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Jeffrey Sanzel

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The cast of 'Raggedy Ann & Andy' Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'Raggedy Ann & Andy'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
Isabella Scarpa and Will Logan star as 'Raggedy Amy & Andy'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'Raggedy Ann & Andy'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'Raggedy Ann & Andy'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'Raggedy Ann & Andy'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
A scene from 'Raggedy Ann & Andy'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.
"Jazz Hands!" A scene from 'Raggedy Ann & Andy'. Photo by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

By Julianne Mosher

A heart-filled tale of friendship and adventure headed back to Theatre Three this week with their latest children’s theater production of Raggedy Ann & Andy — also known as “Friends and Friends and Friends.”

Based off of characters created by Johnny Gruelle, this special and unique tale, written by Jeffrey Sanzel and Kevin Story, brings these two lovable rag dolls to life in a comical musical that the family is sure to enjoy.

Directed by Sanzel with musical direction by Doug Quattrock, the show starts off at the Tiwilliger sisters’ toy shop where they specialize in creating toys that come to life to bring joy to children in need. They hear of a little girl named Marcella who is ill and decide to make a brother for one of their favorite toys, Raggedy Ann (played by Isabella Scarpa), named Andy (Will Logan).

However, the toymakers, Martha (Gina Lardi) and Abby (Louisa Bikowski) have an evil brother, Mortimer (Steven Uihlein) who wants to use his family’s magic selfishly and to not use it to help local boys and girls. Casting a spell and with the help of his (reluctant) sidekick Rose Carpet (Emilia Guzzetta), the evil Mortimer steals Andy’s heart and the toys team up to get it back.

With the help of the tin soldier (Jason Furnari), the clown (Ryan Van Nostrand), the lion (Liam Marsigliano) and the queen doll (Julia Albino), the group heads to find Mortimor and retrieve Andy’s heart. Through a quest full of twists and turns, the audience waits to see if Andy will go back to his lovable self so he and Ann could help Marcella feel better.

Choreographed by Josie McSwane, the show is full of catchy tunes with themes of friendship, loyalty and love as the actors dance along. This musical will also show children the importance of friendship and how it’s nice to help when a friend is in need. 

And the best part is, while the show is geared for younger audiences, adults can reminisce about their own childhood toys thanks to Jason Allyn’s costume design — Raggedy Ann and Andy’s outfits are to a T, looking as if they just came off the shelves at the store.  Plus, the cast is available in the lobby after the show for photos. It’s a great afternoon out that is sure to bring a smile to everyone’s faces.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Raggedy Ann & Andy on Fridays and Saturdays at 11 a.m. through July 27. Children’s theater continues with Pinocchio from Aug. 2 to Aug. 10 and A Kooky Spooky Halloween from Oct. 5 to Oct. 19. All seats are $12. 

Theatre Three will also present a special program, The Silly Sorcery Showcase on July 21 at 2 p.m.  Tickets are $20. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

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From left, Raimundo Espinoza, founder and executive director of Conservación ConCiencia in Puerto Rico, is interviewed by Baratunde Thurston in Episode One of the docuseries. Photo courtesy of PBS

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

PBS’s Hope in the Water is a three-part docuseries investigating the world of aquafarmers and fishers. The series shows viable alternatives to providing food for an ever-growing population while supporting and sustaining the environment. Unlike many documentaries narrowing on the doom-and-gloom aspects, Hope in the Water leans into its name, celebrating individual and group efforts and emphasizing cooperative undertakings that have already made a difference. Climate change is touched upon but rarely central.

Baratunde Thurston in Episode One of ‘Hope in the Water’. Photo courtesy of PBS

Hope in the Water comes from the multi-award-winning producer David E. Kelley (Love & Death, Lincoln Lawyer, Big Little Lies) in association with four-time James Beard Award and Emmy Award winner Chef Andrew Zimmern and his production company, Intuitive Content (What’s Eating America, Family Dinner, Andrew Zimmern’s Wild Game Kitchen, Feral).

Episode One, The Fish in the Sea, which premiered on June 19, breaks down into three sections. The first details the evolution of COAST—Community of Arran Seabed Trust—a Scottish grassroots movement that set out to “manage the seas on behalf of the next generation.” Inspired by a No-Take zone in New Zealand, COAST “campaigned to stop mobile fishing that damages [their] seabeds, jeopardizing future livelihoods and wildlife.” COAST saw the change and suspension of legal protections and faced governmental roadblocks but ultimately triumphed. The new approach led to a revitalization of the waters as well as a species abundance increase of 102%. 

A joyously energetic Baratunde Thurston provides much of the narrative drive in the second section, which takes place in Puerto Rico. Thurston is the host and executive producer of America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston and the creator and host of How to Citizen with Baratunde. The Emmy-nominated hyphenate (host-producer-writer-public speaker) is the ideal cheerleader for issues that intersect technology, politics, and climate. 

