The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Megan Klein

DISCOVER The Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack

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Outstanding Ensemble Emphasizes Creative Freedom & Pay it Forward in its ‘Artistic Homeplace’

The Importance of Being Earnest     PHOTO BY STEPHANIE BERGER

To be, or not to be: that is the question.

Or, to be at the Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack or not to be: that is the real question. And the answer? Yes.

After being postponed for two years because of the pandemic, the first annual Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack, NyackArtsFestival.com will take place on weekends from September 16 through October 16, showcasing carefully selected productions meant to resonate with people and lift their spirits. All performances will be held outdoors at the Marydell Faith and Life Center in Upper Nyack and the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center in the heart of the village. 

“When we moved to Nyack, and particularly over the pandemic, we were watching as everyone was struggling to keep going,” Phoenix Ensemble Artistic Director Elise Stone said. “Hopefully the art uplifts everyone, and we all need psychological and emotional uplifting after the past couple of years..”

Elise and her husband Craig Smith, the managing director of the ensemble, are both long time actors and theater enthusiasts who actually met, got married and worked together at their old repertory. After years of wanting to be involved in something more artist-driven, they founded the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble in 2004, a multi award-winning, not-for-profit organization.

The ensemble prides itself in not only the work they do, which is primarily classical theater (which means more than just Shakespeare), but also in the creative freedom they give to their actors, directors, designers, writers and others on the team. If one of their costume designers has an idea for a show, they’re all ears. At Phoenix, everyone has a voice.

Skin of Our Teeth Photo by Stephanie Berger

Their goal with forming the ensemble was to create an artistic homeplace. And after moving to Nyack in 2018, they both saw the potential it had and became convinced that there was no better place to not only get the local and extended community involved with the arts, but to get involved with the community itself, which is one of their core values.

They started producing benefits and shows for organizations such as the Rockland Holocaust Museum & Center for Tolerance and Education and the Nyack Library. The idea of a festival soon came to mind, and this fall it will finally come to fruition.

For the past few years, Smith and Stone began building an infrastructure to support the Festival by reaching out to political representatives and collaborating with local organizations such as VisitNyack.org and listening to merchants and businesses on how this Festival can work for  everyone.

They even specifically scheduled the shows to be in the daytime to allow attendees time to explore Nyack and all the mom-and-pop shops, restaurants, and activities that the village has to offer later in the evening. 

According to the results from a commissioned study by Brockport Research Institute of 2,000 tri-state arts enthusiasts and Rockland residents, $184,000 will be spent at local shops per 500 attendees. Smith projects that number to actually triple, which means that the festival would bring in half a million dollars to the community.

“Even though we’ve been in Nyack for four years, we were concerned that we would be thought of as the newcomers in a way,” Stone said. “Being part of a community is a key tenet of the ensemble, and we feel that we are part of [it] now and we want to give back to this community.”

Come One, Come All

But, just because the event is in Rockland County doesn’t mean that the event is only for those in the area. It’s for everyone and anyone!

“We’re hoping that people will come and see how close a world class performance is to them,” Stone said. “Whether you’re coming from Westchester or Jersey or from Rockland, a first-class professional theater experience is available right here.”

And as she wants to remind those in Westchester, “we’re right across the bridge!”

Headlining the program are three classic plays: The Skin of Our Teeth, an “epic” humorous tale of the “triumph of the human spirit,” The Importance of Being Earnest, the “funniest play ever written in the English language” (according to Stone) and Chekhov’s rarely performed gem The Harmfulness of Tobacco. 

The Children’s Shakespeare Theater and the Rockland Symphony Orchestra will also be performing, so there will truly be something for everyone. The Festival’s audio walking tour incorporating augmented reality, AR Adventures, Digital Dreaming, is available free of charge and will be a special experience. 

Both Stone and Smith believe that art should always be available and there should never be an obstacle in the way of that, be it financially or geographically. Because of that, they have a “pay it forward” program in place to give tickets to families who can’t afford the full-price and are working on a program for public school students. Additionally, they will have a shuttle bus available from downtown Nyack to Marydell in Upper Nyack. Like they said, it takes a village to be able to put together a festival like this. Corporate sponsors and individual donations are still being accepted.

