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New research suggests inflammation is associated with early Parkinson's disease­. METRO photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S. after Alzheimer’s disease. Estimates put the number of people living with Parkinson’s disease at up to 1.2 million, with 90,000 new diagnoses each year (1).

Patients with PD suffer from a collection of symptoms caused by the breakdown of brain neurons. There’s a lot we still don’t know about the causes of PD; however, risk factors may include head trauma, genetics, exposure to toxins and heavy metals, and lifestyle issues, like lack of exercise.

The part of the brain most affected is the basal ganglia, and the prime culprit is dopamine deficiency that occurs in this brain region (2). Adding back dopamine has been the mainstay of medical treatment, but eventually the neurons themselves break down, and the medication becomes less effective.

Is there hope? Yes, in the form of medications and deep brain stimulatory surgery, but also by modifying lifestyle, considering factors like iron, vitamin D, inflammation, and CoQ10. While the research is not conclusive, it is intriguing and gives us more options.

What impact does iron have on the brain?

This heavy metal is potentially harmful for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis and, yes, Parkinson’s disease. The problem is that it can cause oxidative damage.

In a small, yet well-designed, randomized controlled trial (RCT), researchers used a chelator to remove iron from the substantia nigra, a specific part of the brain where iron breakdown may be dysfunctional. An iron chelator is a drug that removes the iron. Here, deferiprone (DFP) was used at a modest dose of 30 mg/kg/d (3).

The chelator reduced the risk of disease progression significantly on the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) during the 12-month study. Participants who were treated sooner had lower levels of iron compared to a group that used the chelator six months later. A specialized MRI was used to measure the brain’s iron levels.

The iron chelator does not affect, nor should it affect, systemic levels of iron, only those in the substantia nigra region of the brain. The chelator may work by preventing degradation of the dopamine-containing neurons. Your physician may also recommend that you consume foods that contain less iron.

What is the role of inflammation in PD?

In a recent study, researchers tested 58 newly diagnosed PD participants’ blood and compared their results to 62 healthy control participants (4). Some of the PD arm participants had additional testing done, including cerebrospinal fluid samples and brain imaging. All these tests were looking for specific inflammatory markers.

Researchers found that those with PD had significantly higher brain inflammation levels than those without PD in specific regions. Their blood and cerebrospinal fluid also had high inflammatory markers. These measures correlated with worse visuospatial and cognitive scores.

While this study provides hints of possible treatments, we need additional studies to identify whether the inflammation is a cause or an effect of PD.

Regardless, adopting a low-inflammatory foods diet might help mitigate some symptoms of PD or slow its advancement.

Does CoQ10 help slow PD progression?

There is evidence that CoQ10 may be beneficial in PD at high doses.

In an RCT, results showed that those given 1,200 mg of CoQ10 daily reduced the progression of the disease significantly based on UPDRS changes, compared to a placebo group (5). Other doses of 300 and 600 mg showed trends toward benefit, but were not significant. This was a 16-month trial in a small population of 80 patients. Unfortunately, results for other CoQ10 studies have been mixed.

In this study, CoQ10 was well-tolerated at even the highest dose. Thus, there may be no downside to trying CoQ10 in those with PD.

Does Vitamin D make a difference?

Vitamin D may play dual roles of both reducing the risk of Parkinson’s disease and slowing its progression.

In a prospective study of over 3000 patients, results show that vitamin D levels measured in the highest quartile reduced the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by 65 percent, compared to the lowest quartile (6). This is impressive, especially since the highest quartile patients had vitamin D levels that were what we qualify as insufficient, with blood levels of 20 ng/ml, while those in the lowest quartile had deficient blood levels of 10 ng/ml or less.

In an RCT with 121 patients, results showed that 1,200 IU of vitamin D taken daily may have reduced the progression of PD significantly on the UPDRS compared to a placebo over a 12-month duration (7). Also, this amount of vitamin D increased the blood levels by almost two times from 22.5 to 41.7 ng/ml. 

In a 2019 study of 182 PD patients and 185 healthy control subjects, researchers found that higher serum vitamin D levels correlated to reduced falls and alleviation of other non-motor PD symptoms (8).

Vitamin D research is ongoing, as this all seems promising.

So, what are our takeaways? Though medication is the gold standard for Parkinson’s disease treatment, lifestyle modifications can have a significant impact on both its prevention and treatment. Each lifestyle change in isolation may have modest effects, but cumulatively their impact could be significant.

References:

(1) parkinson.org. (2) uptodate.com. (3) Antioxid Redox Signal. 2014;10;21(2):195-210. (4) Movement Disorders. 2023;38;5:743-754. (5) Arch Neurol. 2002;59(10):1541-1550. (6) Arch Neurol. 2010;67(7):808-811. (7) Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;97(5):1004-1013. (8) Neurologica. 2019;140(4):274-280.

Dr. David 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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The main cast of 'Haunted Mansion.' Photo courtesy of Disney

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

There’s an old joke (incorrectly credited to W.C. Fields):

“… And I spent a week in Philadelphia.”

“When?”

“Day before yesterday.”

Which brings us to Haunted Mansion.

The Haunted Mansion is one of Disney’s most famous and beloved dark rides. The Disneyland premiere (1969) was followed two years later by the Disney World/Magic Kingdom location. 

Before its current resurrection, Disney produced the (mostly) critically drubbed Eddie Murphy vehicle The Haunted Mansion (2003). However, the film grossed over $100 million worldwide. Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) appeared on Disney+. The Muppets’ first Halloween special ran a brisk fifty minutes and was warmly received. 

Unlike the park ride, which lasts an entertaining eight minutes, the current film’s interminable two hours offers little but some strong performances trapped like the spirits in the Haunted Mansion. Katie Dippold (Parks and Recreation, The Heat, and the 2016 Ghostbusters) cobbled a mess of sitcom, slapstick, and reflection on grief. Justin Simien (director of the brilliant Dear White People) fails to elevate the movie, which arrives as dead as the house’s occupants. (When Disney first announced a reboot, Guillermo del Toro was attached to the project but exited in 2013. One wonders what the gifted del Toro would have done with this mainstream project.)

Haunted Mansion is set in New Orleans, “the Most Haunted City in America.” In a short prologue, astrophysicist Ben Matthias (a truly grounded and likable LaKeith Stanfield) meets Alyssa (brief but likable Charity Jordan), a ghost tour guide. While he questions her belief in the supernatural, he falls in love with and marries her. After she dies in a car accident, he gives up his scientific work and takes over her ghost tour. 

The ghosts of Gracey Manor. Photo courtesy of Disney

Fast forward to New York doctor Gabbie (strong but underserved Rosario Dawson) and her nine-year-old son, Travis (a sensitive and mature Chase W. Dillon), moving into Gracey Manor to turn it into a bed and breakfast. As they enter the house, they realize they are not alone.

A goofy priest, Father Kent (Owen Wilson doing a nice job as Owen Wilson), recruits Ben to photograph the ghosts with the camera he had developed to shoot dark matter. The skeptical Ben agrees to the proffered ten thousand dollars. When he leaves the mansion, he realizes the ghost of a mariner has followed him. And this is the crux of the story: anyone who enters the house takes the spirits with them. “Ghosts are like bedbugs: they latch on.” A charming image.

Psychic Harriet (always enjoyable Tiffany Haddish) and college historian Professor Bruce Davis (Danny DeVito, both benign and manic) join the quartet. The “dream team,” as Kent labels them, discovers the house’s history and that the inhabitants want their help to be free (though this gets a bit muddled in the end … and the middle … and part of the beginning).