A scene from Episode 2 of ‘Hope in the Water’/ Photo courtesy of PBS

Devastated by 2017’s Hurricane Maria, the middle of the documentary tells of the founding of the World Central Kitchen (preparing and feeding over four million survivors) and the grants given to fishers for boat repairs, new engine purchases, and repairing the fishing ecosystem. At the heart is the fishing of the diamondback squid. The large sea creature, often up to sixty pounds and fished from depths as deep as 1,700 feet, is almost entirely meat. The shift promotes resilience and moves away from a dependence on imports.

The final segment shows Hawaii’s He’eisa Fishpond, eighty-eight acres and an eight-hundred-year-old location of traditional Hawaiian aquaculture. Here, one indigenous woman strives to grow fish traditionally, keeping one hundred percent of the resources local. (Hawaii is the largest consumer of fish per capita in the nation yet imports most of its seafood. The market economy overturned the long-standing fishpond culture early in the twentieth century.) This third chapter is the most intimate and personal, highlighting the power of the individual to engage the community.

The film is quickly—if often peripatetically—paced, with a constant cutting from interviews to broad oceanic vistas—rarely holding for more than fifteen seconds. (There is a vague sense that creators fear losing their audience.) In addition to an array of talking heads—activists, scientists, environmentalists, fishers, politicians—historical footage, personal photos, legal documents, and newspaper clippings flash and integrate throughout. 

A scene from Episode 3 of ‘Hope in the Water’. Photo courtesy of PBS

Episode One opens with a storm in Puerto Rico, played for dramatic effect. The entire sequence repeats when the narrative returns to this thread with a mostly tacit conclusion, justified with a tag: “These are real people, and the story is dangerous,” which is all “part of the cost of the food that we eat.” These are minor cavils in an otherwise engaging and refreshing boost of optimism. While the film presents a variety of facts—we eat twice as much seafood now as we did fifty years ago—statistics never bog down the film or obscure the story’s humanity.

In a predominantly upbeat approach, Hope in the Water embraces the oceans as the heart of the earth’s survival. The film’s message is not one of “hands off.” It expresses the necessity to be aware of the environment but also acknowledges the “need to feed.” The film is a worthwhile fifty minutes that is a tribute to the strength of community and the power of individuals to make change for the greater good. It “starts with us.”

The series continues on PBS with Farming the Water on June 26, which highlights solutions to the pollution and environmental issues surrounding farmed fish, and concludes with Changing the Menu on July 3, taking up a diversification of seafood. To view the entire series online, visit www.pbs.org/show/hope-in-the-water/.

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‘Inside Out 2’ is one of the most anticipated movies this summer. Photo courtesy of Disney/Pixar

By Tim Haggerty & Jeffrey Sanzel

This summer’s movie calendar offers something for everyone, with a great range of genres and a strong blockbuster Hollywood talent.

Inside Out 2

Probably the most awaited summer film is the sequel to the 2015 animated feature. Pixar’s modern classic followed eleven-year-old Riley and her emotional ups and downs from moving to a new city. Now a young woman, Riley is dealing with a host of new feelings, including Anxiety. Original voices Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, and Lewis Black join newcomers Maya Hawke, Tony Hale, and Liza Laira.

Rated PG · Release date June 14

Ghostlight

Construction worker Dan (Keith Kupferer) is drawn into the world of a local Romeo and Juliet theatre production, enabling him to bond with his troubled teenage daughter, Daisy (Katherine Mallen Kupferer). A Sundance favorite, the indie drama from directors Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, could be this summer’s sleeper hit.

Rated R · Release date June 14

The Bikeriders

Inspired by photographer Danny Lyons’ book on a real-life Chicago biker gang, director Jeff Nichols splits his focus between the gang’s leader (Tom Hardy) and a younger biker (Austin Butler). The cast includes Michael Shannon, Norman Reedus, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Emory Cohen, and Toby Wallace.

Rated R · Release date June 21

Twisters

Another entry into the ever-popular weather-related genre. Minari’s Lee Isaac Chung helms the film, promising more than CGI Sturm und Drang.

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 19

Kinds of Kindness

Yorgos Lanthimos’ follow-up to the Oscar-nominated Poor Things features a trio of stories and an all-star cast (Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Plemons, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Hunter Schafer, and Mamadou Athie) each playing multiple roles over the three chapters. Kinds of Kindness will surely feature Lanthimos’s signature heightened reality and disturbing absurdism.

Rated R · Release date June 21

Thelma

Ninety-four-year-old June Squibb is the titular action hero. After being conned in a phone scam, the nonagenarian sets out on a course of revenge, aided by her best friend (the late Richard “Shaft” Roundtree). Parker Posey and Clark Gregg co-star. 

Rated PG-13 · Release date June 21

Daddio

Originally conceived by writer-director Christy Hall as a two-hander stage play, Daddio focuses on a woman (Dakota Johnson) and the cabbie (Sean Penn) who drives her from JFK to her midtown Manhattan apartment. What ensues is an informal therapy session that covers everything from the dangers of romance, commitment, and the difference between the sexes. 

Rated R · Release date June 28

Horizon: Chapter 1

Kevin Costner directs and stars in this multi-chaptered Western. Subtitled “An American Saga,” the stories view the shaping of the West from a variety of viewpoints, including the forced relocation of indigenous people. Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, Jena Malone, Will Patton, Dale Dickey, and a roster of big names co-star. 

