Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Scenes from the Fling Into Spring carnival at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 21. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Hundreds headed to Heritage Park in Mount Sinai April 20-22 for the annual Fling Into Spring carnival.
As the sunshine and warmer temperatures washed over the park, kids smiled, rode rides, ate ice cream and played games with excitement throughout the weekend.
The money raised from the event helps nonprofit Heritage Trust fund other events throughout the year. The park is currently raising money for a splash pad. A country line dancing fundraising event is scheduled for April 26 at the Heritage Center from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
The historic Stony Brook Grist Mill officially opens for the season on April 21 and will be open on weekends from noon to 4:30 p.m. through October. Located just off Main Street in Stony Brook at 100 Harbor Road, the mill features a charming country store as well as a “miller” dressed in period clothing offering a demonstration of corn being ground into cornmeal just as it was in 1751. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children under 12. For full information visit www.stonybrookvillage.com or call 631-751-2244.
A young volunteer scours the dunes at Cedar Beach for trash in 2016. File photo by Erika Karp
Beach cleanup this weekend
The 2018 William Waltz Mount Sinai Harbor and Cedar Beach Cleanup will be held this Saturday, April 14 starting at 9 a.m. Volunteers are needed to help give the harbor and beach a proper spring cleaning. Meet at the Mount Sinai Yacht Club at 244 Harbor Beach Road where bags, gloves and pickers will be provided along with refreshments and lunch. Students and Scouts may use this activity for community service hours. Sponsored by the Mount Sinai Harbor Advisory Committee in conjunction with the Town of Brookhaven, Mount Sinai Yacht Club, Tuscany Gourmet Market, Ralph’s Fishing Station, Old Man’s Boat Yard and the Waltz family. For more information, please call 631-807-8437.
Sherlock Gnomes saves the day in the sequel to ‘Gnomeo & Juliet.' Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
By Heidi Sutton
It’s been seven years since moviegoers were invited into the magical world of garden gnomes with Touchstone Pictures’ “Gnomeo & Juliet,” the charming animated film loosely based on William Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy while celebrating the music of Sir Elton John.
Juliet and Gnomeo are back for a new adventure.
Set in the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the story, which features a star-studded cast, takes place in the backyard gardens of two feuding elderly neighbors — Mr. Montague and Miss Capulet. Their garden gnomes, which are blue and red, respectively, are also strict enemies until Gnomeo (blue) and Juliet (red) secretly fall in love and manage to unite the two gnome clans.
I remember taking my daughter and her friends to see this movie and being so enamored by it that I went to a bunch of garden centers the following day and snatched up all the red and blue garden gnomes I could find to put in my rock garden.
Now Paramount Pictures and MGM Studios bring audiences a sequel to the adorable fairy tale, “Sherlock Gnomes,” with all of the original characters you love including Gnomeo (James McAvoy), Juliet (Emily Blunt), Lord Redbrick (Michael Caine), Lady Bluebury (Maggie Smith), Nanette the Frog (Ashley Jensen), Benny (Matt Lucas), Mankini (Julio Bonet) and Fawn (Ozzy Osbourne) in a brand new mystery adventure directed by John Stevenson.
The Montagues and Capulets have married and moved to London. Their collection of garden gnomes have also made the trip, albeit to a much smaller garden that needs a lot of work, “a fixer upper” of sorts. Gnomeo decides that the garden needs a centerpiece, Juliet’s favorite flower — a Cupid’s Arrow Orchid — and ventures out into the city to find one. When Juliet discovers Gnomeo’s plan, she follows him and ends up rescuing him when he becomes trapped in a florist shop.
Sherlock Gnomes and Watson are on the case of the missing garden gnomes.
When the couple returns home, they find that all of their friends as well as gnomes in seven other gardens have been kidnapped, “an ornamental crime on a scale never seen before.” They must be rescued within 24 hours or they’ll be smashed to smithereens. The police are too busy to help, so Sherlock Gnomes (Johnny Depp), sworn protector of garden gnomes, and his trusty sidekick Watson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) take the case. Sherlock is convinced this is the work of his arch nemesis Moriarity (Jamie Demetriou) and, along with Watson, Gnomeo and Juliet, follows a trail of clues to find the gnomes, with lots of plot twists and turns along the way. Will the case be solved in time?
A nice touch is the many places in London that the detective team visit to find clues including the Royal Green Park, the Natural History Museum, Chinatown and Tower Bridge. While Elton John recently announced he is retiring from touring, his music will live on in this film with catchy songs like “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” and “I’m Still Standing” peppered throughout.