They learn from the crystal ball-trapped Madame Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis—remember her?—she just won an Academy Award) that William Gracey bought the mansion and engaged Leota to contact his dead wife. However, an evil entity tricked Gracey into taking his own life. The malignant force is Alistair Crumb, also known as the Hatbox Ghost (voiced for some reason by Jared Leto). There is talk of the 999 spirits and the need for a willing victim to make one thousand allowing Crump to escape the mansion. (Something like that.) The “climax” is the two worlds—the spectral and the real—colliding.

The movie suggests ghost movies of earlier eras: Bob Hope’s 1932 comedy The Ghost Breakers and William Castle’s creepy 13 Ghosts (1960) come to mind. But Haunted Mansion manages to be simultaneously fluff and leaden. (This calls to mind the old brain teaser: Which is heavier—a ton of feathers or a ton of cement? Answer: One hundred and nineteen minutes of Haunted Mansion.)

The effects replicate the Disney attraction. The low-tech feel serves the commercial advertisement but just makes the movie look cheap. The requisite cobwebs drape the dwelling, and the well-known Haunted Mansion denizens appear (the Bride, the Hitchhikers, etc.). Occasionally, the film nods towards introspection: Harriet speaks of “ghost winks”—messages of hope and comfort from people who have passed on. This heartening concept wandered in from another film.

But too often, the film relies on forced, clumsy humor. Punchlines include a joke about a Yankee Candle and an uncancelled Amazon subscription, a pen and pad purchased at CVS, and sage bought at Costco. Characters snore, and chairs fly down steps, dumping the occupants in mud. Hilarity reigns.

The cast does its best, with Stanfield and Dillon as standouts. A sprinkling of cameos—Marilu Henner as a tourist, Winona Ryder (uncredited, but very funny) as a tour guide, and Daniel Levy as her husband—are fun but do little more than distract for a moment.

Ultimately, Haunted Mansion is a ride not worth taking. Rated PG-13, the film is now playing in local theaters.

 

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RUN FOR A GREAT CAUSE Bethel Hobbs Farm in Centereach hosts the 9th annual Run the Farm race on Aug. 12. File photo by Kyle Barr/TBR News Media
Thursday August 10

Atelier Art Reception

The Atelier at Flowerfield invites the community to an opening reception for its Masterworks Art Exhibit at Atelier Hall 2 Flowerfield, Suite 6 and 9, St. James from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. featuring the talents of Atelier’s resident instructors Anthony Davis, Beth Drucker, Bill Graf, Daveen Herley, Denis Ponsot, Diana O’Brien, James Beihl, Jane McGraw-Teubner, Jenny Kim, Linda Catucci, Liz Fusco, Randall DiGiuseppe and RJ Gowdie. The show runs through Oct. 5.  631-250-9009

Summer SWAP Concert

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook continues its free “Summer Stage With a Purpose” (Summer SWAP) concerts on its front lawn from 6 to 8 p.m. with the Melanie Marod Ensemble. Guests may purchase refreshments in the Basie Garden beside the venue. Bring seating. 631-751-1895, www.thejazzloft.org

Historic Harbor Tours

The Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport hosts two Historic Harbor Tours today at 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. The Society and Seymour’s Boatyard invite you to take a relaxing evening cruise while learning about the history of Northport Harbor, followed by drinks and light fare. Tickets are $60, $50 members. 631-757-9859, www.northporthistorical.org

Harborside Concerts

Harborside concerts are held at the Show Mobile at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Tonight’s concert features Fleetwood Macked.  631-473-4724 www.portjeff.com

Dennis Cannataro Concert Series

The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series concludes at the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown with a concert by the Gold Coast Orchestra tonight at 7:30 p.m. with a preshow at 7 p.m. Bring seating. 631-360-2480 ext. 150

Kings Park Rocks

Kings Park Chamber of Commerce hosts a Kings Park Rocks free outdoor summer concert featuring That 70s Band at the municipal lot adjacent to Kings Park Library, Main St., Kings Park from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Bring seating. 631-269-7678

Friday August 11

Art of the Guitar Festival

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents the 3rd annual John Monteleone Art of the Guitar Festival at 6 p.m. with a free reception and exhibit viewing at 6 p.m. and concert at 7 p.m. and on Aug. 12 with a free guitar workshop at noon followed by three concerts. The two day event will feature performances by the John Jorgenson Quintet, Steve Salerno Trio, Frank Vignola, Vinny Raniolo and The Dario Napoli Trio. Call 631-751-1895 or visit www.thejazzloft.org for festival schedule and ticket prices. 

Happenings on Main Street

Northport Arts Coalition continues its Happenings on Main Street series, free concerts at the Northport Village Park Gazebo at the harbor with a performance by The Dead Ahead Band (Grateful Dead tribute) tonight at 7 p.m.  Bring seating. 631-261-1872, www.northportarts.org

An Evening of Opera

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington, 109 Browns Road, Huntington hosts a concert by Opera Night, Long Island at 7:30 p.m. Ten artists will perform excerpts from popular operas such as Bizet’s Carmen and Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale.” $10 donation at the door. For more information, visit www.operanight.org.

Musical Moments

Musical Moments in Kings Park returns to Russ Savatt Park, 14 Main St., Kings Park tonight from 7:30 to 9 p.m. with the Eagle River Band, courtesy of the Kings Park Civic Association. Bring seating. 516-319-0672

Travel Back to the 80s Experience

Join the Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown for a Travel Back To The 80s Experience tonight and Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. Immerse yourself in the fun, the fashion, and the sounds of the 80s! Meet familiar characters and personalities while being thrown back in time to a story straight out of the 80s, all set to the tunes you know and love. Arrive dressed up to enjoy yourself to the max! Featuring a live performance by The Ronald Reagans. All ages are welcome. Tickets are $35 (each ticket includes one drink from the bar). Call 1-800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org to order.

Psychic Medium Robert Hansen

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson welcomes Psychic Medium Robert Hansen to the Main Stage at 8 p.m. Hansen will share with the audiences his psychic gifts of communication with loved ones that have crossed over to the other side. Messages of love will be randomly demonstrated to the audience and sensitively shared. Tickets are $49. 631-928-9100, www.theatrethree.com

Saturday August 12

Art of the Guitar Festival

See Aug. 11 listing.

Travel Back to the 80s Experience

See Aug. 11 listing.

Run the Farm

Friends of Hobbs Farm and Town of Brookhaven Councilman Neil Manzella and Brookhaven Town Clerk Kevin LaValle invite you to take part in the 9th annual Run the Farm 4-mile run/walk at Bethel Hobbs Farm, 178 Oxhead Road,  Centereach at 9 a.m. Proceeds benefit Hobbs Farm’s mission of feeding the hungry. $25 per participant in advance at BrookhavenNY.Gove/RunTheFarm, $30 day of race. Call 631-451-6647 for more info.

Sherwood-Jayne House Tour

Preservation Long Island will host tours of the Sherwood-Jayne House (c. 1730), 55 Old Post Road, Setauket at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. with a self-guided tour at noon. The house contains period furnishings and features original late eighteenth-century hand-painted floral wall frescoes. Tickets are $10, $5 children ages 6 to 15, under age 6 free at www.preservationlongisland.org/tours. 

