Tag Archives: Doug Tirola

Roundup: Ned Dimes Marina, Sherwood Island Lane, Natural Disasters …

The fuel dock at Ned Dimes Marina is gone!

A new (and temporary) look for the Ned Dimes Marina. (Photo/Ron Poserina Jr.)

It was removed — temporarily — as part of a project to replace the piers, wood dock and deck at the office and clubhouse.

The Parks & Recreation Department reports that, due to extreme winter conditions that impacted water and electrical service on the docks (as well as South Beach bathroom facilities), water service to the docks at Ned Dimes Marina will be restored by late May.

Electrical service will be delayed until sometime in June. Officials are working on a solution for boaters to be able to charge batteries starting in June, most likely on a temporary generator supply to the individual docks.

South Beach bathroom facilities cannot be opened until the project is done. completion. Temporary  facilities will remain until the restrooms are opened.

Meanwhile, also over on South Beach, Parks & Rec is installing power. It will be used for special events like LobsterFest.

Security cameras may be added too.

Electrical trench on South Beach. (Photo/Dorothy Robertshaw)

Parks & Rec also notes issues with navigational aids at the entrance to the Saugatuck River channel.

Can 5 and Nun 6 are missing. Nun 8 and Can 9 are significantly off station. The Coast Guard has been notified, and will replace them as soon as possible.

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One of the most interesting properties in Westport is on the market.

And it’s the first time for it, in 65 years.

4 Sherwood Island Lane is a 7-bedroom, 6 1/2-bathroom, 6,215-square foot home — on a 20.85 acre lot.

You don’t see that very often these days.

4 Sherwood Island Lane

Located off the Sherwood Island Connector, south of I-95 on the way to Sherwood Island State Park, it’s been owned by the same family for nearly 7 decades.

There are no immediate neighbors — but plenty of birdlife and other nature.

The property includes 2 1940s 3-bedroom guesthouses with water views — plus a tennis court, indoor pool, pool house and formal gardens.

It’s listed for $15 million. Click here for more details, or to purchase. (Hat tip: David Loffredo).

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It’s important to plan for natural disasters.

It’s even more important to plan correctly.

The Western Connecticut Council of Governments is doing “resilience planning,” to inform hazard plans.

Efforts will lead to mitigation that can reduce loss of property and life due to floods, severe wind, winter storms, wildfires, droughts, extreme heat and earthquakes.

Residents can click here to take a 2-minute, 5-question online survey.

Damage from Hurricane Isaias on Grove Point Road. (Photo/John Kantor)

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A large crowd filled Clarendon Fine Art Thursday night, for a reception with Mr. Brainwash.

The French-born, Los Angeles based artist earned international prominence through the Bansky film “Exit Through the Gift Shop.”

The current exhibition reimagines Van Gogh’s most recognizable motifs through his signature fusion of street art, vibrant color, mixed media and layered cultural references

The show runs through May 3. For more information, click here.

Mr. Brainwash, with one of his works. (Photo/John Videler for Videler Photography)

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As summer arrives, Fleet Feet is racing ahead.

On the local running store’s calendar:

  • Apex Performance Runner’s Workshop (April 27, 5 p.m.): New client specials and custom footwear fittings.
  • Moms Who Move (May 6, 5 to 6:30 p.m.): Women-focused movement workshop
  • Kane Summer Launch x Beastie Burger (May 11, 5 to 6:30 p.m.): Try on new Kane footwear; bites from Beastie Burger

Upcoming races include:

  • Minute Man: April 26
  • Breast Cancer Alliance 5k for Hope: May 3
  • Weston Memorial Day 5: May 23
  • Savin Rock Waves of Hope 5k: May 23
  • Athletic Brewing Road Races: June 6-7

Click here for details. (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)

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Congratulations to Staples High School’s We the People team.

Suzanne Kammerman’s class recently returned from national competition in Washington, where one group won the “Unit 4” award.

The competition is a congressional mock trial hearing.  Students showed mastery of different parts of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, American history and the 3 branches of government. government. Participants are judged on their ability to understand, apply, and reasoning.

