WPCNR ON THE AISLE. Theatrical Review by John F. Bailey. First Rush. December 17, 2011:

CATS now showing for just 9 more performances at White Plains Performing Arts Center is a must-see for those who love enthusiastic, give-it-their-all young talent who reach out to the audience, involve, enchant and create all the magic of this classic show.

From the operatically gifted personality of Devon Yates(above, right) delivering delightfully the enthralling epiphany of Memory as the stately Grizabella  reprising the classic Betty Buckley performance, to the antics of the 17 stars of the future who bring CATS to life with the reverence, care, and smaltz it is known for, to the pull-all-the-switches effects of Andrew Gmoser’s lighting that dazzles the eye, stills and uplifts the soul, to the choreography that has the young men and lady felines romping, flying, leaping into the aisles, slinking in the shadows – this show running two hours gets it all purr-fectly right, precisely right.

The show directed by Jeremy Quinn,  creatively, smoothly, energetic for every minute,  with no cat napping on the set,  is by far the best production the White Plains Performing Arts Center has ever done turning WPPAC stage for this limited run at least into what it could be and aspired to be and what the city fathers thought it would be when the theatre opened nine years ago.

Taking on a Broadway production that ran for 18 years on Broadway is no easy task.

Mounted in three weeks, at one third the cost of  some previous productions  the production is a miracle and a testimony to committed talent can do. The junkyard set is there, detailed and reminiscent of the original Broadway show, you will not be disappointed. The lighting by the magical Mr.Gmoser, the lighting  and design mastermind for Westchester Broadway Theatre the last 23 years, is beyond description, but I will try. It is as if Mr.Gmoser has been turned loose to use every lighting device in the book. Never has WPPAC been able to execute such lightning douses, elegant fades and illusions as you will see on the WPPAC stage. 

Why am I starting talking production? Because production makes CATS: it’s a show about atmosphere,mood, feelings, spirituality and mystery and without inspired technical effects the illusion of human beings in cat suits does not come across or work. Well in the Quinn production, the special effects, the live orchestra lead sensitively by Kurt Kelley,the musical director in his first Mainstage production at WPPAC, is perfectly nuanced in laying the mood bed for the songs of each individual cat. Compliments to the woodwinds: reed players Dan Pearson and Ericka Shlenkermann for their eloquent mood-intensifying solos.

On stage you will see Deuteronomy  the cat appear out of thin air. Mr. Mistoffeles (Michael Clement, a “Marcel Marceau-like” light-on-his-feet dancer who charms) as the conjuring cat disappears before your very eyes with no trap doors.

If you are one of the few who have never seen CATS, this is an excellent introduction to the show, but assuming you don't know the story, it is based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot. The show introduces us to key personalities living in a band of Jellicle cats in a junkyard, outstandingly recreated by Scenic Designer Joseph Egan.

The show comes back between Christmas and New Year’s for matinees at 2PM on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the 28, 29 and 30^th of December, and evening performances at 8, also on the 28,29,  30 of December.

More on this splendid show...to come.

WPCNR STAGE RIGHT. Theatrical Review by John F. Bailey. October 3, 2011: 

She is 56 years old and still has it goin’ on!

She’s My Fair Lady, the all-time best family musical (out of a time warp from 1956) arriving again with class, dignity, emotion, and such proper English  you have to pay attention at Elmsford’s Westchester Broadway. She  charmed young and old without dirty words, without sleaze, and with Broadway’s best-ever score.  My date, Brenda Starr, said, “Every song’s a winner!”

Jennifer Babiak creates a spunky, Eliza Doolittle (who wants Mr. Higgins to Show Me) divinely reaches out and touches hearts and wins you over to her corner. You root for her. Tom Galantich is pompous Henry Higgins (who’s “grown accustomed to her face”). They're the odd couple who play out Pygmalion the spirited George Bernard Shaw satiric battle of the sexes musically in the Jay Lerner & Frederick Leowe classic revival production now receiving lovers of musical theater Wednedays through Sundays at the Westchester Broadway. Photos, Courtesy Westchester Broadway Theatre, by John Vecchiolla

WPCNR FBI WIRE. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation. September 21, 2011:

A motion was filed Tuesday amending the forfeiture and civil money laundering complaint in the matter of United States v. PokerStars et. al, announced Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The proposed amended complaint alleges that Full Tilt Poker and its board of directors, including Raymond Bitar, Howard Lederer, Christopher Ferguson, and Rafael Furst, defrauded players by misrepresenting that their funds on deposit in online gambling accounts were safe, secure and available for withdrawal at any time.

