The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Arc Stages

Ten reasons to Love, Love, LOVE Pleasantville

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Living in Pocantico Hills with a Pleasantville P.O., parking at the Hawthorne train station and sending your kids to Briarcliff High School is a bit of a geographic conundrum. You don’t really belong to any one town. Pocantico Hills is a school district rather than a town–even the school itself and Stone Barns are technically in Sleepy Hollow.

But living here has turned out to be a geographic bonanza: rather than one town, I claim three, situated as I am almost equidistant between Pleasantville, Briarcliff and Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow. My family and I frequent all three to shop and eat. But the one we visit more than any other for the mundane and the sublime is Pleasantville. Here are ten reasons to love this village.

1. The restaurants keep coming.

For a village of just 7,000, Pleasantville has a remarkably strong collection of dining options. A few of my newer favorites: Pub Street for seafood and salads, Mission Taqueria for tacos and margaritas, Southern Kitchen for, well, southern food, and Dai for its fresh sushi, soups and charming atmosphere. I get the sense Pleasantville residents don’t have a restaurant saturation point, which is good news for those of us who live here. If somebody builds a good one, they will come.

2. The Town Anchor.

I was practically in mourning when Yvonne and Roy decided to sell the Village Bookstore, but I’m thrilled they found an enthusiastic buyer in Jennifer Kohn to keep this gem open and thriving. If you love books, there’s nothing like browsing the aisles, reading the jacket cover and looking for employee recommendations over buying online. It’s also a chance to snub Amazon and more importantly, keep our local retailers in business.

3. The Bounty of the Farm.

I’ve checked out a few other farmers’ markets and maybe I’m biased, but Pleasantville’s Saturday market is something special. The sheer number of choices, the friendly sellers, the music, the quality of produce and the cheese all add up to a singular experience. On Saturdays, my family sits down to “market lunch,” which features three-four cheeses, fresh breads, pickles, salad and sometimes fresh seafood.

4. Mall Avoidance.

We all need to hit the Westchester or the Palisades Center on occasion. And I don’t want to see any of those stores go out of business. But when I have to buy a gift, I stay in town. I like pulling right up, throwing a quarter in the meter and walking into the Glass Onion for jewelry and accessories, Rhododendron for scarves and other women’s gifts, Aardvark for the dog, Kimberly House for baby clothes and scented gifts, Photo Works for a framed photo for the grandparents, and of course back to the Village Bookstore for anyone. Tip: The Pleasantville Pharmacy is a great stop at Christmas for something extra for kids, a pair of earrings, or a hostess gift.

5. You don’t have to go to NYC to see an art film.

What can I say about Jacob Burns except that it’s the jewel of Pleasantville. I hate to go anywhere else to see a movie anymore. And if your kids are interested in film, check out their fantastic after school courses and summer camp.

6. Skate the Old-Fashioned Way.

It’s as fickle as the winter weather, but when it’s open, Opperman’s Pond is an idyllic spot for family ice skating or a game of hockey. Pull up, put your skates on and go. There’s no line, no fee, and no rentals, so bring your own.

7. Architectural Digest.

I live in a mid-century modern home, and I’m not alone. A friend owns one near town where I’ve seen several, and then there’s Usonia, Frank Lloyd Wright’s utopian dream, right here off Bear Ridge Road. If the 1950’s are too new for you, Pleasantville has an impressive stock of Tudors, Victorians and Colonials, particularly the beauties lining Bedford Road that help Pleasantville live up to its name.

8. A True Community Theater.

My daughter did just two productions at Arc Stages during high school–I wish we had enrolled her as a young child. So many kids come back year after year until they go off to college. The people who run Arc Stages are as child-centered as you get. And their approach to musical theater and drama is to choose ensemble productions that give every kid an important role. Their community stage for adults and the variety of professional productions are excellent as well.

9. The Biggest Small Music Festival.

We’re a Clearwater Family, but I’ve got to say, Pleasantville is giving the Croton festival a run for its money when it comes to talent. This year, Everclear, Soul Asylum, Aimee Mann and Matthew Sweet were the featured artists. Every year in July, Parkway Field turns one Saturday into an all-day party. You can bring your kids or leave them home, but there’s something for everyone.

10. Charm.

Pleasantville is oozing in it, and at a time when people do so much ordering online and ordering to go, the village is often busy and alive. Let’s keep it that way. I worry about our small-town retailers dying off. Pleasantville, like so many of our Westchester villages, towns and cities, relies on its residents to be faithful customers. In return, it offers us a charming and bountiful place to call home.

Arc Stages – A Magical Place

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Teens during last year’s SummerStage production of Woody Guthrie’s American Song photo by Liza Margulies

As a theatre lover, I could not have dreamed up a more perfect place for arts enrichment for the community. Arc Stages, whose tagline is “theatre for every stage,” hits the mark in providing theatre education and opportunities for every stage of life and all stages of development. Arc Stages, located in Pleasantville, runs three theatre companies that currently share the same stage; the educational stage, the community theatre, and the professional theatre. It is a place where you can learn about theatre, be in theatre, or see theatre.

The Educational Stage

The educational stage produces youth productions and conducts workshops for kids ages 3-18 all year round, in addition to adult classes like the adult improv comedy class. In the theatre workshop program, kids register for workshops by age group and are invited to audition. What differentiates Arc Stages from other children’s theatre groups is that the show is not chosen until after the students audition. No students are cut from the program. When students return for callbacks, the director tries different shows out on the students before selecting the most appropriate show for the group.

“It is about the students first. It’s not about vying for parts,” explains Adam Cohen, Artistic Director. “We usually have a list of shows and we try different songs and sides out on the kids and see what show fits this particular group of kids because our goal is to teach them something through theatre and challenge them.”

