WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES. | WHITE PLAINS WESTCHESTER DAILY NEWS SERVICE VISITS SINCE 2000 A.D. 25TH YEARl REPORTING THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW News Service Since 2000 A.D. 2026 WILL BE OUR 26TH YEAR OF COVERING WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA . John F. Bailey, Editor (914) 997-1607 wpcnr@aol.com Cell: 914-673-4054. News Politics Personalities Neighborhoods Schools Finance Real Estate Commentary Reviews Policy Correspondence Poetry Philosophy Photojournalism Arts. The WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER. TELEVISION: "White Plains Week" News Roundup, 7:30 EDT FRI, 7 EDT MON & the incisive "People to Be Heard" Interview Program 8PM EDT THURS, 7 PM EDT SAT on FIOS CH 45 THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER AND, ALTICE OPTIMUM WHITE PLAINS CH 1300 Fighting for Truth, Justice and the American Way. TOP 10 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD :1. USA. 2.BRAZIL3.VIET NAM 4. CHINA 5. JAPAN 6.UK. 7.CANADA. 8.INDIA. 9.AUSTRALIA 10.IRELAND 11.GERMANY 12..ARGENTINA 13.BANGLADESH 14.RUSSIA. 15.NEWZEALAND. 16. FRANCE. 17.MEXICO. 18.UKRAINE. 19.SOUTH AFVRICA. 20. IRAQ.

Super Developer Sees Neighborhood Leaders to Bring Station Square Back From Dead

Posted on June 12, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR’S THE DEVELOPER NEWS. By John F. Bailey. June 12, 2007: Louis Cappelli, rebuffed in his effort to receive exclusive development rights to the White Plains transit center area for his grandiose Station Square Project one week ago, is reaching out to neighborhood association leaders in White Plains in an attempt to see how he should go about resuscitating the project, according to one neighborhood association leader who spent a substantial and frank discussion with the Super Developer at Mr. Cappelli’s headquarters in Valhalla this week. He has, according to a WPCNR “head count” spoken to three such leaders this week.

As described to WPCNR, the developer told our source, (speaking to WPCNR on condition of anonymity), that he wanted to get a sense of how to proceed with developing the area. Our source said that far from the Station Square project being “dead,” Mr. Cappelli seemed eager to learn how he might proceed to secure city support for aspects of the plan, or all of the Station Square plan from the individual neighborhood associations, our source said. The source said that Mr. Cappelli admited that he was wrong in how he approached the Station Square project without going to the neighborhoods first.

According to the source we spoke to, Mr. Cappelli indicated to that source that he was going to speak to all neighborhood association heads to repitch the project.

WPCNR has reached out to Mr. Cappelli’s spokesperson to get a sense of the extent of Mr. Cappelli’s new grassroots overtures.

Teachers School District Near Settlement of New Contract

Posted on June 12, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 12, 2007: Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors told WPCNR today that he was expecting a possible agreement on a new contract with the White Plains Teachers Association today or tomorrow. The teachers’ present contract expires at the end of the month. Connors said he expected to make an announcement Wednesday if the agreement is finalized today.

White Plains 5th to 8th Graders Lift Math Scores in 2007. 70% Pass at 8th Grade

Posted on June 12, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 11, 2007: White Plains middle schoolers have turned their math skill trend around, according to an ebullient Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors Monday evening when he announced that the 2007 New York State Math Exams taken in March by White Plains students were a great success with 70% passing rates in grades 7 and 8 Math.

The progress is significant, however the fall off in same class performance from 4th grade to 8th grade is still significant — remains as high as 9% based on State Education Department statistics.

Connors said that students in grades 3,5,6,7,and 8 “have substantial increases” in the per cent of students passing. Connors said they have increases of over 10 percentage points in grades 5 through 8 over March 2006. He said it was a tribute the efforts of new Mathematics Coordinator Lisa Weber in addressing the student skills with curriculum changes this year, producing the spring improvement.

The Results:

Percent Passing the New York State Math Exams

(Chart from White Plains City School District)

GRADE 2006 2007 Increase

3 77% 83% 6%

4 75% 75% 0%

5 61% 73% 12%

6 53% 66% 13%

7 59% 70% 11%

8 58% 71% 13%

How have the classes done since 4^th grade?

Though the following will be criticized on the grounds that each class every year “is not the same class,” and “the tests were different,” it is instructive, using State Education Department Report Cards for White Plains, to look at how the same class has done on the math test each year.

We should remember the state math test is different every year for every grade, and we do not have 100% turnover of every class by 8^th grade. When you look at the achievement this year the math problem still emerges dramatically in 5^th and 6^th grade, and the students have to play catch up ball for two years. White Plains made great strides in getting middle schoolers to pass at a significantly higher rate this year and this is to be commended. But let’s take a closer look:

WPCNR used the State Report Card of 2004-2005 to see what this year’s classes actually have done year to year on the state math test.

