■ The long-anticipated spring Port Jefferson Documentary Series kicks off Feb. 28 with a screening of Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen at Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson. Narrated by Jeff Goldblum, the film draws on behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Fiddler on the Roof with interviews and never-before-seen stills, capturing how this beloved musical made its triumphant, hazardous journey to the big screen and its unparalleled impact as a cultural force. Guest speaker via live Zoom will be Director Daniel Raim.
■ Up next on March 7 at Theatre Three is Youth v. Gov, the story of 21 young people, ages 13 to 19, from all over the nation and all walks of life who collectively sue the United States government for violating their constitutional rights by threatening their futures with the effects of climate change. Guest speaker will be Director Christi Cooper via live Zoom.
■ The season continues with Refuge, a story about fear and love in the American South, at Theatre Three on March 14. A leader in a white nationalist hate group finds healing from the people he once hated — a Muslim heart doctor and his town of refugees. Guest speakers via live Zoom will be directors Din Blankenship and Erin Bernhardt, and Chris Buckley and Heval Kelli, subjects in the film.
■ After a brief hiatus, The Automatwill be screened at Theatre Three on April 11. Chock-full of rich archival footage of old Philadelphia and NYC, this everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-automats film is a lighthearted trip through the history of Horn & Hardart’s iconic and innovative eateries. Guest speaker will be Director Lisa Hurwitz.
■ a-ha, The Movie heads to Theatre Three on April 18. The music of Queen and the Velvet Underground instilled a sense of destiny in three teenagers living in a small town in 1970s Norway. That dream led to A-ha: the synth-pop trio featuring keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, vocalist Morten Harket, and guitarist Pål Waktaar-Savoy. Featuring new interviews with the band and previously unreleased behind-the-scenes footage. Guest speaker via live Zoom will be Director Thomas Robsahm.
■ Next up is Zero Gravity to be screened at John F. Kennedy Middle School, 200 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station on May 2. The documentary follows a diverse group of middle-school students from San Jose, CA, who compete in a nationwide tournament to code satellites aboard the International Space Station. Guest speaker via live Zoom will be Director Thomas Verrette.
■ Final documentary at Theatre Three on May 23 TBA.
*All screenings will be held at 7 p.m.
All tickets are $10 and are available online or at the event (cash only). For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com.The series is sponsored by Brightview Senior Living of Port Jefferson Station and Covati & Janhsen CPAS PC of Port Jefferson.
Catalytic converters in cars have been stolen across the country. Stock photo
By Raymond Janis
A wave of catalytic converter theft is sweeping through Suffolk County.
“If they grab two a night, that’s a nice living on the theft market. It’s becoming very popular across the country.”
— Bobby Lemmo
A catalytic converter is a valuable auto part attached near the engine of a motor vehicle. It converts harmful toxins generated by a vehicle’s exhaust system into less hazardous gasses.
“There has been an uptick in the theft of catalytic converters from vehicles in recent months,” said a spokesperson for the Suffolk County Police Department in an email statement. “The department made several arrests of individuals stealing catalytic converters in 2021 and most recently arrested a Medford man for stealing a catalytic converter from a Toyota in Bellport on Jan. 4.”
The catalytic converter contains precious metals such as platinum, zirconium, rhodium and palladium. Given its accessible location underneath the chassis, the catalytic converter has become an attractive target for thieves.
“Most catalytic converters are made with a ceramic honeycomb substrate infused with platinum, zirconium and some other metals depending on the model,” said Bobby Lemmo, certified automotive technician and resident of Smithtown, in a phone interview. “These are very rare and very expensive metals. A replacement from a manufacturer runs anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000. On the junkyard market, the ones that they’re stealing sell between $200 and $600.”
Compared with other auto theft crimes, catalytic converter theft is relatively low risk and simple yet highly profitable. Using basic tools that can be found in a hardware store, a catalytic converter can be stolen within minutes. According to Lemmo, criminals can support a stable livelihood by stealing just a few of these converters per week.
“They target certain cars that they know, where the position of [the catalytic converter] is easy to get to. It literally takes a minute,” he said. “If they grab two a night, that’s a nice living on the theft market. It’s becoming very popular across the country.”
Recent supply chain shortages and scarce resources have also fed this spike in catalytic converter theft.