Rated R · Release date June 28

A Quiet Place: Day One

In this third installment, the series returns to the alien invasion that began with the 2018 debut. Michael Sarnoski, of the Nicolas Cage thriller Pig, directs the prequel that will most likely explain the space invaders’ presence on Earth. 

Rated PG-13 · Release date June 28

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

Detroit detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) returns to investigate the death of an old friend. Having just revisited Coming to America, Murphy unsurprisingly returns to the fish-out-of-water Foley, exposing corruption in local police ranks. 

Rated R · Release date July 3

MaxXxine

The horror trilogy, which began with X and Pearl, features the lone survivor of the inaugural 1970s-slasher entry. Kevin Bacon, Elisabeth Debecki, Giancarlo Esposito, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, and Michelle Monaghan feature in another outing with deranged killers in the heyday of the infamous Night Stalker. 

Rated R · Release date July 5

Longlegs

It Follows’ Maika Monroe is an FBI agent investigating a series of killings that may or may not have some occult leanings; Nicolas Cage is the eccentric who may or may not be solely responsible for the murders. Director Osgood Perkins takes on the familiar federal agent versus the serial killer plot made popular by the Oscar-winning Silence of the Lambs.

Rated R · Release date July 12

Sing Sing

This story focuses on a convict (Colman Domingo) and several felons involved in a theater program designed for occupants of the titular penitentiary. While creating an original production, they find solace in treading the boards. Many of the prisoners are played by real-life former members of the prison-based theater groups.

Rated R · Release date July 12

Fly Me to the Moon

Rom-com meets the Space Race with PR whiz (Scarlett Johansson) and alpha astronaut (Channing Tatum). Best known for his superhero oeuvre, Greg Berlanti directs a cast that includes Ray Romano, Woody Harrelson, and Jon Rash. 

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 12

Deadpool & Wolverine

Ryan Reynold’s third Deadpool movie also stars Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, along with Jennifer Garner as Elektra. This Marvel Cinematic Universe/X-Men crossover gives the summer a hyper-doze of superhero power.

Rated R · Release date July 26

Cuckoo

Euphoria’s Hunter Schaefer enters the world of horror with a tale of a family vacation at a Bavarian resort, replete with residents who vomit and walk the halls like zombies. In addition to family drama, the owner (Dan Stevens) adds an additional creepy vibe.

Rated R · Release date August 2

Borderlands

Based on the best-selling videogame, the film follows a group of misfits on the planet Pandora on a mission to save a missing girl who holds the key to unimaginable power. Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Ariana Greenblatt, and Jamie Lee Curtis star in this action-adventure. 

Rated PG-13 · Release date August 9

Alien: Romulus

Little has been revealed about this new addition to the Alien franchise except that it occurs between the first and second films. Best of all, Aliens’ creature design team developed the look and feel of this entry’s Xenomorphs.

Rated R · Release date August 16

The Crow

Bill Skarsgård takes on this controversial reboot as a late musician brought back from the dead to avenge the murder of his soulmate. Based on James O’Barr’s comic series, the role is associated with Brandon Lee, and the tragic circumstances surrounding the original 1994 cult movie.

Rated R · Release date August 23

With a mix of comedy, drama, thriller, and pure escape—along with the usual sequels—summer 2024 promises something for every filmgoer. 

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement on June 20.

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Joy and Anxiety (voiced by Amy Poehler and Maya Hawke) meet in Riley's head in Inside Out 2. Image courtesy of Disney/Pixar

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Pixar has produced over two dozen animated features. Among the best are Up, Coco, Soul, Finding Nemo, and the Toy Story franchise, which managed to maintain its integrity through three sequels. 

The unique and wonderful Inside Out (2015) explored and explained the complicated inner feelings of young Riley and how she reacts to her family’s relocation. The film personified her basic emotions—Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger—in colorful (and color-coded) beings. 

Director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc., Up, and Soul) co-wrote the screenplay with Meg LeFauve and Joshy Cooley. Docter gathered an all-star cast of voices, including Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, and others. It became one of the year’s most successful films, grossing over eight hundred and fifty million dollars and receiving nearly unanimous critical acclaim. 

Inside Out 2, the much-anticipated sequel, picks up a year later with thirteen-year-old Riley. Director Kelsey Mann makes an extraordinary feature debut, working from a beautifully fashioned screenplay by LeFauve and Dave Holstein. (Docter served as executive producer.) It is easy to be hyperbolic. (For example, “This is the worst film ever made.”) However, Inside Out 2 is, quite simply, perfect. 

On the verge of entering high school, Riley learns that her best friends and fellow hockey teammates, Bree and Grace, will attend a different school. Seemingly overnight, Riley goes from child to teenager, with mood swings and doubts becoming the norm. That summer, the trio attend a three-day hockey intensive, with Riley hoping success will lead to a place on the varsity Fire Hawks. At the camp, Riley meets her idol, high school hockey star Valentina Ortiz, and decides to court favor with the older girl and her entourage in exchange for her allegiance to Bree and Grace.