This year’s eighth graders were in 4^th grade in 2003. At that time, 80% of that 4^th class passed the state math test. Though it is not entirely the same class, the pattern of falling math scores from 3^rd to 8^th grade highlighted my State Education Department Chancellor Richard Mills last fall turned around at least in White Plains this year with 71% of those fourth graders passing the math this year now that they are in eighth grade. Not as much of a falloff as expected, thanks to their academic acumen this year. They are now only 9% worse than they were in 4^th grade.

This year’s seventh graders were in 4^th grade in 2004 and at that time 77% passed the State Mathematics test at the 4^th grade level. Testing their math scores three years later, 70% passed. Not bad! You could, with a stretch say they are holding their own.

Something happens in 5^th and 6^th grade.

The sixth graders were in 4^th grade two years ago in 2005. At that time 82% of them passed the math achievement. In 2007, two years later, 66% of them have passed, so though the sixth graders improved year to year, the same class dropped 16% in scores from 4^th grade to sixth grade. You have to ask yourself what is going on there?

Now how about the fifth graders of 2007, one year out of 4^th grade math? That class was the 4^th grade in 2005-2006. In fourth grade, 75% of them passed, according to the State Education Department figures. In March 2007, 61% of them passed the Math Achievement, a drop of 14% in one year. What happened?

Is the math instruction given grades 1 through 4 not enough for demands of 5^th and 6^th grade? Though the remedial work the district has done has made a real breakthrough in grades 6, 7 and 8 in one year the drop off from 4^th grade and why there is such a pattern has to be of concern and continues to be.

Percentage of Class Passing Mathematics Exam In 4^th Grade vs. 2007 Results

(Chart Prepared by WPCNR Research based on 2006 SED Report Card)

2007 Class 4^th Grade Year 4^th Grade Pass % 2007 Pass Pct. Difference

Grade 8 2003 80% 71% -9%

Grade 7 2004 77% 70% -7%

Grade 6 2005 82% 66% -16%

Grade 5 2006 75% 61% -14%

WPHS Virtuosos Chosen as First Winners of Sonny Katz $1,000 Scholarships

Posted on June 10, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR STAGE DOOR. By John F. Bailey June 10, 2007: Violinest Helen Hess and the divine soprano, Kirsten Smayda, seniors of White Plains Class of 2007 were presented with Westco Productions first Annual Sonny Katz Scholarships of $1,000 each Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the name of longtime City Marshall, raconteur and entertainer, Sonny Katz. The occasion attracted over 50 persons whose support today has funded next year’s award, said Susan Katz, “The First Lady of White Plains Theater,” and founder of Westco Productions. The ceremony awarded the first Sonny Katz Scholarships on the eve of Mr. Katz’s 86th birthday.

State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, State Assemblyman Adam Bradley were on hand to present the Scholarship Checks of $1,000 each to the girls and declare the need for government to support arts programs in the schools. Councilman Glen Hockley, in his remarks spoke of the need to support the arts and community appreciation of them. A Who’s Who of White Plains attended, including Robert Ruger, Judges JoAnn Friia and Eric Press, Paul Bergens, the noted attorney, Jim Benerofe, the respected journalist, the Westco Board of Directors, and Mr. Katz’s family and friends. In the photo op above, Left to right, Susan Katz, Assemblyman Adam Bradley, Helen Hess, Kirsten Smayda, State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, and the White Plains original, Sonny Katz.

Former city corporation council, Tony Grant was Master of Ceremonies, and he began the festivities with two wonderful stories of his own 24 year-old daughter’s budding career in her first film role, in which he watched her in her first ever movie scene. When the director challenged him as to what he was doing on the set. Mr. Grant said he replied, “I’m her father and I’m watching my daughter on the set.” He said, the director said, “You’re doing fine. Keep doing what you’re doing.” Mr. Grant’s story was just the right way to start the afternoon of hope that the Sonny Katz Scholarships were established to encourage students to make careers in the arts. Westco is the first community theater organization to introduce a scholarship program for the performing arts, Mr. Grant said.

Kirsten Smayda, the divine soprano with the dazzling smile, of White Plains High School, star of 5 WPHS musical productions, member of the school Symphony Orchestra, Choir, Mixed Ensemble and Honors String Ensemble, receives her $1,000 check from State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer as Sarina Russell, Scholarship Fund Co-Chair looks on with pride.

Suzi Oppenheimer, the State Senator, presenting the award to Kirsten Smayda, a classical singer who will be attending the Boston University to study opera, told a similar story of performing arts success in her family. She told of her very own niece who is deaf, and who told the family she was going to become a film actress. Senator Oppenheimer beamed with pride telling how her niece has landed a key role in the television series, Jericho, which she proudly said had just been renewed. It was living proof that a career in the arts is hard but you can do it if you believe in yourself.

