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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. From Robert Castelli, Assemlyman, 89th District. March 3, 2011:

With legislative leaders announcing an updated schedule that puts them on track for an on-time budget, Assemblyman Robert J. Castelli (R, C – Goldens Bridge) has called for a Citizen’s Budget Session where local stakeholders in the 89^th Assembly District can come and give their ideas, input, suggestions and express their concerns over the Governor’s proposed budget, prior to the Senate & Assembly budget actions and the Governor’s 30-day budget amendments.

Castelli will host a pair of events, the evening of Thursday, March 3^rd, in North White Plains, and the afternoon of Friday, March 4^th, in Bedford, respectively, where local elected officials, members of school groups and non-profits will be called to testify. Concerned taxpayers and members of the public will also have an open microphone to air their support and/or concerns which Castelli can than take back to the legislature prior to convening the joint budget conference committees on March 15^th.

 

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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From White Plains FORT HILL PLAYERS. March 5, 2011:

 

The Fort Hill Players  announce THE COCKTAIL HOUR By A. R. Gurney and Directed by Steward Hanges Starring:  Catherine Carter, Scott Griffith, Greg McCormack, Jennifer Weiss debuting March 18 at 8 PM at Rochambeau School, 228 Fisher Avenue

 

 “Nobody goes to the theater anymore,” says Bradley, the well-off, 75-year-old patriarch who presides over his family’s ritual cocktail hour. Ironically, his very own son, John, a full-time publisher and sometime dramatist, has written a brutal, autobiographical diatribe aptly entitled ”The Cocktail Hour,” which hits each member of the family ‘pretty close to home.’  John has returned home seeking permission to produce it.  Sparks fly!

 

Performances: March 18, 19, 25, 26   at 8 pm March 19   at   2 pm Adults: $17, Seniors/Students $14

Tickets available at the door and online www.forthillplayers.com

Information: 914-946-5143

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            WPCNR County Clarion-Ledger. From Westchester County Department of Communications. March 1, 1011:

 

With formal proposals for “reinventing Playland for the 21^st century” due next week, County Executive Robert P. Astorino today detailed the framework that his administration will use to evaluate the submissions the county receives. As part of the process, he named members to a citizens committee that will assess the feasibility of proposals.

             Astorino said the county was now at the second stage of a four-phase process – ideas, feasibility, setting direction and implementation – that will play out over the next several years. Establishing a framework for guiding decisions, he said, was critical to keeping the process on track.

          

            “The outcome we are all looking for is creating a future for Playland that puts the park to its best use for years to come for Westchester County residents,” said Astorino. “The framework is designed to accomplish that by establishing a process that is rigorous, objective, open and respectful of all stakeholders.”

The formal, detailed submissions for the use of the Long Island Sound property in the City of Rye were solicited through an RFP (request for proposals) and are due March 10. A feasibility assessment will immediately follow, with each proposal evaluated against what are being called the “5 E’s.”

·        Economics – Does the proposal offer a financially viable long-term business model? While the county does not expect to make a profit at the park, the current fiscal situation cannot continue.

·        Environment – Is the proposal appropriate to local surroundings, area zoning and the environment?

·        Entertainment – Is the proposal consistent with the purpose of a park?

–·        Experience – Can the county feel confident about the proposer’s track record with respect to finances, customer service, safety and deadlines?

·        Expectations – Is the proposal realistic?

            To evaluate proposals using the feasibility guidelines, Astorino has appointed a 19-member citizen committee made up of representatives from the city and town of Rye, the county Board of Legislators, business, and real estate, as well environmentalists, park experts and park users.  See list of committee members at end of release.

            “The breadth of stakeholders on the committee will ensure that a broad range of perspectives are part of our feasibility study,” said Jim Chisholm, chairman of the county’s Parks Board, who has been named chairman of the citizens group. “I am excited to be part of this important effort to keep Playland viable for years to come.”