Unit 4 winners include Chloe Beitel, Mehmet Madigan, Lauren Potter and Leo Viner. All are juniors.


Staples’ We the People team, at the US Capitol.

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Congratulations too to Adelia Purcell!

The 2023 Staples High School graduate has just been selected as a Truman Scholar.

The College of William & Mary junior is one of 55 students nationally to receive the prestigious scholarship for aspiring public service leaders. Nearly 800 candidates were nominated.

Truman Scholars demonstrate “outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence.” Scholars receive funding for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and internship and fellowship opportunities in the federal government.

Adelia Purcell

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Bloodroot is gone.

But the beloved vegan/feminist Black Rock restaurant — co-founded 49 years ago by Westporter Selma Miriam, which closed in December — can live on.

In your home.

Some great items remain, in their online auction. Among them: tables, china, glassware, framed menus, feminist books and signed cookbooks and sculpture.

The entire library — of feminist and political hard and softcover books — is being sold as one lot, too.

The online auction ends in 4 days. Click here to see, and bid. (Hat tip: Carol Waxman)

Buy the Bloodroot library.

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“Bernstein’s Wall” — Westport filmmaker Doug Tirola and producer Susan Bedusa’s documentary about Leonard Bernstein, using TV interviews, news footage, home movies, audio clips and personal letters, to explore the legendary artist’s views on freedom, politics, creativity and more — had its US theatrical premiere yesterday, at New York’s Film Forum.

Click here for the New York Times’ review.

Leonard Bernstein

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Two memorial services are set for Janet Filling. The longtime Westport American Red Cross director, who also held important Red Cross posts at the state and national levels, died in February at 91.

A memorial mass will be held on June 1 (10 a.m., Fairfield University’s Egan Chapel). There will be informal reception afterward.

A celebration of life is slated for June 14 (2 p.m., Westport Library). The public is invited to both. Focusing on Janet’s deep roots and relationships in Westport, it is a time to share memories, stories and photos. Anyone wishing to speak, send a photo, or offer words though unable to attend, should email Janet’s son Greg: gfilling@gmail.com.

Janet Filling

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David Ohman is a native Californian. But he lived in Westport from 1992-98. He loved those years, and still considers it his “adopted home town.”

A photographer (some of whose images were featured on “06880” last month), he is a fan of Frames Magazine, an exquisitely printed London quarterly.

Recently, Frames interviewed him. He discussed portraiture, photojournalism, working with light on location, trusting spontaneity, and staying open to unexpected moments that seem to appear only for those who are truly paying attention.

After decades of making pictures, meeting people, telling stories, and navigating the transition from film to digital, Ohman still speaks about the camera with curiosity, gratitude and excitement.

Click here or below, for a fascinating and educational half hour.

PS: If you or a family member had portraits taken by Ohman in the 1990s, “06880” may have beautiful prints of your session. Email 06880blog@gmail.com with the name of the subject. We’ll check through the files that he very generously sent!

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And now, the first 2026 “Westport … Naturally” appearance for an Eastern tiger swallowtail:

(Photo/Bob Liftig)

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And finally … on this date in 1915, the Battle of Gallipoli began. One of the longest and bloodiest campaigns of World War I, it is a defining moment in Turkey’s history. It is also considered the beginning of Australian and New Zealand national consciousness. Today is Anzac Day, a national commemoration in both countries.

(Sure, it’s Saturday. But neither the Roundup nor “06880” takes weekends off. If  you appreciate our 24/7/365 coverage of all things Westport, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

Remarkable Theater Partners With Westport

Who supports the Remarkable Theater?

Just about every non-profit organization in Westport. Plus lots of religious and educational institutions. Even the Dog Festival.

As it enters its 3rd season as a premier provider of local entertainment, the theater has doubled down on a key goal: to bring people together through films, highlighting inclusion.

They do that already, providing employment for people with disabilities.

The Remarkable Theater brings Westport together.

Board members Stacie Curran, Douglas Tirola, David Waldman and Angela Wormser say of their local partnerships: “We are humbled to work with so many passionate, hard working and dedicated people who just try to do good, and make our community and the world a better place.

