving out a number of characters who all make contributions to the plot. Many of these actors have been in their roles for so many years it seems it would be hard at this point for any of them to not play their characters effortlessly. 

A scene from ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

Chadwick Boseman of this year’s “Black Panther” remains great as the stoic and noble King T’Challa. Robert Downey Jr. adds an extra edge of fear and foreboding to the character that really takes the performance above the usual I’m-too-smart-for you sarcasm of old Iron Man. 

If there were to be a weak link, it would have to be Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, who can’t seem to make an emotional impact compared to the other characters. His jokes land largely flat, and he doesn’t seem to be as invested as the rest of the cast. Another small disappointment is Eitri, the weaponsmith dwarf played by Peter Dinklage, who despite having an interesting play upon the “Dwarf” character, seems stiff and his performance seems almost phoned in.

Although it’s been a conflict built up to through 19 films so far, the ferociousness with how the plot develops is breathtaking. Again, trying to resist spoiling the plot is hard, but none of the characters come out of this movie clean. 

Thanos’ race to find the infinity stones takes place both on Earth and across the stars, but nearly every character plays off of the emotional conclusions of their own separate movies. For those who have been keeping up with every new Marvel release, you might feel as if you’re watching family members being repeatedly punched in the gut. 

If you haven’t been a hard-core Marvel fanatic, it might seem overwhelming. All of these characters have a backstory, and while some of them are meeting for the first time, several have long and troubled histories together like a big screen version of a soap opera. The movie tries to avoid info dumps (though it still has to go and explain what the heck the big colorful space rocks are) so people going into this as their first Marvel movie might have a hard time understanding what’s happening.

A scene from ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

The film ends on a very deep and somber note. Of course that is in anticipation for “Avengers: Infinity War Part 2” to be released in May of next year. The sequel now has quite the task of concluding what happens at the end of Part 1, and one could be skeptical to see how they might manage to pull it off. 

Isn’t it strange how we got here? It has been a decade of nothing but Marvel fever. When the idea for a shared film universe was still new there were quite a few people who were waiting for the bubble to burst. They waited for the first movie that was bad enough to let the whole thing crumble.

Of course that didn’t happen. For now, “Avengers: Infinity War” is the real deal. There are few good movie series like what Marvel has done that combine real emotional heart with comic book action gravitas. As long as they stay good, they still deserve an audience.

“Avengers: Infinity War,” rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action, language and some crude references, is now playing in local theaters.

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The band H.I.M.S. performs at the War on Addiction Rally. Photo by Alex Petroski

By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Father Frank Pizzarelli

On Saturday, April 21, more than 1,000 people gathered to rally against drug addiction at Bald Hill in Farmingville. It was a powerful demonstration of our human spirit!

The event was spearheaded by two parents, who buried their son, who died of a heroin overdose, two years ago. Instead of burying their heads in the sand, they decided to become proactive and raise people’s awareness to the painful affliction of addiction. They urged greater advocacy for more accessible residential treatment beds for those battling addiction.

The speakers were challenging and heart wrenching. Each one eloquently reminded us to be a voice for change — urging us to speak loudly about the stigma and shame that so many people live with because of addiction and its infection.

A mother wrote a piercing letter that was read about her son who overdosed and died last year. She spoke of the heartache she still endures a year later. N.L. was in his mid-20s. He was bright, handsome, very athletic and born into an extraordinary family. After an athletic injury and being prescribed opiates for pain, his nightmare began. His family’s nightmare began as well.

N.L. constantly struggled with long-term recovery and abstinence. His mother recounted that during one of the periods of abstinence, her son was working hard at recovery. One day he was at a local bagel store in his community waiting on line and saw the father of a friend. He went to shake his hand but the man turned his back and walked away! What was that about? 

N.L.’s sister was also tortured on social media. What happened to reaching out and providing support and encouragement for those struggling with recovery?

The rally that Saturday morning did provide support. However, it was bittersweet. So many who attended have already buried their children, and many others were struggling with sons and daughters who are still out there and using.

Too often when we talk about addiction, we talk about the dark side of this painful health epidemic. The day ended on a note of hope. So often we focus on all those who’ve overdosed and died because of this horrific health crisis.

People do recover! A group of young men who live in a long-term nontraditional rehabilitation residence in our community formed a band known as the H.I.M.S. — Hope Inspired Men Sing. They closed the rally with a powerful rendition of “Go Light Your World” by Chris Rice.

