SPAC’s ‘Shrek The Musical Jr.’ is layers and layers of fun

by Heidi Sutton - February 16, 2020

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By Heidi Sutton

In perfect timing with winter break, DreamWork’s “Shrek Jr.” along with all its fairy-tale creatures have taken up residence at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts in Smithtown. The fun musical runs through March 1.

Based on the popular 2001 animated film and picture book by William Steig, the show is an edited version of the Tony award-winning Broadway musical but still features many of the beloved scenes and songs we have come to love.

With book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori, it tells the story of how a “little ogre came to live in the swamp with a beautiful princess and his best friend, and a gingerbread man, and a very handsome puppet, and an elf, and a fairy godmother, and a witch, and a crossdressin’ wolf and three pigs!” In short, if you are a fan of classic fairy tales, you’ll love this show.

It’s Shrek’s 7th birthday and, as with all ogres, his parents tell him he must move out and find his own place to live. (“Watch out for men with pitchforks!”) Shrek settles into a swamp far, far away and life is good until all of the fairy-tale creatures in the kingdom of Duloc are exiled to his land by order of Lord Farquaad, the ruthless ruler of Duloc.

In order to get his land back, Shrek strikes a deal with Farquaad to rescue Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a fire-breathing dragon and bring her back to be Farquaad’s queen. Along with the wisecracking Donkey, the ogre embarks on a journey to save the fair maiden and learns valuable lessons, including what makes us special is what makes us strong.

Directed and choreographed by Tommy Ranieri, the talented young cast of 23 embraces this 2½-hour large-scale production and leaves us wanting more. Lead actors Hunter Pszybylski, Leah Kelly and Luke Ferrari shine in their roles as Shrek, Fiona and Donkey; and Luke Hampson steals the show as the tiny terror Lord Farquaad.

As with all musicals, the songs are the heart of the show, and what wonderful songs they are from the opening group number, “Big Bright Beautiful World”; to Pszybyiski’s beautiful solo “Who I’d Be”; Kelly’s “Morning Person” complete with tap and Irish step dancing; to the finale “This Is Our Story”; and a rousing rendition of Smash Mouth’s “I’m a Believer” to send us on our way.

The multiple costumes of fairy-tale characters, designed by Chakira Doherty, cut no corners and wait until you see the dragon! The elaborate sets by Tim Golebiewski, makeup and special effects tie the entire production together nicely.

SPAC has presented a wonderful opportunity for young adults to hone their craft. This is their story — let them share it with you. Meet Shrek, Fiona and Donkey in the lobby after the show for photos and autographs.

Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown presents “Shrek The Musical Jr.” through March 1. Performances are held on Saturdays and Sundays at various times and Feb. 17 to 21 at 1 p.m. for Presidents Week break. Children’s theater continues with “Moana Jr.” from April 10 to 19. All seats are $18. For further information or to order tickets, call 631-724-3700 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

For more photos from the show, visit www.tbrnewsmedia.com.

Photos by Courtney Braun/ SPAC

Patriots Torch Blue Waves, 75-55

by Bill Landon - February 14, 2020

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Having lost to Riverhead by a single point back in December, the Patriots had a score to settle in the opening round of the playoffs. Settle it they did Feb. 13, torching the Blue Waves, 75-55, in the Suffolk AA quarterfinal.

The Patriots scored first, building an 11-point lead after eight minutes, up 16 points at the half and then never looked back the rest of the way. Senior guard Jack Holland did what he’s done all season leading the Patriots with 22 points. Teammate Giancarlo Serratore netted 18, while Ted Bliznakov banked 10. The Patriots 3-point game was devastating where Serratore and Holland nailed four treys each while Luke McIlvaine banked two for the win.

The No. 9 seeded Patriots (8-5) will have their work cut out for them on another road game when they collide with No. 1 seed Brentwood (13-0) Feb. 20. Game time is 6 p.m.

Ward Melville Patriots Pair Qualify for States

by Bill Landon - February 13, 2020

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Ward Melville junior Briana Grant was the class of the field at the 1,000-meter distance, placing first at Suffolk County Community College Feb. 10 with a time of 2 minutes, 58.55 seconds to qualify for the New York State championship finals to be held at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island Mar. 7.