In reality,the motion alleges,  Full Tilt Poker did not maintain funds sufficient to repay all players, and in addition, the company used player funds to pay board members and other owners more than $440 million since April 2007. On April 15, 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York filed the original complaint against Full Tilt and two other Internet poker companies and unsealed a criminal indictment charging 11 defendants, including Bitar, with bank fraud, illegal gambling, and money laundering offenses.

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Piia Haas. September 20, 2011:

Westchester Broadway Theatre brings back perhaps the most popular musical of the 1950s, My Fair Lady, this week from September 21 to November 27, and a return run from December 28 to January 29. 

Broadway's Greatest Love Story, based on George Bernard Shaw's classic play Pygmalion returns. The story revolves around Eliza Doolittle,(Jennifer Babiak) a coarse little peddler of flowers in Covent Garden who agrees to take speech lessons from phonetician Henry Higgins (Tom Galantich) in order to fulfill her dream of working in a flower shop. The musical of their love story is the stuff dreams are made of. Photo, Courtesy WBT by John Vecchiolla

Henry Higgins bets his friend, Colonel Pickering, that he can pass the common girl off as a society lady. Eliza succeeds so well, however, that she outgrows her social station and even and manages to become an indispensable part of Higgins' life. The
musical features an award-winning score, with hits such as "I Could Have Danced All Night," "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and "Get Me to the Church on Time."

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Kathleen Davisson. August 25, 2011:

White Plains Performing Arts Center Board of Trustees and the Honorable Thomas M. Roach, Mayor of White Plains, announce that the annual Season Opening Celebration will be held at the theatre on Tuesday, September 27. The Chair of the evening’s event is Councilman John M. Martin, Esq., Vice President and General Counsel of All New York Title Agency, Inc.

The evening begins at 6:30pm with a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception. At 7:30 pm, the entertainment portion of the evening features a preview of the upcoming Mainstage Season and Conservatory Theatre productions. Musical selections include songs from: Spring Awakening, The Drowsy Chaperone, CATS, Lend me a Tenor, The Secret Garden and several surprise performances.

Tickets to the event are priced at $100. Sponsorship levels range from $1,000 to $5,000. Proceeds from the event will support the Conservatory Theatre, an educational youth theatre program of the White Plains Performing Arts Center. For more information about the event, ticket purchases and sponsorship opportunities, please access the theatre’s web site at www.wppac.com, visit or call the box office at (914) 328-1600.

WPCNR LEFT AND CENTER. Theatre Review by John F. Bailey. August 13, 2011:

Never had the fan thrill of seeing a pop idol band in a touring concert within touching distance?

ALTAR BOYZ! THE FAITHFUL FIVE!

Luke! (Travis Morin), Mark!(Adam Cassel) Matthew! (Ralph Meitzler), Juan! (Patrick Ortiz),Abraham! (Ian Joseph) Photos Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre by John Vecchiola

The hilarious seriousness of this send-up-of-all-cult-bands everywhere comes out in over-the-top style when all of the “Faithful Five” perform the show-stopping, soul-uplifting, icon-invoking Number 918 that “Gets the Hell Out of You” using the power of God--beaming God’s power at you as Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham hold out cross, Bible, rosary beads,  and the Star of David in sequence to save the last souls left to be converted in the WBT hall.

No matter how closed you are, or skeptical of going to an hour and a half, all-music all-the-time, satiric, outrageous joke after joke about faith and driving hard rock music from 80s pop, rap,funk, soul and Barry Manilow balladeering to deliver a message of aggressive evangelical zeal--they save all souls in the WBT house every night.

According to their "Soul Sensor DS 12" meter of God, a soul scoreboard that hangs high above the stage to count down how many in the audience are left to be converted by the end of the hour and a half  “concert,” all souls in the house opening night were captured for the Lord and Jesus.

And they loved it: biz guys, power elite, birthday celebrants, 30 and 40-somethings, and seniors-in-training like me in suits,  and the young and restless  stood in standing ovation tribute to this irreverent work of redemption, starring five of the most energetic, dancingest young men you’ll see.