Visit nyackartsfestival.com/become-a-sponsor to learn more about becoming a sponsor for the event. For further information regarding family discounts and student programs, contact Craig Smith at Craig@PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org or 917-717-1617.

For more details and ticket purchases, visit NyackArtsFestival.com. Early bird ticket purchasers get special discounts. Ticket buyers should use the code WEST when ordering. As Stone put it, this experience allows you to witness the artists and the audience breathing together into a story.

So, to be at the festival or not to be at the festival…is that even a question?

Judas    PHOTO BY GERRY GOODSTEIN
Agamemnon Home    PHOTO BY GERRY GOODSTEIN

Catch the Camp Bug at Kenmont Kenwood with Armonk Owners Brad & Dani Lerman

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Brad and Dani Lerman

By ‘Camp kids,’ we all know the type. Those who bleed their camp colors and ride out the year so they can live in the summer. Those who year after year return as a camper, then as a color war captain, then as a counselor until their friends say, maybe it’s time to do something else. 

Brad Lerman’s friends thought that he would get over his love for camp and put his childhood dream of owning one to bed. And maybe Lerman thought so too, at one point spending his summer working at camp while studying for his LSATs. But as much as he enjoyed working as a lawyer for 12 years in Manhattan, it wasn’t his passion or his purpose. 

He had always been thinking of ways to reignite the “camp bug” he had inside of him and the perfect opportunity presented itself to do just that. 

Goodbye litigation, hello new camper orientation! Lerman and his wife Dani, who grew up in Armonk and also had a great camp experience growing up, are the two new co-owners of Camp KenMont KenWood, the sleepaway camp for boys and girls ages 8-15 just an hour away from Armonk. 

“It’s something I’ve been waiting for for a decade, and luckily, I have the world’s most amazing wife and the most supportive family,” Lerman said. “It’s a lot of good change for our family, [as we’re] starting to grow ours this year not only with my wife being pregnant but also growing our KenMont KenWood family.” 

They, along with their dog Dudley and soon-to-be newborn baby girl will all be familiar faces at camp. Lerman is Co-Director with Hylton Wener, who will also be at camp with his wife/Program Director Amanda, their sons Dylan and James and their pup Gilley. 

Lerman went from working 70-hour weeks as a lawyer to designating a few hours in his day to solely researching the best Wet Willie Water Slides. Let the record show that while having amazing facilities is something he prides the camp in having, it isn’t everything. 

“Our facilities are phenomenal. We’re in Kent, CT (in close proximity to Armonk). We’re on the beautiful North Spectacle Lake,” Lerman said. To him, if anything, the amenities (and awesome water slides) are a bonus to the incredible camp culture and community. 

For starters, the retention rate speaks for itself. The staff is filled with former campers who came back to watch their own kids grow up at camp as well, like Girls Head Counselor Marisa Rahn who is returning for her 25th summer. Administrative Director Michele Troche is also returning to camp after 20 plus years. So, what is it that keeps bringing them back? 

Maybe it’s the fact that it’s a brother-sister camp, so siblings can get that individual camp experience while being able to see each other a few times a week. Or that the food options are never-ending from Chef Chad who is returning for his fifth summer, along with a new pastry chef and dietary needs chef. Or, that the counselors come from all over the world, providing campers with diversity. 

Younger campers are given a more structured day-to-day schedule so that they are exposed to all the different activities and can try as many new things as possible. And if they are missing home, the office prints out emails sent from parents every morning and hands them out to the campers and phone calls are permitted as well. With that being said, Lerman wants to normalize missing home. 

“Home missing is completely natural. I miss home sometimes, so we want to make sure that kids don’t feel stigmatized by it,” Lerman explained, “but also make sure that we address it and keep parents informed and make them realize that it’s just a temporary passing phase.” 

If that doesn’t speak to the comfortable culture and community that the camp has built, what does? 

