WPCNR STAGE DOOR. By John F. Bailey. January 17, 2006: WPCNR has learned further details on changes in the spring line-up at The White Plains Performing Arts Center, and WPPAC's financials.

The act, The Three Phantoms, has been signed to appear on March 20 at WPPAC's fundraising gala. The three performers all have appeared in the lead role of Phantom of the Opera. Three other acts, The Four Divas, The Bacon Brothers  and comedian Jackie Mason, also are now scheduled to appear: The Four Divas on February 19, (a mix of four singers doing a mixture of Broadway songs);   The Bacon Brothers on March 4; and, Jackie Mason on April 29-30. Actor Kevin Bacon and his brother make up the recording duo of The Bacon Brothers. Jackie Mason will be making a return engagement to WPPAC.

Programming Switches. The Poster at WPPAC Announcing new acts. Photo, WPCNR News.

These attractions are advertised on a poster appearing in the Mamaroneck Avenue lobby of the City Center.

Two plays,  The Girl's Room  with Phyllis Newman, and Charlie's Place, a musical, have been "postponed" according to Ted Lawson of Mayor Delfino's Office. Lawson also is a member of the WPPAC's Board of Directors. Lawson told WPCNR that The Girl's Room was "postponed" because it is "not suitable" for the WPPAC audience. He did not explain how it would become "suitable" if scheduled at a later date.

The following family productions are scheduled for the balance of WPPAC's 2006 schedule: The Balsters (March 26),  Beauty and the Beast, presented  by Ballet for Young Audiences (April 23), The Crabgrass Puppet Theatre's The Last Dragon on Earth (April 29), and Theatre Unlimited USA's production of The Adventures of Curious George (May 13) are advertised in the City Center lobby as being upcoming productions for young audiences.

Casting Call for Julius Caesar

WPPAC has placed a casting notice on www.playbill.com, a web site often visited by actors seeking work. The casting notice says that WPPAC will be presenting Shakespeare's Julius Caesar on March 10 - 17, and that the theater is looking for six male, non-union, actors for the show. The casting notice says that the actors will not be paid, but will be given a $50 per week travel allowance. The casting notice lists Tony Stimac as the director of Julius Caesar. According to the WPPAC web site, Stimac is Producing Director of the theater.

Finances

Lawson did not know when the WPPAC's financial statements for fiscal year 2004-2005 would be available, and did not report a total figure for the theater's debt since it opened about 2-1/2 years ago.

You may recall that Mr. Stimac recently appeared at a Common Council work session where he asked the council to approve an appropriation of  $100,000 for WPPAC. At that time, he said that developer Louis Cappelli would contribute $100,000, and make an effort to raise another $100,000 from others, if the Common Council came up with $100,000. The Common Council voted its approval, and WPCNR recently learned from Mr. Cappelli that he had made good on his promised $100,000, paying it in November.

The council was told that in order for WPPAC to "break even" during the current fiscal year (2005-2006), it needed $300,000. The Common Council was told that it cost $375,000 to produce Kathy Lee Gifford's show "Saving Aimee," and that author Gifford had provided $275,000 towards the production, with WPPAC handling the other $100,000.

Knowledgeable sources have told WPCNR that most of Cappelli's initial $100,000,  has already been used to  pay off  costs associated with Saving Aimee (which opened October 14 and closed October 23),  the smaller portion of the $100,000 going towards WPPAC salaries. 

Council-Voted Money

Meanwhile, Lawson told WPCNR that the new  $100,000 approved by the Common Council would be used to pay on-going expenses, rather than paying down debts which, according to Lawson still exist, though not as substantial as before the infusion of Cappelli and Common Council cash commitments.

WPCNR has not verified whether refunds will be given to persons who purchased tickets for The Girl's Room and/or Charlie's Place or whether they will be offered tickets for Julius Caesar and whatever play is presented in  the  Charlie's Place slot. Lawson said a search is currently on and may be completed by now for another production to replace it.