The committee will be responsible for submitting a written report on the feasibility of the proposals that come into the county as part of the RFP. The expectation is that the committee would have its report completed by the end of June, however, this is not a hard deadline should the committee need more time.  Assisting the committee will be William Mooney, senior assistant to the county executive, and Peter Tartaglia, deputy commissioner of the Parks department, who will make county resources available as necessary. This could include expertise from the Planning, Law, Budget and other departments. Space will be provided in the County Center for the committee’s meetings.

Once completed, findings from the feasibility study will be incorporated into the RFP selection process. The hope is that the county executive would have enough information to set a direction for moving forward, or not, on the RFP’s by the end of November. The implementation phase, which would include contract negotiations and obtaining all the necessary legal, financial, environmental, local and other approvals, would follow, assuming a decision had been made to move forward on a proposal or combination of proposals.  It’s estimated that the implementation phase would take several years to complete.

            “This will be a very deliberative process, as it should be,” said Astorino. “We want to make the right decision for Westchester residents.”

This year, Playland will open for the season in May, operating in a similar manner to last season.

 (Go to www.ryeplayland.org)

            Since 1928, the focal point of the property has been the amusement park, which today has 50 major rides and attractions and covers about 30 acres. The prototype of today’s modern theme parks, Playland was the country’s first totally planned amusement park. Seven of its rides and several of its art deco buildings are designated as National Historic Landmarks.

 

Westchester County currently owns and operates the park – one of only a handful of governmental bodies to be in the amusement park business. With attendance steadily dropping over the past five years – from 1 million in 2005 to 494,000 in 2010 – park ownership has translated into greater taxpayer subsidies.

The losses are about $4 million annually, including both operating losses and debt.

The RFP covers approximately 100 acres of the larger 280-acre Playland property. A critical feature is that its focus goes beyond the historic amusement park. Scenic vistas and a beautiful beach on  Long Island Sound, an Olympic-size swimming pool, an extensive waterfront boardwalk, fishing piers, boating lake, dining and picnic areas, a proposed children’s museum, and an indoor ice skating rink, as well as the amusement park, can all be utilized, or not, in the plans submitted by developers.

Under the RFP process, the county is not obligated to accept any of the plans proposed.

 

Members of the Playland Citizens Committee:

Rye:

Doug French, Mayor of Rye City

Joe Carvin, Rye Town Supervisor

Charles Dorn, Chairman of the Playland Strategic Planning Committee for Rye

Board of Legislators:

Bill Ryan, Chairman of Public Works, Labor, Transportation and Parks

Judy Myers, Legislator

Sheila Marcotte, Legislator

Parks Community:

Jim Chisholm, Parks Board Chairman who will chair the Citizens Committee

David Swope, Chairman of Jacob Burns Film Center; Teatown Reservation Trustee

Liz Bracken-Thompson, Chairman of Friends of Parks

Business Community:

Richard French, President of Regional News Network; Representative from Westchester County Association

Ellen Lynch, Representative from the Business Council of Westchester

John Peckham, President of Peckham Industries; Arts Westchester, Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Business/Amusement/ Entertainment:

Scott Bernstein, former Amusement/Entertainment Executive, Bedford resident

Jim Dannhauser, former Six Flags CFO, Bronxville resident

Natasha Caputo, Entertainment/Tourism Consultant, Mt. Kisco resident

Business/Real Estate:

Jim Houlihan, Houlihan-Parnes Realtors, LLC; former Board Member of Friends of Parks 

Other:

Caleb Gilligan-Evans, Junior at Stepinac High School, Yonkers resident

Father Richard Alejunas, S.D.B., Chairman of the Westchester Youth Advisory Board, Don Bosco Community Center of Port Chester

Law

Evan Inlaw, Attorney, Yonkers resident

 

 

 

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WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. February 28, 2011:

The Chair of the White Plains Republican Committee has written a letter to Acting Mayor Thomas Roach, protesting the Acting Mayor’s swift call doe a Special Election for Mayor as soon as possible.