“There is a candle in every soul. Some brightly burning, some dark and cold. There is a Spirit who brings a fire. Ignites a candle and makes His home. … Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing. So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky. … Make us a beacon in darkest times. … Hold out your candle for all to see it. Take your candle, and go light your world!”

These extraordinary young men, ranging in age from 25 to 46, stood before this crowd as a reminder that people do get better. People can reclaim their lives, rejoin their families and contribute to making the world a better place.

Fr. Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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It is very important to take white-coat hypertension seriously. Stock photo
As many as 30 percent of patients experience this phenomenon

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

White-coat hypertension (high blood pressure) is defined as blood pressure that is elevated to at least 140/90 mm Hg at a physician’s office, but “normal” when measured at home. The blood pressure considered normal at home for most Americans is less than 135/85 mm Hg. This is a real phenomenon caused by the anxiety or stress of being in a doctor’s office. It is also known as “isolated office hypertension.”

About 15 to 30 percent of patients experience white-coat hypertension (1). However, when the diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure is greater than 105 mm Hg, it is unlikely to be simply caused by doctor’s office-related stress (2).

Consequences

What are the consequences of white-coat hypertension? The first challenge is that physicians may overtreat it, prescribing medications that lead to low blood pressure when not in the office. Alternately, we sometimes discount it because it seems benign or harmless. However, some studies show that it may increase the risk of sustained hypertension, which is a major contributor to developing cardiovascular disease — heart disease and stroke.

It is very important to take white-coat hypertension seriously because Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that the percentage of adults age 20 and over with hypertension reached 33.5 percent in the 2013-14 period (3).

What can be done?

What can be done about white-coat hypertension? Well, it does not need to be treated with medication, except potentially in elderly patients (over 80 years of age) but should involve lifestyle modifications, including dietary changes, stress reduction and exercise. In terms of diet, increased beet juice, green leafy vegetables and potassium, as well as decreased sodium intake may be important. You should monitor the blood pressure at home, taking multiple readings during the day, or by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure readings, which require wearing a monitor. The latter provides the additional advantage of blood pressure readings during your sleep.

If you do monitor your blood pressure at home, the American Heart Association has suggestions on how to get the most accurate readings, such as measurements early in the morning before exercising and eating, as well as in the evening (4). You should also be comfortably seated, don’t cross your legs, and sit/relax for a few minutes before taking a reading. Let’s look at the evidence.

Risk of sustained high blood pressure

There were no substantial studies demonstrating any consequences from white-coat hypertension until 2005. Most previous studies on white-coat hypertension were not of long enough duration.

In the 2005 population-based Ohasama study, results showed that the participants who had white-coat hypertension were 2.9 times more likely to develop sustained hypertension, compared to those who had normal blood pressure in the doctor’s office (5). There were almost 800 participants involved in this study, with a mean age at the start of 56. What was really impressive about the study was its duration, with an eight-year follow-up. This gives a better sense of whether white-coat hypertension may develop into sustained hypertension. The researchers concluded that it may lead to a less than stellar outlook for cardiovascular prognosis.

Another study, published in 2009, reinforced these results. The PAMELA study showed that those with white-coat hypertension had about a 2.5-times increased risk of developing sustained high blood pressure, compared to those who had normal readings in all environments (6). There were 1,412 participants involved in the study, ranging in age from 25 to 74. Just like the previous study, an impressive aspect was the fact that there was a long follow-up period of 10 years. Thus, this was a substantial study, applicable to the general population over a significant duration.

Prevention of sustained hypertension

In a small, randomized controlled trial, beet juice was shown to reduce blood pressure significantly (7). Patients either were given 250 ml (about 8 ounces) of beet juice or comparable amounts of water. The patients who drank the beet juice saw an 11.2 mm Hg decrease in blood pressure, while those who drank water saw a 0.7 mm Hg reduction. This effect with the beet juice continued to remain significant. Even after 24 hours, there was a sustainable 7.2 mm Hg drop in blood pressure, compared to readings taken prior to drinking the juice. Although these results are encouraging, we need to study whether these effects can be sustained over the long term. Also, this study was done in patients with high blood pressure. I don’t know of any prevention studies done in patients with white-coat hypertension.

The researchers believe the effect is caused by high nitrate levels in beet juice that are converted to nitrite when it comes in contact with human saliva. Nitrite helps to vasodilate, or enlarge blood vessels, and thus helps to decrease blood pressure in a similar way as some antihypertensive (blood pressure) medications. The authors go on to surmise that green leafy vegetables offer protection from cardiovascular disease in part due to increased nitrite levels, similar to those in beet juice. 