WPCNR MEDIA FRONTIER. From White Plains Public Access Television. August 5, 2011:

 On Thursday, August 25, at 7:30 P.M., the White Plains public access channel will officially open its video website, www.WPcommunitymedia.org  allowing Internet users worldwide to view the channel streamed live or select White Plains-produced programs for video on demand.

Jim Kenny, Executive Director of White Plains Public Access Television, demonstrates the prototype of WP Community Media at White Plains Public Access Headquarters Friday. The leadership and vision of the White Plains Cable Commission  with the support and information-consciousness of the White Plains Common Council, has taken White Plains Public Access from video tape to digital, to streamed city meetings on the internet and now to all public access programming on the internet for the world to see in just three years. The official launch is August 25.

Pick your Program and Watch it with just a click -- from Ann Arbor to Samarkand --on  the internet. Public Access TV will now reach White Plainsians wherever they may be in the world. Mr. Kenny cautions the website is in a testing and prototype soft opening stage now and not all kinks are worked out yet and viewers may experience inefficiencies. He promises the August 25 date will be the time to see it in action.

An informal ribbon-cutting will be held in the White Plains Cable Access TV studio in the Seasons Building at 4 Martine Avenue, White Plains.

On the evening of the event, the TV studio will be open for the public to tour, and access channel program producers who will be on hand to answer questions about their programs.

The White Plains Public Access channel has been in operation since 1982 but only viewable within the City of White Plains and in some surrounding communities on the Verizon cable system.

The WP Community Media service will allow anyone in the world with uncensored Internet access to see what is on the White Plains public access channel, and view the most recent programs of their choice appearing on the channel.

The launch, currently undergoing preliminary testing is a natural development.

Last summer, the White Plains government access channel began streaming on the White Plains City website and enabled Internet users to view any recorded meetings or events through a video archive.

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Riverspace, Nyack, New York. June 25, 2011:

The folks at Riverspace are very sad to announce an enormous amount of damage in the theater due to this week's floods in Nyack. Tragically, the building housing the theater was inundated with water and the theater itself was flooded from the stage all the way to lobby. Needless to say, we are heartbroken at this turn of events and are working hard to assess the situation.

Because of the extent of the damage, we know we won't be able to host the Helen Hayes Youth Theater camp as we usually do each summer - which was scheduled to begin July 5th.  There are over 300 kids ages 4 to 18 who now desperately need to find a stage for their summer performances. If anyone can help them relocate, your help would be most sincerely appreciated!  Please contact Danielle Rudess at helenhayesyt@aol.com

Our hearts go out to everyone who was impacted by the storm and floods this week.  Please keep us in your thoughts as well.  We will keep you updated of future developments.

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Piia Haas, Westchester Broadway Theatre. June 16,2011:

Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (“Ragtime”, “Once on this Island”) have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr Seuss characters in a musical with mass appeal.  The show is light and effervescent and draws on pop influences ranging from the Beach Boys to Gospel and Salsa to, yes, the theme from “Shaft.”  SEUSSICAL proves to be an evening of theatre for everyone, of all ages!  The powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant in a story that makes you laugh and cry.

THEY'RE BACK AND YOU KNOW THEM. Some of the Lovables in WBT'S SEUSSICAL OPENING TONIGHT.: Augie Abatecola (The Cat In The Hat),  Brian Krinsky, Noah Silverman,Kayla Moore

Seussical opens tonight for a run at the Westchester Broadway Theatre through July 31, and features many local theatrical personalities in the show, including...

WPCNR PRESS BOX. MAY 24,2011:

Phil Pepe, the dean of New York sportswriters, author of the definitive book on the 1961 homerun race ( "1961")between legends Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris is interviewed by  White Plains' "Johnny Sports" John Vorperian on Mr. Vorporian's long running sports talk show, BEYOND THE GAME tonight at 10 PM on Channel 76 and Channel 45 in the White Plains and Westchester area. The program will be show again Friday evening at 9.

Phil Pepe, Dean of New York Sportswriters on BEYOND THE GAME TONIGHT: The King of the portable Royal Corona, tells how it was in the old mezzanine of the original Yankee Stadium in the open air press box watching Roger and Mickey in the great1961 season.