Saturdays Poetry Reading

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

Pop-Up Saturday event

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization continues its 2023 Pop-Up Saturdays series with a visit The Silly Magician (ONLY from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.), Caricature drawings by Marty and live Music by Brenda & Burke in the Stony Brook Village Center’s Inner Court, 97 Main St., Stony Brook from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Free. 631-751-2244

Owl Prowl at Sweetbriar

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown hosts an Owl Prowl for families with children ages 5 and up at 7:30 p.m. Learn about the Center’s resident owls and then embark on a walk into the darkness to enjoy the night and maybe call in an owl or two. Bring a flashlight just in case. $15 per person. Register at www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Bobby Brooks Wilson in concert

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson welcomes Bobby Brooks Wilson in concert at 8 p.m. The son of legendary R&B/Soul singer, Jackie Wilson, Bobby has the same amazing traits and talents as his father; many say Jackie Wilson’s legacy lives on through him. His adoring fans have dubbed him as “Mr. Entertainment.” With a special performance by The Chiclettes. Tickets are $59. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Sunday August 13

Art in the Park

Join the Northport Arts Coalition for an Art in the Park festival at Northport Village Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featuring music, dance, poetry readings and children’s art workshop plus more than forty artists displaying and selling their original work, this free event in Northport Park is a fun day for the entire family. www.northportarts.org

Wind Down Sundays

The popular summer concert series continues at Hap’s historic Red Barn at Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket with Quarter Horse at 5:30 p.m. Bring seating. 631-689-6146, www.frankmelvillepark.org

Celebrate Park Concert

Celebrate St. James continues its summer concert series at Celebrate Park, 369 Lake Ave., St. James with music by the Blu Bayou Band from 6 to 9 p.m. Free. Bring seating. 631-984-0201

Summer Concert on the Green

Summer concerts are back in front of the Stony Brook Post Office at the Stony Brook Village Center, 111 Main Street, Stony Brook from 7 to 8:30 p.m. every Sunday through Aug. 20, courtesy of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization. Tonight’s concert features The Equity Brass Band . Free. Bring seating. 631-751-2244, www.wmho.org

Monday August 14

Sound Beach Civic Meeting

Sound Beach Firehouse, 152 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach hosts a meeting by the Sound Beach Civic Association at 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker will be entomologist Alexis White, PhD, of the Arthropod-Borne Disease Lab at the Suffolk County Department of Health Services who will discuss the medically important tick species on Long Island, their biology, habitat, the pathogens they transmit, and the best strategies to prevent tick bites in adults and children. All are welcome. 631-744-6952.

Movie Trivia Night

Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a Movie Trivia Night at 8 p.m. Try to answer 50 questions based all around film, actors and actresses, awards, and everything else associated with the world of film. Challenge like-minded film fans in a battle of wits for cash and other prizes. You can form teams, so bring some friends and work together. Feel free to come alone and play solo as well! Hosted by Dan French. Tickets are $10 per person, $7 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org. 631-423-7610.

Tuesday August 15

Author Talk

Author and motivational speaker Christine Pendergast will present her book Blink Spoken Here: Tales from a Journey to Within at the Northport Public Library, 151 Laurel Ave., Northport at 7 p.m. This true story chronicles her life with husband Christopher Pendergast, longtime educator in the Northport-East Northport School District, who lived with ALS for 28 years. Learn about “ALS Ride for Life,” the Pendergast’s nonprofit charity, and hear other inspirational stories about meeting and overcoming life’s challenges. Open to all. To register, call 261-6930.

Concerts at The Gazebo 

Enjoy Tuesday night concerts at The Gazebo, 127 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset  through Aug. 15, courtesy of the Nesconset Chamber of Commerce. Tonight’s concert will feature Southbound at 7 p.m. Rain dates are the next day. Bring seating. 631-672-5197, www.nesconsetchamber.org

A Star is Born — The Concert

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents A Star Is Born — The Concert at 8 p.m. ​Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Lady Gaga each stole our hearts with “A Star is Born.” Now a trio of Broadway/cabaret’s best voices join forces to celebrate the music from all three iconic film versions of “A Star is Born” featuring “The Man That Got Away,””Shallow” and the Academy Award-winning “Evergreen.” Tickets are $45. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Wednesday August 16

Sunset Concerts

Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council continues its Sunset Concerts at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson from 6:30 to 8 p.m. with a performance by Teddy Kumpel & Nome Sane. Held rain or shine. Bring seating. 631-473-5220, www.gpjac.org

Summerfest Concert

The Northport Chamber of Commerce continues its Summerfest Concerts on Wednesdays in August at the Robert Krueger Bandshell in Northport Village Park, with the Little Wilson Band from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Bring seating. 631-754-3905

Thursday August 17

St. Joseph’s Family Festival

St. Joseph’s Church, 59 Church St., Kings Park hosts a Family Festival tonight from 6 to 10 p.m., Aug. 18 and 19 from 6 to 11 and Aug. 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. with carnival rides, games and food. Free admission. Pay-one-price rides. 631-499-6824

Summer Thursdays at the LIM

The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook continues its Summer Thursdays series with a free concert by musicians from The Jazz Loft from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Pack a picnic supper, enjoy the concert and take a free tour of the Carriage Museum. Held rain or shine. 631-751-0066

Indigo Dye Workshop

Join the Huntington Historical Society for an Indigo Dye Workshop at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Using freshly harvested Japanese Indigo, you will be dyeing a silk scarf and exploring leaf stamping and coloring with rolled up leaves. $55 per person, $50 members. To register, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

Theater

‘The Prom’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson kick off its 53rd season with The Prom from Sept. 16 to Oct. 21. As the lights dim on four fading Broadway stars, they wildly seek the spotlight. Courting the controversy surrounding a small-town Indiana prom, the quartet invades a community that wants to keep the party straight. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors, $20 students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’

The Carriage House Players continue their 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with Love’s Labour’s Lost on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. from Aug. 11 to Sept. 8. Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘Rent’

Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown presents Jonathan Larson’s Rent from Sept. 16 to Oct. 22. Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, the groundbreaking musical follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians — Roger, Mimi, Tom, Angel, Maureen, Joanne, Benny and Mark — struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Tickets are $35 adults, $32 seniors, $28 students. To order, call 800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

‘Escape to Margaritaville’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Escape to Margaritaville from July 13 to Sept. 3. This upbeat and energetic new musical features all your favorite Jimmy Buffett classics including “Volcano,” “Fins,”,“Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and of course “Margaritaville.” Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

Film

‘42’

Join the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook for a special screening of  the 2013 biopic 42 on Aug. 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. with special guest Ivo Philbert of the Jackie Robinson Museum. The film tells the story of two men—the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey—whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball. Stop by the History Museum before the screening to see the museum’s baseball exhibitions: Picturing America’s Pastime and Home Fields: Baseball Stadiums of Long Island and New York City. This event is free but registration is preferred by visiting www.longislandmuseum.org 631-751-0066

Alfred Hitchcock Perspective

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents a retrospective of the films of master director Alfred Hitchcock from Aug. 11 to Aug 16. Each of the six film screenings  — Psycho, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Notorious, Vertigo, and Shadow of a Doubt —  will feature an introduction by local film historians who will discuss the history of the film, provide, and explore the impact of some of Alfred Hitchcock’s most influential and acclaimed works. Tickets are $15 per screening. www.cinemaartscentre.org

Class Reunions

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

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

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The combat boots and dog tags worn by Alan Alda in M*A*S*H will be auctioned off on on July 28. (LM Otero/AP)

Update:

The combat boots and dog tags Alan Alda wore while playing Hawkeye Pierce on the  television series “M-A-S-H” sold at auction on July 28 for $125,000.

Alda held onto the boots and dog tags for more than 40 years after the show ended but decided to sell them through Heritage Auctions in Dallas to raise money for the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University.