“We hope working together with this diverse group of organizations, which includes their individual staff members, supporters, volunteers, employees and patrons. will symbolize how cinema can bring people together as we continue to move forward with our goal of having a first-run art house theater in downtown Westport.”

The list of partners is below. The Remarkable Theater says: “If you are part of an organization or group that would like to work with us this season, or would like to know more, please email info@remarkabletheater.org.”

  • AAPI Westport
  • Aspetuck Land Trust
  • The Artists Collective of Westport
  • Catch-A-Lift
  • Coleytown Elementary School
  • CLASP Homes
  • Drew Friedman Community Arts Center
  • Exchange Club from Westport
  • Greens Farms Church
  • Greens Farms Elementary School
  • League of Women Voters Westport
  • National Charity League
  • Near & Far Aid
  • Sacred Heart University
  • Saugatuck Elementary School
  • Staples High School Service League of Boys
  • Sustainable Westport
  • TEAM Westport
  • Toquet Hall
  • Westport Center for Senior Activities
  • Westport Dog Festival
  • Westport Farmers’ Market
  • Westport Fire Department
  • Westport Police Department
  • Westport Pride
  • Westport Public Library
  • Westport Little League
  • Westport Museum for History & Culture
  • Westport Rotary Club
  • Westport Sunrise Rotary
  • Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce
  • Westport Woman’s Club
  • Westport Veterans of Foreign Wars
  • Westport Youth Commission

Roundup: Leonard Bernstein, Yappy Hour, Kids Talking …

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The TriBeca Film Festival is back. This year, it’s very New York-centric.

Among the films: “Bernstein’s Wall.”

The Tribeca website describes the world premiere of the film directed by Westporter Douglas Tirola (4thRow Films; co-founder, Westport’s Remarkable Theater):

In this enlightening look at one of the greatest classical music figures of the 20th century, director Douglas Tirola mines a rich trove of interviews, television appearances, home movie footage, photos, letters to craft a comprehensive look at Leonard Bernstein, whose passion and drive took him well beyond the marvelous music he wrote and conducted.

Spanning the breadth of a life interwoven with key historic moments outside the concert hall, Bernstein’s Wall follows the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant who arrives in New York from his Boston hometown to eventually become conductor of the New York Philharmonic, and becomes a household name thanks to his numerous TV appearances, educating the public on all things symphonic, West Side Story, being seen with celebrities and politicians, and his crossing-the-line activism, from protesting the Vietnam War to (controversially) supporting the Black Panthers.

Tirola incorporates Bernstein’s personal life — his fraught relationship with his father, his marriage, his family life, his struggles to be at peace with his sexuality — to paint a complex portrait of a complex, driven individual who produced some of the most memorable music of his time as a product of those times.

(“Bernstein’s Wall” is available for streaming from June 15-23. Click here for details. Hat tip: Kerry Long)

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Yesterday’s Yappy Hour at MoCA Westport was paws-itively cool.

The arts center hosted plenty of dogs (and their owners) on its expansive Newtown Turnpike lawn. Food was collected for PAWS and Westport Animal Shelter Advocates.

Missed yesterday? Doggone it! The next one is July 1.

Yappy Hour at MoCA Westport! The next one will be held on Thursday, July 1.

Yappy hour, yesterday at MoCA Westport.

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Just in time for the end of the spring sports season: Westport Rotary Club and the Westport Soccer Association are collecting used soccer uniforms, clothing, shoes, shin guards, balls and other equipment.

They’ll ship it all to Nicaragua. Rotary already works there with NicaPhoteo, a non-profit that helps communities.

The soccer equipment is much needed. Soft backpack bags, old balls, socks, jerseys and shirts — it will all go to good use.

The drop-off location is 5 Sugar Maple Lane, Westport (off Whitney Street). There’s a box on the front porch. Please wash clothing items first!

Questions? Email registrar@westportsoccer.org.

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More than 30 years ago, kids were talking.

Dr. Donald Cohen’s nationally televised show — in which, well, kids talked (about everything in their lives) is being relaunched. Fittingly for a new century, it’s a livestream, on YouTube, Facebook and Twitch.