Brian Maloney also called for Mr. Roach and Councilman Benjamin Boykin to recuse themselves from voting on the date for that Special Election. Mr. Roach speaking on WHITE PLAINS WEEK, the news round-up show said his intention is to hold the election the first week in April. This early date would have the affect of giving challengers to Mr. Roach just a little more than 21 days to campaign, considering that the Republican party has announced they will announce a candidate March 10.

The letter:

CITY OF WHITE PLAINS

REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE

135 Walworth Avenue

White Plains, New York 10606

Acting Mayor Thomas M. Roach February 28, 2011

255 Main Street

White Plains, NY 10601

Dear Mr. Roach,

I have been informed by several residents of White Plains that you have asserted that you intend to set the date for the special election to fill the vacancy in the Office of Mayor at the earliest date that you believe is permissible. With regards to such, I have several observations.

To begin, you have already deemed yourself (D-White Plains) a candidate for that same vacancy, as has Mr. Boykin (D-White Plains), a sitting Member of the Common Council. I would suggest that there is an inherent conflict of interest for both you and Mr. Boykin, as declared candidates for the vacancy, to engage in or otherwise vote on the proposition. In dealing with the ethics of a vote on such a topic, I would suggest that the appearance of a conflict of interest or the appearance of an impropriety would be unavoidable were you to engage in such discussions and thereafter vote on such a matter.

To date, the City of White Plains has suffered tremendously regarding the lack of adherence to ethical considerations. I would suggest that the confidence of the electorate would be severely undermined were you and Mr. Boykin to engage in this conduct. In fact, I am rather surprised that you have not considered this beforehand.

Second, I would also suggest that putting off the election date for as long as is legally permissible is advisable because while it is the duty of the Common Council to set such a date, it has been reported to me that the only outside political consultations that have been made to date regarding same have been by yourself and Mr. Boykin with the City of White Plains Democratic Party. This is a partisan political election, and I believe, again, that the failure of the Common Council and yourself to discuss this matter with any political party other than the Democrat party lends itself to the perception that you have no desire to be inclusive of all of the political parties in White Plains and further, that you seek an advantage in the upcoming elections by rushing to the polls, to benefit exclusively yourself or Mr. Boykin. Ironically, that proposition is simply un-democratic.

Finally, I truly believe that by setting the special election date out as far as is legally required and permissible allows for the citizens of White Plains to exercise fully their voting franchise, and any attempt to circumscribe that franchise by creating an unnecessary and restrictive calendar attacks the fundamental right of every citizen to support candidates and parties of their choice.

Thus in closing, I respectfully request that you and Mr. Boykin recuse yourselves from the deliberations and voting on the setting of the date for the special election. And further, the remaining Council Members, when considering such matters.

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WPCNR Seen on Opening Night. Theatre Review by John F Bailey. February 28, 2011:

 

Mark Zimmerman and Laurie Landry  as Michael and Agnes beginning their married life are every couple. Falling in love? Fallen in love? Gotten married? Raised children? Had lowlights, highlifhts, fights, make-ups?

 

 

 I DO I DO is the show for you as Mark and Laurie play the stage at Westchester Broadway Theatre. They are not Brad and Angelina, Bogie and Bacall. They are refreshingly real as stage lovers, with such great chemistry, you root for them at the WBT revival playing through March 20.

 

Zimmerman as Michael is bumbling, awkward, pompous and really knows how to say the wrong thing at a sensitive time, like all we hubs,  and loves his wife, (as we all do, of course). 

 

Ms. Landry (Agnes) is impressed with him, annoyed with him, knows how to bring him off his high horse, always forgives him (well, almost always). Through fifty years of the Michael and Agnes story, the couple demonstrates this coming together, growing apart, back together, reacting and changing as the passages of matrimony are gingerly traversed with lines funny to new lovers, old lovers, former husbands, wives, and those married a long, long, long, long, long time.