Although this sequel is not as good as the original, as sequels rarely are, “Sherlock Gnomes” is still worth a trip to the theater for its visually stunning and lifelike animation, wonderful music and positive message to not take your friends for granted. By the same token, it is highly recommended that “Gnomeo & Juliet” be seen first as it will help in relating to the humor and connecting to the characters better. And I’ll be visiting the garden center to stock up on green garden gnomes. Running time is 1 hour and 26 minutes.
Rated PG for rude and suggestive humor, “Sherlock Gnomes” in now playing in local theaters.
From left, Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci; Jillian Guthman, receiver of taxes; Best in Show winner Paulina Trzonkowska of West Babylon; and Huntington Councilman Ed Smyth. Photo courtesy of Heckscher Museum
The Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington recently announced the top awards for Long Island’s Best: Young Artists at The Heckscher Museum. The prestigious competition received 385 entries from a record-breaking 62 high schools across Suffolk and Nassau counties. The juried selection narrowed the field down to 80 works currently featured in the museum gallery through April 15.
“Every year, the caliber of artwork is more impressive and the artists’ statements increasingly more creative and thoughtful. It is a challenge to choose the best of the best from hundreds of entries,” noted Joy Weiner, director of education.
The competition’s four top honorees were Paulina Trzonkowska, a senior at West Babylon High School who received the Celebrate Achievement Best in Show Award for her colored pencil work titled “Too Close”; Isabelle Lin, a junior at Manhasset High School,who received Second Place, the Judith Sposato Memorial Prize, for her painting, “Two Flags”; Estefanie Arrue, a senior at Hicksville High School, received Third Place, the Hadley Prize, for “Female Reconstruction,” a mixed media work; and Rico Ford, a senior at Valley Stream Central High School, received Fourth Place for the colored pencil work “Pair of Kings.”
Now in its 22nd year, Long Island’s Best provides students the opportunity to exhibit their artwork in a prominent museum and to be featured in a full-color catalog while museum visitors are treated to exceptional artwork by talented emerging artists.
Jurors for the exhibition were Lisa Chalif, curator, The Heckscher Museum of Art, and guest juror Doug Reina, a notable Setauket artist and 2014 Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant recipient.
“For high school students, this is a rare and exciting opportunity to put their skills to the ultimate test and show the world who they are. This is where you bring your A game,” said Reina. “This is their first taste of what life in the contemporary art world is really like. The ‘creative pressure’ gives these young people terrific experience as they become the next generation of the world’s artists.”
In addition to the gallery exhibition, visitors can see all of the artwork submitted to the competition on a digital display that will run for the entirety of the exhibition and Mitchells, a Huntington-based department store, will display select images from Long Island’s Best in its windows on Main Street beginning mid-April.
Generous support for exhibit is provided by The Darrell Fund Endowment, Strong-Cuevas Foundation, TD Charitable Foundation, The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation,RBC Wealth Management,A Friend of the Museum and Dr. Inna Gellerman of Gellerman Orthodontics.
The Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington is open Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-351-3250 or visit www.heckscher.org.
On Tuesday, April 10, Harbor Country Day School will host a community forum, titled “Addictive Behaviors in Adolescents and Adults: Warning Signs, Risky Behaviors and Helpful Resources.” The forum will feature mental health, medical, and social services experts, who will lead attendees in a candid discussion about various forms of addiction, including technology and video game addiction, social media dependence, alcohol and other substance abuse, vaping and “gateway drugs,” and opioid addiction.
WHAT: “Addictive Behaviors in Adolescents and Adults: Warning Signs, Risky Behaviors and Helpful Resources”
Panelists will include:
Kym Laube, Executive Director of Human Understanding and Growth Services, Inc. (HUGS)
Linda Ventura, Founder of Thomas’ Hope Foundation
Noam Fast, M.D., Medical Director of the Mather Hospital Chemical Dependency Clinic
Jason Bleecher, Licensed Master Social Worker & Substance Abuse Therapist
WHY: As today’s adolescents and their parents and caregivers face growing societal and personal challenges, addictive behaviors are appearing in many new forms and to extreme degrees. The forum will provide an opportunity for a candid discussion about the prevalence of these addictions, warning signs to be aware of, and solutions and community resources for those in need.
About Harbor Country Day School
Founded in 1958 by conscientious parents, Harbor Country Day School is an independent, co-educational day school for children from preschool through eighth grade in St. James. Emphasizing a whole-child approach to education, Harbor offers a rigorous curriculum enhanced by signature programs in STEAM, global languages, math, and language arts, with a strong emphasis on character development. The school’s mission to “cherish childhood, cultivate wonder, and inspire confident learners and leaders” underscores every student’s experience and ensures that all of its graduates are prepared to lead fulfilling lives filled with wonder, confidence, and many successes. Harbor Country Day School’s summer camp program, Camp Harbor, is among the leading summer camp programs on Long Island.
