Stacey Pfeffer

How to Obtain Your Second Act: An Interview with Local Actress Diana Schiro

December 1, 2019 by Stacey Pfeffer

The concept of emotional quotient or EQ comes up a lot in my interview with local resident and budding actress Diana Schiro. In order to be a great actress, one needs to be deeply in touch with their emotions and be able to jump into character and emote as that character would. It’s a difficult craft to master and something Schiro always wanted to do but was afraid to take the proverbial leap.

Schiro as Maya in The Year of the Solar Eclipse
PHOTO BY FRED LAM

However on the cusp of turning 40, Schiro did and worked her way up from scoring spots in commercials for companies such as Polaroid and Kartrite Resorts to her latest role as Maya, a psychotherapist in the off-Broadway production of The Year of the Solar Eclipse which opens at the Wild Project, an East Village theater on December 3rd. Tickets are available at www.theyearofthesolareclipse.com The play follows three millennial females in a year of love lost, love found & self-discovery.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Schiro and hear her top ten tips on how she obtained her second act – from a suburban mom working part-time for a local real estate firm to auditioning in the city and ultimately landing on the off-Broadway stage.

1. Embrace your inner voice – Schiro recalls that from the time she was eight years old growing up in Long Island, she always wanted to be an actress and while she took acting classes in middle and high school, she felt that her insecurity when she was younger prevented her from truly following her passion. Nevertheless, she had this nagging voice in her head to follow her passion.

2. Be the best version of yourself – For Schiro, she always envied those in theater. She didn’t want her envy to turn into jealousy or resentment. “I always knew I had the capacity and emotional bandwidth to act” so she flipped her thought process and decided to turn those envious feelings into inspiration and motivation.

3. Be brave in the face of fear – According to Schiro, being brave isn’t the same as being fearless. She contends that she still has fears and is nervous about her upcoming performance. “When you are fearless, you take all kinds of risks” but for her, auditioning was something that was intentional and well thought out.

4. Maintain authenticity – Schiro who is a mom to 11-year old Sarina and nine year old Jared was always encouraging them to try new things but didn’t want to “have a personal narrative of I wish I had done this [acting]. I knew I had to do this in order to be an authentic parent.”

5. Utilize technology to your benefit – “There are resources for acting professionals that I knew about such as backstage.com, so I filled out a profile on them and checked out jobs everyday. I also created eco cast videos where instead of going for live call backs in the city, you can audition virtually with casting directors.”

6. Stay organized and prepare – For Schiro, this new lifestyle is a complete 180 for her family. She now commutes into the city for rehearsals in the afternoon, so staying organized is key. She blocks time on her calendar to look for new jobs and also spends time each day rewriting her lines. She prepares meals for the family in the morning and adheres to a rigorous exercise routine to maintain physical and mental strength.

7. Seek supportive family and friends who genuinely root for you. – Schiro credits both her husband Michael and her local CrossFit community and friends for unwavering support. “I’m totally overwhelmed by the support in the community. I surround myself with mentors and role models particularly in the fitness world and I lean on them to learn and grow.”

8. Continue learning and ask questions – The cast consists of 20 somethings with acting credentials so Schiro asked the director and playwright, Aileen Kyoko for additional guidance. “I said I am the least experienced here, what should I do or read to help me?”, she recalls. Schiro now is reading what she calls her acting bibles such as “How to Stop Acting.” Taking that first step to ask for help can be daunting but is worthwhile. She also takes private acting lessons with one of the show’s executive producers Mark St. Cyr to accommodate her busy schedule.

9. Follow a healthy lifestyle – Schiro is a certified health coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Fueling her body with the right foods is essential for her just like her workouts. Especially when making major life changes, exercise and nutrition shouldn’t fall by the wayside, says Schiro.

10. Make time, not excuses – Just like Schiro schedules Acting 2.0 on her calendar to study her lines and look for jobs after this play, it takes commitment to obtain a second act. Schiro didn’t want to live a “what if” life and to obtain a second act, you need dedication. With her determination and focus, she just might make it to the Great White Way.

