The latest star to sign up for the Levitt Pavilion’s “Stars on Tour” series is Robert Cray.
The 5-time Grammy winner — whose American roots music has won him fans at concert halls, arenas and festivals around the world — plays Westport on Saturday, September 10 (8 p.m.).
Tickets are on pre-sale now for members. They’re available to the public on Monday (June 27, noon). Click here for details.
On a day when she was mourning the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision — and the polarization it has unleased across the country — Lynn Untermeyer Miller found this little bit of hope, in the garden near the Gillespie Center.
“You never know where you’ll find a little kindness,” she says.
It’s been nearly a week since a Maserati was sideswiped on Hillspoint Road, between Schlaet’s Point and Old Mill Beach.
The damaged vehicle is not going anywhere. It doesn’t have to. It has a beach sticker, so it’s legally parked (if a couple of yards beyond the “No Parking” sign).
But other vehicles are going somewhere: around it.
Bike rider Jerry Kuyper knows how dangerous that curve is. He snapped a few photos.
(Photos/Jerry Kuyper)
Seems like every car has to cross the double yellow line to avoid the Maserati.
Posted onJune 26, 2022|Comments Off on Jean Louisa Kelly: “Anything Can Happen”
“Anything can happen,” Jean Louisa Kelly says.
And in her life, just about anything has.
Soloing in her 2nd grade Christmas play in a Worcester suburb ignited an interest in performing. She took ballet, tap, jazz dance and voice lessons. A teacher encouraged her to audition for “Annie,” at Rhode Island’s Theater by the Sea.
At 11 years old, she landed the role.
The next summer, she was Annie at the Candlewood Playhouse. Regional theater followed; then came a New York talent competition, an agent, and a role in the original 1987 Broadway production of “Into the Woods.” Her movie debut followed 2 years later, as Tia in “Uncle Buck.”
Jean Louisa Kelly, in “Annie” …
After Columbia University, Kelly’s career continued to flourish, with “Mr. Holland’s Opus.”
… and as Rowena Morgan in “Mr. Holland’s Opus” …
She met Jimmy Pitaro right after college. They married; she was booked for a new NBC series, “Cold Feet,” to be filmed in Vancouver.
They sold their New York apartment. Pitaro quit his law firm. They moved to Canada, where she filmed 8 episodes. Four were shown; suddenly, it was canceled.
Kelly and Pitaro drove south, and settled in Los Angeles. He got a job with a start-up; she got a job with CBS. For 6 years, she played Kim on “Yes, Dear.”
… and Kim Warner in “Yes, Dear.”
After their first child was born, Kelly pulled back a bit from acting. Pitaro’s career — he was now at Disney — took off.
In March of 2018, Pitaro was named chairman of ESPN. She wrapped up shooting for “Top Gun: Maverick.” Then the family — including their kids Sean and Josy — moved east.
They’d been intrigued by Westport for years, ever since visiting a college friend of Kelly’s here. The location — midway between ESPN’s Bristol, Connecticut headquarters and its New York City office — made it a perfect choice.
They’ve loved Westport. After a bit of adjustment, their children thrived. Sean makes music, boxes with Rich Dean and works out with Lynroy Henry; Josy performs with Staples Players, and works with Cynthia Gibb’s Triple Threat Academy.
Kelly — who learned to audition from home during COVID, and landed roles in “Call of the Wild” and “Malignant” — began thinking of returning to the stage.
“I was living in the same town as Kelli O’Hara!” she laughs. “So it was time to go back to class.”
Jean Louisa Kelly
She studied in New York with Richard Sabellico — the man who had directed her in “Annie” at 11 years old. He encouraged her to create her own show.
She did. And on Saturday, July 9 she’ll debut “Anything Can Happen” — the title comes from that quote about her life — at Norwalk’s Music Theater of Connecticut. It’s a musical look at her life, and it promises to be great.
Encouraged by her screenwriter friend Gigi New, and with tweaks after a small March performance, Kelly has crafted an intriguing and inspirational look at her theatrical life.
Her musical director and pianist is Weston’s Emmy and Grammy-winning Paul Bogaev. His film credits include “Chicago,” “Nine,” “Dreamgirls,” “Across the Universe,” “Mulan” and “The Lion King”; he’s worked on Broadway shows like “Aida,” “Tarzan,” Sunset Boulevard” and “Les Miserables,” and TV productions of “Cinderella,” “South Pacific” — and “Annie.”
Kelly is no slouch as a musician herself. She’s released 2 EPs of original songs, one of standards, and a children’s album.
Anything can happen. For Jean Louisa Kelly, on July 9 everything will.
(Click here for tickets to the 8 p.m. performance on July 9 of “Anything Can Happen.”)
(“06880” is supported solely by readers. Click here to help!)
Comments Off on Jean Louisa Kelly: “Anything Can Happen”
Posted onJune 25, 2022|Comments Off on Pic Of The Day #1895
In a shaded entryway just off Riverside Avenue, Staples High School graduates — and former orchestra mates — Danielle Merlis and Lucas de Valdivia set up their music stands and cellos today.
They greeted guests at the photography exhibition by Michael Chait and Michael Tomashefsky at Chait’s studio.
It’s a great exhibit of Westport scenes — and it continues tomorrow (Sunday), from 1 to 4 p.m. (11 Riverside Avenue, 2nd floor).
Tomorrow’s reproductive rights “Rally Against Regression” includes a high-profile speaker: Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. The event begins at 11 a.m. Sunday, at the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.
Last month — in anticipation of yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling outlawing Roe v. Wade — Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed a bill protecting medical providers, and patients seeking abortion care here who travel from states that outlaw it. The legislation — the first in the US — expands abortion access in the state, by expanding the practitioners eligible to perform certain types of care.
Cavalry Road residents were up in arms recently. The long-running bridge replacement ended with a surprise: industrial-looking guardrails and a chain link fence suddenly appeared. Neighbors claimed they had not seen those in any previous plans. They appealed to officials in both Westport and Weston.
Late yesterday, Weston town administrator Jonathan Luiz said:
“The new bridge is open to traffic!
“We understand that Westport and Weston residents have concerns about the bridge. Staffs from both Weston and Westport have collated the concerns that were communicated to us in person, via email and by phone. The list was shared with the project engineer/designer who has already begun to examine each of the issues.
“At the advice of the Weston Police Chief and the Westport Police Chief, the Weston Public Works staff has performed stop sign related work near the bridge. Specifically, they have reset stop signs, repainted white stop bars on the ground, and cut back vegetation near a particular stop sign. A speed monitoring sign has also been placed near the bridge by Westport Police.
“Weston invites the public to attend a virtual meeting on Wednesday, July 6 at 7:30 p.m. for the purpose of discussing the concerns that have been raised to date. The Weston First Selectwoman, Weston Town Administrator, Westport staff, and the project engineer/designer will be in attendance. The meeting will be held via Zoom. To join via internet, use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84296566039 To join via phone, dial: 646-558- 8656. The Webinar ID is 842 9656 6039.”
That’s a start, for sure. But I don’t see any reference to “guardrails” or a chain link fence anywhere in the Weston town administrator’s response.
As yesterday’s “06880” noted, Chris Bousquet’s “Gloria” — an ode to Alan Sterling’s oyster boat — is the theme song for a CPTV/PBS documentary about oystering in Connecticut.
The film airs just as the craft is in its final stages of disintegration. Gloria has floated — and broken apart — in Gray’s Creek, ever since owner Alan Sterling’s death nearly 8 years ago.
Bruce McFadden regularly paddles past. The other day, he snapped this sad — and perhaps final — shot:
Wafu is technically just over the town line, in Southport. But the Post Road restaurant has many Westport fans. They’re drawn by — as its website says – “the warmth of our hospitality and our pride in offering you an elegant combination of traditional Asian recipes and innovative sophisticated dishes.”
But it just got tougher to order a sake or Kirin with your meal.
Its liquor license has been suspended by the state Consumer Protection Commission. The action came after a “brawl” there last Sunday. At least 10 shots were fired, and one person was hit.
That was not an isolated instance. The day before, a patron was assaulted there. In March, 10 minors were served alcohol. A couple of weeks before that, the fire marshal closed Wafu, due to overcrowding. And in February a bouncer allegedly pepper-sprayed 6 guests.
The 1980 classic — starring our much loved (seriously!) late neighbor Rodney Dangerfield — screens at 8:30 p.m. Monday (June 27); gates open for tailgating at 7:30. Click here for tickets.
Fore!
=================================================
This stunning Northern catalpa sits at the entrance to Marion Road, off the Post Road near Norwalk. It’s a great way to celebrate “Westport … Naturally.”
Jessie McEntee does not become Westport’s poet laureate until July 1.
But in the wake of yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling that declared Roe v. Wade to be unconstitutional, she offered these thoughts:
Dear Westport neighbors:
This is admittedly a cringe-y and self-serving way of introducing myself. But as the poet laureate-appointee, I want to share a poem I wrote a few years back from my chapbook, a response to #MeToo.
Poet laureate-designee Jessica Noyes McIntee.
It might offend you if, say, you’re a rah rah handsy sexual harasser. If you’re anti-rah rah handsy sexual harasser, but you popped a bottle of Champagne at Friday’s news, you might read it as a way of saying, HANDS OFF, INDIVIDUAL HANDSY SEXUAL HARASSER.