The buyer’s name wasn’t released.

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When Alan Alda reported to the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the summer of 1972, he received two items from wardrobe that became the only M*A*S*H mementos he kept when the show ended in 1983.

Costumers handed him a pair of scuffed-up combat boots, inside which someone had written in black marker the name of his character: “HAWKEYE.” He was also given a pair of dog tags which the names of strangers had been stamped: Hersie Davenport and Morriss D. Levine.

Alda was grateful the dog tags didn’t say Benjamin Franklin Pierce of Crabapple Cove, Maine. That would have made them mere props that couldn’t have carried the weight of war. Wearing those real dog tags, the genuine article, “seemed like a handshake,” Alda says. Until recently, he knew nothing about the two men whose names are on those dog tags — one, a Black soldier from the South; the other, a Jewish man from New York.

“Yet every day for 11 years, putting them on over my head and wearing them, I had a very close connection with them,” said Alda. “I always wondered what their lives were like. Were they alive, or were they dead? How had they served? They were real people to me, even though I didn’t know anything about them other than their names. But to this day, I remember the names very well, and that’s why it meant a lot to me.”

These pieces of wardrobe, the last remnants of his tour of duty, mean so much to Alda he now parts with the boots and dog tags only to help fund what has become one of his greatest passions. 

Heritage Auctions will auction off Alda’s M*A*S*H mementos in a single-lot auction on July 28. All the money raised will benefit the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University and the university’s School of Communication and Journalism. Heritage will also donate all of its proceeds to the center.

“Hawkeye’s boots and dog tags are not only entertainment memorabilia from a beloved series, but the cherished keepsakes of a national treasure,” says Heritage’s Chief Strategy Officer Joshua Benesh. “And before that, they were the personal artifacts of real soldiers. They now take on a new life as a source of fundraising for a noble cause in which a noble man has invested so much of his time and resources, and we are honored to be even a small part of such a grand gesture.”

Alda kept the boots and dog tags for years in a closet because he did not know where else to store them.

“Then I realized that they could come to life again to be used to help the Center for Communicating Science because, probably, somebody would be interested in having a memento of the show,” he says. “I can’t think of a better use for them.”

When asked if it will be difficult to say goodbye to these last keepsakes from M*A*S*H he responded, “Not at all. Because I knew they were going to a good cause. They were going to do more good than sitting in my closet. They were screaming, ‘Let me out!’ I thought, what a great chance to put these boots and dog tags to work again. For 11 years, they helped promote the idea that human connection could be a palliative for war. And now they can promote the idea that a human connection can get us to understand the things that affect our lives so deeply.”

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Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in a scene from the film. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) is considered a founding father of the American school of theoretical physics. His work included the exploration of astrophysics, nuclear physics, spectroscopy, and quantum field theory. In the 1930s, he wrote papers suggesting the existence of what are now labeled black holes.

At the dawn of World War II, Oppenheimer was instrumental in developing the atomic bomb (often referred to as its “father”). In June 1942, he was appointed scientific director of the Manhattan Project and supervised the construction of the Los Alamos laboratories.

Following the War, Oppenheimer assumed the chairmanship of the General Advisory Committee to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). In this role, he voiced opposition to the development of the hydrogen bomb. In 1953, at the height of the Cold War and Red Scare, Oppenheimer was accused of communist sympathies, and the AEC canceled his security clearance.

Matt Damon and Cillian Murphy in a scene from ‘Oppenheimer’. Image courtesy of Universal Pictures

In the year’s best film so far, director Christopher Nolan’s epic Oppenheimer traces the controversial figure’s rise, fall, and redemption. Nolan’s screenplay, closely adapted from Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s 2005 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, runs on three timelines: the buildup of the Manhattan Project, leading to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the AEC’s rigged hearing that stripped Oppenheimer of both prestige and access; and Lewis Strauss’s senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Commerce.

Many films tackle issues of scientists and scientific discovery: The Imitation Game (2014), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Hidden Figures (2016), and The Theory of Everything (2014) are examples of some of the stronger genre offerings. However, these films often stress the personal elements or water down the science. In the case of Oppenheimer, the epic but breathtakingly paced three hours manages to keep science in the forefront without losing interpersonal relationships.

The film begins with twenty-two-year-old Oppenheimer struggling with anxiety at Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory. After an aborted attempt to poison his professor, Oppenheimer meets Niels Bohr, who suggests he complete his education in Germany. Upon graduation, Oppenheimer begins teaching at the University of California, Berkley, and the California Institute of Technology. The film balances his day-to-day life, including his left-leaning politics, with an attempt to show his genius through strong, abstract imagery. 

Much of Oppenheimer plays in lectures and classrooms, as well as offices and laboratories. Nolan keeps the action moving and the stakes perpetually high. The rise of Hitler deeply affects the scientific community, many of whose members were Jewish. In 1942, General Leslie Groves recruits Oppenheimer to lead the Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer gathers an extraordinary team to secretly develop the atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Throughout, the scientists debate the issues of the long-term and far-reaching effects of their actions. In addition, the constant specter of espionage hovers over the project. 

The film builds to the first of several milestones with the Trinity, the test of the atomic bomb on July 16, 1945. Simultaneously, it highlights the perpetually shifting collaborations, suspicions, setbacks, and infighting throughout the three years of development. 

Marking his sixth collaboration with Nolan, Cillian Murphy delivers a flawless performance as the gifted, complex Oppenheimer. He brings a range of shades, from the self-important to the self-doubting. Following the dropping of the atom bomb, his simple, devastated, “And now I am the condemned. Destroyer of worlds,” is of Hamlet proportions. He manifests the struggle between the intense scientist and the man drawn to the power given to him as leader of the Manhattan Project. A womanizer who loves his wife, a father who shows little interest in his family, and a man later plagued by his choices, Murphy delivers a truly Oscar-worthy performance. 

Equal to Murphy is Robert Downey, Jr., as the seemingly mild, almost benign, but ultimately vindictive Lewis Strauss, who offered Oppenheimer the directorship of Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study. Downey, Jr. gives one of his finest, most dimensional performances as Strauss’s real and imagined slights drive him to take down the scientist. As with Murphy, Downey, Jr., will most likely receive an Academy Award nomination (if not a win). 

Emily Blunt makes alcoholic and volatile wife, Katherine, a frustrating and noble figure. Matt Damon’s General Groves is the company man who sees the bigger picture. Florence Pugh’s independent communist Jean Tatlock brings both sensual and tragic qualities to Oppenheimer’s sometimes lover. David Krumholtz is powerfully understated as Isidor Rabi, a voice of wisdom and conscience, as is Tom Conti as the knowing Albert Einstein. 

In the Senate confirmation hearing, Rami Malek’s David Hill smartly projects shades of Joseph Welch taking down Joseph McCarthy. Kenneth Branagh makes a strong cameo as Niels Bohr, and Gary Oldman, one of the greatest actors of his generation, is indelible as President Truman. Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Jason Clarke, Matthew Modine, and Tony Goldwyn are among the dozens of supporting performers who comprise this exceptional ensemble. 

Hoyte van Hoytema’s astonishing cinematography enhances and highlights the shift in time and place, perfectly complementing the work of production designer Ruth De Jong. Every element is in perfect synchronicity, from costumes to soundtrack. But Nolan, as Oppenheimer’s creator, manifested this exceptional undertaking. He skillfully blended science, politics, and morality into a cinematic gem that will be honored now and remembered as a work as complicated and brilliant as its subject. 

Rated R, the film is now playing in local theaters.