Inside Out 2 meets the original material directly and then logically—and brilliantly—elevates it as Riley enters the struggle that is puberty. Joining and fighting to replace Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust are Envy, Ennui, Embarrassment, and, most importantly and most present, Anxiety. 

Ultimately, the story is the battle between Joy and Anxiety for control over Riley’s life. This significant metaphor embodies the steps from childhood to adolescence. At the heart is the idea that experiences become memories that generate belief, leading to a Sense of Self. Grappling with the need to manifest a Sense of Self fires the conflict. The ultimate resolution is heartfelt, honest, and cathartic. 

Once again, Poehler heads up a terrific company; she mines every bit of humor in Joy but never sacrifices the emotional integrity. Black and Smith return as Anger and Sadness, respectively. Like Poehler, they never lose the heart for the laughs. Lisa Lapira replaces Mindy Kaling as Disgust, and Tony Hale takes over from Bill Hader as Fear. (The sour note surrounds the film as Kaling and Hader ended up in a pay dispute with Disney, being offered only one hundred thousand dollars to Poehler’s five million.) Lapira and Hale both acquit themselves well. 

Maya Hawke brings dimension to Anxiety, allowing the emotion’s potential value to weigh against its damage. Ayo Edebiri’s Envy matches Disgust, and Paul Walter Hauser’s almost mute Embarrassment works well. However, the funniest addition is Ennui, with Adèle Exarchopoulos playing the boredom as a beatnik Parisian existentialist. Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan are back as Riley’s parents, and while they have limited screen time, they manage to imbue the parents with the right mix of love and frustration. Kensington Tallman’s Riley (replacing Kaitlyn Dias) truly holds center in a nuanced and wholly believable performance.

The designers and animators (and hundreds of artists and craftspeople) seamlessly shaped two parallel worlds: Riley’s almost hyper-realistic outside (down to the braces and single unmentioned pimple) and the softer, slightly two-dimensional inside (giving the world of emotions a hint of old Disney). The spherical memories, the islands, and the control consuls return, only to be taken to the next step. 

The script is smart, and the dialogue is clever, but neither ever becomes self-conscious, finding unique voices for every character. The film does not trade on its predecessor but builds, expands, and matures it. (It also contains one of the greatest puns in any film—but no spoilers here.)

Inside Out 2 offers great truths with remarkable awareness: growing up is messy, change is complex, and everyone is a roiling sea of turmoil. It also shows that every emotion and experience—every color, every shade—lead us to who we are and who we can be. If art’s purpose is to reflect the human condition, then Inside Out 2 is art and much, much more.

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

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A scene from 'The Watchers'. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

By Jeffrey Sanzel

Author A.M. Shine set his 2022 Gothic horror The Watchers in his native Ireland. The debut novel dealt with an uncharted forest that ensnares people within its woods. At the heart of the mystery is folklore dealing with fairies best known as changelings, malign shapeshifters studying their captive human quarry. 

Ishana Night Shyamalan (daughter of auteur M. Night Shyamalan, who produced) directs and pens her first film, having only worked on episodes of the television series Servant (for which her father was showrunner) and directed the second unit on the films Old and Knock at the Cabin (her father’s films). Additionally, she collaborates with her older sister, the R&B singer-songwriter Saleka, on the latter’s music videos. Her first solo outing has distinctly mixed results. 

A scene from ‘The Watchers’. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

First seen vaping in the pet shop where she works, Mina (Dakota Fanning), an American artist living in Galway, leads a disconnected life. Sent to deliver a parrot to a zoo, Mina finds herself trapped in the forest along with Ciara (Georgina Campbell), Daniel (Oliver Finnegan), and the self-appointed leader, Madeline (Olwen Fouéré). 

They live in a cement structure with a two-way mirror that prevents the inhabitants from seeing out into the night. They have dubbed this strange dwelling the Coop. Here, they are surrounded by the nocturnal Watchers. With shades of Black Mirror, Shyamalan manages to crank up the atmosphere and “creep” factor before losing steam. She wisely eschews jump-out scares, but she fails to explore the claustrophobic nature of the Coop’s dwellers as well as the conversely frightening sense of being completely exposed by the ceiling-to-floor window. 

Eventually, the four discover an underground bunker in the Coop that leads to explanations of their entrapment and the nature of the ancient entities that hold them prisoner.

Shyamalan goes to great lengths to establish Mina’s lack of identity, a theme that will play throughout the film. Sometimes a bit heavy-handed, the definition of self and self-reflection are given less-than-subtle imagery but do not hamper the story’s progression. In the novel, Madeline explains the creatures: “What do they look like?” [Mina] asked. “Like us, I suppose,” Madeline replied calmly. “But they’re not like us. They’re leaner and they’re longer, and I won’t describe their faces to you. I couldn’t, to be honest, even if I tried.” 

The film gets faster to the concept that the Watchers take on the visages of the people they study. (“Even when wearing the mask of man, still they are monsters to the eye,” writes Shine.)

