Bring Your Valentine to the Party of the Year
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The Scarsdale Forum will host its fourth annual membership party on Saturday, February 11th at the Scarsdale Woman’s Club, 37 Drake Road from 7 to 11 p.m. Members will join their neighbors for an evening of lively conversation and delicious foods from local vendors as well as the home-brewed beers of resident brewmeister, Bruce Wells. Jazz trio Cascade will set the Valentine mood and an intimate boutique in the library will offer many interesting items to purchase from the Scarsdale Women’s Exchange, Vintage Via Carrie, Imagine Candy and Wendy Lynn Designs. A percentage of boutique sales will be donated to the Forum. An artist will capture guests in caricature for a small fee. Raffle prizes of donated goods and services will be awarded throughout the evening. Dessert will be served in the small dining room featuring the home baked goods of member bakers and village bakeries.
All members and their guests will receive a benefit journal that will include the history of the Forum written by our Village Historian and Forum member, Eric Rothschild. Commercial ads and personal messages to loved ones and to friends you admire can be purchased through the Journal Committee. Profits from the event will be used for the digitization of the Forum’s historical records and to support the public programs offered by the Forum throughout the year.
The Scarsdale Forum is a 107 year old civic organization dedicated to improving life in Scarsdale. The Forum studies many issues affecting the Village and frequently provides input to governing bodies and elected officials on the local, county and state level via reports and statements prepared by its committees. Scarsdale residents are encouraged to join the Forum and participate in the process.
Admission is limited to members and their guests. Advanced reservations are $25 per person or $30 at the door. Due to the popularity of this event, advance reservations are encouraged. Please RSVP by February 3rd.
Advanced reservations, membership renewal and joining the Forum for the first time can be done online at: www.scarsdaleforum.com or by mailing a check to Scarsdale Forum Inc., 24 East Parkway, P.O. Box 86, Scarsdale, NY 10583. To purchase an ad and/or for additional information regarding the event, please contact: B. Kathleen Munguia at 914-723-2839 or [email protected].
Marcus is Walking at SHS
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A student-directed production of the show Marcus is Walking will be performed next weekend at Scarsdale High School. The play, written by Joan Ackermann features eleven vignettes set within or around a car. Set in the present day, the characters drive through a vast emotional landscape full of love, charm, and vulnerability. The play is mix of comedy and drama. This SHS Drama Club production is directed by two high school seniors, Clint Frehill and Justine Gelfman.
Acting in the play are Alex Altieri, Lorna Begg, Doug Berman, Preston Brehm, Rebecca Buchwald, Sarah Coffey, Chris D’Silva, Gavin Elwes, Autumn Hamra, Sophie Laruelle, Bryant Lo, Sophie Nobler, Michelle Ostroff, Bianca Rogoff, Julia Rutkovsky, Cara Scharf, Will Segal, and Taylor Yu.
Tickets are $10 for general admission and are available through the Drama Club and at the door on the night of the performance. This promises to be a highly entertaining production!
Marcus is Walking
Scarsdale High School Auditorium
Friday January 20 – 7:30 pm
Saturday January 21 – 7:30 pm
A Weekend In Rochester
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By any measure, the 76th Annual Winter Conference 2011 All-State Concert was a great event. Just under 900 musicians, 4 from Scarsdale High School, recognized by The New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) for their proficiency participated in a series of concerts held at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, New York on December 3rd and 4th. Performances were made (in order) by the: Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Instrumental Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, String Orchestra, Women’s Chorus, Mixed Chorus, Symphonic Band and Symphonic Orchestra. Individual guest conductors were chosen for each of the ensembles.
I was selected to be one of two mallet percussion instrumentalists chosen to represent New York State in the All-State Symphonic Band in this year’s event. My journey to Rochester began 8 years ago with my decision to add the marimba – an instrument comprised of a set of wooden keys set up as those of a piano, struck with a mallet – as a performance instrument that would allow me to do more ensemble work. Having studied piano and music theory from the time that I was 5, the transition to percussion was fairly smooth. Through the help of the band directors at Edgewood School (Patricia Hurley), Scarsdale Middle school (Nick Lieto) and Scarsdale High School (Jason Noble), I gained a level of proficiency that gave me the chance to test and be recognized by the NY State School Music Association (the testing is held once a year – scores are given and then the music directors submit their students as candidates to be considered by NYSSMA).
Preparation for the concert actually began a month ago when I received the music for this year’s program. But the real work began with the 5 ½ hour trip (by car) up on Thursday and the rigorous preparation made with the guest conductor (Dr. David Holsinger of Lee University). Between the time that the 160 members of the All-State Symphonic Band first met and the actual performance on Sunday, 22 hours of practice hours were logged. We had to learn how to meld our talents on five high-level compositions (2 of which were written by Dr. Holisinger) in 3 intense days of practice. Dr. Holsinger joked with the audience that during rehearsals, smoke was literally coming out of some of the instruments. Downtime between practice sessions was spent eating and bonding with the other musicians at the Radisson Hotel. The quarters were tight and as there were only two beds, we had to rotate sleeping on the sofa. I had the good fortune to have two roommates from Rockland and Putnam counties who shared my passion for performance, and my need to let off steam in the “off hours”.
The actual performance lived up to my elevated expectations. The Eastman Theatre is an iconic venue in the heart of Rochester. Built in 1922, the building has seating capacity of 2500. A good percentage of the seats were filled. My family, who drove up from Scarsdale Saturday morning, picked out the perfect location for viewing the percussion section. The band was in fine form and Dr. Holsinger was in good spirits. Needless to say, my favorite piece was a series of fanfares that prominently featured the marimba. The performers were all pleased at the end; you could see it in their faces. The standing ovation from the audience was sustained (and very much welcome).
If there was anything bittersweet about my participation in the All-State concert, it’s that I’ll be hard pressed to have the opportunity to perform at such a high level with a group of musicians of this caliber.
This article was contributed by Scarsdale High School senior and instrumentalist Will Heffner, pictured above with Dr. David Holisnger. In addition to being Band President, Heffner is the VP of the Student Government, VP of the Drama Club, and member of the Varsity Tennis team. Two summers ago, he started a music program for Grace Church Community Center’s summer program for underprivileged children.
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.