Adam Bradley presenting to Ms. Hess said the state needs to fund arts in the schools to a greater extent to assure the continued emergence of young artists like Ms. Smayda and Ms. Hess. Ms. Hess is Concertmistress of the WPHS Symphony Orchestra and performs wit the musical pit orchestra and the Honors String Ensemble. A member of the Greater Westchester Youth Orchestras, and Area –All State Orchestras and the chamber music group YNOS, will be attending Boston Conservatory of Music in the fall, pursuing a degree in viola performance.

Ms. Smayda said what an honor it was to audition for the scholarship, and thanked the organization for splitting the $2,000 for the award between Ms. Hess and herself. Ms. Smayda and Ms. Hess are close friends who perform together. Most recently the previous evening at Trinity Methodist Church, 75 persons watched them and their friends perform an hour and a half concert. A person who saw that concert said the ladies were “superterrific.”

The supporters of the Scholarship in attendance heard that evidence firsthand when Ms. Smayda performed a operatic piece, Bocci Bocci, a multi tempoed piece in which she articulated her marvelous clear voice up and down the register in staccato in adagios, holding the audience and causing even the servers to stop their work and listen to her clear, striking voice.

Then Ms. Hess opened up her violin case and performed First Fantasy 1 by Pleman, the first movement. Her violin’s authority, her mellow precise blending tone in live performance hushed the restaurant, playing the heart and senses of the audience as only a violin solo can.

The scholarships were chosen by audition, with both girls playing before the Scholarship Committee of Sarina Russell and Bill Van Vlack.

Ms. Hess told WPCNR she is attending the Boston Conservatory of Music next fall: “I’m studying viola performance. What I love about Boston is they have a music theater program, and I’m really excited about playing in the (orchestra) pits there, because that’s what I love to do with music.” For an ambition, she hopes to play in pit orchestras on Broadway, or join a professional orchestra, professional quartet, or “something with a group.”

Ms. Hess told how she got her start: “I started violin when I was seven, mostly because my uncle had played it, and I thought he was the coolest person in the world. I said I wanted to play too. When I was ten, I picked up the viola for an audition for an orchestra. My teacher, was like, try it out see how it works. If you like it you can continue. I loved it, so I just continued with both of them since. People always ask me which one do you like better. I really can’t decide. It’s like deciding between two kids, you can’t pick which one you like better. They’re both different and they’re both great in their own way.”

Ms. Hess has a one-hour professional lesson each week, with Rebecca Eckfeld. Ms. Hess splits the hour between violin and viola. When she was practicing for auditions, she had two one-hour lessons a week on each instrument. She said she plays one to two hours a day between all the orchestras and groups she is in.

WPCNR asked her about the White Plains High School music program. She gave it high marks:

“White Plains has an exceptionally good music program, a lot of really good teachers, qualified people. We’re fortunate that we have a pit orchestra for our music. Not a lot of high schools have a good enough music program to do that.”

She said William Eckfeld, of White Plains High School, the husband of her private teacher, was a great influence on her: “He helps me. He accompanies me in my solo recitals when I perform. He has been a really big help.”

Helen Hess, lower left, with sister Mariane and her mother, Debra

She comes from a musical family: “Both my parents went into college as musicians. They didn’t finish as musicians they changed. They’re both very supportive. They love music. They’re always helping. Sometimes I’ll be practicing and my Dad will be walking through, and he’ll say, that’s very good you’re getting a lot better at that. Sometimes when I’m preparing an audition, sometimes he’ll be helping me on how to get more of a feeling out of something. My mom drove me to every single college audition. She was with me every step of the way.”

The Divine Soprano, Kirsten Smayda, whose voice has highlighted White Plains “High School Musicals” for the last four years.

Ms. Smayda, whom WPCNR had the pleasure of viewing in the White Plains High School production of Kiss Me, Kate, this spring echoed her friend’s praise of the high school music department:

“It definitely is special. You get such a wide variety of people with completely different interests from you. But, there’s always that one connection to music and performing. It’s great. You get to meet a lot of people you wouldn’t normally meet. It’s such a supporting and loving community.”

WPCNR asked what her typical week was like: “It’s sort of been more relaxed since we’re coming to the end of the school year. I take violin lessons on Thursday. Voice lessons on Wednesday. I try and practice each at least an hour a day, give or take. I always have to vocalize every day to keep it up. Just like very other muscle you have to keep it in shape.”

Ms. Smayda had five college auditions, and also sent in tapes of performances, from No, No Nanette and recordings of two classical pieces. “I didn’t realize until the end of the audition process that I realized I wanted to concentrate on opera and classical training. It’s interesting, if I hadn’t done that sort of musical theatre and opera preparation for the auditions, who knows?”

“I plan to attend Boston University and double major in vocal performance and psychology. I wanted to keep the academics, but knew I couldn’t let go of vocal performance. Whatever I do, I’ll keep up the vocal.