Teammate Megan Wood, a senior, also qualified for the state final in shot put with a throw of 42 feet 3 1/2 inches.

Ward Melville senior Allison D’Angio cleared 4 feet 10 inches in the high jump and the quartet of Elizabeth Radke, Sarah Thornton, Jane Radke and Arianna Gilbride contested the 4×400 meter relay event.

Huntington Nips Newfield

by Rita J. Egan - February 9, 2020

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Huntington had a score to settle with visiting Newfield in a Feb. 6 Division III game, having lost to the Wolverines back on Jan. 14.

The Blue Devils avenged that loss with a 40-34 victory on senior night to finish the regular season on a winning note. Senior Abigail Maichin topped the scoring charts for the Blue Devils with five from the floor and seven free throws for a team high 17 points along with a dozen rebounds. Freshman guard Gianna Forte followed with eight and sophomores Katie Browne and Makayla Frazier netted three apiece.

Raiyah Reid, an eighth-grader, led the way for Newfield with nine points, sophomore Megan Spina banked seven and senior Madison Roman along with junior Chinelle Nelson each netted six.

The win lifted the Blue Devils to 7-5, 12-8 overall, as Newfield finished at 7-5, 13-5 overall. Both teams entered postseason play, which began Feb. 10.

Cold Spring Harbor students learn about Ötzi the Iceman

by Rita J. Egan - February 7, 2020

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Analyzing Ötzi

Fifth-grade students from Cold Spring Harbor Central School District’s Lloyd Harbor Elementary School took part in a field trip to Cold Spring Laboratory’s DNA Learning Center’s Human Inheritance exhibition featuring Ötzi the Iceman on Jan. 6.

Students studied the 3-D replica of the 5,000-year-old mummy and learned how, through analysis of Ötzi’s stomach and intestines, many pollen types were revealed and studied to help scientists learn exactly when Ötzi died.

Under the guidance of DNA Learning Center educator Megan Capobianco, the students studied pollen grains under the microscope and then went on a scavenger hunt, which included skulls dating back 6 million years, bacterial illnesses, eye color, blood type and more. The fifth-graders learned that not only pollen was found in Ötzi’s digestive system but also wild goat, red deer, plants and wheat.

The DNA Learning Center is located at 334 Main St. in Cold Spring Harbor. Upcoming Ötzi the Iceman museum tours for the public include Feb. 8 at 9 a.m. and March 7 at 12:30 p.m. For more information, call 516-367-5170 visit www.dnalc.cshl.edu.

Photos courtesy of Karen Spehler/ CSHSD

It’s six more weeks of winter for Long Island, according to Holtsville Hal

by Heidi Sutton - February 7, 2020

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A crowd of several hundred spectators booed and groaned as Suffolk County’s most famous weatherman’s prognostication was read at the Holtsville Ecology Site on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day. At 7:25 a.m., Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil Foley announced Holtsville Hal, the groundhog, had seen his shadow when he awoke Sunday morning, meaning six more weeks of winter for residents in the Town of Brookhaven.

While Nassau County’s fellow woodchuck, Malverne Mel, agreed with Hal, neither Staten Island Chuck, upstate’s Dunkirk Dave or Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil, saw their shadows.

According to the peculiar Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, if a groundhog sees its shadow after emerging from his burrow on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; if not, spring should arrive early.

Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro, who was not able to attend the event this year, issued a statement on Monday. “I’m always hopeful Holtsville Hal will not see his shadow and assist with my snow removal budget,” he said. “However, if Hal’s prediction proves to be correct, the Brookhaven Highway Department remains ready to handle whatever Mother Nature decides to send our way.”

After the event, festivalgoers were treated to bagels and hot chocolate and were able to visit the 100 animals that call the Ecology Site home including deer, horses, goats, llamas, hawks, a black bear and buffalo.

“I want to thank everyone who took the time to come out and take part in this fun, annual tradition, including Councilman Neil Foley, who was the honorary Mayor for the Day, as well as the Holtsville Fire Department, 7-Eleven, Bagel Lovers, WBLI and Max 103.1 FM,” said Losquadro.

All photos by Kristen D’Andrea/ Town of Brookhaven Highway Dept.

Playing with LEGO Makes History Fun at Village Chabad

by Rita J. Egan - February 6, 2020

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Local children and their family members had some fun with plastic building blocks while learning about one of the oldest cities in the world.