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TEA, ANYONE? It's almost time for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party at Theatre Three. 'Alice's Most Decidedly Unusual Adventures in Wonderland' opens on Aug. 4. Photo courtesy of Theatre Three
PROGRAMS

DIDI Maxx Dance Party

Do your children love to dance? Village of Port Jefferson will host a Dance Party with DIDI Maxx on the Performance Stage at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson on Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. Bring seating. Free. 631-473-4724

Pokémon Parade

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St. Cold Spring Harbor continues Friday Summer Fun Workshops with a Pokémon Parade on Aug. 4 at noon and again at 2 p.m. Discover how whales, sharks, and other animals inspired some of your favorite Pokemon. Learn how to play a unique version of this card game, using animal facts to gain points. Then, design and create your very own pocket monster and exclusive card to go with it. For ages 6 and up. Admission fee + $10. Register at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. 631-367-3418.

Lollipop Train Rides

Did you know? Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association’s John Gardiner Farm, 900 Park Ave., Greenlawn offers rides on the Lollipop Train every Saturday in the summer from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. including Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26. Call 631-754-1180 for more info. 

Jester Jim Show

As part of the Long Island State Parks Summer Entertainment series, Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park presents an afternoon with Jester Jim on Aug. 6 at 2 p.m. filled with juggling, magic, audience participation, beat boxing, balancing and tons of comedy. Free.  631-269-4333

Backyard Wildlife

Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket continues its 2023 Family Summer Program series on Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. with a visit from ambassador wildlife from Sweetbriar Nature Center. Meet at Hap’s Red Barn. Free. 631-689-6146

Giant Game & Big Voice Day!

Join Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket on the Library lawn for an afternoon of fun & games on Aug. 9 from 4 to 6 p.m. Try your hand at games such as Giant versions of Connect 4, Scrabble, and Checkers. Move and balance with Twister. Sing your heart out with karaoke. Or spin the prize wheel! Families with babies and children up to 6th grade welcome. No registration required. In the case of rain, the event will be moved indoors. 631-941-4080

THEATER

‘Seussical Jr.’

Smithtown Performing Arts Center presents an outdoor production of Seussical Jr. on the grounds of the Smithtown Historical Society, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown from July 8 to Aug. 17. Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, JoJo, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie La Bird and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in this fantastical musical extravaganza. Tickets are $18.50 per person. To order, call 800-595-4849 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

‘Cinderella’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Cinderella, the beloved tale of a young girl’s magical night at the Royal Ball where she meets and briefly loses her true Prince Charming, from July 22 to Aug. 27. Only his quest to find the perfect fit for the glass slipper left behind will reunite them. But will they live happily ever after? All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ 

Children’s theater continues at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson with Alice’s Most Decidedly Unusual Adventures in Wonderland from Aug. 4 to 12.  Talking flowers and tea in hats! It’s a rainy day at Camp Carroll Woods when our very modern heroine ventures down the rabbit hole. Join Alice as she encounters the outrageous citizens of Wonderland: the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and many more. All seats are $12. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Disney’s ‘High School Musical Jr.’

Sachem High School East, 177 Granny Road Farmingville hosts a production of Disney’s High School Musical Jr. performed by Productions Over the Rainbow’s Summer 2023 Triple Threat students on Aug. 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 at www.potr.org.

FILM

‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of Honey I Shrunk the Kids on Aug. 6 at noon. Wayne Szalinski, a preoccupied inventor, just can’t seem to get his electromagnetic shrinking machine to work. But when it finally does, it has Wayne’s kids in its sights! With the now 1/4-inch-tall children swept into the trash, the real adventure begins. Rated PG. Tickets are $12, $5 children 12 and under. www.cinemaartscentre.org.

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TRIBUTE TO VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS Catch a screening of the documentary ‘Odd Hours, No Pay, Cool Hat’ at the Cinema Arts Centre on Aug. 4. Photo courtesy of CAC
Thursday August 3

Eco-Printing Workshop

Join the Huntington Historical Society for an Eco-Printing Workshop at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington from 6 to 8:30 p.m. At this workshop, you will be making a scarf using an eco print of leaves and flowers. Fee is $55, $50 members. To register, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org or call 631-427-7045.

Music Behind the Barn

Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead hosts a free drum circle at the historic Naugles Barn at 6:30 p.m.  Join two experienced drum facilitators for a welcoming musical adventure for the whole family. Explore West African, Latin, and New Orleans Grooves on the drums with a twist that makes them accessible and easy to play for first-timers. Bring your own drum or use the ones provided. No registration required. 631-298-5292

East Northport Fire Dept. Fair

The East Northport Fire Department, 1 9th Ave., East Northport will host its annual Fair tonight and Aug. 4 from 7 to 11 p.m., Aug. 5 from 5 to 11 p.m. with carnival rides, games of chance and skill, live music, large selection of food and more. Free admission. POP ride bracelets. 631-261-0360, ext. 110

Dennis Cannataro Concert Series

The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series returns to the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown with a concert by  Boardwalk Nights (Jersey Shore tribute) tonight at 7:30 p.m. with a preshow at 7 p.m. Bring seating. 631-360-2480 ext. 150

Author Talk at CAC

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents A Conversation with Michael Schulman at 7:30 p.m. Join the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears for a lively conversation about the Academy Awards, focusing on the brutal battles, the starry rivalries, and the colorful behind-the-scenes drama. Hosted by Sandra Brawarsky. Tickets are $25 for event only, $47 for event and copy of book. www.cinemaartscentre.org

Friday August 4

East Northport Fire Dept.  Fair

See Aug. 3 listing.

Library Concert on the Lawn

Join Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket for a free concert, Forgotten Favorites from the 60s & 70s, on the library lawn from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Enjoy songs from the 60s and 70s, performed by the band Grand Folk Railroad, on Emma Clark Library’s lawn. Rain date is Aug. 9. Bring a blanket or lawn chair or even pack a picnic! Questions? Email [email protected]

Concert in the Park

Heritage Park, 633 Mount Sinai-Coram Road, Mount Sinai will host a free concert with Bon Journey paying tribute to rock icons Bon Jovi and Journey at 7 p.m. Presented by Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker and the North Shore Youth Council. 631-403-4846

Happenings on Main Street

Northport Arts Coalition continues its Happenings on Main Street series, free concerts at the Northport Village Park Gazebo at the harbor with a performance by Toby Tobias Ensemble tonight at 7 p.m.  Bring seating. 631-261-1872, www.northportarts.org

Saturday August 5

East Northport Fire Dept.  Fair

See Aug. 3 listing.

Sherwood-Jayne House Tour

Preservation Long Island will host tours of the Sherwood-Jayne House (c. 1730), 55 Old Post Road, Setauket at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. with a self-guided tour at noon. The house contains period furnishings and features original late eighteenth-century hand-painted floral wall frescoes. Tickets are $10, $5 children ages 6 to 15, under age 6 free at www.preservationlongisland.org/tours.

Pop-Up Saturday event

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization continues its 2023 Pop-Up Saturdays series with a visit by Radical Reptile Entertainment: a fun and educational interaction with reptiles in the Stony Brook Village Center’s Inner Court, 97 Main St., Stony Brook from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Free. 631-751-2244

Conversations on the Sacred

All Souls Church, 61 Main St., Stony Brook hosts a special concert, Conversations on the Sacred,  from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will combine music, poetry and drumming in one unique performance for the community with performances by Ford Fourqurean and Lindsay Ross, All Souls organist Dan Kinney, and Native American Elder and Drummer Ric Statler. Free. For further information, call 631-655-7798.  

