A Small Production With A Big Imagination: A Review of Seussical
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The sun had gone down
And the stage had been set.
A play was put on
That I won’t soon forget.
A tale of some Whos
Who were thought to be small.
And a who out to prove
He was not small, at all.
The auditorium at Scarsdale High School was close to capacity last Friday night, as the SHS Drama Club presented an inspiring rendition of “Seussical.” Under the direction of Adrienne Meyer with choreography from Caren Valente, the students put on a show that would’ve made the good doctor proud. Although Theodor Geisel did not write the musical, the play’s story has been derived from a variety of Seuss’ most famous books. The plot is driven by, “Horton Hears a Who!” but it features material from: “Did I ever tell you how lucky you are,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “Green Eggs and Ham,” “Horton Hatches the Egg,” and many more.
Justine Gelfman delivered an outstanding performance, as she narrated the musical under the alias of a large cat with a familiar hat. Gelfman’s stage presence was exceptional, and she kept the crowd on edge with witty lines and an infatuating smirk like that of Mike Myers in Brian Glazer’s 2003 film interpretation of “The Cat in the Hat.” While Gelfman provided the audience with countless smiles, her co-stars drew an astonishing amount of sympathy as they brought the hardships of fictional oppression to life.
Tears were in the eyes of countless children when the Mayor’s son, Jo Jo, played by Autumn Hamra, was punished for dreaming, a classic theme in the works of Seuss. Hamra’s soft smile and subtle voice gave Jo Jo a charming persona, and a lovable appeal to anyone in attendance. Hamra and Gelfman had remarkable chemistry, as their dialogue remained fluid from start to finish. Furthermore, their costumes were flawless, and credit should be given to costumers Ron Brown and Cara Green.
Playing the male lead of Horton the Elephant, Will Heffner was truly inspiring. Heffner’s on-stage maturity was well beyond his years, and from a reporter’s perspective, I had a hard time believing that he was still in high school. His voice was soothing, and he used his props to perfection. From searching for a spec to sitting atop an egg, Heffner’s range was flat-out impressive. If you’re reading this, Will, please don’t stop acting.
There were two women in the show who made Horton’s life rather difficult. The first of which was Mayzie, a self-centered yet beautiful bird who forces her problems on Horton. Mayzie, played by Lilly Claar, left Horton to care for her egg while she left for Palm Beach. Claar was both confident and glamorous. She was graceful yet fierce, as she commanded the stage like a young Carol Channing. Her pink gown perfectly captured her attitude, and her character’s ignorance flawlessly allowed Gertrude McFuzz to shine.
Who is Gertrude McFuzz you might ask? Horton was the love interest of the delicately wholesome Gertrude, and it was Gertrude who stole the show. Actually, she almost stole the show on several occasions. Sophie Laruelle, Gertrude, surprised everyone when she belted out one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. Her pitch was perfect, and regardless of whether she drew tears from the children in the audience, she drew them from me.
There was no weakness in this performance. The orchestra was fluid, and all facets of the show were in sync with one another. I could not have
asked for a better musical, and I believe the entire audience felt the same way. There is a tremendous amount of talent at SHS, and it was all out on display. For those of you who missed the show, there will be two more opportunities for you to catch the marvels of the drama club. They will be performing “Mirror Mirror” on January 20-21, and Williams Inge’s “Summer Brave” on March 23-24. If these performances are even half as good as “Seussical,” they will be well worth your time.
See a short video from the show here:
Author Michael Kanner is a graduate of Union College with a background in English and a passion for the written word. He worked at Scarsdale Golf Club as a tennis pro before offering his services to a private clientele, and he loves hearing constructive criticism from anyone willing to speak their mind. Michael can be contacted at [email protected]
Hoff-Barthelson Holiday Music Festival
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The Friends of Hoff-Barthelson Music School will host their annual Holiday Music Festival at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School, 25 School Lane, Scarsdale, on Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4 from 10 am – 4 pm. And back by popular demand – the Jazz Preview Night, Friday, December 2 at 7:00 pm, which this year will feature the Music School’s outstanding jazz ensembles in a performance evening, accompanied by dessert treats and the opportunity for advance shopping at a dozen holiday boutiques and bidding on the Silent Auction and Raffle.