A subsequent double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 68 hypertensive patients found that blood pressure was significantly reduced in the clinic and in home readings over a four-week period, when compared to nitrate-free beet juice (8).

If you have diabetes, prediabetes, a family history or a high risk for diabetes, I recommend eating beets instead, since drinking beet juice will raise your sugar levels.

Increasing potassium levels significantly through food sources, not supplements, has a profound effect in reducing blood pressure. In a study where 3,500 to 4,700 mg of potassium were consumed through foods, the systolic (top number) blood pressure was reduced by 7.1 mm Hg (9). We should be getting 4,700 mg of potassium daily, which equates to about 10 bananas daily. Almonds, raisins and green leafy vegetables, such as Swiss chard, also have significant amounts of potassium.

White-coat hypertension should not be neglected. It is important to monitor blood pressure at home for at least three days with multiple readings, and then send them to your physician for review. Though patients don’t need to be on blood pressure medications at this stage, it does not mean you should be passive about the process. Make lifestyle modifications to reduce your risk of developing sustained hypertension.

References:

(1) Hypertension. 2013;62:982-987, originally published Nov 13, 2013. (2) J Hypertens. 2001;19(6):1015. (3) cdc.gov. (4) Am Fam Physician. 2005 Oct 1;72(7):1391-1398. (5) Arch Intern Med. 2005 Jul 11;165(13):1541-1546. (6) Hypertension. 2009; 54: 226-232. (7) Hypertension. Online 2013; April 15. (8) Hypertension. 2015 Feb; 65(2): 320–327. (9) BMJ. 2013 Apr 3;346:f1378. 

Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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'Man of La Boca' by Virginia Khuri

The Huntington Arts Council, celebrating its 55th year, recently unveiled its latest exhibit at its Main Street Gallery. Titled 12 × 12, the juried show features artwork inspired by the LP Record Jacket and will be on display until May 26. The winners, selected by juror Beth Giacummo, were announced at an opening reception on May 4. 

‘Bound,’ Honorable Mention by Shreya Krishnan

“It was a pleasure to juror the Huntington Arts Council 12×12 open call,” said Giacummo in a recent press release. An artist, curator and educator, Giacummo currently serves as the gallery director for Farmingdale State College and is the executive director of the Patchogue Arts Council. “I’d like to thank all the artists who took the time to submit work for consideration, there was a fantastic response and it made the final decisions difficult. I’d also like to thank the HAC for the invitation to be a guest juror. I enjoyed seeing so much new work,” she added. 

The idea of the 12-inch LP has been a concurrent image in popular culture since the first one was pressed in 1903. The images on the cover grew from signage and marketing to works of art that represented the music and the culture in which both were and currently are being created. The album cover quickly emerged as a way to feature the work of talented artists. Its iconic format still maintains the visual representation for the auditory message enclosed within. 

‘The Rain King,’ Honorable Mention by Patty Eljaiek

Thirty-six artists were accepted as finalists including Detlef Aderhold, Patrick Aievoli, Beth Atkinson, Quinn Blackburn, Winifred Boyd, Mary Brodersen, Terry Canavan, Wendy Curtis, Dawn Daisley, Grainne de Buitlear, Doris Diamond, James Dima, Patty Eljaiek, Terry Finch, Nicole Franz, William Grabowski, Jan Guarino, Rodee Hansen, Dan Hittleman, Melissa Johnides, Amy Kasindorf, Kate Kelly, Virginia Khuri, Karen Lynne Kirshner, Myungja Koh, Shreya Krishnan, Anny Lamsifer, Jacques LeBlanc, Ellen Liebenthal, John Micheals, Kasmira Mohanty, Michael Ricigliano, Toxic/Nature Studios By Scott Schneider, Roya Shamsdiba, Meredith Smith and Stephen Wyler.

Best in Show was awarded to Virginia Khuri for “Man of La Boca,” with honorable mentions handed to Shreya Krishnan for  “Bound,” Patrick Aievoli for “Patsy and the Kisco Kids v1” and Patty Eljaiek for “The Rain King.” Congratulations!

‘Patsy and the Kisco Kids v1,’ Honorable Mention by Patrick Aievoli

“We are excited to feature this small works show inspired by artistic impact of the record jacket,” said Marc Courtade, executive director of the HAC. “This concept crosses so many generations of artists, particularly now with the resurgence in the popularity of the LP. Its just one example of how we are working to provide a broader range of creative options for artist to show their work. Please stop by the gallery to see this show.” 

The Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Gallery is located at 213 Main St., Huntington. The gallery is open from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 631-271-8423 or visit www.huntingtonarts.org.

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Gholson Lyon. Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

By Daniel Dunaief

With the cost of determining the order of base pairs in the human genome decreasing, scientists are increasingly looking for ways to understand how mutations lead to specific characteristics. Gholson Lyon, an assistant professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, recently made such a discovery in a gene called NAA15.

People with mutations in this gene had intellectual disability, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, abnormal facial features and, in some cases, congenital cardiac anomalies.

In a recent interview, Lyon explained that he is trying to understand how certain mutations influence the expression of specific traits of interest, such as intelligence, motor development and heart development. He’s reached out to researchers scattered around the world to find evidence of people who had similar symptoms, to see if they shared specific genetic mutations in NAA15 and found 37 people from 32 families with this condition.

“I really scoured the planet and asked a lot of people about this,” said Lyon, who recently published his research in The American Journal of Human Genetics. The benefit of this kind of work, he explained, is that it can help screen for specific conditions for families at birth, giving them an ability to get an earlier diagnosis and, potentially, earlier treatment. “Being able to identify children at birth and to know that they are at risk of developing these disorders would, in a perfect world” allow doctors to dedicate resources to help people with this condition, he said.

Lyon published a similar study on a condition he named Ogden syndrome seven years ago, in which five boys in a single family died before they reached the age of 3. A mutation in a similar gene, called NAA10, led to these symptoms, which is linked to the X chromosome and was only found in boys.

Lyon found the genes responsible on NAA15 by comparing people with these symptoms to the average genome. The large database, which comes from ExAC and gnomAD, made it possible to do a “statistical calculation,” he said. The next steps in the research is to look for protein changes in the pathway in which these genes are involved. The people he studied in this paper are all heterozygous, which means they have one gene that has a mutation and the other that does not.

With this condition, they have something called haploinsufficiency. In these circumstances, they need both copies of the fully functioning gene to produce the necessary proteins. These mutations likely decrease the function of the protein. Lyon would like to study each of these cases more carefully to understand how much the mutation contributes to the various conditions. He looked for evidence of homozygous mutations but didn’t find any. “We don’t know if they don’t exist” because the defective gene may cause spontaneous miscarriages or if they just didn’t find them yet, he said.

Lyon plans on reaching out to geneticist Fowzan Alkuraya, who was trained in the United States and is working at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre clinic in Saudi Arabia. The geneticist has studied the genes responsible for a higher rate of genetic disorders linked to the more common practice of people having children with cousins in what are called consanguineous marriages. 

Alkuraya works on the Saudi Human Genome Program, which studies the inherited diseases that have a higher incidence in Saudi Arabia.

For Lyon, finding the people who carry this mutation was challenging, in part because it hasn’t run in the family for multiple generations. Instead, Lyon and his colleagues, including Holly Stessman of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and Linyan Meng at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, found 32 unrelated families. In some of these families, one or two siblings carried this mutation in a single mutation.

By defining a new genetic disease, the scientists could help families seeking a diagnosis, encourage the start of early intervention such as speech therapy and connect patients with the same diagnosis. This can provide a support network in which people with this condition and their families know they are not battling this genetic challenge alone, Meng, the assistant laboratory director at Baylor Genetics and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, explained in an email.

Every patient with an NAA15 mutation won’t have the same symptoms. “We see a range of phenotypes in these patients, even though they carry the same diagnosis with defects in the same disease,” Meng added. “Early intervention could potentially make a difference for NAA15 patients.”

Lyon works as a psychiatrist in Queens providing medication management. During his undergraduate years at Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire, Lyon said he was interested in neurology and psychology. As he went through his residency at NYU, Columbia and New York State Psychiatric Institute, he gravitated toward understanding the genetic basis of autism, which he said is easier than conditions like schizophrenia because autism is more apparent in the first few years of life.

Lyon recently started working part time at the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities on Staten Island. While Lyon appreciates the opportunity to work there, he is concerned about a potential loss of funding. “These services are vital” on a clinical and research level, he said. He is concerned that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is thinking about decreasing the budget for this work. Reducing financial support for this institution could cause New York to lose its premiere status in working with people with developmental disabilities, he said.

“It has this amazing history, with an enormous number of interesting discoveries in Down syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease and Fragile X,” he said. “I don’t think it gets enough credit.”