Next year, KenMont KenWood will be celebrating their 100th summer. Whether you are looking to become a counselor or looking for a camp for your kid, this is the opportunity to be a part of a century of amazing experiences, memories, and traditions. 

Like Lerman said, one day at camp is like one month anywhere else. That’s a whole lot of time to catch the camp bug…

Visit kenmontkenwood.com to learn more about the camp experience, testimonials, dates and more. 

GIRLS, INC. April Gala to Honor Trailblazers Who Help Girls Feel ‘Strong, Smart and Bold’

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I am a girl. I am a girl who was asked what I wanted for dinner each night. I am a girl who always had parents in the stands at my soccer games. I am a girl who got new sneakers and backpacks every year for school, not because the zipper was broken or the shoes didn’t fit, but just because. I am a girl.

When the non-profit organization Girls Inc. started in 1864, the lack of back-to-school sneakers was hardly the centerfold issue at hand, and it still isn’t. Today, the 78 affiliates nationwide have made it their mission to focus on the “whole girl” and inspire them all to be strong, smart and bold.

“All girls have issues, not just underserved girls. And underserved can mean a lot of different things,” Former Interim Executive Director and Chappaqua Resident Kimberly Logan said. “All girls need exposure to the power of their voice and what they can do.”

One way the girls in Westchester have the chance to do so is through the Girls Inc. curriculum that centers around those three words from the mission statement. Whether it’s empowering the body and mind through yoga and self-care practices, their confidence through leadership workshops or their intelligence through STEM-based programs such as robotics or financial workshops, the girls have the chance to feel strong, smart and bold.

While the programs typically take place after school 2-3 days a week, the pandemic has also made virtual sessions available. And since the goal is to bring exposure to the girls, the program is always free, with various fundraisers including their annual Gala.

After two years the Strong Smart & Bold Gala will be back in person at the Glen Island Harbour Club on Thursday April 7 at 6:00PM in New Rochelle. The theme of the event is “Their future. Their voice,” and focuses on furthering the voices of these young women through diversity, empowerment and advocacy.

The two honorees are Jasmine Bellamy and Mimi Rocah. While Bellamy currently serves as Reebok’s Head of Change Management for United Against Racism and was named one of Sports Illustrated’s 100 Influential Black Women in Sports in 2021, Rocah was elected as Westchester’s District Attorney in 2020 and was awarded the Women in Federal Law Enforcement Leadership Award in 2016. Although they are involved in different fields of work, both are committed leaders who are advocating for more equality within their communities.

The introduction of the Altman Advocacy Award at this year’s gala also honors Jennifer Altman, Ph.D., who formerly served on the Board of Directors and as Board Chair of Girls Inc. Westchester. Currently, she is a clinical psychiatrist in Hastings on Hudson.

“We honor [Altman’s] commitment to advocacy for all the young women of Westchester,” Girls Inc. Westchester said on their website. “We are uplifted by her inspiration and are empowered by her passion for a brighter future.”

This will be Executive Director Sharlise Smith-Rodriguez’s first gala, as she just began her work at Girls Inc. three months ago.

“With the gala, I’m excited and I’m nervous, but more excited just to see the different supporters of Girls Inc. come together,” Smith-Rodriguez said.

Aside from the gala, the organization gets its funding through sponsorships, fundraising events and grants. Just recently, the county provided a substantial grant for tutoring so that things like SAT prep will be available to students in places where it might not be easily accessible. The plan is to have an intensive tutoring program in two districts in the upcoming year.

In terms of what districts have Girls Inc. programming, right now there are several in Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Yonkers, White Plains, Port Chester, Peekskill, Mount Kisco and Ossining. But the goal is to get into more districts, such as Lewisboro and getting settled back into the Bedford districts after recently reentering.

“I would love to reach those communities that people think don’t need it, because I think that all girls, not just underrepresented girls, all girls need that encouragement, that support, being able to advocate for themselves or things within their community,” Smith-Rodriguez said. “So I would love to expand into other, if it’s public, private or charter schools, within Westchester County.”

In order to carry out that future goal of Smith-Rodriguez’s, facilitators need to be found and funds need to be raised for the programming.