Holiday shopping is made simple at the Festival, as vendors offer gift items ranging from vintage items to contemporary jewelry. Shaneen Huxham provides hand-sewn gloves, hats, bags and scarves for men and women; Miriam Schulman offers watercolors and portrait commissions; Suzanne Saltzman proffers stunning scarves and one-of-a-kind evening bags; perennial local jewelry favorite Lillian Ruth presents her sparkling array of custom-designed gold, sterling silver and semi-precious stone jewelry; Jean Forte Gifts provides vintage and new accessories for home and table; Sparklies provides hand-beaded scarves, wraps and ties; The Chintz Giraffe has serving pieces, unique gifts and more for the home; Misshapen Bowl features handcrafted hardwood bowls and serving pieces; Jeweler Yumi Chen, back by popular demand, has gorgeous handmade jewelry featuring Venetian glass and exotic beads; and Yarnest makes hand-knitted clothing and accessories. And for the most socially conscious among us – In2Green and From Farm to Market have environmentally responsible gifts of all kinds! The HB Boutique, an array of items for the well-appointed HB family, will once again be assembled by the dedicated Friends members who host the Holiday Music Festival.
As always, the Silent Auction, with items ranging from sought-after tickets for sporting events and concerts; Nights on the Town; dinner with Executive Director Joan Behrens Bergman and a mystery music guest, will be open for bidding throughout the Festival. Take a chance on the Raffle, featuring a Grand Prize of an iPad2!
The international foods party room on Saturday and Sunday will provide tables laden with luscious homemade desserts and Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese delicacies, as well as potato latkes, all prepared by Music School parents who assist with the fundraising efforts of the Friends.
Music will be provided by the Hoff-Barthelson Flute Clubs, Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Festival Chorus, Symphonette, Wind Ensemble, Suzuki Strings and Jazz and Chamber Ensembles.
The Festival, open to the public at no charge, kicks off the annual holiday season with three days of international foods, music and holiday shopping; fun for the entire family! Information: 914-723-1169, www.hbms.org.
SHS Drama Club Presents Seussical and Random Farms Kids Who Care
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Directed by Adrienne Meyer, the talented cast of Scarsdale High School drama students is back on stage again! Come see their exciting musical production of “Seussical” on November 18th, 19th and 20th. This show is perfect for the entire family—blending classic Dr. Seuss stories that remind us all of the powers of loyalty and being true to ourselves.
This year, the Drama Club is giving back to the community too, by donating a block of tickets to underprivileged kids from Family Services of Westchester. The stage set, which is designed to look like a huge playground, includes a spiral slide that will also be donated to a needy children’s playground .
Information on reserving tickets can be found online at shsdramaclub.com. or can be purchased on the night of the performance at the Scarsdale High School Auditorium (2 Brewster Road, Scarsdale) Performances are Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19 at 7:30pm on November 18th and at 2pm on Sunday, November 20th
Children attending the Sunday matinee will be treated to a meet and greet with the cast after the show where there will be lots of opportunities for photographs.
Photos by Marnie Gelfman
Kids Who Care at Random Farms
Kids Who Care are a group of young people, ranging in age from 7 to 13 years old, who are using their talents to make a difference in the community. They perform a 30-minute musical revue, filled with songs and dances from classic Broadway musicals. They are available to entertain at hospitals, senior centers, community events or wherever they can brighten someone's day! Performances are free to qualifying charitable organizations. Upcoming performances include Westchester's new Ronald McDonald House. Now booking for June 2012. For more information, email Julie Schwartz at [email protected].
2011 Halloween Painting Winners Announced
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The annual Halloween Window Painting took place in Scarsdale on Sunday October 23rd under sunny skies. The talented pool of young artists produced beautiful, colorful and clever works that are now on display for the community to view. 761 participants painted 471 windows around town.
The grand prize winner was Maggie O’Keefe, whose painting is pictured here on the left and can be seen at Chase Bank on Palmer Avenue. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday November 3rd at 7:30 pm in the Quaker Ridge School auditorium.