Lessons from My Fitness Journey at Life Time: Part 1

December 1, 2019 by Stacey Pfeffer

I like to think I’m a reasonably fit person. I exercise most days of the week. I run with my dog at least twice a week for three or so miles. I do Pilates weekly and I often go spinning or swimming at least once a week too. But lately I have felt like I am in a bit of a fitness rut. As I enter my mid-40s, my knees feel creakier and I am acutely aware that these are what I call the “make it or break it” fitness years. If I don’t up my fitness game now, I feel like I’ll pay for it later.

I exercise to relieve stress and yes keeping svelte and burning calories is a definite goal of mine but I know I should do more strength training to keep osteoporosis which runs in my family at bay. But I am at a loss of where to start. And that’s part of the reason why I asked Life Time if I could try out membership for three months to see if I could make any significant changes in 90 days and thankfully they obliged. We’ve all read those articles in women’s magazines with titles such as “Get Buff in 100 Days: Here’s How.” Luckily these 90 days happened to coincide with the holiday season when I am more apt to indulge and have my fitness plans fall by the wayside. This was just the kick in the butt I needed.

Although I just began my membership as we went to press, I like what I see so far. No let me rephrase that, I love what I see so far. Back in the day when I lived in London, I belonged to a very upscale gym. When you walked into the lobby, it felt like a hotel and they had services galore from spa massages, beauty treatments and an on-site nursery so parents could work out while their kids played. This has all of the above but on a more luxurious level. Dare I say that I would consider just coming to Life Time to hang out and write articles? It’s quiet, pristine and not crowded. Serenity now.

So here’s what I’ve learned so far in my first two weeks at Life Time. Stay tuned for part two of this series in our next edition.

1. Choose a gym with good energy.

Amy Williams, the PR Manager of Life Time tells me how “energy” is really our sixth sense. “It’s unbelievably important to have the right energy at the club- something you feel right when you walk in,” she explains. I can personally attest that this is true, from the lush greenery at the entrance, ultramodern lighting and front check in staff that seems more like a concierge at a hip hotel. They personally welcome me by name and no, this is not an editor perk. I see this with other guests too. I feel welcome here and when I leave they actually ask me if I had a good workout and they seem to genuinely care.

2. The little things count.

Life Time has a private nursing room right by the salon. I ask corporate headquarters if all Life Time clubs have this. They note that many moms would use the lounge space inside the women’s dressing room but they wanted to accommodate those who wanted more privacy so now all new Life Time clubs will have it. This shows me that they listen to member feedback and as a former nursing mom who brought my infants to the gym a lot, I love this. Also being under five feet, I am thrilled to see that their studio where barre classes are held has ballet barres at different heights. I’ve been to too many barre classes where I can’t even reach the barre and my short stature feels like a hindrance. I also love how their locker room features lockers that are big enough for me to store my bulky winter coat. I feel like I can easily get ready, shower and change into business attire after a workout without a wrinkle in my clothing. Too many times, I’ve felt like the lockers at other gyms aren’t roomy enough. Plus, they even have make-up remover in the bathrooms–say goodbye to runny mascara after a tough sweat session.

3. A personalized approach to fitness goals is key.

As I begin my fitness journey, I participate in an onboarding session with Liz Rodriguez, the Member Onboarding Manager. This is an important step that all members at the club must do and helps us both delineate what my fitness goals are. During this one-hour session, we go over some important statistics and discuss my weight (104) body fat percentage (29%) skeletal muscle mass (39.7 lbs) as well as my ECW/TBW which stands for Ratio of Extracellular Water to Total Body Water, an important indicator of body water balance which indicates how hydrated I am and any inflammation in my body which is .373 (ideal is under .370).

The number that surprises me most though is my body fat percentage. Although I am in the average range according to the American Council on Exercise, 32% is obese, so I know I need to up my strength training workouts. Rodriguez suggests I try to lower my body fat percentage and increase my skeletal muscle mass and the best way for me to achieve this is through strength training. She suggests my workouts consist of 50% cardio and 50% strength training and reviews a sample week of classes that fit my schedule. I also need to incorporate yoga for flexibility.