“They used to be readily available, but they’re tougher and tougher to get. They’re just not around now,” Lemmo said. “It’s affecting theft insurance, too. People are putting theft insurance on a car that they normally wouldn’t.”
According to a 2021 report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the national rate of catalytic converter theft has “skyrocketed” throughout the pandemic. Additionally, as the value of the precious metals within the converters has increased, the theft rate has kept pace. Lemmo, whose business is based in Queens, said that he replaces stolen catalytic converters regularly.
“I don’t know how many we have replaced in the past year, but I would say a car every one or two weeks and mostly four-cylinder cars because they’re just easier to get to,” he said. “And that’s just us. We’re one small shop.”
Some vehicles are at greater risk than others. According to Lemmo, the Honda CR-V is the most popular model for theft.
“The Honda CR-V is probably number one,” he said. “It’s high enough off the ground that they don’t even need a jack. They can lay right on the floor to take it.”
The proliferation of catalytic converter thefts has prompted some public officials to propose stricter penalties for thieves and purchasers. New York State Sen. Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) spotted this trend in her district that covers the north of the island and parts of southern Brooklyn. Her proposed bill would impose greater restrictions on the purchase, sale and possession of stolen catalytic converters.
“We started noticing an increase in catalytic converter thefts in Staten Island about a year ago,” she said in a phone interview. “It’s an increasing problem not just here but all around the state. Working with one of my assembly colleagues, we’re looking to crack down on it by making the dealerships more responsible for the sale and resale of catalytic converters.”
Savino said that while it is illegal to steal a catalytic converter, her proposed legislation would make the crime less profitable. Her bill places harsher penalties on resale vendors, those who purchase the stolen converters cheaply and resell them at a premium.
“If someone steals a catalytic converter, there’s only one thing they’re doing with it,” Savino said. “They’re taking it to a chop shop, a salvage store or an auto dealer and they’re reselling it. We’re making them responsible for the product they are reselling.”
Other than stricter penalties, Lemmo believes manufacturers could alleviate the problem by serializing the converters. Serial numbers could both disrupt the resale marketplace and make the parts traceable, so that victims of this theft may have their stolen converters returned to them.
“For some of the newer cars, they have already gotten to the point of serializing them,” Lemmo said. “Possibly it could come back or, if anything, it will discourage them from taking it. Technically, it’s against the law for a scrap metal dealer to recycle one with a serial number.”
While Savino supports the issuance of serial numbers for new catalytic converters, she acknowledges the difficulty of targeting manufacturers through statewide legislation.
“It’s not out of the realm of possibility, but making manufacturers do something when they are not in the state of New York is just one more layer that would make it more difficult to enforce,” the state senator said. “It’s always easier to enact legislation that you can enforce within the four walls of your own state. When you’re doing something that affects products that are possibly manufactured overseas, it’s harder.”
For those concerned about the vulnerability of their car’s catalytic converter, the NICB recommends that vehicle owners install a catalytic converter anti-theft device, available from various manufacturers; park in a garage or well-lit area; and plant motion sensor lights to deter potential thieves.
Members of Ted Lucki’s family were in a forced labor camp. Lucki’s grandmother Anna, left, grandfather Nicholi, second from left, are shown with their children, including Lucki’s father Michael in the back row. Photo from Ted Lucki
By Ted Lucki
“Good morning, Lori. How are you?” (I said to my wife.)
She said, “I feel great.”
Ted Lucki’s family arrived in America in 1948. Photo from Ted Lucki
I said, “You should be ready. “
“Ready for what?”
“My relatives will be coming from
the Ukraine.”
“When?”
“When the first tank crosses the Ukrainian border with Russia.”
Lori said, “You worry too much.”
I replied that the cycle repeats itself every 70 years or so.
An old Ukrainian folk tale: What is the difference between a Ukrainian and a Russian? The Ukrainian has two shots of vodka and falls asleep. The Russian has two shots of vodka and wakes up to finish two bottles of vodka.
Let’s go back in time to 1944 and stories from my grandfather Nicholi. His family was ethnically Ukrainian but lived in Eastern Poland. The borders were constantly moving by advancing and retreating armies. Welcome to the Eastern Front.
My grandfather was in the Austrian army during World War I and knew the German commander in his town. The commander told him that his unit was moving out in the morning. He said that the Red Army was marching, and they were killing everybody in their way. If you were alive, you must be a traitor. This was the logic of Joseph Stalin, who governed the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death in 1953.