See our gallery of the first place and grand prize winners and look at the results from the Recreation Department below:
Group I
1st Anastasia Stefanou
2nd Emma Schuh
3rd Phoebe Shearer
Most comical: Sidney Langford
Honorable Mentions:
Jordana Wiener
Jolie Kantor
Jordan Grossman
Ryan Dany
Sarah Wong
Group II
1st Isabella DeCastro
2nd Matthew Pollack
3rd Olivia Otsuka
Most comical: Lucy Cecil
Honorable Mentions:
Anne Conlan
Yihan Du
Emma Glaser
Ford Lenchner
Julia White
Margaret Kantor
Patrick Artes
Group III
1st Carla Segale
2nd Jack Cecil
3rd Amanda Glik
Most Comical: Ally LoSardo
Honorable Mentions:
Benjamin Jacobowitz
Kazuki Katoh
Riley Haffner
Julia Levy
Elya Lavi
Miles Barrow
Anna Giddins
Lyndsey Morton
Group IV
1st Place Serena Pratt
2nd Place Dorothea Stefanou
3rd Place Mary Cecil
Most Comical: Hannah Fuehrer
Honorable Mentions:
Alyssa Kaye
Katie Fehrenbaker
Anne Cohen
Lara Robinowitz
Lena Proctor
Emma Satin
Kathleen Kantor
Group V
1st Place: Caroline Huh
2nd Place: Juliana Maronilla
Group VI
1st Place Maya Mistry and Emily Yacoub
2nd Place Jeffrey Morse and Jaden Bharara
3RD Place Jonah Miller and Remi Tolchin
Most comical: Ryan Seibold and Jack Scheiner
Honorable Mentions:
Samuel Wank and Adam Wasserman
Emily Messerle and Danielle Kohn
Dylan Gross and Emily Aaron
Group VII
1st Place Rachel Meiselman and Maki Takeda
2nd Place: Elizabeth Shawn and Lucy Du
3rd Place: Jordana Love and Jessica Solodar
Most comical: DJ Matusz and Riley Schneider
Honorable Mention:
Tara Bleustein and Abby Lefkowitz
Bridget Dibbini and Angela Ferrigno
Abby Fehrenbaker and Aliza Klein
Group VIII
1st Sophie Cammarata and Theresa Alarcon
2nd Alexandra Fogel and Maya Kulick
3rd Margo Boxer and Emma Reed
Most comical: Arin Hendell and Carly Kessler
Honorable Mention:
Michelle Glantz and Gabriela Chiavenato
Renee Dibbini and Sara Hove
Jordan Kraut and Samantha Stiroh
Adina Mistry and Anika Agarwal
Brooke Bensche and Mia Bezos
Grace Vericker and Sophia Franco
Paige Panessa and Jolie Suchin
Madhavi Shashank and Anaya Barmecha
Claire Silberstein and Dale Pontone
Group IX
1st Abigail Haber and Rachel Haber
2nd Willow Malsch and Nadja Dwyer
3rd Cara Blumstein and Sophie Ulene
Most comical: Laura Morse and Anna Spiro
Honorable Mentions:
Kimberly Ellis and Zoe Millman
Chiaki Katoh and Sascha Eckersley
Katherine Guerney and Naomi Haber
Group X
1st Elizabeth Jacobs and Remy Weisbrot
2nd Emily Natbony and Allison Shein
3RD Carina Spiro and Anna Dursztman
Most Comical: Julia Dursztman and Arielle Green
Rodin, De Kooning and the Impressionists at SAS
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The Scarsdale Adult School is offering an intriguing choice of art appreciation courses designed specifically to enhance your experience at current and upcoming exhibits in New York City museums. Don’t miss out on these courses on Rodin, De Kooning and the Impressionists.
On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, Jane Mayo Roos, professor emerita of art history at Hunter College and the Graduate Center in New York, traces the astonishing career of Auguste Rodin. The lecture explores how Rodin, who was born in poverty and denied artistic training, emerged to become one of history’s most renowned sculptors. This class meets from 1 to 3 p.m. at Wayside Cottage at a cost of $30.
“De Kooning and Friends: Exploring the New York School Post World War II” is a two-session series that complements and prepares students to view the de Kooning retrospective currently at the Museum of Modern Art. Instructor Rick Starr, on the art department faculty at Rye Country Day School, will delve into Willem de Kooning’s abstract expressionist paintings as well as his association with other New York artists such as Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, Arshile Gorky, Mark Rothko, and Robert Motherwell. This $50 class meets on Thursdays from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. beginning October 27, 2011, at the Scarsdale High School.
In “The Steins Collect: Matisse, Picasso, and the Parisian Avant-Garde,” instructor Elizabeth Thompson Colleary, art teacher at the Scarsdale High School and consultant at the Whitney Museum of American Art, will lecture on the works to be featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from February to June 2012. The American expatriate Stein family living in bohemian Paris—writer Gertrude, her brothers Leo and Michael, and Michael’s wife, Sarah—were among the first to recognize the talents of avant-garde painters like Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. The coming exhibition will be the first time in a generation that dozens of the Steins’ holdings, including works by Matisse, Picasso, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Henri de Toulouse Lautrec, will be reunited. This $50 two-part lecture series meets on Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Scarsdale High School beginning November 7, 2011.
To register, please visit www.ScarsdaleAdultSchool.org or call (914) 723-2325 with any questions.