Has reading this article made you want to help? Here are a few ways.

If you are a teacher assistant or an educator of any kind looking to be an empowering mentor to girls, volunteer. If you want to attend the gala and meet some of the amazing women involved, you can purchase a ticket. If you want to help fund new programming, you can donate or purchase a gala sponsorship.

See info direct from Girls, Inc., below, or to reigister and/or for more information, head  to StrongSmartBoldGala.org. and www.girlsincwestchester.org 

And girls, remember: Be strong. Be smart. Be bold.

Honoree Mimi Rocah
Honoree Jasmine Bellamy
Honoree Jennifer Altman

 

From Girls, Inc.:

White Plains, N.Y –, Girls Inc. of Westchester County will celebrate and honor two trailblazing women and celebrate one committed advocate at their Strong Smart & Bold Gala 6:00 pm on Thursday, April 7, 2022, at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, NY. The theme for this year’s gala is “Their Future, Their Voice” to empower all girls to find their voice and encourage advocacy for themselves and others. Current and world events have shown us the importance of girls and women finding their voice and speaking out about the issues that impact their lives. This year’s gala will recognize Jasmine Bellamy and Mimi Rocah as honorees and introduce the inaugural Altman Advocacy Award to Jennifer Altman.

“After two years of navigating through a pandemic, we are excited to be able to hold our gala in person and continue to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Our honorees embody the mission of our organization for how they have used their voices to break barriers, empower change in their organizations, and their continued work towards fairness for all. I am looking forward to celebrating this year’s honorees as well as the girls in our program who will one day become our future leaders,” said Sharlise Smith-Rodriguez, Executive Director.

Jasmine Bellamy is a customer-centric, data-driven global executive merchant who is currently leading Reebok’s U.S. Direct to Consumer Business. In addition, Bellamy is also the brand’s Head of Change Management for United Against Racism. She is the creator and co-facilitator of Courageous Conversation, a place for people inside the organization to pause and participate in deep listening and learning from people who are different from themselves. Before her position at Reebok, Bellamy had more than 25 years of experience where she has helped drive the merchandising strategies for Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdales, LOFT, Kmart, Gap, and has also directed celebrity brand collections of Sarah Jessica Parker, Venus Williams, Nicki Minaj, and others. Outside of her career, Bellamy served on the Board of Women in Retail Leadership Circle as its first Director of Diversity and Inclusion and is also the founder of Love 101 Ministries, a community dedicated to the theology and practice of love which shapes how to lead and transform businesses, teams, and culture.

Miriam “Mimi” E. Rocah is currently the District Attorney for Westchester County, elected in 2020 after running a grassroots campaign centered on reforming and modernizing the Westchester County DA’s office, rebuilding trust between law enforcement and the communities it serves, and fighting for a safer and fairer criminal justice system for all of Westchester. Before she was elected Westchester County DA, Rocah served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 2001 to 2017 in the Southern District of New York. She oversaw the prosecution of organized crime, gun traffickers, corrupt officials, narcotics dealers, sex traffickers, and child predators. In 2012 during the Obama administration, Rocah was promoted by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara to Chief of the Westchester Division for the Department of Justice, where she served as primary liaison with law enforcement agencies and prosecutorial offices as well as coordinated and co-chair multi county task forces on issues such as human trafficking and the opioid overdose epidemic. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Rocah graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in American History, and received her J.D. from New York University of Law. Today she currently lives in Scarsdale with her husband and two children, and is an active volunteer with Moms Demand Action and a board member of My Sister’s Place.

“We could not be more excited to introduce the inaugural Altman Advocacy Award at this year’s gala. It was created to acknowledge the impact that commitment and passion for change can have on an individual, a community, and an organization. The recipient for this year’s award will be Jennifer Altman. Jennifer has spent her life and career committed to driving change by empowering girls to find their voice and advocate for themselves and others,” said Fiona Bruder and Kim Logan, Gala Co-Chairs. A clinical psychologist specializing in working with children, Altman is a member of The GIWC Wise Women Council and previously served as a member of the Board of Directors and as Board Chair for Girls Inc. of Westchester County.