Sunday August 6

Antique & Big Rig Truck Show 

The Long Island Chapter of the American Truck Historical Society will host the 5th annual Antique & Big Rig Truck Show at 5951 Sound Ave., Riverhead from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring antique trucks and modern straight jobs to semis. Admission is $5. 631-882-7378

Rock & Roll Car Show

The 12th annual Rock-N-Roll Car Show will be held at the Smithtown Historical Society, 239 East Main St., Smithtown,  from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. View cars from the Fabulous 50s-60s Nostalgia Car Club, enjoy live bands, food vendors, craft tables, blood pressure screenings and more for Judy’s Run For Stroke Awareness and Prevention annual judged rock and roll car show fundraiser. Rain date is Aug. 13. Fee is $5 for spectators. 631-402-2798

The Spirit of Summer Art Festival

The Spirit of Huntington, 2 Melville Road, Huntington Station presents a Spirit of Summer Art Festival, a day of fine art, community networking, food trucks, raffles and music/dance performances from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain date is Aug. 13. 631-520-1147

Wind Down Sundays

The popular summer concert series continues at Hap’s historic Red Barn at Frank Melville Memorial Park, 1 Old Field Road, Setauket with the Wayne Hart Band at 5:30 p.m. Bring seating. 631-689-6146, www.frankmelvillepark.org

Celebrate Park Concert

Celebrate St. James continues its summer concert series at Celebrate Park, 369 Lake Ave., St. James with music by The Whiskey Crows Band from 6 to 9 p.m. Free. Bring seating. 631-984-0201

Summer Concert on the Green

Summer concerts are back in front of the Stony Brook Post Office at the Stony Brook Village Center, 111 Main Street, Stony Brook from 7 to 8:30 p.m. every Sunday through Aug. 20, courtesy of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization. Tonight’s concert features The Bob & Tony Band. Free. Bring seating. 631-751-2244, www.wmho.org

Monday August 7

No events listed for this day.

Tuesday August 8

NSJC Social Club event

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a screening of  the documentary “Before the Flood” in the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio meets with scientist, activists, and world leaders to discuss climate change issues and possible solutions. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee will be served. $5 per person, $4 members. 631-928-3737

Jazz Loft All-Star Quartet  concert

The Jazz Loft’s All-Star Quartet will premiere an original composition by Jazz Loft founder Thomas Manuel at a concert at 5 p.m. as part of the Art and Outreach Program at the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics (SCGP) at Stony Brook University. The performance is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Handwoven Jewelry workshop

Join the Huntington Historical Society for a handwoven jewelry workshop at the Conklin Barn, 2 High Street, Huntington from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Taught by textile artist Galina Carroll, students will learn basic skills of handwoven tapestry, warping a mini loom, weaving with yarn of their choice, creating a mini art piece and framing it in a wooden pendant. $60 per person includes all materials. To register, visit www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

Northport Harbor Family Nights

(Rescheduled from July 25) The Northport Chamber of Commerce hosts a Northport Harbor Family Night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Village of Northport’s Main Street will be closed to traffic from Gunther’s to Skippers. Enjoy live music, outdoor dining, vendor sidewalk sales and antique cars. 631-754-3905

Concerts at The Gazebo 

Enjoy Tuesday night concerts at The Gazebo, 127 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset  through Aug. 15, courtesy of the Nesconset Chamber of Commerce. Tonight’s concert will feature Panic! (Dance Rock Tribute) at 7 p.m. Rain dates are the next day. Bring seating. 631-672-5197, www.nesconsetchamber.org

Wednesday August 9

Sunset Concerts

Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council continues its Sunset Concerts at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson from 6:30 to 8 p.m. with a performance by The New Students. Held rain or shine. Bring seating. 631-473-5220, www.gpjac.org

Music Under the Stars

Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach celebrates summer with its Music Under the Stars concert series in its parking lot featuring Southbound (Country) at 7 p.m. Free and open to all. Bring seating. 631-585-9393

Summerfest Concert

The Northport Chamber of Commerce kicks off its Summerfest Concerts on Wednesdays in August at the Robert Krueger Bandshell in Northport Village Park, with Rolling Stones tribute band Streetfighter from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Bring seating. 631-754-3905

Thursday August 10

Summer SWAP Concert

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook continues its free “Summer Stage With a Purpose” (Summer SWAP) concerts on its front lawn from 6 to 8 p.m. with the Melanie Marod Ensemble. Guests may purchase refreshments in the Basie Garden beside the venue. Bring seating. 631-751-1895, www.thejazzloft.org

Historic Harbor Tours

The Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport hosts two Historic Harbor Tours today at 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. The Society and Seymour’s Boatyard invite you to take a relaxing evening cruise while learning about the history of Northport Harbor, followed by drinks and light fare. Tickets are $60, $50 members. 631-757-9859, www.northporthistorical.org

Reboli Center lecture

Join the Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook for a free lecture with Kevin McEvoy from 6:30 to 8 p.m. McEvoy will discuss Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Light snacks will be served for your enjoyment. No reservations are required to attend. Seating will be first come, first serve.  631-751-7707

Harborside Concerts

Harborside concerts are held at the Show Mobile at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Tonight’s concert features Fleetwood Macked. *Final concert, featuring Foreign Journey with special guest Randy Jackson will be held on the Ferry Dock on Aug 24 at 7 p.m. 631-473-4724 www.portjeff.com

Dennis Cannataro Concert Series

The Dennis Cannataro Family Summer Concert Series returns to the Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown with a concert by the Gold Coast Orchestra tonight at 7:30 p.m. with a preshow at 7 p.m. Bring seating. 631-360-2480 ext. 150

Kings Park Rocks

Kings Park Chamber of Commerce hosts a Kings Park Rocks free outdoor summer concert featuring That 70s Band at the municipal lot adjacent to Kings Park Library, Main St., Kings Park from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Bring seating. 631-269-7678

Theater

‘Macbeth’

The Carriage House Players continue their 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with Macbeth on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. from July 7 to Aug. 6. Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12 at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘Urinetown’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents a production of Urinetown The Musical on Aug. 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. ​In a Gotham-like setting, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides that he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom. This show is performed entirely by The John W. Engeman Studio’s elite Select Players. Tickets are $25. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

‘Escape to Margaritaville’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Escape to Margaritaville from July 13 to Sept.3. This upbeat and energetic new musical features all your favorite Jimmy Buffett classics including “Volcano,” “Fins,”,“Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and of course “Margaritaville.” Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘The Prom’

Productions Over the Rainbow (POTR) presents its summer production of The Prom at Sachem East High School, 177 Granny Road, Farmingville on Aug. 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 at www.eventbrite.com. 631-696-6817 

Film

‘Creature From the Black Lagoon’

Youth Directives & Alternatives (YDA) invites the community to a free screening of the 1954 classic Creature From the Black Lagoon at Northport Village Park on Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. Bring seating. 631-261-7901

‘Woodpeckers: The Hole Story’ – Just added!

Join the Four Harbors Audubon Society for a screening of Nature’s The Woodpeckers: The Hole Story at the Smithtown Library, Main Building,One North Country Road, Smithtown on Aug. 4 at 6:30 p.m. Narrated by Paul Giamatti, this episode takes an intimate look at what makes woodpeckers so special. Do they really live in giant cacti? How many acorns can they store and how do they remember where they put them all? Find out more about their unique abilities and interesting anecdotes from around the world? Age appropriate for those in high school to retirees.  Free and open to all. Reservations required by calling 631-766-3075 to register.