I also undergo an active metabolic assessment. This is a scientifically accurate method of determining my specific heart rate zones and how my body burns carbohydrates and fats as fuel. This is going to make my workouts more efficient so if I use a heart rate monitor, I will know exactly what zones I should be in and for how long to burn fat and build muscle.

4. Nutrition is responsible for 90% of your overall fitness.

While Rodriguez says I have a balanced diet overall, if I really want to change my body fat percentage, I need to watch my diet more closely. She wants me to have protein with every meal and increase my fiber intake to 30-35g /daily. I guess I better start eating oatmeal every day. They also have nutrition coaching if your diet needs an overhaul or just tweaks to maximize athletic performance.

5. Use technology to your advantage.

Life Time has an amazing fitness app where I can access the schedule, preview videos of classes, check out different workouts if I am unsure of what to do at the gym, sign up for small group classes, book much needed massages and even order food from their café so I can grab it on my way out of the building. They are constantly adding new features to the app and it is very user-friendly even for a Luddite like me.

6. Knowledgeable and friendly staff members are a huge motivator.

As mentioned, it starts with the check-in staff but also the instructors for the classes are top notch and have many fitness certifications. They watch my form in group classes and gently correct it when need be. They also play great music which for me is key. If I don’t like the music during a class, I know I will slack off.

7. Don’t ignore the core.

As someone who has been doing Pilates ever since my youngest one was born, I love that this club offers everyone a 30-minute Pilates session. There’s a reason why elite athletes even football stars incorporate this into their fitness regimen. Their Pilates studio is beautiful and guaranteed to make you stronger.

8. Break out of your comfort zone.

I’ve tried yoga a lot. It hasn’t been a success but Rodriguez urges me to give it another try so I do with a flow class. The gym has yoga classes at various levels of difficulty so there’s something for everyone. Plus, they even offer heated yoga for those bitter cold days ahead.

9. Personal trainers are sometimes necessary.

Since I hadn’t had any real strength training in years, I know I needed guidance and I also wanted to be sure that my form was correct. Enter Nick Cerone, my guardian angel. He’s developed a plan doing full body exercises to help me burn fat and build skeletal muscle mass. Plus, he also does nutritional consulting so I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot with him as my personal trainer.

10. Don’t feel guilty about your workout.

As a mom of three young kids, I often feel bad when I’ve had to tote them with me to the gym. But at this location, they have a play maze, a kids movement studio, classes ranging from toddler yoga to STEAM enrichment. They take children ages 3 months and up. With fun offerings like this, I may even get a facial or blow out at the onsite LifeSpa while my kids happily play in the Kids Academy.

I can’t wait to see what the next few months will be like at Life Time. Stay tuned for part two in the spring edition to see if I am able to achieve my goals and what the staff hopes all members are able to–a healthy way of life.

10 Reasons Why Winter in Westchester Isn’t So Bad

December 1, 2019 by Stacey Pfeffer

I have a sister who lives in LA. She’s a native New Yorker like me and she couldn’t be happier there. When we FaceTime on the phone she usually announces gleefully what the weather is there as she sees me all bundled up in my wool turtleneck sweater. “Well it’s 18 degrees here,” I reply. And then we discuss other things but without fail in every conversation, the weather comes up. I often wonder if I’d be happier on the West Coast and for now the answer is a resounding no. I like the change in seasons. There’s a certain beauty in a Hudson Valley winter (at least in the beginning before the umpteenth snow day). So here without further ado are ten reasons why winter in Westchester isn’t so bad.

1.Glistening snow – when that first snowfall happens before the snowplows come, it truly is a sight to see.

2.Building snowmen, making snow angels and snowball fights – if dressed appropriately, this is a lot of fun. I will admit that my kids have way more stamina for this than me. After a while I want to go back inside.

3.Baking – something about this weather makes me just love to bake. Especially on snow days.