Harbor Country Day School is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and is accredited by and a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). It is a non-sectarian, nonprofit organization under section 501(c) (3) of the IRS Code governed by a self-perpetuating board of trustees. For more information, visit www.hcdsny.org.
Above, Lila Clark-Clonts holds a baby goat at Benner’s Farm; below, her winning entry. Photo by Heidi SuttonAbove, David Zeitler can’t wait to see the show; below, his winning entry. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Happy Spring!
Thanks to all the children who entered our Spring Coloring Contest! We had so many wonderful submissions making for some stiff competition. Congratulations to Lila Clark-Clonts, age 8, of Setauket and David Zeitler, age 5, of Port Jefferson! Both children received a family four pack to Theatre Three’s adorable children’s show, “The Adventures of Peter Rabbit.”
Special thanks to Theatre Three for sponsoring our contest. Be sure to look for our next contest for Mother’s Day in Arts & Lifestyles and check out the other wonderful entries in next week’s issue.
The cast of 'The Wizard of Oz'. Photo courtesy of Engeman Theater
Dorothy and friends delight audiences at the Engeman
By Rita J. Egan
The John W. Engeman Theater closes out its 2017-2018 Children’s Theater with a charming version of the cherished children’s tale, “The Wizard of Oz.” The Northport venue debuted the musical on March 24, and Suzie Dunn has done an excellent job directing the eight adult actors down the yellow brick road.
Based on the children’s books by L. Frank Baum, “The Wizard of Oz” tells the story of young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto. When a tornado sweeps Dorothy away from her home in Kansas and over the rainbow to a magical land, she meets witches, Munchkins and three charming travel companions. While the Engeman’s “Wizard” is an abridged version of the story — no poppies and less of the witch’s monkeys and guards — all the favorite characters and songs from the 1939 MGM Studios motion picture are present.
Danielle Aliotta’s portrayal of Dorothy is as endearing as Judy Garland’s was in the movie, and the actress sings a sweet “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” with strong, clear vocals.
Jacqueline Hughes and Danielle Aliotta in a scene from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Photo by Jennifer Tully
Her companions down the yellow brick road are just as delightful. Jacqueline Hughes (Scarecrow), Danny Meglio (Tin Man) and Andrew McCluskey (Cowardly Lion) do fantastic jobs during their respective numbers, “If I Only Had a Brain,” “If I Only Had a Heart” and “If I Only Had the Nerve.” McCluskey’s vocals are also wonderful during his solo “If I Were King of the Forest.”
Maeve Barth-Dwyer has perfected the evil shrill voice of the Wicked Witch, and Antoine Jones plays the Wizard of Oz and the Emerald City doorman with just the right amount of quirkiness. Marielle Greguski is lovely as both Glinda and Auntie Em and sings beautifully with Aliotta on the reprise of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
With no poppies to put Dorothy and friends to sleep, the witch tries to undermine their mission with the help of a tap dancing jitterbug played by Marquez Catherine Stewart, an upbeat number that was cut from the original motion picture to shorten it. While the song and dance routine may not have been fitting for the perilous journey in the movie, it is perfect for a live production for children. Stewart, Aliotta, Hughes, Meglio and McCluskey do a fantastic job with this refreshing number.
Danielle Aliotta, Danny Meglio and Jacqueline Hughes in a scene from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Photo by Jennifer Tully
Young audience members at the Sunday show were thrilled to see the actors walk through the aisles while they were on their way to the Emerald City to see the Wizard. Costume designer Jess Costagliola has done a wonderful job replicating the character’s costumes, especially Glinda’s pretty pink gown, and a few of the actors dressed in giant hats with big googly eyes are adorable as the Munchkins.
Sponsored by Bethpage Federal Credit Union, the Engeman’s “The Wizard of Oz” is a special treat for audience members of all ages, and a wonderful tribute to a nearly 80-year-old classic that proves there’s no place like home. Running time is 90 minutes with one 15-minute intermission, booster seats are available and children can meet the cast in the lobby after the show for photos and autographs. (An autograph page is included at the back of the program.)