Phil Pepe covered the Yankees of 1961 for The World Telegram & Sun newspaper and he shares how Mickey and Roger acted and related to the press and through the historic season when Mr. Maris broke Babe Ruth's 60-homer record on the last day of the season. Pepe also shares opinions on the watering down of The Baseball Hall of Fame, the players of today, and how it was. 

WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. From the Westchester County Board of Legislators (Edited with background by WPCNR's John Bailey) May 19,2011:

A proposed lease agreement for the Westchester Children’s Museum with the County for site control of the 22,000 square-foot Playland bathhouse space, a historic landmark, has moved through the Board’s Committee on Public Works, Parks Labor & Transportation, the Board of Legislators announced Thursday

The historic Bathhouse, located at Playland’s boardwalk, has been currently undergoing repair and renovation to its exterior for three years at a cost originally financed for $8.8 Million in May, 2008.

A vote to set the public hearing on the lease will be on the agenda during the next Board meeting on Monday, May 23^rd. 

The move to set a date on a hearing on the merits of giving the childrens museum group exclusive control of the interior of the bathouse is interesting. The childrens museum has just one of 11 proposals for a reinvention of Playland being considered by the county and a citizens' group evaluating what should be done to "reinvent" Playland and turn it into a money-making operation. The Bathouse and Boardwalk and Ice Casino are an integral part of the complex.

WPCNR AT THE LIBRARY, May 5, 2011:

White Plains Public Library has teamed up with the Mystery Writers of America – New York Chapter to present a special Author Event on Wednesday, May 18 at the White Plains Public Library, 100 Martine Avenue, White Plains, NY - 7:00-8:30 P.M.  Admission is free.

Meet the authors as they discuss books notable for their examination of deception and betrayal as seen through the distorted lens of romantic attraction, how what should be the loftiest of our emotions can turn into base motiva­tion and primitive behavior and how they create page-turning fiction.

The panel of mystery authors will be moderated by Chris Knopf, Elysiana; and features Evelyn David, Murder Drops the Ball; Michael Balkind, Dead Ball; Steve Liskow, Who Wrote the Book of Death and Maggie Barbieri, Third Degree.

Trenchcoats and fedoras optional attire.

WPCNR ANIMAL DAILY PLANET. April 5, 2011 UPDATED April 7,2011:

THIS JUST IN: Mia is the winning name for the missing cobra, as announced by the Bronx Zoo today. It gathered 22% of the votes.

The White Plains Week name, "Cleopatra," suggested by John Bailey, the world-famous WPW anchor on this week's show,  was one of the final five. The other names are Agnes, Amaunet, Subita and Mia.

Name that Cobra up until midnight tonight at http://e.wcs.org/site/PageNavigator/Name_that_sssssnake.html

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. Theatrical review by John F Bailey. April 2, 2011:

This is easy.

Singin in the Rain is a Rave.

Drop what you're doing, Mr. and Mrs.Westchester and Mr. and Mrs. Manhattan, too.

Pick up that I-Phone, or have your girl dial Westchester Broadway Theatre or jump their website www.broadwaytheatre.com  for ducats to experience WBT’S “smashville and beyond” revival of Singin’ in the Rain, before every family, every community group, every young couple and all of those Manhattanites hear of this show.

It’s the most entertaining, lavish, technically brilliant,show this reviewer has ever experienced at the WBT. Yeah, yeah, I say that every new show, but Mr. and Mrs. Westchester, it’s true! They set a new standard every show. Bill Stutler and Bob Funking, the owners have a honey here.

Singin’ has everything you want.

It's got a long-stemmed star you want to duet with, Shannon O’Bryan (above)as Kathy Seldon, with Co-heart throb, Jeremy Benton (here singing You Were Meant for Me, as star-struck innocent in Tinseltown to be in the movies. All Photos courtesy Westchester Broadway Theatre by John Vecchiolla

It’s got a dashing leading man Jeremy Benton as Don Lockwood, dancing and singin' in real rain, above.Benton is  the Douglas Fairbanksie star who falls for the lovely.

It’s got Allie Schauer,(white dress) a comedienne colorata as glamorous, voice-that-could-break-glass silent actress Lina Lamont whose transition to talkees (sound pictures) gives the ingénue Kathy Seldon her chance in a voice over laugh-riot. It's even got movies in the show. 

It’s got a supporting cast of A-list professionals quipping their funny lines seamlessly with characterizations you believe.

It's colorful, dazzling every scene.

Its songs melt hearts: