Nicholas Pontolillo - Page 3

Originally founded in 1995, the Cultural Arts Playhouse, or CAP, has housed over 500 productions, established a highly successful acting school for Long Island Youth and formed a Youth Theater program.

If you have not heard about The Studio Theater in Lindenhurst, NY, then you must check it out; it truly is a hidden gem.

Based on the 2006 indie hit film, Once tells the captivating love story about Irish musician Guy and Czech immigrant Girl and how they are drawn to each other based on their shared love for music. From the moment Guy and Girl meet, the audience is enraptured by their chemistry and wait at the edge of their seats, gasping for air, watching how the next scene will either result in a stepping stone or a set back for their relationship.

Who would've thought serious topics like rape, dismemberment and molestation could be met with humor? All of these horrific acts occur in the hysterically angry Betty's Summer Vacation by Christopher Durang. The play begins with the arrival of Betty and Trudy arriving at their summer timeshare hoping for a relaxing summer. Tranquility soon ends when Betty realizes that she will be spending her summer with the hyper energetic Trudy who breaks her promise of limiting her talking, Keith, a bi-sexual serial killer who hides body parts in hat boxes, Mrs. Seizmagraff, the landlady of the time share who is also Trudy's mother and is jealous of her own daughter due to her serial molester husband, Buck an extremely horny frat-jock, and Mr. Vanislaw, a flasher. In addition to this dynamic cast of characters is a mysterious laugh track that emits from an unknown source within the time share and serves as the play's Greek chorus.

There is nothing like the resonating echo of instruments tuning on a stage. For me, this sound is a perfect indicator that a fantastic evening is about to occur. This definitely was the case Sunday night at the Tilles Center when I saw A Broadway Romance Starring Tony Award nominees Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana. The evening was emceed by Ted Sperling, who is beginning a new initiative at the Tilles Center by bringing memorable Broadway themed events to the venue. Ted Sperling is a Tony Award winning orchestrator for the brilliant show The Light in the Piazza and is currently represented on Broadway by the current Tony-nominated revival of Fiddler on the Roof. The music of the magical evening was performed by the Orchestra of St. Luke's under the direction of Mr. Sperling.