I haven’t exactly been grumpy, but I wasn’t feeling the spirit move me either, until I got the Bah! Humbug! knocked out of me over the last week as I dashed through the snow, careening through …
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I haven’t exactly been grumpy, but I wasn’t feeling the spirit move me either, until I got the Bah! Humbug! knocked out of me over the last week as I dashed through the snow, careening through the Upper Delaware River region at a breakneck pace in search of all things festive. Last week’s weather had me a bit out of sorts, since some events were cancelled due to slick roads. But the celebrations that the Wonder Dog and I have attended recently reinforced my ongoing love of community, breathing new life into the notion that sometimes (just sometimes!) it truly is a wonderful life.
Egomaniac that I am, it rarely occurs to me that everyone else is as involved as I, but that thought too, was debunked, as we bumped into friends and neighbors on every corner, attempting to keep pace with Santa, who always seemed to be one step ahead. Scanning my list and checking it twice, I headed out the door last Friday night to catch local radio legend Mike Sakell (www.thunder102.com) perform a play that simulates a radio broadcast presentation of the holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Penned by Joe Landry, it was performed with joy by director Heather Strauss’s multi-talented troupe of players from the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop (www.scdw.net) at the newly dubbed Sullivan County Cultural Center (formerly the Sullivan County Museum) in Hurleyville, NY.
As it turns out, the location was near-perfect for the theatrical experience, evoking a sense of stepping back in time, transporting the audience to the pre-television heyday of radio and the stars that peppered the airwaves entertaining families that would gather to listen, rather than watch. I wanted to do both during the show and closed my eyes a few times to fully appreciate the many voices and character interpretations being performed by the marvelous cast, who were all on point, sometimes portraying multiple characters in a single “conversation.” While it’s truly an ensemble piece, performers Ellen Pavloff (Sally), Mick Wheaton (George) and Ed Berens (as angel Clarence seeking his wings) were responsible for a single voice and led the rest of the lively cast of seven to interpret more than 30 characters through the story, enhanced by really cool sound effects (Jim Schmidt) and authentic musical accompaniment (Leon Hilfstein). The show was, in a word—wonderful. WJFF will be broadcasting the show at 12 noon on Sunday, December 21 -- so you can hear it yourself, really on radio, though not live.
Waves of nostalgia continued to wash over the Catskills as the inaugural (and much heralded) Dickens on the Delaware took place in the charming hamlet of Callicoon, which was thrumming with Victorian pageantry. Musical performances and attractions drew crowds, as did the costumed merchants and local restaurants presenting high teas, hot buttered rum, mulled cider and cookies galore, while local artisans displayed their wares in holiday style for two days of Dickensian splendor. Event producer Irene Nikolai (www.facebook.com/callicoontrading) beamed with excitement as her vision came to life and was quick to give credit where credit was due. “This is a group effort and the brainchild of Maureen Detrick,” she enthused. “It was Maureem (www.campriverrock.com)" who suggested that the legacy of Charles Dickens (“A Christmas Carol”) drive the theme, and without the support of local businesses, it would not have been possible. Isn’t it amazing?” In a word? Yes. With so much more on my plate, I couldn’t absorb it all and missed the jazz brunch (www.kazzriejaxenquartet.com) and had no time for a horse and buggy ride through Main Street, but have been assured by all parties concerned that a new tradition has been born, and that Dickens will be back next year.
Rounding out my weekend was the final performance of the 2014 Bradstan Cabaret Series (www.bethelwoodscenter.org), featuring chart-topping multi-Grammy-nominated song stylist Maureen McGovern. She blew the roof off of the Event Gallery, performing her “Home for the Holidays” concert for a sold-out crowd. Looking stunning, McGovern performed with the incredibly talented Jeff Harris (piano) and Jay Leonhart (bass) for 90 minutes of uninterrupted holiday cheer. Although she reminded the audience more than a few times that she is 65, McGovern’s voice has (IMHO) never sounded better, and her incredibly clear tone soared over and over, sweeping the audience to its feet on more than one occasion as she sang holiday classics, interspersed with original tunes, mixed with tributes to Garrison Keillor, Irving Berlin and Tom Lehrer. Utterly fantastic musical arrangements, amazingly paired with Maureen’s powerhouse vocals, proved that McGovern is just hitting her stride, 40 years after wowing the world with “There’s Got to Be a Morning After” and an endless string of major hits that followed.
High notes (for me) were McGovern’s unique interpretations of the powerful “Mary Did You Know,” the scat-tastic “Our First Christmas,” and a sing-along medley, including “White Christmas” and “Sleighride,” which McGovern led while strolling through the audience. There are not enough superlatives in my vocabulary to describe how I felt during McGovern’s sold-out show. I laughed, cried and cheered along with the rest of the audience fortunate enough to secure a seat for über-producer Scott Samuelson’s cabaret show. Feeling the spirit move me, I have banned the Grinch from crossing my path this year and have all of these terrific folks to thank for making me believe again. It’s a wonderful life!
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