Ms. Smayda said she was originally trained with classical “basic training.” “From there, you can really take it however you want. I started dabbling in musical theater to prepare for the shows at school. But I think my voice has sort of come full circle and it came back to classical. It feels a lot more comfortable.”

The Supporting Cast: Ms. Smayda, with her father, Greg Smayda and her mother, Beth, whom she credits with developing her interest in the singing.

Ms. Smayda credits her mother with stirring her interest in voice performance: “My mom has played a humongous part in it. She used to take voice lessons since high school, continuing through college and graduate school. I used to go into the city with her when I was young for her voice lessons every once in awhile. It seemed like such a thrill going into the city, you know, going into someone’s apartment, and just singing. I guess I got some of the genetics, because I’ve been able to carry out. It’s crazy. At church we’ll sing duets and you can hear it’s sort of the same voice. I hope one day I hope I can reach where she’s gotten so far.”

The beloved Mr. Katz, who has helped so many people in his life in White Plains, on the eve of his 86^th birthday, a big band singer and entertainer in the 30s, and an actor himself, reminisced about his own days on the stage, and encouraged the audience “to get the autographs of these young ladies today, because they’re going to go far.”

Susan Katz at podium salutes her father, the one and only Sonny Katz, as “The Wind Beneath My Wings,” Mr. Katz is just below the television monitor in the left of the picture. Mr. Katz has helped so many in White Plains, has done so much good in his life, that he is an example to the Scholarship Winners as to what the arts, interest in them, and in people can do.

School District Awards Tenure to Toper at WPHS

Posted on June 10, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. June 10, 2007: The City School District will award tenure to Ivan Toper, the White Plains High School Principal the last two years. Toper previously had been principal of Lincoln High School in Yonkers before he accepted the position at White Plains High in 2005, replacing Christine Robbins whose contract the district did not extend.

Ivan Toper, Principal, White Plains High School (at the June 7 Scholar Athlete Awards) will continue as the Leader of the Tigers.

Toper has made strong efforts to discourage gang activity and its related atmosphere from taking a foothold in White Plains High School, and those efforts appear to have been successful. He has stabilized the relationship between parents and the principal’s office, made strides in communications with parents, and has been a strong supporter of high school activities and functions from awards assemblies to sporting events. Toper has also been effective in installing student counseling dealing with anger management, and date abuse.

The Board of Education in addition to the Toper endorsement, will award tenure to Robert Janowitz as Assistant Principal at Mamaroneck Avenue School; Ronald Palladino as Coordinator of English.

On the agenda, the Superintendent of Schools will update the community on the district’s Strategic Planning. Contracts will also be approved for the renovation of Louks Field and Parker Stadium and District wide Roofing.

Monday’s Board of Education meeting will be held in the Media Center at White Plains High School at 8 PM.

The Gretsas Legacy Continues

Posted on June 10, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE SUNDAY BAILEY. News Commentary By John F. Bailey. June 10, 2007: The city’s former Executive Officer, George Gretsas, who introduced quality of life issues to the city of White Plains, including clean streets, and the gum removal machine, is currently City Manager of Fort Lauderdale. He has introduced another breakthrough in quality of life that not only offers the ingenious ability to serve a public need, but offers , if White Plains should follow the Fort Lauderdale lead, on this issue, a revenue stream.

The innovation: A Robotic Public Restroom.

WPCNR wants to thank the devoted George Gretsas fan who sent along this breakthrough innovation by the charismatic Mr. G. There are many in White Plains who miss Mr. Gretsas forward-looking vision and who monitor his progress bringing progress, justice and order to Florida’s Gold Coast. Struck by the pioneering robotic Public Restroom initiative, one of the “Gretsasians” sent along Brittany Wallman’s Florida Sun-Sentinel story on the latest Gretsas brainstorm. The story can be viewed at www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-ctoilet07jun08,0,126859.story

Not dependent on development!

Currently, White Plains a city in such financial trouble that they cut developers multi-million tax breaks, sell land for a fraction of its real value, and raise taxes 7% a year in the face of 3% inflation, has not found a way to tax citizens on natural body functions.

But, the Fort Lauderdale innovation of the public toilet could change this, and it is a self-determination tax! Only you decide whether you pay it or not! What a concept!

Briefly, the robotic public toilet is a large toilet chamber that is being considered for the Fort Lauderdale beaches.

The toilet costs $250,000, (little more than the White Plains trolley study, being paid for by the state; considerably more than the fire clock study White Plains itself paid for, and the Ernst and Young study of the City Center halo effect which to date has fallen, shall we say, way short of expectations?).

The Robotic Public Toilet (currently in use in Atlanta, Seattle, and San Francisco, and New York), whisks the user into a disciplined toilet experience.