The first episode of the relaunch is tonight (Thursday, June 10), at 7 p.m. The topic is body image and eating disorders. Teenage guests come from Westport — and around the country.

“Kids Are Talking” started in 1990 at Fairfield University. It became a national radio call-in show on WICC, simulcast on Cablevision. In the late ’90s it found a home on WWPT-FM, broadcast from Toquet Hall.

“Kids Are Talking” and its host, Cohen, have been featured on “The CBS Morning Show”  and ABC-TV, as well as in the New York Times.

For more information, click here.

A retro poster.

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Traffic is up. Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the Westport Police Department was on the lookout for people not wearing seatbelts.

The campaign — part of the state Department of Transportation’s “Click it or Ticket” campaign — yielded only 6 tickets.

Police call Westport compliance rate “remarkably high.” But until it’s 100%, they’ll stick be looking for infractions.

And don’t forget: After clicking your seatbelt, don’t look at your phone!

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TAP Strength Lab is the latest business to join the “Summer of Pride” promotion.

The downtown personalized fitness coaching, therapy, nutrition and preventative health center will donate 10% of the first month of membership (for new members who sign up now through August) to Westport Pride. Mention the code “Summer of Love.”

Oh, yeah: They’ve got a special Pride logo for this month too.

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Questions, concerns or just thoughts about Norwalk Hospital?

The local institution hosts an online “Community Update” (June 29, 5:30 to 7 p.m.).

President Peter Cordeau will discuss the latest hospital developments. an independent monitor will report on its review of compliance.

A Q-and-A session follows the presentation. Submit questions in advance by emailing (norwalkhospital.communityrelations@nuvancehealth.org), or call 203-852-2250. Click here for instructions on joining the virtual meeting.

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An osprey and a chick are today’s gorgeous “Westport … Naturally” subjects.

(Photo/Franco Fellah)

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Patricia Rogers Suda, died peacefully at home on May 24, surrounded by her loving family after a courageous fight against cancer. She was 69.

Born in New Haven, her family moved to Westport in 1959. She graduated in 1970 from Staples High, where she met and married the love of her life, Mark R. Suda.

Patti and Mark moved to Norwalk. They were married for nearly 50 years, before he passed in 2020.

Survivors include sons, Mark Suda Jr. (Michelle) and Joseph Suda (Amy); grandchildren Skyler, Madyson, Samantha and Joseph Jr.; brothers Bill, Paul and John Rogers; sister Janet Aitoro, and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Patti loved watching her sons in their sports. From Cranbury League baseball and Pop Warner football, to high school baseball and football, she was there. She also enjoyed watching her grandkids in softball, baseball, gymnastics, soccer and hockey.

Patti retired in December 2017 as a bookkeeper after 32 years, to spend time with her family.

Her words to all family and friends are, “Live life to the fullest, with love and respect to others, because you never know what tomorrow brings.”

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Whittingham Cancer Center,  in memory of Patti.

Patti Suda

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And finally … Happy Kamehameha Day! The state holiday (one state only!) honors the monarch who first established the unified Kingdom of Hawai’i.

 

It’s Remarkable: Theater Plans Return Engagement

A remarkable thing happened last year.

In the midst of a grim pandemic, a group of Westporters had a cool (and crazy) idea: a drive-in theater.

They got permission. They got the screen. They got going.

The original permit was for 4 shows. The project was a smash. The Remarkable Theater ended the season with 51 screenings.

Beyond movies, the Imperial Avenue parking lot was the site for nearly 2 dozen special events: fundraisers for non-profits, Supper & Soul concerts, and the showing of a Staples High School boys soccer game.

The Remarkable Theater was a pop-up hit last summer.

This Thursday (April 8), the Remarkable Theater returns for its 2nd year.

That’s not really remarkable. In just a few months, the drive-in became a cherished Westport tradition.

Thursday’s movie is “Vacation.” It’s followed on Friday (April 9) by “Ratatouille,” and Saturday by “When Harry Met Sally.”