As in the book, the film builds to a climactic twist. Here, Shyamalan slightly improves the source material, creating an extra layer in the reveal. Unlike the novel, she finds closure, where the book leaves off on a cliffhanger. (The book’s sequel, Stay in the Light, drops on October 2024.) Additionally, while hewing closely to the general plot and tone, she adds more background and clarification to the dark world of the fairies and their connection to the contemporary world. 

Fanning is a solid, grounded actor and leads the cast as best she can. Her performance is honest and introspective, and she never crosses the line into Scream Queen. Campbell is given less to play but is equally believable as the woman waiting for her husband to return. Finnegan’s Daniel has more spark than Shine’s sketch, which serves the actor but undermines the character’s doubts and frailties. 

As Madeline, Fouéré has the most interesting role and finds a slow-burn ferocity. Unfortunately, Shyamalan stripped most of Madeline’s most interesting aspects—a woman whose “silence was like a sleeping dragon.” Oddly, Shyamalan makes the quartet more resourceful, lowering the danger/struggle quotient.

Filmed on location, Eli Arenson’s cinematography contrasts city and forest and embraces some beautiful Irish vistas. Ferdia Murphy’s production design ranges from the gritty to the pastoral. As for the monsters themselves, they are adequate if little seen. Sadly, where the film succeeds least is Shyamalan’s strained dialogue, which is leaden and predictable and serves neither cast nor plot. 

In the universe of horror movies, The Watchers is a minor and easily forgotten entry. Not a failure on a large scale, but certainly one to be consumed (or not) and forgotten, the film marks the beginning—or ending—of a second-generation cinematic voice.

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

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Briar Rose (Cassidy O'Brien), Snow White (Julia Albino) and Cinderella (Veronica Fox) star in this new musical. Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three
Cinderella (Veronica Fox). Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three
Snow White (Julia Albino). Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three
Briar Rose (Cassidy O'Brien). Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three
Sean Amato and Cassidy Rose O'Brien in a scene from the show. Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three
Veronica Fox and Sean Amato in a scene from the show. Photo by Steven Uihlein/Theatre Three
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
A scene from 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
The cast of 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'
The cast of 'The Mystery of the Missing Ever After'

By Julianne Mosher

What if Snow White, Cinderella and Briar Rose didn’t get their happy endings? Snow White would have been poisoned by the apple, Cinderella forever a maid and Briar Rose would sleep until eternity. These fairy tales have had dozens of interpretations each throughout the years, but one thing is common — there is always a happily ever after. 

But Theatre Three is taking it a step further and switching it up. Making its world premiere, The Mystery of the Missing Ever After, written by Jeffrey Hoffman, Douglas J. Quattrock and Jeffrey Sanzel, brings in a bit of mystery with a lot of original music. 

Directed by Sanzel, the show starts off with what the three princess’ lives looked like after the final chapter closed. Cinderella (Veronica Fox) runs a show emporium, Snow White (Julia Albino) has opened a laundry service with the dwarves and Briar Rose (aka the Sleeping Beauty and played by Cassidy Rose O’Brien) has a successful meditation business, helping other fairytale and folklore creatures calm down. 

They live with their princes, Adrian, Basil and Constantine (all performed by Sean Amato) who each have their own quirky personalities but support their wives. 

In town, we’re introduced to other members of the community including the formerly evil Rumpelstiltskin (Steven Uihlein) who says he changed his ways and now helps children by buying them food and toys. Alice — formerly of Wonderland and played by Louisa Bikowski — now runs a retrieval agency, Alice’s Wonderland Wonders, and her colleague, the White Rabbit (Jason Furnari) struggles with severe anxiety and seeks out help from Briar Rose. 

As the play goes on, the princesses’ start to realize odd things happening — apples appearing out of nowhere, Briar falling asleep at any given moment and Cinderella loses her beautiful blue gown (one of many stunning costumes courtesy of Jason Allyn), transforming into her former self wearing an apron covered in ash. Soon after, their princes begin to forget who they are. That being the final straw, the three then decide that they need to figure out what is going on and why.

Along the way, they meet other favorite characters from different children’s books including Peter Pan (Liam Marsigliano), Little Red Riding Hood (Gina Lardi) and Puss in Boots (Kaitlyn Jehle), just to name a few. 

With the help of families in the audience, the mystery of the stolen happily ever after is solved — and it’s quite the surprise of who’s behind it. 

With a solid score of 12 original songs, written by Hoffman and Quattrock, and performed by this stellar cast, there is something for everyone here. Although it’s caters to young children, parents and older siblings will not be disappointed, either. 

So, get your glass slippers on and head down to Theatre Three in Port Jefferson to see this unique, fun, entertaining and awesome play. Stop by the lobby on your way out for a group photo with the cast.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents The Mystery of the Missing Ever After through June 15. Costumes are encouraged. All seats are $12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

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Tony Butera and Company in a scene from 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
A scene from Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three
The cast of Theatre Three's 'The Producers'. Photo by Courtney Gilmore/Theatre Three

By Julianne Mosher

Nobody does camp better than Theatre Three. This time with their latest production of Mel Brooks’ The Producers, the Port Jefferson-based venue succeeds, yet again, with a phenomenal production of the hysterical musical that is bound to offend everyone and anyone in the best way possible.