According to Ms. Wallman’s story in the Fort Lauderdale paper, the big stainless steel chamber resembling an operating room issues a set number of toilet paper squares (set by city officials – perhaps Fort Lauderdale is considering a Department of Public Sanitation Facilities) – perhaps Ernst & Young can do a study on the appropriate amount of toilet paper squares the average person should be entitled to.

The Robotic Public Toilet has an interesting twist which the ladies might find useful. It sets a time limit to the duration of your visit. If you have not completed your visit in the allowed time, the automatic door opens and a disembodied voice tells you to leave. If you do not vacate the toilet immediately it sounds an alarm and notifies police. The toilet set retracts into the wall and cleans itself for the next user and the floor cleans itself.

WPCNR sees infinite possibilities for substantial city revenues from a White Plains Robotic Toilet Fleet. Talk about rolling stock! Ten of these – a mere $2.5 Million could handle White Plains Athletic Fields, our weekly parades, and of course – the big July fireworks crowd.

The Robotic Public Toilet comes with the option of charging patrons for entry! The Common Council should take note (no more having to sell city land to make ends meet by charging the 55,000 ends that reside in White Plains.

The Mayor could record a message (the machine has a verbal greeting as you enter the steel chamber) welcoming you to the White Plains Comfort Station. The Commissioner of Public Safety could record the message telling the dawdling customer to leave now. “Please step away from the toilet sir, and I need you to leave the premises in 30 seconds.”

And during election season the city could change the toilet welcome messages and sell time to candidates running for office. (What an appropriate venue for a politician to make a promise to citizens – a public restroom!). Message time could be sold on the recording messages inside the chamber to a truly captive audience.

The machine could charge for toilet paper by the piece. Perhaps $1 for the initial visit and 25 cents per toilet paper square beyond the allotted amount you get free. Or – here’s a twist – if you need more time, charge an extra $1. Or a joint arrangement could be made with the Department of Parking to give out $15 tickets over overstaying your time.

Another bizarre twist that only the Department of Parking can appreciate: the City of White Plains could sell Elimination Passes granting a certain number of visits to the Public Robotic Toilet over the course of a year – or, in a stroke of genius — charge differing rates for the elimination process undertaken.

It would improve quality of life: no more messy toilet paper on the floor of the portosans or the public entering Trotters or Vintage or Famiglia looking for a restroom. In fact the robotic toilet civilizes the away from home elimination experience.

This is recession proof. A built-in market. Once again White Plains sees how it misses the Gretsas Midas Touch.

As Mr. Gretsas says in Ms. Wallman’s story: “This is the grand experiment some folks on the (Fort Lauderdale) Beach have been asking for.”

The simple genius of the robotic toilet is definitely something White Plains should look into.

Every facet of the elimination experience could be turned into a revenue stream.

Oh, and another suggestion, the air is next.

After all, if you can charge for air rights, why doesn’t White Plains charge you a breathing tax?

Everything’s Coming Up Karen In WBT’s Knockout Revival of Gypsy. Ethel Who?

Posted on June 9, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR IN THE WINGS. Review by John F. Bailey. June 9, 2007: Mama Mia’s Karen Mason delivered a Broadway diva’s performance as Mama Rose, the domineering, controlling mother of the icon of ecdysiasts, Gypsy Rose Lee at Westchester Broadway Theatre Friday evening. Here is a musical about show business that moves with drive, and a talented lead in Ms. Mason who is a wow,

Karen Mason Brings the Audience to their feet with Rose’s Turn in Act II of GYPSY at the Westchester Broadway Theatre

All Photos by John Vecchiola, Courtesy, Westchester Broadway Theatre

Kellie Barrett as Louise (the ingenue) transforming into Gypsy Rose Lee in her city to city burlesque tour in Act II. Ms. Barrett captures the innocence and style that made Ms. Lee the Queen of Burlesque.

Ms. Mason fills the stage with a big, brassy edge and powerhouse cords that command with sweep, conviction and unmistakable Mermanesque moxie. But it is Ms. Mason’s stage. She’s all there in her blockbuster tune, Everything’s Coming Up Roses, and her bring-down-the-house finale, Rose’s Turn. She contraltos the love songs, Small World, (dueting with her foil Rick Hilsabeck as Herbie) and You’ll Never Get Away From Me with articulate intimacy and confidence that makes those songs new.

The full house Friday night was treated to the vaudeville life from Seattle to L.A. to Detroit to Wichita in the Depression as a showbiz struck mom pushes her daughters to elusive stardom. We lurch from railroad station to railroad station to seedy theatrical hotels, to brick walled stages of the majestic theatrical palaces of the distant vaudeville past.

Gypsy, the David Merrick/Leland Hayward mega musical of the early 60s, based on Gypsy Rose Lee’s memoir, has a gimmick and the gimmick is Ms. Mason who is rarely off the stage and delivers the role as Merman probably played it.