4.Winter clothes – I know this may sound odd but I like my winter wardrobe so much more than my summer clothes. Wool, velvet, cashmere, shearling lined booties. Oh and I can’t forget pom pom hats.

5.Winter sports – I am one of those rare specimens who grew up in the Northeast and has never skied or tried snowboarding. But I have snowshoed (less chance of injury) and taking in the beauty of the season while outdoors is a special treat.

6.Holiday lights – I love it when folks deck their homes in holiday splendor. There are some pretty creative folks around here.

7.Snow days – The first few snow days I absolutely love. Now I realize this is a true luxury for me because I work from home and don’t have to worry about childcare or commuting in treacherous conditions but going back to sleep after the robocall and wearing PJs all day has its appeal.

8.The scent of winter – As a recreational runner with my dog, I’ll bundle myself up (and the dog too in his jacket) and run in weather as low as 25 degrees. It’s invigorating running outside, seeing my warm breath meet the cold air and taking in the scent of folks burning wood in their fireplaces. That’s New England personified to me.

9. Hot chocolate, hot toddies, hot soup – I like all of these. Need I say more?

10.Knowing that this too shall pass – This was my grandma’s favorite saying. The glistening snow, the icicles on the branches – they are all ephemeral. Spring is on its way before you know it.

Wishing you and your families a winter and holiday season filled with warmth and fun memories.

10 Years of Fabulous Frosty Fun

October 26, 2019 by Stacey Pfeffer

Save the Date: Dec 1 for the Annual Parade

December 1 is the 10th Anniversary of Frosty Day! This year to celebrate there will be 40 different activities downtown starting at noon including three ride-on trains, automated Arctic animal rides, the Bubble Bus, six bands and of course everyone’s favorite Frosty the Snowman plus Santa. A parade with decorated vehicles, costumed characters and marching bands kicks off at 4:00 pm culminating with a lighting ceremony at Wampus Park at 4:30 pm. The parade is organized by Friends of Frosty, Inc., a non-profit organization in charge of planning one of the most anticipated days for family fun in Armonk.

New this year is a set of illustrations by Corinne Malvern for Frosty the Snowman, consisting of 27 illustrations plus the illustrated title page for the Golden Book edition of that beloved story from 1950/1951. The book was issued to follow up to the huge Gene Autry hit Christmas song of the same title in December 1950. The illustrations are all in color and are in excellent condition and will be displayed in the windows of Framings on Main Street in Armonk.

A display at the North Castle Public Library titled “Armonk 1950’s & Frosty the Snowman” from November 10th through December 14th will have Frosty memorabilia, artifacts and pictures of Armonk life in the 1950’s.

Concert Introduces Westchester Residents to the Music of Viennese Composer Viktor Ullmann Who Perished During the Holocaust

October 26, 2019 by Stacey Pfeffer

Dominique Hellsten
Photo BY Ben Livengood

More than twenty years ago, dramatic soprano and Chappaqua resident Dominique Hellsten first heard the music of composer Viktor Ullmann who ultimately perished in Auschwitz. “It had a profound impact and it never left me,” said Hellsten, whose eyes teared up during our interview as she shares why she is so enamored with his music and passionate about bringing it to a wider audience. At the time, the Swedish-born Hellsten was living in London and performing at such venues as the Royal Albert Hall, the Purcell Room, Southwark Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

She was first introduced to Vienna-born composer Viktor Ullmann’s music through her UK-based publicist at the time, Diana Hirst. Hellsten has always had a special affinity for art song (also known as lieder in German) specifically music of this genre composed in the 20th and 21st century. Ullmann was a prolific composer of this particular genre who wrote more than 20 pieces while imprisoned in Theresienstadt, a concentration camp located in Czechoslovakia that served as a transport point specifically designed by Hitler to deceive International Red Cross workers and other inspectors.

Much has been written of the incredibly diverse group of artists who were interned at the camp from opera composers, to choral directors to chamber musicians. The camp was a hotbed of musical activity notes author Joza Terezin in the book “Music of Terezin”. In fact, the prisoners gave several concerts and performances for the Nazis as well as fellow prisoners. Ullmann known for his talent was assigned to the Administration of Free Time Activities (Freizeitgestaltung in German) in the camp as a music critic and organizer of musical rehearsals.