Adapted from Mel Brooks’ 1967 film of the same name, the story follows two producers who scheme to get rich fast by fraudulently overselling interests in a Broadway musical they’re seeking to fail. Plot twist … it’s a smash hit, much to their dismay.

Theatre Three’s production is just as good as the latest Broadway revival (latest being 2001) which starred Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. The cast and crew outdid themselves with every detail — from the constant costume and wig changes courtesy of Ronald Green III (and there are quite a few) to Randall Parson’s scenic sets that switch between the office of Max Bialystock (Scott Hofer) and Leo Bloom (Tony Butera) to the rooftop of Nazi-turned playwright Franz Leibkind (Evan Teich). 

Yes, a Nazi. Like I said, this play is going to offend. 

Hofer and Butera in the lead roles of the producers shine on stage, again, on the same level that the show’s former Broadway legends bore in the past.

With several dozen different roles — it’s a Mel Brooks show, so of course it’s going to be chaotic — every person who enters stage right and left are fantastic with an ensemble cast that literally does it all. The singing is master level, the choreography is impressive and you’ll be laughing as soon as the curtain opens during the first number, “It’s Opening Night.”

After Bialystock and Bloom find the most offensive musical out there, Springtime for Hitler, they need to find financial backers. Bialystock, a Casanova to the wealthy elderly, uses his charm on widowers while Bloom meets the beautiful and talented Ulla (Brittany Lacey) who becomes the main female lead in the play they’re hoping fails … as well as Bloom’s love interest. 

The next stop is to get the worst director out there — Roger De Bris (Ryan Nolin), a flamboyant failing director with his long-term, life “roommate,” Carmen Ghia (Jim Sluder). While Nolin and Sluder play near-deadbeats in the theater industry, both have remarkable talent in real life.

Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, the three-hour-long show is so good you want to sit through it again and again. You’ll be bound to find something new at every showing.

So, like I mentioned earlier, Theatre Three does campy musicals extremely well. “When You Got It, Flaunt It,” right? And the only advice I have moving forward is to continue and “Keep It Gay” with all that talent on stage.

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Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents The Producers through June 22. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students, $25 children (ages 5 to 12) and Wednesday matinees. Please Note: Contains adult humor and situations. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

See preview here.

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Author Sarah Beth Durst with a copy of her new book, 'Spy Ring.' Photo by Heidi Sutton

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

The prolific and talented writer Sarah Beth Durst has published over two dozen books, with several reviewed in this publication: The Stone Girl’s Story, The Bone Maker, The Deepest Blue, Even and Odd, and most recently, the thriller The Lake House. Durst has a particular gift for world-building, which is most prevalent in her fantasy works. With the Young Adult novel Spy Ring [HarperCollins/Clarion Books], she embarks on a different setting—Long Island and the very real Setauket and its environs. 

Rachel and Joon have been best friends since kindergarten, when they bonded over a pirate fantasy. Now, eleven years old, in July, between fifth and sixth grade, they have decided to be spies. Additionally, the inseparable pair are facing Joon’s imminent move out of the district, both fearing the toll the distance will take on their friendship.

Rachel’s mother is marrying Dave, her longtime boyfriend, of whom Rachel likes and approves. Rachel overhears Dave telling her mother that he wants to give Rachel a family heirloom, a ring that might have belonged to Anna “Nancy” Smith Strong. Strong was possibly the only known female member of the famed Culper Spy Ring that fed vital information to George Washington from 1778 to 1783. (Thus, the double meaning of the title.) Given an opportunity, Rachel sneaks a look at the ring. Engraved on the inside is “August 1 6, 17 13. Find me.” With this first clue, Rachel and Joon initiate a quest to solve the significance of this cryptic inscription. 

Rachel and Joon’s search takes Nancy off the page and makes her real to the two young detectives. The story briskly zig-zags throughout the Three Village area, with visits to the Setauket Presbyterian Church’s cemetery and Patriots Rock, Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, the Vance Locke murals at Setauket Elementary School, the Setauket Village Green, Frank Melville Memorial Park, the Setauket Grist Mill, and Caroline Episcopal Church. Durst describes each locale colorfully but succinctly as their hunt becomes an almost “history alive.” Central to the quest is time spent at the invaluable Three Village Historical Society, where they receive help, insight, and encouragement.

Durst has a terrific sense of humor, with the pair garnering one clue by remembering “the worst field trip ever.” She also gives insight into the complicated issue of historical accuracy.

“‘Sometimes historians make mistakes […] or more often, they don’t have all the information yet […] reconstructing history is like piecing together a puzzle where there’s no picture on the box, half the pieces have fallen on the floor, and the cat has eaten a quarter of them. You try to guess what the picture looks like as best you can with what you have.’”

Rachel and Joon learn that the Culper Spy Ring was the most effective espionage organization of the Revolutionary War. None of the spies ever admitted to being spies in their lifetime. Everything is theory, but much unearthed evidence supports these hypotheses. 