So, my grandfather, Nicholi, woke up his wife and five children — including my father and 2-year-old sister. They loaded up their horse-drawn wooden wagon and headed west trying to avoid the advancing Red Army. They made it to Czechoslovakia. They sold the wagon and bought train tickets to Vienna, Austria.
Grandpa Nicholi was a student there after World War I and knew some old friends. They then made it to Salzburg, Austria, and were arrested. They had Polish passports and were not allowed legal passage to Austria. They were arrested and sent into a forced labor camp. They worked in the slave labor camp for two years building boxes for ammunition.
When the war ended, they were fortunately liberated by the American Army and put into refugee camps. They waited for one year before they were sponsored by a medical doctor in Cincinnati, and ultimately ended up in Buffalo. They survived and they were together. They had hope for a new life. Thank God, they made it to America. Many of my relatives were killed or sent to their deaths in Siberia. Those were insane times. I thought the world was more civilized now.
The Red Army is on the march again. Sounds like a very similar tune. Sounds like a similar strategy: the domination of the Ukrainian people.
So, Lori, when the tanks roll, my extended family will head west. They’ll hop a train to Poland, fly to JFK, and I will go pick them up. I do not really know them. We met them 20 years ago on our trips to Ukraine. But I am sure they remember us. We were the lucky ones that got out alive.
I hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
Please join me in “praying for peace” and hoping that America understands its leadership role in our crazy world.
Ted Lucki is the former mayor of Belle Terre and president of the Welcome Friends Soup Kitchen.
An inside look at what Roots has to offer. Photo by Carolyn Sackstein
By Carolyn Sackstein
The owner of Roots Kava Bar, Robert Dunn, celebrated the grand opening of Port Jefferson’s newest drinking establishment with family and friends when he opened the doors at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19.
The enthusiastic crowd mingled about and enjoyed the cozy and comfortable seating in the kava pub’s back lounge and front self-serve area.
Robert Dunn inside the new Roots Kava Bar in Port Jeff. Photo by Carolyn Sackstein
Most guests knew about kava, a beverage used as a replacement for alcohol. The owner wanted to create an environment where people, who do not use alcohol, could socialize over drinks and not experience the detrimental effects of alcohol. The decor is a pleasing mix of black walls, metal and wood. The serving bar is a natural plank with a live edge which echoes the natural theme of the beverages.
For the uninitiated, kava is a drink made from the root of the kava kava plant (Piper methysticum) which originates in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific islands.
Kava is touted to alleviate stress, help with chronic pain, boost mood, increase energy and focus. The root is ground into a powder, steeped in water, then filtered. Kava has sedative and anesthetic properties that can produce a numbing sensation within the lips and mouth.
A sense of calm or euphoria is experienced by those who imbibe. Kava has been used in Fiji, Hawaii and elsewhere for perhaps as long as 3,000 years in religious and welcoming ceremonies for honored guests.
The flavor of the raw drink has an earthy, rather grassy taste. Many find the taste quite pleasant. For those who do not like the raw taste, Dunn or Alyssa Chaikin, the bar manager, will be happy to customize the serve by adding flavorings like lemon or raspberry syrups. One popular choice is the cinnamon toast option. The kava bar also serves commercially produced kava and kratom beverages in cans and bottles.
On Sunday afternoon, a family came in with their two children. Because of the sedative properties of the root, the only beverage that could be served to the children was kombucha. The children enjoyed the commercially produced bottle of this fermented nonalcoholic beverage. Dunn is exploring the addition of a greater selection of products to suit a wider audience, but the focus is on an adult clientele who wish to chill with friends over an adult beverage while avoiding alcohol and its ill effects.
Guests can purchase a 12 oz. bottle or a growler ($5 bottle deposit) of the in-house prepared beverages so that they can be enjoyed at home. One can also purchase brand-name products such as Leilo, Kin Euphorics, Psychedelic Water and Stay Cool CBD.
The patrons on Sunday afternoon felt quite pleased with their experience. Angela Contratti of Nesconset had a bula bowl. “I feel a little floaty,” she said. “It’s a really nice alternative to alcohol. My expectations were low coming in here, but I am leaving feeling ‘wow.’”