Tuesday (April 13) brings “Minari,” a new release about a Korean-American family that moves to Arkansas in search of the American dream. It’s preceded by a 5-minute video, produced by Remarkable, in which Westport Asian-Americans discuss recent hate crimes.

Those 4 films are just sneak previews –“like spring training in baseball, or a restaurant soft opening,” says Remarkable artistic director Doug Tirola.

Official opening night (Thursday, April 15) kicks off with “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” featuring beloved Westporter Paul Newman. Upcoming films will be announced April 14.

The big screen returns soon. (Drone photo/John Videler for Videler Photography)

The 2021 season runs through Halloween. It will be remarkable in many ways. Low-key — but very important — is the theater’s mission of hiring people with disabilities. In fact, they’re the only paid employees. It’s a win-win-win: for them, the theater, and Westport. (For information on employent, email jenny@remarkabletheater.org.)

Movies begin at 7:30 p.m. The lot opens for tailgating at 6:30. There is no concession stand, so Tirola suggests picking up food from local restaurants or markets.

Tickets are $50 per car. Click here to purchase (they go fast!).

Don’t forget lawn chairs, so you can sit — socially distanced and masked — at this remarkable Westport venue.

BONUS REEL 1: The Remarkable Theater needs volunteers to help with check-in and parking. Families, friend groups, organizations, sports teams — all are welcome. You can watch the movie for free — and your name is on the screen. To help, email info@remarkabletheater.org. 

BONUS REEL 2: The Remarkable Theater is always looking for interns. This year they’ll help produce the short content that’s shown before every movie. Interested? email remarkable@4throwfilms.com.

BONUS REEL 3: The non-profit theater relies on ticket sales and donations. More funding is needed to make this year a reality. If you give $5,000 or more, your name will appear on the screen before every movie. To contribute, click here. Or donate via Venmo: @BeRemarkable.

BONUS REEL 4Click below, for an actual “reel”: the trailer for the Remarkable Theater’s 2021 season. It’s a minute of pure fun!

Westport Playhouse Stage Meets Remarkable Theater Screen

The Westport Country Playhouse has a historic stage. The Remarkable Theater has a big screen.

Stage and screen meet on Saturday, October 17. “Playhouse at the Drive-in” celebrates the WCP’s 90-season history with a benefit event, and a screening of special filmed performances and a documentary.

It’s also available to view online, at home.

The Westport Country Playhouse honors its history … (Photo/Wells Studio)

The short-form documentary salutes the Playhouse’s history, and many of the artists who have appeared onstage. It was created specially for this event, by Playhouse artistic director Mark Lamos and Westport filmmaker Douglas Tirola. He’s the brains behind the Remarkable Theater. In his teens, he worked as a Playhouse “beautifier.”

The evening includes filmed performances by Playhouse alumni Kate Baldwin, Britney Coleman, Tina Fabrique, the Naughton family (James, Greg, Keira and Kelli O’Hara), Brenda Pressley, Amanda Robles, with a special performance by André De Shields.

Also appearing on film: Jane Alexander, Lissy Newman, Christopher Plummer, Stephen Sondheim, Richard Thomas, and more.

“Playhouse at the Drive-In” takes the place of the annual fall gala fundraiser. On-site benefit tickets start at $500 per car (maximum 5 people). Online film screening from home is just $25.

Gates open at the Remarkable Theater (Imperial Avenue parkin lot) at 5 p.m., for a cocktail hour and picnic dinner. The live and online screening begins at 6:30.

… at an old-fashioned drive-in.

Unsung Heroes #154

We lost the Levitt Pavilion this summer. The Westport Country Playhouse is dark. The movie theaters moved out before the millennium.

But — in the midst of a pandemic that caused the removal of even barbecue grills and picnic tables from Compo Beach — there’s still a bit of fun to be had.

The Remarkable Theater has ridden to Westport’s entertainment rescue. For the past few weeks — and continuing through August — the low-key organization has provided a passel of pop-up fun.

With a screen at the Imperial Avenue parking lot, and a great selection of movies — “Caddyshack,” “Scream,” Do the Right Thing” — they’ve salvaged our summer.

Drive-in movies, courtesy of the Remarkable Theater.