 

As the overture swells to Dearly Beloved, house lights dim, Westchester Broadway Theatre is throwing a wedding. Who doesn’t love a wedding? WBT gets the affair off to a great start, even though it is just a wedding on the stage. with the always delicious WBT entrees it’s a reception already! When Ms. Landry throws her bouquet to the audience, you’re in for a ride that makes you sad and happy, thoughtful and happy, laugh with shocks of recognition, and nod in heart-warming hope and nostalgia.

 

I Do I do plays your heartstrings—dusts off the wedding album, opens the scrapbook of memory and plunges into a marriage as new as a real wedding. You make your way from the fanciful title song, I do. I do followed by Together Forever for 2 1/2 hours plus intermission.

 

There are the wedding night jitters, highlighted by Michael’s gaffe, when he tells Agnes, “Your youth is over.” How often have I made remarks of similar stupidity? I thought to myself when he uttered that one.

 

The stage couple of Zimmerman and Landry duet fabulously on “Good night” and make-up for the first time.   

 

After a successful marriage night, Michael sings I Love My Wife, waking her and they dance together. It is a scene that subtlely paints the delicate building of oneness that characterizes the beginning of a marriage.

 

Never you mind, now, you cynics who say I Do I Do is based on the old bromide play, The Four Poster ( a bed is in every scene), and therefore is outdated. I Do, I Do has remarkable wisdom to declare through its dynamic veteran pros, Landry and Zimmerman.

 

Lauri Landry played Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel; played the Christine role in The Phantom national tour opposite Michael Crawford. Zimmerman going from dashing young swain to balding in the show, is a 30-year veteran of Broadway, performing in seven Broadway shows, including West Side Story, A Catered Affair, The Rainmaker, On the 20^th Century, and Brigadoon.

 

The new attitude of Agnes, as a mother-to-be, captures the mindset of the expecting, charmingly when Ms. Landry delivers with Julie Andrews precision and persuasion  Something’s Happened, followed by Michael’s hilarious taking her to the hospital and waiting for his first-born.  Landry and Zimmerman combine again on the signature song of this opus..My Cup Runneth Over, and really sell it.

 

Full Critic Disclosure:  I never liked My Cup Runneth Over when it was popular. Mr. Zimmerman paints MCRO with heartfelt winning  earnestness of the happy young man. (I remember.)

 

Ms. Landry compliments his genuine wonder with her sincere sweetness and lovely contralto  making me really listen to the song and be touched by  the feelings conveyed. MCRO is  the best song they do of the good songs you’ll hear and they put this baby over like they were a slick, orchestrated double play combination who have been playing together for years. They put you out at the heart.

 

You know what’s coming, Mr. and Mrs. White Plains and Mr. and Mrs. Westchester, he’s a writer and he says with the two children, “Clear all the stuff away, I have to work.”

 

Ahh we hit the Dry Tortugas of the marriage. Ms. Landry and Mr. Zimmerman categorize all the others’ bad habits in Nobody’s Perfect. It had steady chuckles and outright laughs from all the long-married couples (seeing the show as a special promotion on Opening Night), recognizaing how real the song was. My bad habit is the same as Michael’s – I leave socks and dirty clothes around the house.

 

Ahhh, then there is the affair Michael has because of his celebrity!

 

Zimmerman’s condescending It’s a Well-Known Fact, delivered strutting about the stage, informs Agnes how he is very attractive to younger women with his worldly writer success. He sings that Agnes, and women in her “matron station, begin a certain process of deterioration.”

 

Zimmerman has a little too fun much fun than an actor can have with this, giving it a Rex Harrison pompousness that many girl friends and wives may recognize and nod their heads, shake them side to side.