If you’re anti-rah rah handsy sexual harasser AND you declined to pop a bottle of Champagne at Friday’s news, you might — just might — read it as a way of saying, HANDS OFF MY BODY on a larger scale. I leave it to your interpretation.
In Defense of Vulnerable Men
Temptresses;
hips spangled with store-bought stars,
lashes blackened with clarified soot,
and rows of roses planted upon our cheeks.
we sweep our lids with patches
yanked from clouds and seas.
Look at us —
how we ask for it
as we loll about in public parks,
midday, airing our breasts, necks —
in full view — all while saying,
Oh, no, we only want
attention from the summer’s sun.
(Does the town butcher ever declare,
I’d prefer not to
sell that pink ground chuck
I just put out on display,
bound in shimmering cellophane?)
We’re ubiquitous, diffuse —
we besmirch your efforts to stay pure
for the respectable women you keep on retainer.
You escape to church;
we become the frothing thuribles that circle about,
then the incense that swells the air,
all while we remain remote.
You’re the victims, here,
when you consider such provocations.
Why, when you think of how we tattoo ourselves
with secret codes
slipped into ankles, lower backs, divots —
aren’t those implicit dares
to come hither —
and, (please!) offer us
the favor of your closest translation?
Your Power dismantled,
your delicate manhood muddled —
you insist upon it:
we must be braille.
Fingers splayed, you lean in
to prove it.
Summer is here. Time for students with a bit more time on their hands to get creative.
All readers are invited to contribute to our online art gallery. Age, level of experience, subject matter — there are no restrictions.
All genres are encouraged. Watercolors, oils, charcoal, pen-and-ink, acrylics, lithographs, macramé, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage and (yes) needlepoint — whatever you’ve got, email it to 06880blog@gmail.com. Share your work with the world!
“Aye Aye Aye” (Mike Hibbard)
“Sailboat Painting With Red and Yellow” (Peter Barlow)
When COVID hit and most kids went stir crazy, a few Bedford Middle School students went (socially distanced) fishing.
With YouTube videos, Google Earth and language arts teacher/avid fisherman Steve Rexford as guides, the 8th graders learned all they could about many kinds of fishing. Fly, saltwater, freshwater, night, ice fishing — they did it all.
At a private pond in Norwalk, they met Stamford firefighter Dave Bocchetta. Rather than kicking them out, he became their mentor.
To enter, they formed Staples’ first bass fishing team.
(From left): Dave Bocchetta, Josh Ginsburg, Preston Siroka and friends.
Throughout the spring, Josh Ginsburg and Preston Siroka have gotten up on Saturday mornings at — are you sitting down? — 4 a.m. They meet Dave, and competed in tournaments.
After the first 3 meets, Staples is in 7th place, out of 19 teams. Not bad for a bunch of rookies.
Also not bad: their name.
Josh and Preston call themselves the Wranglers — a combination of “Wreckers” and “anglers.”
With that persistence and creativity, this group will go places.
Like, wherever the bass are biting.
(“06880” is supported completely by readers. Please click here to help!)
Ukraine’s flag flies proudly on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge today. Westport’s annual jUNe Day celebration is set for tomorrow (Saturday). (Photo/Amy Schneider)
In the wake of today’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, local reproductive rights activists organized.
DefenDemocracy of CT announced a “Rally Against Regression” for this Sunday (June 26). It’s set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge over the Post Road in downtown Westport.
As beach season begins — and the newly retro-named Old Mill Grocery prepares to reopen — it’s time to look at Old Mill Beach, back in the day.
Seth Schachter sent a fascinating postcard, from his vast collection. Click on or hover over to enlarge:
There is so much to see here: the meadow (foreground), where homes now stand.
The channel (now filled in) that runs from Sherwood Mill Pond toward a pair of homes (or sheds?), long ago demolished or destroyed by storms.
Old Mill Beach itself — back then, just rocks or grass.
The handsome stand of trees.
The narrow strip of land on the north side of Old Mill Road. Were the houses there now built on landfill?
I wonder too who took this “bird’s-eye view” — and how? Was it from Compo Hill, or a low-flying airplane?
So much has changed at Old Mill in the century or so since this photo was taken. But from the pedestrian bridge and the “grist mill” house , on out to Compo Cove, the scene seems timeless.
(If you like our “Friday Flashback” feature, please click here to support “06880.”)
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
GET THE “06880” APP
The “06880” app (search for it on the Apple or Android store) is the easiest way to get “06880.” Choose notifications: whenever a new post is published, or once or twice a day. Click here for details.