As for his work with NAA, Lyon plans to continue to search for other people whose symptoms are linked to these genes. “I am looking for additional patients with mutations in NAA10 or NAA15,” he said.

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Edith Storey, third from left, in a scene from 'A Florida Enchantment'

By Victoria Espinoza

“I want to be a bit different from the girl across the aisle.” — Edith Storey

Town of Huntington residents may be surprised to learn a Hollywood actress from the early 20th century once lived a stone’s throw away from their own backyards. Silent film star Edith Storey, who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, lived in Northport for a considerable amount of her life, and in celebration of her career, the Cinema Arts Centre will be showing two of her films this week. 

Edith Storey in 1917

A special screening of “A Florida Enchantment” (1914) followed by the 1916 short “Jane’s Bashful Hero” will take place on Wednesday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. Film historian Steve Massa will speak at the event, and the film will have live theater organ accompaniment by Ben Model.

Considered one of her best films, “A Florida Enchantment” stars Storey as a strong-willed young woman named Lillian who is irritated with her much-older fiancé, Dr. Cassandene, played by Sidney Drew, who also directs the film. Lillian finds magic seeds that transform her into a man and enjoys the newfound freedoms she gains with her switch of gender. She kisses other women, dances with them, smokes cigarettes, applies for a man’s job and dresses in men’s clothing. When she starts secretly feeding the magic seeds to those around her, including her unsuspecting fiancé, pandemonium ensues.

Born in New York City in 1892, Storey began acting in Vitagraph productions at the age of 16, appearing in “Francesca da Rimini.” From 1908 to 1921 she starred in over 140 films and shorts in a variety of film genres including comedies and westerns. Reportedly an excellent horseback rider, one of her director’s commented that Storey could “ride anything with hair and four legs, throw a rope and shoot with the best of the cowpunchers.” During that time she was one of the most celebrated actresses on the American screen.

Dylan Skolnick, co-director at the Cinema Arts Centre said he happened upon Storey’s life story quite accidentally during a visit to the Northport Historical Society. 

“They had a display of Northport’s history and significant people and there was this section about her,” Skolnick said in a phone interview. “I was shocked, I had never heard this story before.”

Skolnick said he reached out to Massa, who had written about Storey in his book “Slapstick Divas: The Women of Silent Comedy” to learn more about the movie star.

“He was like, ‘Oh, of course, Edith Storey.’ His knowledge is so deep,” Skolnick said. The co-director said after learning more about the actress he reached out to the Library of Congress, which confirmed it had some of her films and would loan them to the Cinema Arts Centre.

Massa called Storey a “talented character actress” and outstanding in “A Florida Enchantment” in a recent email. He said during World War I she took time off from acting to drive an ambulance that transported wounded returning soldiers to New York hospitals.

After retiring from films in 1921 at the age of 29, she moved to a house in Asharoken where she eventually became village clerk, a position she held from 1932 to 1960. According to Skolnick, in the 1930s there was no village hall in Asharoken so elections were held at her house. During World War II, her front yard served as the drop spot for scrap metal. Children who grew up in the neighborhood later recalled how she would tell them stories of her movie career. Storey passed away in Northport in 1967 at the age of 75.

Skolnick is looking forward to this special evening dedicated to the silent film star. “It all sort of came together and here we are,” he said. “Audience members will have a really good time. The film is a delightful comedy and will be accompanied by some wonderful live music.”

The Cinema Arts Centre is located at 423 Park Ave., Huntington. Tickets for this event are $16, $11 members. For more information, please call 631-423-7611 or visit www.cinemaartscentre.org.

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Alexa, mom Kristen and Caroline D'Andrea

Thanks to all the children who entered Times Beacon Record News Media’s 2018 Mother’s Day Contest. Congratulations to Alexa and Caroline D’Andrea of Shoreham and Phoebe Powers of Northport for being this year’s winners and receiving a family four-pack of movie tickets to the AMC Loews Stony Brook 17. Special thanks to AMC Loews for being this year’s sponsor. Happy Mother’s Day!

Jenna and Phoebe Powers

Makes every day special

Oustanding mom

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Really sweet and loving

— By Phoebe Powers, age 7

 

Alexa, mom Kristen and Caroline D’Andrea

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Opposite of mean!

The best mom ever!

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Runs with me!

— By Alexa D’Andrea,   age 7

 

My mom is so AWESOME because she does everything for me.

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— By Caroline D’Andrea, age 10

 

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