‘Odd Hours, No Pay, Cool Hat’

Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a screening of the documentary Odd Hours, No Pay, Cool Hat on Aug. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Told through an unexpected cast of characters, including a badass grandma, the film challenges stereotypes and preconceptions at every turn, conveying the depth, diversity, and critical role volunteer fire departments play across the country. Followed by  a discussion and Q&A with the film’s producer Louise Matoso & some local volunteer firefighters! $15 per person at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’

As part of Suffolk County’s Parks After Dark Series, Coindre Hall, 101 Browns Road in Huntington will host a special screening of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” under the stars on August 4 at sunset. Free tickets are available through Eventbrite. Bring seating.

‘Grease’

The Stony Brook Fire Department will host its 5th annual Drive-In Movie Night! at Station #2, 1410 Stony Brook Road Stony Brook on Aug. 5. This year’s movie will be Grease. The gate will open at 6:30pm and the movie beings promptly at sunset. Rain date is Aug. 12. Tickets are $50 per car (4 people), $10 for grass seating, more options available at www.eventbrite.com. For more information, call 631-793-0432.

‘In the Heights’

Village of Port Jefferson presents its Movies on the Harbor at Harborfront Park, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson Tuesdays at dusk with a screening of In the Heights on Aug. 8. Rain date is the next evening. Bring seating. 631-473-4724

‘42’

Join the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook for a special screening of  the 2013 biopic 42 on Aug. 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. with special guest Ivo Philbert of the Jackie Robinson Museum.The film tells the story of two men—the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey—whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball. Stop by the History Museum before the screening to seet he museum’s baseball exhibitions: Picturing America’s Pastime and Home Fields: Baseball Stadiums of Long Island and New York City. This event is free but registration is preferred by visiting www.longislandmuseum.org 631-751-0066

Class Reunions

•Port Jefferson High School Class of 1973 will hold its 50th reunion on the weekend of August 4-6. For information, email Lori Sternlicht Lucki @ [email protected] or call 631-495-8604.

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

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

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The DMV In the Three Roads Plaza will close its doors on Aug. 25. Photo by Heidi Sutton/TBR News Media

By Heidi Sutton

The Port Jefferson Station office of New York State’s Department of Motor Vehicles will close by the end of August. 

In a press release on July 27 the agency announced that it is consolidating its brick-and-mortar locations in Suffolk County and that the closing was part of its strategic transformation plan and “ongoing efforts to maximize operational efficiencies and best utilize taxpayer resources.”  

The office, located at 1055 Route 112 in the Three Roads Plaza, will no longer serve customers after August 25. Operations and staff at that location will be absorbed by the other four offices in Suffolk County which include Medford, Hauppauge, Dix Hills, and Riverhead.

“One of the foundational goals of our transformation effort is to change how we operate and to work more effectively in a fiscally responsible manner,” said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “All decisions about our office locations are made with our customers and employees top of mind, and through careful consideration and analysis of the facts and data.”

Schroeder said the decision was based on the expansion of the DMV’s online and self-service transactions which had led to a declining number of in-person transactions at the Port Jefferson Station office.  

“Because of the significant expansion of our online footprint, our appointment system, and the processing efficiencies we have gained in the past two years, we see an opportunity to shift our workforce to the other locations in Suffolk County to maximize the capacity in those offices and ultimately to serve our customers better and faster,” he said.

There are currently more than 70 transactions and services available at DMV.NY.GOV that customers can use to better prepare to visit an office and make their experience as seamless as possible or skip the trip altogether. Customers can renew a driver license or vehicle registration online, order a duplicate document, request their driving record, pay fees and fines, check the status of their ID, change their address and more. 

For in-person transactions, customers are encouraged to visit the Medford office at 2799 Route 112, which is approximately 10 miles from the Port Jefferson Station location. 

“The average customer who visits [the DMV office] is in and out in less than 30 minutes thanks to DMV’s appointment scheduling system that allows customers to avoid waiting in line” said the release.

For more information, call their customer service number at 1-800-698-2931.

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Front row, from left, members of Troop 1343: Logan G., Piper G., Emily S., and Hannah U.; back row, from left, Sarah Abruzzi, LIM Co-Executive Director, Operations; Lisa Unander, LIM Director of Education; and Joshua Ruff, LIM Co-Executive Director, Collections and Programming. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Fred Ellman works on the project with members of Brownie Troop 1343. Photo from LIM
Members of Brownie Troop 1343 paint the panels of the Little Free Library. Photo by Tara Mae
Hannah U. of Brownie Troop 1343 with parts of the Little Free Library. Photo by Tara Mae
Above, members of Brownie Troop 1343: back row, from left, Katherine F., Rogue C., Allison D., Matilda P., Emily S., Sheridan C., and Beatrix H.; front row, from left, Emma T., Layla J., Lily B., Hannah U., and Charlotte G. Photo by Tara Mae
The Popcorn Wagon in the museum's collection was the inspiration for the design of the Little Free Library.
A view of the Little Free Library at the LIM from the back. Photo by Heidi Sutton
The Little Free Library at the LIM is already full of books. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Above, Brownie Troop 1343 members Emily S., Piper G. and Hannah U. at the Little Free Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Above, Brownie Troop 1343 members Piper G, Emily S. and Hannah U. with a sample of books found in the Little Free Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton
The Long Island Museum now has a Little Free Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton

By Tara Mae

The chaos of creation yields the quietude of reflection. 

Newly installed at the Long Island Museum of Art, History, & Carriages (LIM), the Little Free Library came from just such a process. It was assembled by Brownie Troop 1343, which consists of fourteen local 3rd graders from the Three Village School District and horticultural art therapist/mediations instructor Fred Ellman, with troop co-leaders Lisa Unander, Kaethe Cuomo, and Christine Colavito offering practical support.

Cultivated from a sort magical mayhem on a series of manic Mondays as the girls painted their projects and maybe themselves, the Little Free Library is the result of artistic exuberance and pragmatic craftsmanship. Ellman previously worked with Unander on LIM’s In the Moment programs, which are garden activities designed for people with memory loss.

“To my pure delight, he volunteered to help us design and build the project! It was Fred’s idea to use the popcorn wagon [design], inspired by the Popcorn Wagon, 1907, C. Cretors & Company, Chicago, which is prominently featured in our carriage museum collection,” Unander, who is also LIM’s Director of Education, said.

Ellman donated his time, talents, and materials, functioning as artistic advisor, serene supervisor, and pragmatic visionary. He created a digital template and used that as the blueprint for the actual pieces of wood.   

“Lisa told me about this incredible project, and I really enjoy working with her. I wanted this library to be very playful and encourage children to come use books and connect to the  collection. With this installation, we are using a fresh way of looking at a free library, inviting and enticing patrons with its welcoming appearance,” Ellman said. 

This  22”x24” box, made of birch and cedar, is a blend of functional fun, with its bright colors and and unique shape. Installed adjacent to LIM”s aromatic herb garden, visitors will be able to take a book and immerse themselves in the stories as they settle in the tranquility of nature.

This visage belies the Brownies determined diligence in creating and maintaining the free library. A requirement for being formally recognized as an officially chartered member of the nonprofit Little Free Library network is that the girls are stewards of this installation. Each Brownie will be assigned certain weeks of the year to check on the library, including cleaning, maintaining, and restocking it as well as reporting any needs to Troop 1343.  

“To have a long term project that [the troop] could get excited about and work on collaboratively created responsibility and pride in what they accomplished,” Unander said. “Since all the girls live in the Three Village area, we know they will grow up helping keep the library well maintained and bring friends and family to see what they helped create.” 