Jonathan Stahl as Uncle Jocko, with Alex Bradsell as Young Louise,(foreground, left) and Sophia Lebowitz (foreground, right) as Baby June in the first of three vaudeville numbers in Act One.

She is the domineering director of an ensemble who reworks the same vaudeville kid act three times in Act One (a spinoff of such child acts as the Foys and Cohans of the vaudeville era). Under Mama Rose’s direction the act is reworked twice in Act One much to the audience’s amusement – from a newsboy act featuring her two daughters Baby June and Baby Louise, to a patriotic act, to a farm act, using the same steps, to a toreadore number in Act Two when her daughter and her almost grown young people are playing the southwest.

Celebrating a Booking at Mr. Gladstone’s Theatre. Karen Mason is Rose, in blue, giving Mr. Gladstone (Johnathan Stahl) a cigar, with Sarah Peak as Dainty June, doing the split.

At first light, Mama Rose’s daughters have just flopped at an audition for Uncle Jocko’s Vaudeville show (a very funny sequence), and on the way out, they meet up with a candy salesman, Herbie, (the Jack Klugman role in the original Broadway production) played valiantly by Rick Hilsabeck, whose love for Mama Rose is consistently thwarted by her devotion to her daughters.

How brassy is Ms. Mason? When a producer’s secretary is on the telephone, she yells, “Don’t answer the telephone when I’m shouting at you.”

The Show reaches crisis at the close of act one when June, the sister with “talent” played with spunk, sass and winning coquettishness by Kayla Vanderbilt (in Friday’s performance) in the early newsboy act, to her sympathy-winning sister Baby Louise, created with genius “underplaying” by the young actress Rebecca Simpson-Wallack, where both ingenues sing Let Me Entertain You. Then by the older June, Sarah Peak, who is able to pull the transition from the child actress very believably and makes the same act just as entertaining in different costumes. The cow act is hysterical, even though it’s the same choreography in different costumes. We loved the dancing cow.

When June leaves to elope with one of the dancers in the act, Tulsa ( who has become a young man, wanting to break out on his own, Ms. Mason delivers one of the few missteps in an otherwise understandable performance. She snarls, snears with a very mean face saying of her younger daughter, “She’s nothing without me.”

This is unsettling and delivered with over the top ugly meanness, it’s shocking. This is a big time Direction mistake. She has to deliver that line with a sob – so the audience can continue feeling sympathy for the character – to feel the pain of a mother’s love – not hate. They have to fix that. But that’s a direction problem and a book problem. Still, it is a jarring moment in the show you never quite get out of your mind. That one moment makes the powerhouse ending of this production not quite believable. Just a sob, Ms. Mason, will do it.

Mama Rose decides she is going to make a star out her other daughter, Louise, played by Kelli Barrett, who mostly stands on the stage as a follower in the shadow of sister, and watches in Act One, and as the musical progresses, her underplay is a little too underplayed. She plays Louise as a spectator to her sister June’s stardom, without resentment. A very mousy girl.

She lets Tulsa whom she has a crush on run away with her sister June. She begins to get going with the role here by showing emotion. She is not quite believable as having the spirit to become the Gypsy Rose Lee we see, slithering and shimmering about the stage at the close of the show. A little surliness and pouting, tears and resignation please! She shows this in a touching soft and believable performance of Little Lamb on her birthday.

Jordan Nichols as Tulsa has a neat star turn singing All I Need is the Girl to Louise at the end of Act One, that is received very nicely. Ms. Barrett’s Louise, observing Tulsa, shows such a crush, you’re thinking that hey, maybe. But that is not to be. This is where Ms. Barrett begins to turn her character around.

Gypsy delivers not one, but three up-out-of-your-seat performances in the Second Act.

Kellie Barrett as Louise, Rick Hilsabeck as Herbie, and Karen Mason as Rose, trooping through Together in Act II on their last stop in Wichita, Kansas. Lobby still.

Act II opens at the Wichita Seven Wonders show in Wichita, Kansas. Herbie, the agent whom Mama Rose refuses to marry, but who keeps beating the hick towns for bookings for the aging act has booked the aging troop into a Wichita burlesque house. The act, with June having eloped, is now Louise and the Hollywood Blondes as the “Toreadorables.” However, the act does not work out because – well, you’ll see as Ms. Barretts’ Louise –comes alive with a dogged attempt to fill in for June. The second act delivers some good humor here.

Kathryn Kendall as Miss Cratchett, left. The showstopper, Inga Ballard as Mazeppa, and Ngaire Martin as Tessie Tura show off their gimmicks. A hilarious tour de force that the audience loves. Publicity Lobby Photo

Then, Mama Rose and Louise and the rest of the troop learn about the life of burlesque in one of the funny, but not-for-the-children audience as the three burlesque stars deliver a raunchy, flaunt and bump your body number, You Gotta Have a Gimmick, in which each stripper shows off her “gimmick.” Inga Ballard as Mazeppa, fractures the audience with her trumpet as her gimmick. (How do you strip with a trumpet, you’ll have to see). Kathryn Kendall as Miss Cratchett literally lights up the house, and Ann-Ngaire Martin as Tessie Tura, works ballet into her gimmick. This is not a number for the young ones. But there is no nudity. Stripper costumes, yes.