Gala attendees will enjoy a spectacular cocktail reception, dinner, and a special presentation that will showcase personal stories of the young program participants.  Adding to the evening will be a silent auction, live auction, and a fund a need led by award winning auctioneer Erin Ward of Star Benefit Auctions. 

This year’s gala is generously sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive, Linda and Earle Altman, Jennifer Altman and Jason Fein, Bank of America, Centric Brands, Fullerton Beck, Key Bank, Michael Mattiello/Merrill Lynch, Party City, United Healthcare, Aetna CVS Health, Axis/HALO Promotions, 914Cares, ELMC Risk Management, and TD Bank. Tickets are $300 per person and can be purchased online at www.StrongSmartBoldGala.org.  For more information about the event and the sponsorship opportunities available, please contact Monica Spears at (914) 419-0764, mspears@girlsincwestchester.org, or visit the event website at www.StrongSmartBoldGala.org.

About Girls Inc. Westchester: Established in 2007, Girls Inc. of Westchester County inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.  Girls Inc. of Westchester offers girls-only programs at schools throughout Westchester County to help girls navigate the real-life challenges they confront during middle and high school and lay the groundwork for educated, healthy, and independent futures. To learn more about Girls Inc. of Westchester County, please visit their website at www.girlsincwestchester.org.

 

Photos courtesy of Girls Inc. of Westchester County

 

Seasonal Fun Galore in Chappaqua with a Holiday Parade, Magic Show, (a First Ever for New Castle!) Bonfire, and More

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Sirens rang through the air all throughout town the night of December 18, but not because of faulty carbon monoxide alarms or burnt cookies filling kitchens with smoke (admit it, we’ve all had an alarm go off at 2 in the morning, right?)

Over the course of two hours, the decorated firetrucks and ambulance vehicles lit the rainy, misty evening starting at the Chappaqua Fire House, making its way down several streets and then ending at the Chappaqua Train Station.

Photos by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

Around 6 p.m., the parade made its way to my street. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it was Fire Chief Russ Maitland and his pup Quincy in the back of his chief truck, driving behind the first fire truck and leading the way for the rest.

“Driving through our town spreading holiday cheer is a hallmark event that is the epitome of small-town community, spirit and unity,” Maitland said.

Sure, it was pitch black outside. Sure, it was cold and rainy. But that certainly didn’t stop people from standing outside their homes to wave to Santa and the local first responders.

While waiting for the trucks to drive by, I saw families from nearby streets all come together at my neighbor’s house, forming a sort of parade watch party!

“It was an opportunity to see something different right outside my door,” Chappaqua resident Eric Alani said. “The kids loved the sirens, and especially loved catching the candy being thrown from the trucks.”

Now as if a holiday parade on Saturday was not ‘enough’ to brighten spirits this season, New Castle dialed it up a notch with an energetic magic show, followed by a holiday bonfire, a visit from Frosty, and a group of Christmas carolers, all of whom drew hundreds to Recreation field. See our Instagram coverage at https://www.instagram.com/insidepress/

On Sunday, a full moon over the fire and the firetrucks in the distance only accentuated the magic of the weekend.

“Who wants a bonfire?!!” exclaimed New Castle Town Supervisor Lisa Katz to a wide circle of excited spectators waiting to watch volunteer firefighters from both the Chappaqua & Millwood Fire Departments light up the wood as they assembled for the occasion, and after thanking the event sponsors, including the New Castle Recreation & Parks Department, Sari Shaw of the Westchester Living Team, and Bobos Cafe for hot chocolate.  “I hope you all got to see Santa come by your neighborhood!” Katz added, along with her best wishes for a happy holiday & healthy new year, full of good health, happiness, laughter and love.”

Ike Kuzio, superintendent of New Castle Recreation & Parks, extolled a “total team effort from within the fire department and parks department which took a month of planning and reaching out to local vendors.” He said the bonfire was a first for Chappaqua, and “a new great community event,” and that “it was all worth it to see all the smiles on faces.”