For the Brownies, its motivations for the Little Free Library are multifaceted. Starting when the girls were Daisies, the Girl Scouts program for kindergarten-first grade, their meetings frequently commenced with a co-leader reading them a story that related to a project on which they were working.

“They always responded in a positive way to each book that was read to them and we felt it created a strong bond between the girls and the badges that they were about to take on,” said Unander. 

Then last year, the group began working on its World of Journey badges, a four part certification that focuses on “girls around the world and how stories can give you ideas for helping others,” according to Girl Scouts USA’s website.

Inspired by a pamphlet that depicted girls traveling the world in a flying bookmobile to learn about different cultures, and having recently read a book about Little Free Libraries’ founder Todd Bol, Troop 1343 decided to create a Little Free Library of its own in pursuit of the badges.

“Many troops do a simpler project to complete this journey, but we felt the girls in our troop were willing and ready to make a true and lasting impact,” Unander added. 

They were not the only ones embarking on a new adventure; it was Ellman’s first time constructing a free library too, though he anticipates it will not be his last. “I definitely want to build another one,” he said.  

As reading invites the imagination to explore, facilitating LIM’s free library has alerted everyone involved in this endeavor to other possibilities: Troop 1343 and its co-leaders are discussing developing a book about this process.  

“Fred had the idea of the girls creating a book that would tell visitors a little bit about them and some of their favorite books; I loved it,” Unander said. “Next year the girls will be Junior level Girl Scouts, and we plan to incorporate this project into our meetings. Ideally, this book would be attached to the Little Free Library onsite for all to read.”

In the meantime, the girls collected and donated their own books to launch the library. Given its location, Unander believes that as the library continues to expand its collection, visitors will be particularly inclined to leave books about art and history; its public accessibility binds the library to the community and encourages any visitor to the museum to indulge in the exchange of ideas. 

“We are grateful to our Co-Executive Directors Sarah Abruzzi and Joshua Ruff for enthusiastically giving us the green light to use this magnificent space to host our Little Free Library. We all feel this small structure will bring a large amount of joy to all who see it,” said Unander. 

To take a book, leave a book, visit the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook Thursdays to Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. To learn more about the museum’s exhibits and other programs, visit www.longislandmuseum.org. 

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Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in a scene from 'Barbie' Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

What can you say about someone who has had over two hundred careers—fashion editor, science teacher, paramedic, paratrooper, Canadian Mountie, aircraft engineer—but was quoted as saying, “Math is tough?” While she beat Neil Armstrong to the moon, she encouraged her followers to “Get your sparkle on—show the world where you belong.” 

Featured from toy shelves to The Nutcracker (to The Magic of Pegasus 3-D), Barbie—full name Barbara Millicent Roberts—first appeared in March 1959. The eleven-inch plastic figure was the brainchild of Ruth Handler (Mattel, Inc. co-founder, with husband, Elliot). Inspired by the German Bild Lilli doll, the first Barbie sold for $3. Today, Barbie is a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Barbie’s world includes her on-again-off-again boyfriend Ken, best friend Midge, and sister Skipper. The first celebrity Barbie was Twiggy (1967). Barbie first ran for president in 1992 and has been on the campaign trail at least seven times since. She will continue to evolve and be reinvented. But as busy as she is, Barbie has now made time for a feature film. 

Director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women) reteams with Frances Ha screenwriter Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story, Margot at the Wedding) to direct “big screen” Barbie. They have written a fascinating societal exploration, presented through the prism of the alternate world, Barbie Land. Barbie is no theme park ride or action toy translated to a mass market money grab. The film is a serious meditation on gender roles and expectations. It takes on multiple overlapping themes—perhaps too many to answer—and resonates long after its brisk two-hour running time.

Margot Robbie in a scene from ‘Barbie’. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment

Barbie deals with a tear in the separation of Barbie Land and the real world, a rip connected to Barbie’s doubts about her perfect existence. She leaves the female/Barbie-dominated universe to learn that women have not achieved the positions of strength they have in her native existence. Initially, the comedic conflict sparks from the clash of the two planes. Still, the bigger issue arises from Ken’s awareness of the disproportionate power allotted to men outside Barbie Land. (In Barbie Land, the Kens are relegated to a peripheral existence, not holding the key positions taken by the Barbies.) Ken’s epiphany causes Barbie Land to devolve into a world of toxic masculinity dominated by the Kens. The host of mindless bros’ tenuous grasp turns the idyllic utopia into an almost hellish frat-scape, Kendom Land. The fact that Ken somehow connects patriarchy to horses speaks volumes.

The resolution strangely errs on the side of hijinks, with the Barbies righting their world through a subterfuge that plays on Kens’ easily flattered egos. The commentary is strong but subsumes the message of self-awareness and empowerment. They fool the doltish Kens rather than directly engage them. However, in the end, the Kens gain a modicum of self-awareness. 

Barbie manages to be comedy, spoof, satire, and message movie, sometimes in turn, other times simultaneously. From its 2001: A Space Odyssey opening to its exquisitely conceived Barbie Land that is both vibrantly two- and three-dimensional, Barbie is a delight, with visual jokes, hilarious asides, and social commentary.

Margot Robbie’s in all ways flawless Barbie proves the actor’s exceptional skills and depth. She manifests a true living doll but allows for both growth and arc, never missing a beat or a laugh. Ryan Gosling makes the ideal foil, as the mostly clueless Ken, coming to a misplaced awareness. The supporting Barbies are effective on different levels, as are the coterie of Kens. 

America Ferrera’s real-world Gloria has the most memorable moment in the film—a speech about the double standard women face daily. Her passion and laser focus give weight without weighing down the significance. Ariana Greenblatt, as her daughter, Sasha, neatly represents today’s generation of detached teens searching for connection. Michael Cera’s sad sack Allan is subtly hysterical.

Rhea Pearlman offers the luminous, not-so-spectral spirit of Barbie creator Ruth Handler. In her two scenes, she manages to be heartbreakingly human and otherworldly wise. She speaks as the head and heart of possibility, which was her inspiration in creating the doll. She is somehow Dumbledore to Barbie’s Harry. 

The film’s major misfire is the comedic Mattel corporate board, headed by Will Ferrell, doing Will Ferrell at his most Will Ferrell. The painfully predictable slapstick seems forced in an otherwise sharp and meditative story.

*Reviewing is the definition of subjective. I left unsure of exactly how I felt about what I had witnessed. I also knew that I was not its true demographic. 

Curious, I engaged with people exiting the film and reached out to others over the next few days. These ranged from adult mothers and daughters with complementary opinions to viewers in their twenties and thirties. Three slightly dazed mothers with a half dozen girls under age eight contemplated how much their young charges had—or had not—understood. 

While a few attendees were mildly disappointed, the consensus was that Barbie was an effective and affecting film. Older viewers seem most linked by the nostalgia, reflecting bittersweetly on childhood hours. However, recurring comments tended towards empowerment, identity, and reflection of girlhood/womanhood. The film seriously considered the day-to-day struggles of being female and cultural over-sexualization. But Barbie also symbolizes the ability to change, hearkening to her creation as representing myriad possibilities. Many were deeply moved by the montage of women throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries; almost all cited Gloria’s monologue as a high point. The most common refrain was, “I felt seen.”

Ultimately, Barbie transcends. As a work and work of art, it accomplished something extraordinary, something “more than.” It has let its audience “feel seen.” And that alone makes Barbie exceptional. 

Rated PG-13, the film is now playing in local theaters.

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