Enthralling ‘Les Miz,’ joyous farm picnic make for a banner weekend

I am the luckiest man alive. Not only am I thrilled to be joining forces with the fine folks at The River Reporter, but the very nature of my work dictates that I scour the countryside seeking out all things arts and entertainment, which allows me the opportunity to experience the myriad of galleries, theaters and out-of-the-way gems that the Upper Delaware River Valley and surrounding areas have to offer our communities. (Lucky? You bet!)

This week I had the great good fortune to attend the Forestburgh Playhouse and its sparkling production of “Les Miserables.” Under the masterful direction of Ron Nash, with equally flawless musical direction and choreography by David Jenkins Jr. and Richard Amelius (respectively), the production soared beyond my wildest expectations. In my (humble) opinion, “Les Miz” is a very difficult show to pull off.

The entire show is sung and the subject matter (the French Revolution) is not light fare or for the faint of heart. There is sorrow, war, death and redemption to be dealt with and Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg have created a master work based on the novel by Victor Hugo.

Producer Norman Duttweiler has managed to put together an amazingly talented cast of performers (both on and off stage) and the show literally (and deservedly) lifted the audience out of their seats with tremendous enthusiastic response.

Dan Petrotta (as Jean Valjean) and Jay Pierce (as Javert) commanded the stage with their considerable acting and singing prowess and were aided by a theater chock-full of equally talented and committed performances.

Bronwyn Stayoch (as Fantine), Mia Gentile (as Cosette) and Kate Schwartz (as Eponine) were beyond outstanding as they sang the living daylights out of this incredibly difficult score.

The two-act tear jerker guides the audience through the war-torn ravages of the revolution, replete with children ripped from the arms of their families and evil villains (the gifted Richard Amelius and Jennifer Harrison).

The overall sense of sadness, struggle and sorrow for the downtrodden masses portrayed by the amazing and colorful supporting cast of sailors, whores, army officers, beggars and assorted townsfolk is so well crafted that it is difficult to find fault anywhere in this production.

The amazing score is riddled with haunting and (sometimes) uplifting numbers, such as “Who Am I?,” “Look Down,” “Master Of The House” and one of the show’s signature songs, “On My Own.” The success of a venture such as this can only be accomplished by a full ensemble of truly gifted singers and actors.

I only wish I could devote even more space here to enthuse about this production. Costumes, set design, lighting and musicians all contributed to a fantastic evening of a class act and I highly recommend trying to nab a few tickets before the end of the run, which continues through July 19th.

On Saturday, July 11, the North American Cultural Laboratory (NACL) held a benefit/fundraiser at their fabulous space in Highland Lake, NY to augment the loss of 100 percent of their state funding due to across-the-board budget cuts for the arts this year.

Artistic directors Brad Krumholz and Tannis Kowalchuk presented an evening of dining (provided by Greg Swartz’s incredible Willow Wisp Organic Farm in Abrahamsville, PA) and entertainment (superb bluegrass stylings and country music by Dock Oscar and the Ambassadors of Love, and Alex Battles and the Whiskey Rebellion).

Despite the inclement weather, in a testament to the tremendous support of NACL by our communities, the turnout was amazing. The food, music, dancing and overall sense of joy was palpable as folks flocked into the space to enjoy (and support) more of our local talent and creative endeavors that the Catskills has to offer.

NACL continues to present innovative, ensemble-based original performances, professional training opportunities, artist residencies and theater events (including instruction for children) at their year-round theater and arts center in Highland Lake.

While supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Sullivan County Arts and Heritage, along with other foundations and hundreds of individual supporters, NACL, like scores of other creative outlets, have suffered funding cuts across the board and are in need of more support than ever before to continue the contribution they make to our world.

While some may not have been able to attend this outstanding fundraiser, it is never too late to contribute and become a part of the solution, thus ensuring many more years of exposure to the Arts and Entertainment that NACL (and so many other deserving organizations) are able to provide.

For more information on the Willow Wisp Organic Farm call 570/224-8013. For more information about NACL performances and events (and how you can support the theater and its ongoing projects) visit www.nacl.org or call 845/557-0694.

My intent is that in the coming weeks and months I will be able to share more information (and my humble opinion) regarding all the marvelous events, openings, galleries and shows that play such an important role in making our region magical and special.

There is so much to see and do here in the country that I hope I never run out of space encouraging our readers to go out, see, participate and revel in the abundance of culture that encompasses this beautiful landscape we call home. Go. See. Do. And by all means, let me know what you think!