Roots’ new sign hangs where BYOG and East Main & Main used to be. Photo by Carolyn Sackstein
As with all herbal supplements and nutraceuticals, one must bear in mind that there are concerns relative to purity and adverse interactions with medications one might be taking. Dunn uses kava root powders that have been tested by a third-party lab to ensure quality. He and his staff happily provide patrons with product information and describe the effects that one may experience from using the drinks.
People who have medical conditions, are pregnant or lactating, or taking medications are warned to consult their health care provider to determine contra indications or adverse drug interactions. According to Bill Hatfield, a licensed clinical social worker, who has for years counseled clients who are in recovery for addiction, suggests people should be cautious about trying kratom. While kratom is currently legal in New York state, it is his experience that clients, who were clean for a significant period, relapsed after trying kratom. That said, the kava bar seems to be enjoying a positive buzz within the community.
Roots Kava Bar is located at 250 E. Main St., Port Jefferson. The hours of operation are noon to midnight. Holidays may have altered hours. For additional information call 631-831-4887.
Over the course of the last month, local elected officials were speaking out against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) plan to allow, potentially, accessory apartments to every home throughout the state.
Members of Congress across Long Island bashed the idea, state senators and assembly members did, too. It even got to the hyper local level when Brookhaven and Huntington towns both held press conferences asking Hochul to reconsider the plan, saying that it would not fit into the landscape of Long Island. The Town of Smithtown strongly objected, too.
It was bipartisan. Members from both parties said that it would impact the way we live here, parking would be terrible, property values could decrease and the already concerning sewage issues we have on Long Island would worsen. It simply wouldn’t work.
And just this week, it looks like all that kicking and screaming had an impact. Hochul decided to pull the plan from the state budget.
So, what does this mean?
The events that led up to her decision were important. All of those press conferences hosted by our elected officials were worth the time and effort. The stories that the media reported on got other people talking, thinking and writing.
This shows how important it is to reach out to our local representatives. Tell them what you want and ask them to help make a change. That’s their job.
Reach out to us, your local media and write letters to the editor. Voice your concerns and demand action.
Some things cannot be changed or might take longer than desired. But there are other opportunities that can be fixed before they take flight.
If it wasn’t for our local elected officials looking over the state budget and noticing the line about the apartments, some of us might not have known about the issue until it was too far along to be stopped.
That’s when people begin to complain, but sometimes not much can be done.
Stay vigilant and be proactive instead of reactive. Use what resources are available to us now to make continuous changes that will benefit us and our families.
We’re all in this together and the more we communicate, the better. But we should remember to say “thank you” to those who made it possible when you finally get your way.
A behind the scenes moment in the documentary with director Norman Jewison (right) and Chaim Topol in the role of Tevye on the set of Fiddler on the Roof.
By Melissa Arnold
The long-anticipated spring Port Jefferson Documentary Series kicks off Feb. 28 with Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen, a homage to the beloved movie musical.
There is something visceral about Fiddler on the Roof. Whether on stage or on screen, it has a way of gripping your emotions and stirring up memories like few other musicals can.
Based on the story Tevye the Dairyman by Sholem Aleichem, the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof opened in 1964 and became the first musical to run for more than 3,000 performances. The epic, three-hour film adaptation came along in 1971, and quickly earned accolades as the highest-grossing movie of that year.
Rosalind Harris (Tzeitel)
Nearly 50 years later, filmmaker Daniel Raim set out to document all that he could about the film through the eyes of its cast and crew. Along the way, he explored what Jewish culture, faith and family ties mean to him in the present day.
The finished product, “Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen,” is narrated by actor Jeff Goldblum and presented by Zeitgeist Films.
“I brought a lot of curiosity into my exploration of Fiddler on the Roof,” said Raim, who lives in Los Angeles. “It wasn’t just about what makes [director] Norman Jewison’s film so great, but what Norman Jewison’s personal and spiritual journey was like in the process of making it.”
Raim’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors, and his parents met in Israel, where he moved as a teenager. While there, he attended an art-focused high school and, upon graduation, began to make documentaries for the Israeli Defense Force during his required time of military service. He later returned to the United States and attended the American Film Institute.
As for Fiddler on the Roof, Raim recalled watching it for the first time at his grandparents’ house.