The author nimbly weaves historical facts and intriguing gems that paint a vivid picture of the time. She vibrantly imparts Rachel’s excitement:

The fizzing feeling was back. She had in her possession the ring of a spy who’d defied her enemies, aided George Washington, and helped found America. Even better, this spy had sent a message with her ring: Find me. This felt like the moment right before the sun poked over the horizon. Or right before a batch of dark clouds dumped buckets of rain. Or right before she bit into a fresh slice of pizza. 

The ability to communicate not just the narrative but the roiling feelings of the young—this aptly labeled “fizzing”—separates Durst from many less accomplished YA writers. The narrative is more than a mystery but a real novel of summer—of bike rides and bonds that run deep, about the fear of loss and the expectations of the future. 

One of the most evocative descriptions is that of a school during vacation:

It felt so strange to be in the school in July. The hallways looked as if they’d been abandoned. Half the bulletin boards were naked—only plain brown paper with a few leftover staples. Some staples had tufts of colorful construction paper stuck to them, like bits of party food caught in one’s teeth. 

Perfectly conjured is the combination of stillness and expectation. “It was strange to see a classroom without any students in it, in addition to the empty halls. It felt as if the whole school were holding its breath.”

A ring, a stone, a key, a powder horn, a codebook, a family Bible—even rudimentary invisible ink—are all part of this journey that is not so much historical fiction but history adjacent. 

In the end, one of the most powerful statements is the realization of why Strong left the clues. Rachel recognizes that “[Nancy] wanted someone to see her.” Sarah Beth Durst’s engaging Spy Ring offers two heroes. The first is a woman who may or may not have been the burgeoning nation’s Agent 355. The second is a spirited, insightful young person in a lively, magical adventure story.

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Meet the author at a book launch hosted by the Three Village Historical Society at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket on Monday, May 20 at 7 p.m. The event is free. To pre-register, visit www.tvhs.org. For more information, visit www.sarahbethdurst.com.

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A scene from 'Unfrosted'. Photo courtesy of Netflix

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Oh, for the comedic integrity of Sid and Marty Krofft’s 1971 Lidsville. The creators of H.R. Pufnstuf, The Bugaloos, and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters offered a world populated by talking hats. Compared with Netflix’s Unfrosted, the anthropomorphized Saturday morning toppers were comic gold along the lines of Chaplin, Keaton, and Larry David. 

Unfrosted tells the fictional tale of the creation of the Pop-Tart. The premise hinges on the 1963 toaster pastry battle between Kellogg and Post, in Battle Creek, Michigan. Jerry Seinfeld directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and stars as Bob Cabana, a Kellogg executive. So, guess who is responsible for this overbaked, leaden soufflé? 

The film attempts to be “ZANY!!!” (Yes: all caps, bold, italics, underlined, and three exclamation marks. Perhaps “zzz-any” would have been a better summation.) Rarely has so much energy and celebrity power been squandered on forced, unfunny material as artificial as Pop-Tarts themselves. Strawberry Pop-Tarts contain less than two percent dried strawberries. Unfrosted contains less than two percent real comedy. (Maybe the film needed an injection of soybean and palm oil with tBHQ for freshness.)

The film’s humor is low-hanging fruit (there are those dried strawberries again). Unfrosted spoofs corporate espionage, the moon landing, awards shows (the Bowl and Spoon Awards), genetic engineering (a ravioli stuffed with Sea Monkeys escapes the lab), the Cuban Missile Crisis, and a dangerous milk syndicate. A benign throughline about disgruntled product mascots, led by Frosted Flakes’ Tony the Tiger, becomes a tasteless and horrifying send-up of January 6. 

With witty dialogue including “What are you, some kind of ding dong?” and “Uh-Oh! Spaghetti O’s!” along with punchlines relying on dumpster diving, former Nazi scientists, and high fructose corn syrup, how could they go right? (And just when you think it is over, there is a full-cast song with bloopers and outtakes.)

Seinfeld recruited and sadly misused a first-rate roster. Melissa McCarthy is Donna Stankowski, Cabana’s former cohort who went to NASA. Here, she turns in her standard comedy-for-paycheck performance. Jim Gaffigan blusters as Edsel Kellogg III, playing opposite Amy Schumer’s uncomfortable Marjorie Post. Hugh Grant appears as a version of Hugh Grant as Thurl Ravenscroft, the Shakespearean actor who is the rebellious Tony the Tiger. 

For no apparent reason, the research team is composed of Jack LaLanne (James Marsden), Steve Schwinn (Jack McBrayer), Harold von Brauhnut (Thomas Lennon), Chef Boyardee (Bobby Moynihan), and Tom Carvel (Adrian Martinez). Cumulatively, they do not manage more than one-and-a-half dimensions and two-and-a-half laughs. 