As luck would have it, it’s the last day of their booking and the troop is about to break up and the main stripper has not shown up. The manager of the theatre needs someone to go on. Mama Rose says Louise can do it. Here Barrett as Louise pulls it off. Once again she sacrifices. She was going to go back to school, and Mama Rose was going to finally marry Herbie. Instead, her Mother gets one more last idea for her.

To fill a contract, Louise urged by her mother, makes her first appearance as a stripper, emerging from ugly duckling into Ms. Elegance in a blue evening gown. (What have we here?) In her first strip, she tentatively removes a glove and shows a shoulder, and tries to sing Let Me Entertain You. It is painful to watch and Ms. Barrett really nails the audience with her feigned stage fright and tentativeness. We get in her corner.

With a little imagination, the director, Richard Stafford could have had planted cat calls from the audience turning to appreciation, so we, the audience would have an idea of the appeal of this first strip that resulted in more bookings. I mean there would have been catcalls at a burlesque house. But, apparently her shy act scores. This first strip is painful to watch. It takes talent for an actress to strip badly on purpose, and Ms. Barrett established an emotional connection with the audience for the first time as we feel the hesitancy of her first performance.

Ms. Barrett on her next stops polishes up her act, making us want to see more and more. But she never does show more and more. That was Ms. Lee’s appeal, too.

The new Gypsy, with Ms. Barrett finessing and vamping up her style, dances in sequential numbers in Detroit, Philadelphia and New York then Paris. Here Ms. Barrett shows off the long, long, long,long boa.

We watch Ms. Barrett polish her act as the international queen of burlesque, Gypsy. She gains confidence and glamour with each number, essentially the same but smashingly entertaining. Her “strips” are teases – strip sequences make full spectacular use of WBT’s elevating platform. Ms. Barrett has the legs and fills an evening gown deliciously and elegantly. Her provocative presence and sophistication steam up with each successive striptease sequence.

She showed excellent trouper’s poise, though having trouble with one costume change and gamely managing through it, (holding up her green gown almost having an equipment malfunction). Ms. Barrett shows progressively more confidence in each strip on the tour.

The show finishes with Mama Rose having a hard time handling Louise, now a star, and her success.

Ms. Barrett and her mother throw a great argument with Ms. Barrett’s Gypsy holding her own against her Mom (and showing signs of her mother’s iron will –supposedly developed on tour) in Gypsy’s dressing room in Paris.

The results set up the over-the-top finish when Ms. Mason belts out Rose’s Turn that brings the audience to their feet. She is terrifically entertaining and watching her, any young lady would want to have this kind of talent, or want to develop it.

We’ll let you decide if Gypsy’s end retrieves the overtones of smothering parenting.

WBT Turned Into a Vaudeville Palace by George Puello’s set. Photo by WPCNR.

George Puello and Steven Loftus have created impressive moving sets, including use of painted cityscape backdrops of the depression 30s, train stations, and the illusion of giant vaudeville houses. Lighting by Andrew Gmoser compliments, dazzles, enchants in what is Puello’s best staging we’ve seen in years at the WBT. George’s stagings are always good, but tonight’s show makes more of WBT’s hydraulic lifts and light gimmicks than any this reporter has seen. Mr. Puello seemed born again in his creative use of the WBT stage.

This is not a show for young children, though a talented troup of youngsters play splendidly in the first act. Gypsy is a history lesson that’s a real smash for 90% of the evening, and received a 3-minute standing ovation.

Westchester Broadway Theatre takes you back to the golden age of Broadway with these shows that are about 50 to 60 years old. Gypsy recalls a bygone era of great songs and dance and staging when pyrotechnics, electronics and production gimmicks were at a minimum and talent, a great feel good story came together and worked the emotions.

Gypsy is playing Tuesday through Sundays at the WBT through August 4. Learn more by going to their website, www.broadwaytheatre.com

Renegade Council Candidates Issue Statement on the Cappelli Withdrawal

Posted on June 6, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2007. June 6, 2007: Council candidates Robert Levine, Robert Stackpole and Marc Pollitzer have issued a statement to WPCNR on the results of the Louis Cappelli decision to withdraw his Station Square bid for exclusive development rights to the White Plains Train Station area Monday evening.

The three renegade candidates call the exercise a waste of time and issue a call for a new comprehensive plan for the city to be created using an independent planning consultant. The statement mocks the Council for comments councilmembers made lamenting specific guidelines for the station area, when the Council approved just such guidelines when they approved Review of the 1997 Comprehensive Plan.