“My great-grandparents died in the Holocaust, and when I was watching Fiddler with my grandparents, a portrait of them hung on the wall. My great-grandfather was a kosher butcher and a rabbi, and my grandfather took me to synagogue and taught me about their values,’ he recalled.
“I was so moved watching it with them — it felt like I was looking at a realistic portrait of Jewish life in Tsarist Russia in 1905, what life might have been like for my great-grandparents’ generation as they wrestled with changing times and anti-Semitism. I had a very specific connection to it and began to ask questions: Who am I? Where do I come from? How did my family live? It made it very meaningful to me.”
Ironically, director Norman Jewison wasn’t Jewish at all. Despite this, he had a deep desire from early childhood to learn more about Jewish culture, especially as he faced harassment because of his last name.
Neva Small (Chava)
It took Raim more than 10 years to complete the film as he traveled the world interviewing the cast and production team. The 88-minute documentary offers an intimate, heartfelt peek inside the memories and creative process of Chaim Topol (Tevye), Rosalind Harris (Tzeitel), Michele Marsh (Hodel) and Neva Small (Chava), among others. The film also includes behind-the-scenes footage and thoughts from production designer Robert F. Boyle, lyricist Sheldon Harnick and renowned composer John Williams.
Raim made a point of showing just how much effort and research went into developing the Fiddler film, so that it could be as authentic as possible. Norman Jewison and John Williams traveled to Israel for a research trip before production began, where Williams pored over Yiddish archives and music. In the documentary, Williams shares what he learned about different types of music that were meaningful in that era and culture, and about the importance of the fiddle in a musical and historical context.
Similarly, producer Robert Boyle had to research what life was like in a shtetl, or small Jewish community. It was a difficult process, as the shtetls were targeted and destroyed during the Holocaust. Despite this, Boyle was able to faithfully recreate a Jewish painted synagogue based on the very little information he could find.
The attention to detail and commitment to authenticity is only part of what makes Fiddler on the Roof so enduring, Raim said.
“I think the appeal of the stories by Sholem Aleichem, up through the Broadway musical and the film, is that their themes and issues are universal — the breaking down of traditions, the relationships and tensions between family members,” he said. “Everyone can relate to it. You have these beautiful narratives with complex, fun characters, and it can be both joyous and heartbreaking. And then for Jewish audiences, it’s almost like an origin story that they can see themselves and their families in.”
While many in the film industry faced life-altering changes during the pandemic, Raim used his downtime as the final push to complete the documentary.
Michele Marsh (Hodel)
“At the start of the pandemic, I began to collaborate with Michael Sragow, who was the co-writer, co-producer and lead researcher, and producer Sasha Burman. The three of us worked together over Zoom during the lockdown. I thought, now is the time to pull out the juiciest archival footage and interviews I’d ever shot and start working on and shaping them. I really feel like thanks to the pandemic I could really focus on this film, and I was blessed to be able to continue filming original interviews in 2021.”
Production was completed this past December, making the Port Jefferson Documentary Series one of the first showings with an audience.
The Port Jefferson Documentary Series began in 2006 with a group of friends around a dining room table. The series has since won the title of Best Film Festival on Long Island for six consecutive years.
“When I screen a film, I need to experience an emotional connection before I share it with my board members, and one doesn’t need to be Jewish to appreciate Fiddler on the Roof,” said Barbara Sverd, co-director of the twice-yearly Port Jefferson Documentary Series.
“Why is it so successful? I think it’s because it’s about average, everyday people trying to make a living, trying to keep old traditions alive, trying to fit into an ever-changing world they may not understand and leaving the Old World behind for an unknown future. But its broader message is about hope, faith and acceptance,” she said.
“We are proud to present Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen as a sneak peek before its theatrical premiere and as a welcome back to our Long Island audience. It’s the first in our upcoming Spring Series, and we are thrilled to have director Daniel Raim as our guest speaker by Zoom.”
IF YOU GO:
Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen will be shown on Feb. 28 at Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson at 7 p.m. A conversation with Daniel Raim via Zoom will follow, where audience members can ask questions and share their thoughts. All tickets are $10 and are available online or at the event (cash only). In accordance with Theatre Three’s policy, masks, vaccination cards and a photo ID are required to attend. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com.
After bipartisan backlash from Long Island officials, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has dropped her budget proposal that would require local governments to expand legalizing accessory apartments.