Using 70,000 LEGO pieces on a 20-by-20-foot mat, members of Village Chabad in East Setauket created a replica of the Old City of Jerusalem Feb. 3. The LEGO model included many points of interest, such as the gate entrances to the city, the Tower of David, the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and more.

Rabbi Shalom Ber Cohen, from Village Chabad, said the goal of the program was for those involved to leave the event with an admiration for the holy city.

Village Chabad brought in architect Stephen Schwartz of New Jersey-based Building Blocks Workshops to lead the children, parents and grandparents in constructing the model. On the mat were lines to help guide the building efforts. While some sat on the mat constructing walls and towers, others on the sidelines started putting together the buildings, grabbing LEGO pieces from bins.

During the program, Schwartz was constantly engaged with the children and adults, directing them to the proper location if they went astray.

Cohen said Village Chabad had heard about Schwartz’s work from different schools and institutions. The architect has also offered several programs that focus on the historical buildings in Stony Brook for The Ward Melville Heritage Organization.

Schwartz said he has been conducting the LEGO projects for 25 years. It began when his daughter, an elementary school teacher in the Bronx, asked him to show her second-graders how a city is designed.

“When I saw that with LEGO you could teach second-graders about zoning, and they understood it, I saw that this was an amazing teaching tool,” he said.

Schwartz said in the past he has worked with LEGO pieces for different Jewish history programs, including Jerusalem, Masada, the Warsaw Ghetto and the world’s tallest LEGO menorah.

The architect said the projects are usually completed in two hours due to working around a school’s schedule. The Village Chabad program ran from 4:30 to around 6:30. Schwartz said after every program he aims for a 15-minute educational tour.

“I am an architect, so everything is exactly to scale,” Schwartz said. “The program gives people a ‘visual image’ of the shape and location of all the important elements in and around Jerusalem. It is a much more dynamic way to teach than just looking in a book or on a screen.”

Smithtown resident Gail Declue said she had no idea what to expect when she arrived for the build.

“I think it’s great,” she said. “The kids are really involved, and they are going to learn a lot about what Jerusalem looks like without even going.”

Elina Rukhlin, also of Smithtown, said her 10-year-old son was among the children building with LEGO pieces, and the family had traveled to Israel last year.

“My son is actually saying I remember we went to the Tower of David light show,” she said. “So, it’s really cool to be able to look back on our experience and then to see this, because we were actually there.”

Ward Melville Patriots Edge Centereach

by Rita J. Egan - February 6, 2020

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The Ward Melville fencing squad edged Centereach, 17-10, Feb. 3 to clinch the League II title and looks to maintain that momentum for the county finals.

Returning All-County and All-Long Island foilist Christopher Ancona, a senior, led the way for the Patriots, winning all three of his bouts as did sophomore épéeist William Lehr.

The win lifted the Patriots to a perfect 8-0 in league, 12-1 overall. The team then went on to a championship match play at Commack High School Feb. 5, where they won, 14-13.

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization Celebrates Chinese Culture

by Rita J. Egan - February 5, 2020

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In the midst of Chinese New Year, which began Jan. 25, North Shore residents packed into the The Ward Melville Organization’s Education & Cultural Center Feb. 2 to commemorate the Year of the Rat.

WMHO’s annual event featured a lion dance, which is believed to bring good luck and fortune, and a martial arts demonstration by Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu.
Manhattan Taiko performed on ancient Japanese drums blended with modern movement, and the Long Island Chinese Dance Group was on hand to perform along with Jojo Feng who sang Chinese-language songs.

Book Revue says goodbye to Toddler Time’s Jeff Sorg

by Heidi Sutton - January 31, 2020

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SONGS SAY SO MUCH

It was bittersweet as the Book Revue in Huntington said goodbye to Jeff Sorg on Jan. 23. The singer/songwriter hosted his last Toddler Time at the bookstore, after performing there for 16 years. While he will continue to write music, Sorg said he plans to spend some time traveling with his wife, who recently retired. Parents and children joined Sorg for songs, some dancing and a puppet show and then met his replacement, Noah Packard (pictured on the right with Sorg) who’s first day is on Feb. 20. Thank you Jeff for the joy you have brought to so many children over the years. You will be missed.

Photos by Heidi Sutton

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