Robert Levine, (Center), Marc Pollitzer (right) and Robert Stackpole (left) are expected to begin circulating petitions to place the three of them on the November ballot as independents. They will begin signature collection July 10. Photo, Courtesy, the Levine, Pollitzer, Stackpole Team.

Their statement:

The essence of sound planning lies in listening to what people have to
say, sorting it out and doing the hard work necessary to define the
problem(s) with care in order to come up with future options for
evaluation. The process requires the involvement of detached objective
professional planning consultants and should be characterized by
objectivity, competent analysis and widespread citizen participation in
the interest of maintaining and improving our quality of life.

Monday night’s Council Train Station deliberations should be labeled
for what they were… a regrettable waste of time and energy. Mr.
Cappelli explained how he came to plan the use and square foot area of
his proposed project as dependent on what it would take for the market
to bear the “no cost” replacement of the station, parking garage, and a
fire house. It would be laughable if it weren’t so sad.

Our elected officials have their priorities so skewed that they ignore
basic planning principles and fail to exercise their responsibility for
having them carried out. At the end of the evening, several Council
members implied their frustration with the inadequacy of current
planning guidelines they recently approved. We have to wonder, ”Don’t
they get it?”

We’ve been diddling while the city is being taken from us. We need a
proper new Comprehensive Plan to help us get it back now!

Robert Levine

Marc Pollitzer

Robert Stackpole

Engineering Firm Conducting Structural Integrity Survey of Galleria Garages

Posted on June 6, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE PARKING NEWS. By John F. Bailey. June 6, 2007: The city of White Plains is undertaking a comprehensive thorough engineering inspection of the 27 year old Galleria garages, opened in 1980.

The survey came to light as a result of a minor structural failure, reported by the Department of Parking at the Galleria garage Monday. A flooding at a juncture, as described by a person who witnessed the cascade, was caused, according to Commissioner of Parking Albert Maloni was described as being the result of a precast double T intersection.

The Commissioner said, “ What happened yesterday was the result of a precast double-T intersection located at the corner of a very heavily trafficked intersection, so to speak, where water intrusion problems over the years caused a minor structural failure. It could have been a big problem. We had a double-T fail like this in 1996, and it was repaired as this one will be in the exact same fashion, and it’s as good as new.”

WPCNR asked if this meant the garage was wearing out and needing replacing,or whether this was just routine problems.

“Absolutely not,” Moroni said.

The Commissioner revealed though that the city is taking no chances. Contrary to what was reported in the paper press, that Charles Sells Engineering was repairing the Double T break, it turns out the Charles Sells firm is undertaking a much larger job.

Moroni explained: “I’m not saying that there aren’t problems located throughout the garage. That’s why we’ve hired Charles Sells engineering firm They’re doing a comprehensive evaluation of both garages, the ramps, the staircases, the supporting beams. Everything there is to look at is being looked at, and we are going to take a look and see what we need to do. I would not want anybody to think that garage is not safe.”

WPCNR asked if the Galleria Garage would have to be reconstructed sometime soon.

Maroni said, “No. Not reconstructed. There are going to be repairs that are needed. Once we get the engineering firm comprehensive report, we’re going to chip away at those major issues (they uncover). Come July 1, we have in the capital program, $1.5 Million for relamping and relighting the entire garage and repainting the entire garage. We’re putting half a million dollars in multi-space meters into it, and we’ll put whatever money we need structurally. The bonds on that garage are paid off. It’s a major asset in the city economy.”

Pending Dump Settlement with DEC Does Not Preclude Cleanup

Posted on June 6, 2007 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE DUMP NEWS. By John F. Bailey. June 6, 2007: Wendy Rosenbach, spokesperson for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation told WPCNR Tuesday that the city and the DEC have not signed the final consent order, resolving the city’s 32-year dispute with the DEC on contamination in the City Dump. The Common Council authorized the Mayor to sign a settlement, paying the first $2,000 of a total fine to be disclosed at a future date. City “backup material documents” did not disclose the total fine.

Ms. Rosenbach told WPCNR that because the agreement on the fine had not been finalized yet, she could not comment on what the total amount was. She did say that the city still could be subject to cleaning up the site, as the fine “does not preclude any cleanup that would be required.” The site has been contaminated with TCE (Tri-chloral Ethylene), for 32 years.

Last spring, an independent DEC test found portions of the site to include contamination of 80 PPB over the 5 PPB permitted under DEC standards. In dispute now, WPCNR has been told is the extent of the TCE coverage.

Rosenbach said that the city might be allowed to cap the contamination rather than remediate it, but said no resolution after one year has been determined yet.

Paul Wood, Executive Officer, is in the process of seeking an update for WPCNR from Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti as to the exact progress in determining the need of a clean-up or a capping and what the issues are.