“I have heard real concerns about the proposed approach on accessory dwelling units,” Hochul said in a statement. “I understand that my colleagues in the state senate believe a different set of tools is needed, even if they agree with the goal of supporting the growth of this kind of housing.”
The plan stated that, to increase affordable housing across the state, dwellings would be allowed to convert garages, basements and backyard units as apartments. Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers from the town, county, state and federal levels all said this could hurt Long Island, and essentially eliminate single-family zoning.
“I am submitting a 30-day amendment to my budget legislation that removes requirements on localities in order to facilitate a conversation about how we build consensus around solutions,” she added.
The plan was introduced in January during the State of the State. Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) was one of the first to call the governor out on it, which then resulted in Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington towns to voice their concerns.
“One small victory, but many battles ahead,” Suozzi told TBR News Media in a statement. “We successfully stopped Governor Hochul’s radical proposal from being passed in the budget, but we’re not done yet. Now we must stop her and the state legislature from passing this misguided legislation during the Albany legislative session.”
Throughout the last month, these lawmakers argued that the plan could have potential impacts on Long Island’s quality of life, the environment and local school districts.
““I’m pleased that Governor Hochul pulled the Accessory Dwelling Unit legislation from the budget, but that isn’t enough,” said Suffolk County Legislator Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst). “At this time, there are still discussions of tweaks to the law. Local officials on Long Island are adamantly opposed to any modifications that remove our ‘home rule.’ We know what is best for our community and we don’t need New York City and New York State dictating to us what our communities should look like. As we’ve seen with the pulling of the bill, combining our voices and speaking out ensure that we can be heard. I urge all residents to contact their State representatives and the governor’s office, to voice their opposition to any modification of ADUs here on Long Island.”
Several Suffolk County lawmakers spoke up against the ADU legislation Feb. 11 with the help of several state assembly members and senators.
“The removal of this proposal from the budget is great news for all of our communities and I am proud to have stood with my colleagues in town, county, state and federal officials from both sides of the aisle to fight to protect local control,” said state Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James). “This shows that joining together and standing united can lead to positive change for our residents.”
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) held a press conference Feb. 3, as one of the first townships to take a stance on the issue.
“The call to remove this misguided proposal was finally heard by the governor and we will continue to maintain local zoning control,” he said in a recent statement. “Our right to home rule on issues like housing is what protects our communities from turning into the crowded neighborhoods that we see in cities, which is not what the residents of Brookhaven Town want.”
Hochul still has plans to combat the affordable housing crisis, and the emphasis on increasing accessory apartments and improving their safety will be targeted in New York City rather than the suburbs.
“Albany extremists will resurrect this terrible idea the moment bipartisan opposition gets distracted,” said Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth (R). “Stay vigilant!”
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'The Marvelous Wonderettes'. Photo by Brian Hoerger/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
By Barbara Anne Kirshner
Do you have close-knit forever friends applauding your successes as well as offering encouragement during challenging times? If your answer is yes, then you are truly lucky to have such treasures in your life. The Marvelous Wonderettes, a feel good musical romp back to the 50’s and 60’s now playing at Theatre Three, follows four such friends as they navigate life’s often unpredictable twists and turns together.
Playwright Roger Bean was approached by the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre to write a small-scale musical for their black box space. With constrictions such as little room backstage, Bean wrote the one-act version of The Marvelous Wonderettes produced in 1999. He got the inspiration for the musical from a conversation with his mother about when she was a high school song leader and part of a singing trio. Bean also credits his mother for instilling in him a love of 50’s and 60’s music.
That Milwaukee production was so successful that the theatre revived it in 2001, this time as a full-scale two-act musical. Then came the Los Angeles production in 2006 followed by a smash Off-Broadway run in 2008 with an Off-Broadway revival in 2016.
It’s prom night, 1958, at Springfield High School and song leaders, Betty Jean (Cassidy Rose O’Brien), Cindy-Lou (Noelle McLeer), Missy (Kate Keating) and Suzy (Ashley Brooke) in frilly crinoline dresses, wrist corsages and teased up hair burst onstage delivering a bouncy rendition of “Mr. Sandman” followed by “Lollipop” and segue into “Sugartime.” When Cindy-Lou steals the microphone and belts out Betty Jean’s signature song “Alleghany Moon,” slapstick antics of trying to upstage each other ensue thus highlighting their competitive natures and the hilarious tone of the show.
