First impressions

JONATHAN CHARLES FOX
Posted 11/9/16

“It’s pretty simple that first impressions of people are really a big mistake,” actor/producer Vincent D’Onofrio once said (www.brainyquote.com). I simultaneously agree and …

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First impressions

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“It’s pretty simple that first impressions of people are really a big mistake,” actor/producer Vincent D’Onofrio once said (www.brainyquote.com). I simultaneously agree and disagree with D’Onofrio’s assessment, but first impressions (right or wrong) played a big part in my week. Last Friday, I zipped over to Thunder 102 radio station (www.thunder102.com) to congratulate on-air personality Mike Sakell, who was celebrating 36 years of working in radio. I got my first impression of Sakell years ago, and even then, it was brought to my attention that he had long been considered “the voice of Sullivan County,” having been on the air in one region for so many years.


“To be in one market for 36 years is an amazing accomplishment,” general manager Paul Ciliberto said, “and I am honored that for close to 12 of those years Mike has been a part of the Thunder 102 team.” Program director Michelle Semerano enthusiastically agreed, telling me, “working with Mike has been an absolute honor. From day one, she said “he took me under his wing and has taught me so much… and I know that I am a better on-air personality because of Mike Sakell.” My first impression remains intact. Sakell is one very cool guy.


Whenever possible, I have been checking in on the folks who have been instrumental in creating the newly formed Bethel Council of the Arts (BCA) and so far, my initial impression has been correct. Although still in its infancy, the organization (www.Facebook.com/BethelArtsCouncil) comprises “movers and shakers” determined to support local artists and assist in their contributions to the community at large, and last Saturday’s event was (IMHO) just plain fantastic. Movie producer Davina Belling (“Other People’s Money”) is a major player in the film industry, and fortunately for us, also a part-time resident in the county. She and another giant in the business, Ellen Krass, working in tandem, managed to score a coup for the BCA in the form of a sneak peek at the newest revival of smash Broadway legend “Gypsy,” which debuted on the Great White Way in 1959 and has long been considered the “greatest American musical of all time.” 


“It all came about when I saw the production in England,” Belling told the audience, “before it moved to the Savoy Theatre in London, where it has been heralded as a triumph since opening night.” Krass, who has had a decades-long association with “Gypsy” lyricist Stephen Sondheim, was equally impressed with this latest incarnation and negotiated the broadcast rights between the BBC and PBS. “I thought it would make an exciting event for the BCA, provided we could get permission from PBS to show it before it airs here in the States, and happily, Ellen made that possible,” Belling said before the screening at the Catskill Distilling Company.


I could easily write pages about “Gypsy,” since it is also my favorite (American or otherwise) musical of all time, but have limited space here to devote to my personal (albeit humble) opinion. Suffice it to say that my first impression of the theatrical masterpiece also remains intact. My parents took me along (at the tender age of five) to see Broadway legend Ethel Merman create the original performance of famed Burlesque Queen Gypsy Rose Lee’s mother Rose, and that experience introduced me to the world of theatre, which still drives me to this day. An opportunity to play Rose is considered to be a feather in the cap of any actress lucky enough to recreate the “quintessential stage mother” (www.pbs.org) in a show that has been revived on Broadway (and across the world) more than any other. 


Mama Rose has been played by some of the greatest actresses on the planet, including Angela Lansbury, Patti Lupone, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters, and I’ve seen them all. The “record-breaking” production in London was filmed for the BBC and stars the critically acclaimed Imelda Staunton, with whom I was only familiar for her role as “Dolores Umbridge” in the Harry Potter films. After scanning some of Staunton’s reviews, it’s clear that I am not alone in my opinion that her performance may just be the best yet. Her portrayal of  Rose is so layered, so multi-dimensional and so alarmingly fabulous that I was blown away. 


Because of Belling, Krass and the BCA, Dancing Cat Saloon proprietor Stacy Cohen (and a small army of volunteers) was able to transform the distillery into a movie theatre, replete with “strippers,” a red carpet and cocktail reception, heightened by pianist Jeff Krolick tickling the ivories with the utmost panache. PBS is broadcasting this production of “Gypsy” this coming Friday night as part of their “Great Performances” series, and I would encourage anyone, whether you are a fan of the genre or not, to check it out. You’ll be glad that you did.


As stated, I love live theatre, and jumped at the chance to catch a “performance reading” of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” on Sunday, which was presented by the Catskill Art Society and is slated to be broadcast on WJFF public radio in the near future. Also considered to be a classic, the role of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, gives any actor (worth his salt) the opportunity to present a tour de force performance, and leading man John F. Higgins did just that. With “only three rehearsals,” according to director Mimi McGurl, he pulled out all the stops. Shout-outs to fellow thespians Cass Collins, Kyoshin Lohr, Wendy Kaufman and Toby Poser are in order, and I applaud the effort of all involved, since Shakespeare is challenging, even under the best of circumstances. Harking back to “Gypsy” and one of its themes, “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” McGurl leapt at the chance to mount this production with the present political climate in mind—and based on audience response, achieved her goal. Often, first impressions last a lifetime, but I can only hope that you, dear reader, are willing to give me a second chance. 

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