The John W. Engeman Theater, located at 250 Main St., Northport, presents “The Wizard of Oz” through April 29. Children’s Theater returns for the 2018-2019 season with “Shrek The Musical” from July 28 to Sept. 2 followed by “The Little Mermaid Jr.” from Sept. 22 to Oct. 28, “Frosty” from Nov. 24 to Dec. 30, “Seussical The Musical” from Jan. 26 to March 3, 2018, and ends with “Madagascar: A Musical Adventure” from March 23 to April 28. All seats are $15. For more information, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.
Attention Long Island students! Can you carry a tune? Or is a musical instrument your specialty? If so, get your audition DVD or YouTube video submitted now for Long Island’s Got Talent 2018, hosted by the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO). Created by WMHO’s Youth Corps, the event gives Long Island students the opportunity to showcase their talents this spring.
The competition is open to students 10 to 17 years of age in Nassau or Suffolk County who must still be in high school at the time final awards are given in October of this year. Talent must be non-professional vocal or musical instrument performances. The entry deadline is April 6 and there is a $25 entry fee. Those who are contacted after submitting their audition will be asked to perform at the first round competition on Saturday, April 14 at 2 p.m. at WMHO’s Educational & Cultural Center, 97P Main Street in the Stony Brook Village Center. Finalists chosen will also be given the opportunity to perform at WMHO’s Sunday Summer Concerts series in July and August.
For full details and Official Entry Form, call 631-751-2244 or visit www.stonybrookvillage.com/what-to-do-events/.
Michael Loccisano as Horton, center, with the cast.
Brooke Miranda and Michael Loccisano in a scene from 'Seussical Jr.'
Leah Kelly is Mayzie!
Kieran Brown as Jojo and Luke Ferrari as the Cat in the Hat in a scene from ‘Seussical Jr.’
Lorelai Cucciolo as Sour Kangaroo in a scene from 'Seussical Jr.'
Kieran Brown as Jojo and Luke Ferrari as the Cat in the Hat in a scene from ‘Seussical Jr.’
By Heidi Sutton
With quirky worlds and peculiar creatures, some familiar and some not, Dr. Seuss’ enchanting stories have entertained children and adults for generations. Now the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts brings some of those most memorable tales to the theater’s stage with a Kids Performing for Kids production of “Seussical Jr.” The show opened on St. Patrick’s Day and runs through the end of April.
Kieran Brown as Jojo and Luke Ferrari as the Cat in the Hat in a scene from ‘Seussical Jr.’
With book, music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Michael Flaherty, the show combines “Horton Hears a Who,” “Horton Hatches the Egg” and “Miss Gertrude McFuzz” with all their wonderful characters into a two-hour fantasmical musical adventure; in essence, creating the perfect respite on a chilly March afternoon.
Andrew Murano (“Shakespeare in Love”) directs an incredibly talented young cast of 23 actors, ranging from the age of 8 to 18, in bringing the magical world of Dr. Seuss to life in perfect rhyme, and oh, how magical it is!
From the moment the Cat in the Hat (Luke Ferrari) pops out of a trap door on the stage and belts out “Oh the Thinks You Can Think (When You Think About Seuss),” the show takes off and never loses momentum. Ferrari’s feline character serves as narrator and transports the audience from the Jungle of Nool with Horton the elephant and Gertrude the girl-bird, to the microscopic city of Who-ville with Jojo to, in the second act, the Circus McGurkus, with singing, dancing and uplifting messages.
While the entire cast does a great job, the main characters are simply outstanding. Michael Loccisano shines as Horton and his recurring solo, “Horton Hears a Who,” where a person’s a person no matter how small, is heartfelt. Kieran Brown is a natural as Jojo and his incredible talent is unveiled in “It’s Possible.” Other standouts include Brooke Miranda (Gertrude,) Lorelai Mucciolo (Sour Kangaroo) and Leah Kelly as Mayzie. Their futures as actors look promising indeed.
A nice touch is how the cast utilizes the aisles and even the balcony to convey the story. Designed by Ronald Green III, the costumes are lively and colorful and the set, constructed by Tim Golebiewski, look as if they’ve jumped right off the pages of one of Seuss’ books. The “Green Eggs and Ham” finale is just the cherry on top.
The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 East Main St., Smithtown will present “Seussical Jr.” through April 29 with special Spring Break Days from April 2 to 6 at 1 p.m. Booster seats are available and there is a 15-minute intermission. Meet the Cat in the Hat, Horton, Gertrude and Jojo in the lobby for photos after the show. Children’s theater continues with “Willy Wonka Jr.” from May 19 to June 17 and “Mary Poppins Jr.” from Sept. 15 to Oct. 28. All seats are $15. To order, call 631-724-3700 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.
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