The girls explain to the crowd that they are last minute stand-ins for the evening’s entertainment. It seems the boys’ glee club lost the gig after lead singer Billy Ray Patton was suspended for smoking behind the girls locker room. They go on to announce the theme for this year’s prom, “Marvelous Dreams,” and break into a rapturous “All I Have to Do Is Dream” followed by “Dream Lover.”
Each girl in this ensemble is as unique as the individual colors they wear with Betty Jean and her all-American looks in lime green, the bespectacled and comedic Missy in orange, ditzy gum chewer Suzy in blue and self-centered Cindy-Lou in pink.
A nice choice of playwright Bean was to set Act II ten years later reuniting the girls at their 1968 class reunion. This act is brimming with pop 60’s tunes. The crinoline has now been replaced by flowing robes trimmed with feathers, knee high white go-go boots and hoop earrings. A lot has changed for each girl, but they come together once more in harmony realizing they have a bond that stands the test of time.
All four of these actresses deliver powerhouse performances with dynamic acting, rich voices and lithe dancing. Keating’s Missy is passionate as she reveals her crush in “Secret Love” and then gives a standout version of “Mr. Lee” replete with impressive, sustained notes that receive spirited applause from the audience.
Brooke’s Suzy punctuates Act I with an exuberant “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” and then delivers an intense “Maybe I Know” in Act Two. O’Brien’s Betty Jean explodes in a heart-wrenching “You Don’t Own Me” followed by “That’s When the Tears Start” and McLeer’s Cindy-Lou sends chills in “Son of a Preacher Man” into “Leader of the Pack.”
It must be noted there is some humorous audience participation that puts the crowd right in the center of all the action.
Linda May’s direction keeps the festivities lively. She has created an ensemble that holds on to the audience from their first effervescent entrance until their final bow. Sari Feldman’s stylized choreography is reminiscent of the best girl groups of that era. Costumes by Ronald Green III are a cornucopia of colors and fabrics. Green’s attention to detail accentuates the 50’s and 60’s flavor of the show.
The band under the musical direction of Cesar Flores is built into the backdrop so they are onstage for the entire show keeping the energy high. Tim Haggerty’s sound design infuses exhilaration to each number.
Scenic design by Randall Parsons offers a buoyancy even before the show begins with a pink backdrop and sparkling fringe bordering the band shell. Lighting design by Robert W. Henderson, Jr. generates vibrancy to songs like “Lollipop” and “Wedding Bell Blues” as well as mood lighting with “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” and “That’s When the Tears Start.” The disco ball swirling blue spots around the theater is a nice touch to close Act I. Heather Rose Kuhn’s properties joins in the fun with giant lollipops, a hanging crescent moon and bubbles.
Theatre Three’s The Marvelous Wonderettes is such a fast-paced delight that at the end you can’t believe it’s over already. See it with your best friends — you’ll be glad you did!
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents The Marvelous Wonderettes through March 26. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Even before the pandemic, stand up comics, who took to the air to entertain the rest of us with their clever observations, often spent considerable time describing the absurdities of airline travel.
The process, as each airline and each airport appears to have somewhat different rules, has become even more bizarre.
Each airline has its own baggage limitations. For some larger planes, you can take one carry-on and one personal bag. For some smaller planes, however, especially if you’ve bought the cheapest seats on smaller flights, which we do as a rule, you can only bring one carry-on. You can’t even get a boarding pass unless someone comes and inspects the size of your bag.
Once you have your boarding pass, you head to security with your mask on.
The first screener who checks boarding passes and IDs has to have one of the harder jobs. Everyone is trying to catch a plane, which means that, even if they are early, they are still under time pressure. Many feel the need to share their sense of urgency with people who fly under the radar in our lives unless something goes wrong. When these security agents do their jobs well, we expect it, and when they don’t, we are outraged, frustrated, annoyed and irritable. It’s a bit like being a referee or an effective traffic cop.
Anyway, we shuffle up to the line with the largest possible bag that won’t require checking. When we get to the front, we hand our ID and ticket over, wait for the cue, and then lower our masks.
I like watching people lower their masks. Many feel the need to smile, as if the person is taking a picture of them. It’s ironic because the photo from a driver’s license or a passport looks much more like a 6 a.m. mug shot than a, “this-is-me, this-is-my-face, I’m-about-to-go-somewhere-awesome smile.”