They’ve lent their expertise to others. This Friday’s cabaret — organized by recent Staples High School graduates — is a great example of how, in just a few weeks, they’ve embedded themselves into our community.

And here’s the best part: The Remarkable Theater offers plenty of employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It’s a win-win for everyone.

The website says: “The ‘Remarkable’ name honors the Remarkable Book Shop, a beloved landmark that once sat at the end of Westport’s Main Street. The name also pays tribute to the abilities and potential of our Remarkable workforce.”

It’s a remarkable success story. Thank you to leaders like Doug Tirola, Marina Derman, Sharuna Mahesh, Stacie Curran, Marjorie Jacobson, and everyone else involved who brings life to downtown, and hope to us all.

You are our Oscar-worthy Unsung Heroes of the Week.

 

Westport Is Back! Musical Cabaret Set For Friday

In their 4 years at Staples High School, Sam Laskin and Sammy Guthartz made their marks on Players’ remarkable theater troupe.

In less than a month of drive-in movies at the Imperial Avenue parking lot, the Remarkable Theater has made its mark on Westport.

Now the young, go-getting recent grads and the driving forces behind the theater are joining forces. The result will be a remarkable concert — benefiting a remarkable organization. A portion of the proceeds from the “Westport is Back!” drive-in musical cabaret” go to 4-CT, which aids state residents impacted by COVID-19.

Laskin and Guthartz have assembled a cast of superb young performers for this Friday’s event (July 17, 6:30 p.m.). Doug Tirola and Marina Derman of the Theater have ensured it will be a memorable one.

Georgia Wright will perform … (Photo/Dawn Shmaruk)

Thirteen performers were at Staples this past year. Six others graduated between 2015 and ’19.

Their selections span many genres, from “Grease” and “Falsettos”  to “Wicked” — plus Amy Winehouse, Dolly Parton, Elton John and Adele.

The opening act — local band Could Be Jesus — includes Staples and King School students.

Laskin is familiar with the importance of entertainment like this — and the difficulties of producing it. He was president of Players, an actor in many shows, and served 2 years as student chair of the Westport Youth Commission. A high honors graduate, he’ll study government, theater and film/media at Dartmouth.

Guthartz is another talented actor. He’s worked behind the scenes as Players’ manager of fundraising and outreach. He’s headed to the University of Michigan’s BFA program.

… as will Tomaso Scotti (Photo/Dawn Shmaruk)

Both praise the Remarkable Theater’s Tirola and Derman for helping them produce Friday’s show. Former Players stage manager Karalyn Hood co-produces the event.

The “Westport is Back!” drive-in musical cabaret is not officially affiliated with Staples Players. “Sammy, Karalyn and I just see this as an awesome way for Staples students and alumni to produce musical entertainment and raise money for a great cause,” Laskin says.

(Tickets are $65 per car. “Doors” open at 5:30 p.m. Click here for reservations.

(Performers include Georgia Wright, Claire Baylis, Sammy Guthartz, Tobey Patton, Kelley Schutte, Annabel Kavetas, AJ Konstanty, Derrick Adelkopf, Krish Shah-Nathwani, Avery Mendillo, Christian Melhuish, Tomaso Scotti, Owen Keaveney, Maizy Boosin, Camille Foisie, Jack Baylis, Madelyn Spera, Max Herman and Riley Wells.)

 

Movie Theater Downtown: It’s Remarkable!

The Westport Public Schools do a wonderful job providing opportunities to students with disabilities.

But at age 21, they age out. Meanwhile, the state has cut funding for day programs for adults with disabilities.

A group of parents has a goal: increase employment for area men and women with physical and intellectual disabilities.

The result: a remarkable idea.

The parents were inspired by the Prospector Theater in Ridgefield. It shows first-run films; 65% of employees are people with disabilities.

Meanwhile, a different group of Westporters worked for years, trying to open a theater downtown. They had a name — Westport Cinema Initiative — but no building and little funding.

Stacie Curran and Marina Derman — longtime Westporters with sons with disabilities — met with Doug Tirola. As a Staples High School graduate, current resident and president of documentary producer 4th Row Films, he was perfectly positioned to help.