 

Agnes deals with his dabbling in younger women, by marching into the bedroom, pointing out he is “a pompous ass.” She  launches into Flaming Agnes, an incendiary sexy rebuttal.  

 

Ms. Landry rises above her middle-aged adolescent hubby in this scene with a side of her Michael is surprised to see. She says she is leaving him. Ms. Landry belts this number in corset and boa, shows her world-class legs and punctures Michael’s middle-marriage peccadillo  most effectively, belting out

 

“Used to find her tendin’to the kiddies

Up to here in cream of wheat.

But the day her husband up and left her

That’s the day that Agnes turned the heat on

Now she flames from night ‘til early morning

While he slaves to raise the alimony

He must pay to Flaming Agnes

 

The fight continues. They sing The Honeymoon is Over. Agnes walks out. He runs after her they fight briefly then in the maelstrom of each other, they make-up, finishing Act One. This tender reconciliation in a crisis is poignant, emotional, and played from the soul.

 

But, wait, is that all there is?

 

No you get Act Two dealing with the rest of the marriage. Ms. Landry and Mr. Zimmerman render a final act that will charm you with its uplifting encouragement about what lies ahead. They sing Where Are the Snows of Yesteryear after celebrating a New Year’s Eve alone, ending in reprise of My Cup Runneth Over.

 

May I say this, ladies and gentlemen:

 

The opening of the Final Act is one of the strongest openings of a second act of a musical that exists. It starts fresh and moves the musical up from there, not down. It like marriage gets stronger (the premise of the play, just premise, mind you!). The chemistry of Ms. Landry and Mr. Zimmerman is wonderful as they grow and age in makeup through the production. You feel them grow closer.

 

Tip of the fedora to Director Richard Sabellico, called by Frank Rich, “one of the most promising exciting directors to come on the scene…the concern for drama and character is highly evident…” in reviewing I Can Get it for You Wholesale.

 

 

Making his directorial debut at WBT, Sabellico gets all you can get from these two pros. As characters Ms. Landry and Mr.Zimmerman  grow in their characters, with finesse. They magically make you believe this very ordinary couple really feel for each other, becoming more one, and feeling more through the years (as it should be, when it works.) Photos Courtesy, WBT, By John Vecchiola

 

The children get married, and Mr. Zimmerman delivers the song every father can agree with, Father of the Bride, which begins with “My daughter is getting married to an idiot.” Yeah, you have to see this, Dads.

 

Empty nesting is explored (nothing new even in the last century).

 

Ms Landry shows her  pitch-perfect, attitude-attentive instinct of structuring a ballad just right to bring tears to husbands’ and wives’ eyes when she sings, What Is a Woman? She wonders powerfully what her new role is, singing, “To be a woman can be so lonely. That doesn’t mean she is only alive when in love.”

 

What Is a Woman? is an emotional knockdown punch and Landry lands it, makes it sing. The way she makes Agnes grow through the show through these songs and her wifely portrayal is a very realistic orchrestrating of how a wife changes. (Of course the husband  changes very little. True to form the husband does not. Zimmerman keeps his Michael the same old Michael, but a little kindlier and gentler. )

 

How does the marriage end? You’ll have to see the only poignant happy-unhappy-satisfying-unsatisfying and completely perfect end to a musical you will ever see.

 

 The 1967 hit musical featuring Mary Martin and Robert Preston  as leads has endured  because the long-running institution of marriage has endured.  I Do I Do is a primer for young couples not knowing what to expect from marriage, and a “This is Your Marriage” stroll down memory lane for those of us older marrieds out here still in it, trying to figure it out every day.

 

Mark Zimmerman and Lauri Landry put on a show for couples young and old.  I do, I do is infinitely less expensive than seeing a counselor and you can take the spouse out to dinner, too. You can see I Do, I Do here through March 20 and on March 24,  Singin in the Rain opens.

 

For information, go to www.BroadwayTheatre.com, or call 914-592-2222