Kuzio said he “felt comfortable enough with it being an outdoor event. Our mantra in these times has been: ‘let’s put the programs and events out there, and make them as safe as we can make them, and let people make decisions on their own.'”

Grace Bennett contributed to this report.

 

 

SPCA Westchester Opens Doors to NEW $9 Million-Dollar Animal Rescue Center in Briarcliff Manor

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Are you a dog person or a cat person?

Personally, that’s a make-or-break question when meeting someone new. I’ll admit, I’m not a cat person. But that doesn’t mean I think they shouldn’t be treated like royalty, and with the brand new, state-of-the-art, $9 million SPCA facility, that isn’t a problem.

The local SPCA is 138 years old and before this renovation, hadn’t been touched since the 1950s. It had problems that prevented adoptions from happening, like the lack of indoor space for meet and greets. If the weather wasn’t ideal, the animals couldn’t go outside to meet with potential families which led to pauses in adoptions.

Thanks to a new and grand renovation, those (dog) days are over! With the 27,000 square foot, two-story new facility there is no room for the problems of the past.

With 77 indoor dog kennels, 33 outdoor day pens, four fenced in yards, six meet and greet rooms, a classroom, a brand new clinic, a music therapy room and more, the SPCA can now hold 250 rescue animals. Not only does it look and function better, but there’s been an increase in adoptions since reopening in September.

“The happier the animals are, the quicker they get adopted because they show their best selves when they’re not stressed and they’re happy,” Director of Development Lisa Bonanno-Spence said when I spoke to her.

And how could they not be happy? I mean, look at the place! The living options are endless. Are you a cat who likes to live alone? Easy. There are individual four-story cat condos for that.

Are you a cat who likes company? Perfect. Hang out in the Old English Library cattery, courtesy of a Tony-nominated Broadway set designer, and curl up next to the fire (literally, the bed looks like fire and sits in the faux fireplace.) Are you a dog who likes being front and center? I hear you. The Dog of the Day room that’s located at the entrance and resembles a family room with a TV dog house is the perfect fit.

“The more something reminds someone of their own home, the more they can envision that animal in their home,” Bonanno-Spence said in regards to the design, which also helps ease the shelter-to-home transition.

The idea for this project started over a decade ago and has always been the end goal. In 2017, floor plans and tours started happening to solidify a design and a year later the campaign launched. Thanks to previous adopters and supporters, eventually the funds were raised and the old buildings could be bulldozed down.

During the renovation the animals packed their suitcases and traveled down the road to a veterinarian/kennel in Cortlandt Manor. While the volunteers felt fortunate to find a space, it was half the size of their old one, which created concerns of being unable to help as many animals. Luckily, with the pandemic came a lot of families adopting and fostering which ultimately solved the spatial problem which Bonanno-Spence considered a silver lining.

After a year, it was finally time for the big reveal. Because I’m a home renovation show fanatic, I pictured this to be like “Extreme Makeover Edition” when Ty Pennington and the family would yell “MOVE. THAT. BUS!” only this time, it would be lots of barks, meows and tail wagging.

Even though the place looks completely different, I wonder if any of the handful of veterans who returned picked up their scent and thought to themselves…hm, I think I’ve done my business here before…Regardless, everyone felt that in comparison to the old shelter, “it was like the Four Seasons!”

A change in environment normally makes animals nervous, but these animals adjusted within the first 24 hours which shows it got their stamp of approval.

Bonanno-Spence said that all of the workers have always wanted a state-of-the-art center for their animals and for Westchester County and after years of planning it finally happened.

“When you come into this new building, you don’t even really feel like you are in an animal shelter, which is a good thing,” Bonanno-Spence said. “We’re just really hoping now that we have this that we’ll get in more people who want to help because the more people we have coming in to help, the more animals we can help.”

Go visit the new space at 590 North State Road in Briarcliff Manor from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. or donate to help fund the center by visiting spcawestchester.org/donate.  SPCA WESTCHESTER PHOTOS COURTESY OF SPCA, via Snootydog.com and Tischman Pets Photography.