The 2 groups merged. Now they’re poised to bring a theater to Westport. It will train and employ people with disabilities.

And — in a brilliant homage to Westport’s history and arts heritage — it will be called the Remarkable Theater.

The name — as Tirola, Curran, Derman and thousands of others know — honors the Remarkable Book Shop. That’s the longtime, beloved and still-mourned store at the corner of Main Street and Parker Harding Plaza (now the still-closed Talbots).

Curran came up with the brilliant name. Mark Kramer and Wendy Kramer Posner — whose mother Esther owned the shop — are “thrilled, honored and completely supportive,” says Derman.

“It’s a reminder of a time when downtown was homey, friendly, warm and fun,” Curran adds. “And people with disabilities are remarkable.”

Remarkably too, today is National Arthouse Theater Day. That’s exactly the type of theater the Remarkable will be.

Tirola calls it a “state-of-the-art, independent arthouse theater.” It will show independent and older films. Think of New York’s Film Forum, he says.

You’ll still go to a multiplex for the latest “Star Wars” sequel. But the Remarkable will be the place to go for many intriguing films. On Veterans Day, for example, it might screen a series of historical movies. If a famous director dies, it’s flexible enough to quickly mount a tribute.

Among the Westporters working on the Remarkable Theater project: Front (from left): Joanna Borner, Marina Derman, Deirdre Teed, Stacie Curran. Rear: Doug Tirola, Kristin Ehrlich, Angie Wormser, State Representative Jonathan Steinberg, Diane Johnson.

The theater will be a venue for talkbacks too. Other groups — particularly schools — will be invited to use the space.

Tirola, Curran, Derman and others have already secured a $50,000 grant from the state Department of Developmental Services. Funds will pay for equipment and movie screenings.

Pop-up screenings could begin before the theater opens. Organizers hope to break ground 2 years from now.

As for where it will be: They’d love a downtown site. They’ve begun talking with landlords, looking for options.

After several years, there’s real movement for a movie theater in Westport. The curtain is rising on this remarkable story.

(For more information — or to help — click here, or email marina@remarkabletheater.org).

Staples Tuition Grants: 75 Years In 8 Minutes

Staples Tuition Grants turns 75 years old this year.

To celebrate, the organization — which last year provided over $300,000 in scholarships to 115 Staples High School seniors and graduates with financial need — threw a fundraising party this month.

The event met its goal: over $75,000 in donations. (For 75 years — get it?).

One of the night’s highlights was a video. Produced by talented Westport filmmaker (and Staples grad) Doug Tirola, it featured well-known residents and SHS alums like Christopher Jones, Justin Paul, Ned Batlin, Linda Bruce, Jessica Branson, Miggs Burroughs, Anne Hardy, Dan Donovan and Maggie Mudd. They offered insights into their own scholarships and those named for loved ones, plus thoughts on the importance of college and life.

The video — filled joy and heartache, humor and love — is well worth the 8 minutes. Enjoy!

(For more information on Staples Tuition Grants, or to donate, click here.)

“High School That Rocked” Plans An Encore

It’s always fun to discover a “sleeper” film hit.

But it’s never fun to get turned away.

The Westport Cinema Initiative and Westport Historical Society were stunned last month, when the Town Hall auditorium proved too small for the throngs that wanted to see “The High School That Rocked!”

That’s the documentary chronicling the amazing period in the 1960s when bands like the Doors, Cream, Yardbirds and Rascals played at Staples High School.

Ginger Baker, Cream’s drummer, at Staples. (Photo copyright Jeremy Ross)

So the WCI and WHS are doing what any good promoters should: They’ve added another showing.

The film will be screened again on Saturday, August 26 (5 p.m., Westport Historical Society). A talkback follows, with the movie’s producer Fred Cantor, and filmmaker Doug Tirola. Both are Westport residents.

There’s limited space, so tickets must be ordered in advance (click here for the direct link). The cost is $10 — and includes free popcorn.

That’s a great bargain — even if it is $7.50 more than it cost to see those great concerts, back when Staples High School really rocked.