Most of the starry company feature in a handful of brief scenes. Christian Slater as a smilingly sinister milkman. Bill Burr’s sexed-up John F. Kennedy (with the gratuitous Marilyn Monroe references) is matched by Dean Norris’s Nikita Krushchev, a mumbling version of Bullwinkle and Rocky’s arch-enemy, Boris Badenov. Peter Dinklage is amusing as Harry Friendly, leader of the milk syndicate, and John Slattery and Jon Hamm’s Mad Men ad men are a welcome surprise (until they start pitching, and then it’s back to business as usual). Kyle Dunnigan’s Walter Cronkite presents a decent impersonation, but jokes about Cronkite’s bad marriage (huh?) fall flat. Dozens more fill out the cast in supporting roles and cameos. One hopes everyone was well paid or at least given a good lunch. 

Visually, Unfrosted appears in a Barbie style that seems like a brighter version of Asteroid City or Don’t Worry, Darling—that late 1950s/early 1960s hyper vibrance. Cinematographer William Pope, editor Evan Henke, production designer Clayton Hartley, and costume designer Susan Matheson provide what little style the film achieves. 

On April 29, Netflix released a promo explaining that Unfrosted referenced two hundred and twenty-one trademarked breakfast cereals without permission or legal clearance. The promo runs two minutes and thirteen seconds. The film lasts ninety-six minutes. Do yourself a favor: Skip both. 

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Mike Faist and Zendaya in a scene from the film. Photo courtesy of MGM Studios

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

The plethora of sports films would take up pages, if not volumes. From comedies (Bull Durham, A League of Their Own) to dramas (Rocky, The Boys in the Boat) to the better left undefined (Space Jam?), cinema has often trained its eye on everything from football (Friday Night Lights) to curling (Men with Brooms). While not as popular as baseball or football, tennis is featured in films such as King Richard, Borg vs. McEnroe, 7 Days in Hell, Wimbledon, and even the thriller Match Point. 

Zendaya plays tennis star Tashi Duncan in ‘Challengers’. Photo courtesy of MGM Studios

Challengers presents doubles partners and best friends Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). After a bold win, they meet superstar Tashi Duncan (Zendaya). All are high school seniors on the cusp of entering college, though Tashi has the skills and ferocity to skip the university level for a professional career. The boys are immediately smitten with the independent Tashi and vie for her affection. Tashi and Art attend Stanford and play college tennis. Patrick turns professional, carrying on a fractious long-distance relationship with Tashi. Early on, Tashi suffers a knee injury, ending her career. She shifts her focus and becomes Art’s coach and then wife.

Challengers is a lust triangle that zig-zags through thirteen years. Beginning in the present of 2019, the film flashes backward and forward through time. Sometimes, the narrative returns to the beginning and sometimes to just a few days prior. Unobtrusive but necessary title cards clarify the time frame, removing the guesswork. Given the short time span and the aging of late teens to early thirties, it would have been almost impossible to follow without them. Notwithstanding changes in hairstyle and facial hair, the outward changes to the characters are minor.

Director Luca Guadagnino is known for his bold style and surprising choices. His most popular film, Call Me by Your Name, garnered numerous accolades, with substantial nominations and awards. His other films have included the violent remake of the horror film Suspiria and the “cannibal love story” Bones and All. He does not shy away from crossing lines or making an impact. 

Josh O’Connor and Zendaya in a scene from the film. Photo courtesy of MGM Studios

Strangely, with Challengers, he seems to pull his punches. Justin Kuritzkes’ functional screenplay is at its best when it draws on the similarities between sex and tennis. Perhaps intentionally, it makes the latter far more exciting and passionate. Challengers takes a benign stab at privilege with Art and Patrick as boarding school boys who have been roommates since they were twelve. Later, Patrick tries to put himself forward as the starving athlete living in his car. Tashi calls him out on the façade. This provides one of the few references to the nature of their indulgence and her place as an outsider. Much has been made of the trailer’s indication of another layer to the menage, but the film skirts around this, with nods towards the homoerotic but never fully embracing it. 

Where the film succeeds is in the three central performances (no one else gets much of a look in). Faist makes the sweeter, more conservative Art as likable as possible, showing an easy but often brittle charm. O’Connor gives Patrick a certain amount of doubt and introspection, even when his behavior is terrible. The sense that he is always on the edge softens an otherwise narcissistic individual. 

But Zendaya owns the film, bringing raw energy to the femme fatale struggling with her constantly shifting and mixed feelings about these two man-children. She balances an electric presence with unspoken frustrations and even simmering rage. She makes every moment, every beat count. She is both queen and pawn. Is she a homewrecker or a victim? 

As a tight ensemble, the trio owns the shifting dynamics, which are interesting and intense as they try but fail to define themselves. The repetitions and changing of partners create a sort of interpersonal hell where, ultimately, none are winners. Rages lead to broken rackets; disappointments lead to double-crossing. 

The tennis is filmed with energy and style, bringing as much excitement and edge to the game. Even the peripatetic timeline enhances the somewhat predictable plot. But where the film frustrates is its overuse of slow motion and a heavy-handed, pulsing soundtrack, adding minutes that become endless. Dwelling on predictable cuts, sweaty faces, hard stares, and triumphant grimaces eventually feels like a parody. 

Judicious editing, trimming to a lean ninety minutes, would have made the film a winner. However, Challengers at two hours and eleven minutes is just challenging.

Rated R, Challengers is now playing in local theaters.

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