Concert Explores Ullmann’s Music

Hellsten, who today offers private voice and piano coaching to students throughout Westchester, was delighted to share Ullmann’s music in a recent musical concert featuring much of Ullmann’s work as well as other deceased composers of the art song genre to audience members. The lunchtime concert was held at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua held on October 17th, a day prior to Ullmann’s death in Auschwitz 75 years ago. The concert, funded by the Ullmann Project, is part of a Lunch N’ Learn series in which seven Northern Westchester synagogues offer cultural and educational programming to their congregants. She appeared alongside pianist Craig Ketter, a sought after pianist and accompanist in the Greater New York area including a favorite of the Metropolitan Opera during auditions for their opera company.

Hellsten not only performed a repertoire of Ullmann’s works and his Viennese contemporaries such as Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Alexander Zemlinsky who both survive the war, but also interspersed between the pieces, she tells the fate of Ullmann, his contemporaries and how Ullmann’s music which the Nazis deemed “degenerate” was ultimately discovered. To the uninitiated ear, Ullmann’s work can be somewhat challenging. She finds it very rewarding when audience members appreciate his bold music.

Why Hellsten Performs Ullmann’s Music

Hellsten feels a special obligation to bring Ullmann’s music and story to light. “I’m not Jewish but my parents were in Helsinki and experienced war as children because Stalin invaded Finland during the Winter War,” explains Hellsten. Her parents were put on a train wearing white outfits with thousands of Finnish children bound for Sweden which was a safe zone. They had identification tags around their necks stating their name and where they came from. The Soviets were bombing cities along the coast of Finland her parents were forced to disembark the train and hide in the snow.

“The Winter War only lasted three months but I recall talking about it a lot with my parents. I also remember seeing a documentary on TV when I was about 10 or 11 about prisoners in Auschwitz being gassed and I never forgot it. We talked about these things a lot as a family,” recalls Hellsten. Just as the number of Holocaust survivors is dwindling, Hellsten’s parents were the last generation from Finland that remembers the horrors of the Winter War. Hellsten is deeply concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism. “It is so upsetting and the fact that 65% of American high schoolers don’t know anything about Auschwitz is very disturbing,” she says.

The Rediscovery of Ullmann’s Works

Ullmann often said that “music can diminish evil”. While imprisoned at Theresienstadt, Ullmann was able to concentrate on writing music and he even composed an opera titled “The Emperor of Atlantis.” The protagonist is believed to be a pastiche of Hitler and the Nazis refuse to let this piece be performed. Still Ullmann continues to write music and in October 1944 he gets word that he is going to be transported to Auschwitz. He packs up his music and is preparing to take it with him but at the last second decides to give it to his fellow prisoner, Dr. Emil Utitz. Utitz is instructed by Ullmann to give the music to his friend Dr. H.G. Adler if Utitz survives. Both men miraculously survive while Ullmann is sent to the gas chambers at Auschwitz.

Dr. H.G. Adler was a poet and philosopher and Ullmann had set many of Adler’s poems to music. After the war Dr. Utitz and Dr. Adler meet and he is given Ullmann’s music for safekeeping. Dr. Adler eventually emigrates to London.

One day a family friend, the British conductor Kerry Woodward visits Adler and he asks him to view the music stored in his attic. The conductor looks at the music and is particularly impressed with the “Emperor of Atlantis” score. So much so that he ultimately helps secures its worldwide debut in 1975 with the Netherlands Opera in Amsterdam with Woodward conducting. Additional works by Ullmann are also rediscovered due to this chance encounter.

“The story is touching and I want him to finally get his voice heard,” sums up Hellsten. She hopes to bring Ullmann’s bold and dramatic music to a larger audience and would love to stage his opera, “Emperor of the Atlantis”. But for now, she is glad that residents in her hometown had the opportunity to hear his music and his story.