Every so often, someone is selected for random additional screening. On a recent trip, they checked my wife’s phone on the way out and my phone on the way back.
During that trip, one of the conveyer belts that enables the screener to look at x-rays of our underwear was moving especially slowly. Each time a new person approached the conveyor belt, that person could and sometimes did push his or her huge suitcase ahead of the ones from the people who were ahead of them.
Fortunately for me, I travel with a small but powerful force of nature, also known as my wife. She doesn’t allow dysfunctional systems to slow us down, even if that involves shaming people who are trying to shove their suitcases ahead of the ones on the belt.
My wife was so effective that the system not only worked as it should for the few minutes we stood there, but a TSA agent jumped in to reinforce what my wife was doing.
Once we get on a plane, the battle for overhead space begins, with the special people getting first dibs on that space while the people in the last groups get the leftovers. It’s so Darwinian: people who spend extra money are the Alpha Fliers, while those who fly economy get the scraps, with flight attendants telling them to gate check their allowable luggage, which will hopefully be waiting for them on the jetway when we arrive.
People jockey for position at baggage check, where they want to stand directly on a line with the ramp that delivers their luggage magically from below. I’m sure that magic requires considerable lifting and hefting from the people we rarely see.
The final competitive positioning occurs at the curb, where the faces of tired fliers often look much more like the pictures from their IDs than the faces they make at the beginning of their trips. The tired fliers stare at approaching vehicles, looking for their Ubers, family members, or buses to bring them back to their world.
Kenny Lee, PJ Lobster House’s new sushi chef, inside the restaurant. Photo by Julianne Mosher
It’s now the best of both worlds.
When Benten Fine Sushi and Japanese Cuisine in Miller Place permanently closed in October, members of the community were devastated.
A new opportunity came just this month for Kenny Lee, the former Benten owner, where he has found a new home inside Port Jefferson village’s PJ Lobster House.
It began when the Lobster House’s owner, James Luciano, started getting tips and requests from mutual customers about Lee.
“James had another sushi person before who left and the timing just worked out,” Lee said. “I thought it was a good opportunity.”
When the PJ Lobster House moved from Upper Port to Main Street last year, as part of the renovations came a full sushi bar that they didn’t have at their old spot.
“It’s great to add sushi to the menu, especially with the summertime coming,” Luciano recently said. “There’s no sushi in Port Jeff.”
Luciano admitted that when the previous sushi chef was at the bar, people didn’t come to sit there and indulge. But then Lee came on board and the seats have been filled every night he’s there.
“We’re getting a lot of customers where people are asking for sushi, and then ask if Ken is working,” Luciano added.
Last March, TBR News Media reported that Benten was struggling to keep their doors open due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A GoFundMe was created to help support the sushi restaurant with hundreds of people showing their support.
Unfortunately, Lee said, the closure was inevitable.
“It was hard finding people to work,” he said.
Lee and his mother owned the building at 971 Route 25A in Miller Place for nearly two decades, previously owning a place in Mount Sinai for many years before that.
Lee and his family decided it was best to close instead of dealing with the constant stress.
But the new opportunity at PJ Lobster House is special for Lee — he is a graduate of Port Jefferson high school and is happy to be back in the community.
And while it’s not a carbon copy of his menu at Benten, Lee is bringing a ton of favorites — customers who order the new PJ roll might remember it as Benten #2.
Luciano said that right now they will have sushi available Wednesday through Sunday and will offer lunch, dinner and plan to add seafood towers to the menu.
■ a-ha, The Movie heads to Theatre Three on April 18. The music of Queen and the Velvet Underground instilled a sense of destiny in three teenagers living in a small town in 1970s Norway. That dream led to A-ha: the synth-pop trio featuring keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, vocalist Morten Harket, and guitarist Pål Waktaar-Savoy. Featuring new interviews with the band and previously unreleased behind-the-scenes footage. Guest speaker via live Zoom will be Director Thomas Robsahm.
■ Next up is Zero Gravity to be screened at John F. Kennedy Middle School, 200 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station on May 2. The documentary follows a diverse group of middle-school students from San Jose, CA, who compete in a nationwide tournament to code satellites aboard the International Space Station. Guest speaker via live Zoom will be Director Thomas Verrette.
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