“We do theatre games and work different types of workshops into the rehearsal process so that it’s not only about the show but about building self-confidence through theatre,” says Galit Sperling, the Director of Education. “We focus on positivity and let our students know that this is a safe space and an artistically and educationally fulfilling sanctuary.”

As auditioning can be nerve-wracking for some younger first time students, no one is forced to audition. “They can sing happy birthday if they want. It’s about us getting to know them,” says Sperling.

All theatre workshops culminate in two or three productions with elaborate costumes and sets at the end of the session.

Arc Stages also runs an in-school playwriting educational outreach program, Visions and Voices, in which they work with local schools teaching kids how to write plays and then produce them. A festival of plays is presented at the conclusion of the program. Visions and Voices is in its fourth year and Arc Stages would love to add more schools to its program.

SummerStage Camp

If you are looking for something for your kids to do this summer, Arc Stages holds a full day summer camp in which different age groups work on different shows. Besides rehearsals for a show, classes during the camp day include Acting Technique, Choreography, Improv & Theater Games, Stage Combat, Music and Vocal Technique, master classes and more.

Campers can choose to enroll in a six-week session or a three-week session. There is also a one-week intensive course. Early registration discounts are available if you register before April 1st.

The Community Stage

The community stage is geared towards adults in the community, whether you are brand new to theatre, returning to theatre after many years, or are professional non-union actors who want to do something in the community. They put on three productions every year. Auditions are open to anyone who wants to participate.

“It’s a mix between people who are accountants, lawyers, dentists, and everyday people that want to get into acting. Some participants are incredibly talented but just happen to do other things for a living. We try to produce a professional looking show but we’re looking for all walks of life in it so it really is the community,” says Cohen.

There are also plenty of volunteer opportunities for community members to assist backstage, design sets, work on costumes or help with technical services.

Rehearsals are currently underway for their next show, Avenue Q, which promises to be a great performance. Avenue Q will run the first two weekends of April. The community stage will also perform You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown July 19th-21st. Tickets for all shows can be purchased at arcstages.org.

The Next Stage

The Next Stage is the professional theatre company, which operates under a Small Professional Theatre Contract with Actor’s Equity Association, an actors’ union. They produce two high quality productions a year. The actors in a Next Stage show are generally all union members. Auditions are held at an open call in the city.

The next show has yet to be announced for the professional theatre company. Traditionally, Arc Stages announces their upcoming shows for both the community and professional stage at their fundraising gala in April. The gala, scheduled for April 27th, is always a fun evening where a show written especially for that night is performed for the guests by a mix of community and professional actors. Students from the educational stage also perform a number in the show.

Working Towards a Dream

Arc Stages’ facility has plenty of rehearsal spaces and its own dedicated 74-seat theatre. While having its own theatre has been incredible, a capital campaign is underway to raise money to build a bigger 175-seat proscenium theatre. They are probably a few years away from fulfilling this goal but it will surely add to the magnificence of all that their students, actors and community members accomplish at this magical place.

Arc Stages: An “Artistic Haven” and “Umbrella” for the Performing Arts!

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Adam David Cohen (Artistic Director) and Ann Shankman (Artistic Direc- tor of the Community Stage) with Audrey II of October/November 2015's Little Shop of Horrors.
Adam David Cohen (Artistic Director) and Ann Shankman (Artistic Direc- tor of the Community Stage) with Audrey II of October/November 2015’s Little Shop of Horrors.

Story and Photo By Matt Smith

“Curtain up! Light the lights! We’ve got nothing to hit but the heights!” Diehard theatre buffs will, of course, recognize this lyric as the mantra of the indefatigable Mama Rose in the 1959 musical Gypsy. However, it’s safe to say that this clear-cut, “reach-for-the-stars” advice could also perfectly describe the mission of Arc Stages, a not-for-profit theatre company located in Pleasantville.

Since June 2010, this “marriage” between former community theatre organization, Chappaqua Drama Group, and Little Village Playhouse, a former 15-year-old educational theatre program based in Pleasantville, has provided the community with an ensemble-based, collaborative environment–an “artistic haven,” if you will–which allows all participants, young and old, the chance to freely express themselves through the artistic process.

The “small, but fierce” staff of seven is steadfast in their goal of education and growth, and they take pride in their wide selection of offerings, which includes everything from classes to special workshops to amateur and even professional, productions. One glimpse at their work and you’re sure to see why there’s simply “no business like show business.”

“I think there are very few places that have what we have here,” says Ann Shankman, Artistic Director of the Community Stage, who describes the program as “an all-encompassing umbrella over the performing arts.” She says the company offers a little something for everyone, whether it be “for kids, for the everyday person who has a regular job but wants to do theatre, like they did it in college and could never do it again…[or for] professional actors who do [this] for a living.”

As President of the Executive Board of the company, Shankman says she gets joy out of knowing their work helps to raise a positive spirit in the community. “On both sides of the spectrum,” she adds, with a smile. “We’re helping people that come to us to be in our shows [by giving them a show to be in] and we’re helping people who come to be entertained [by giving them a show to see]…on whatever level that may be.”

Shankman and the rest of the Arc Stages staff also pride themselves on the company’s budding success as a business. “We are the people who started it, and we all have a death grip on its success,” she states. “And we wear many hats to make sure that what we’re putting out there matches our vision.”

A little over five years in, it certainly seems like that vision has been realized. And the key to their success may lie in the many ways in which they distinguish themselves from other theatre groups–one of which, most prominent in the Educational Stage, is their unique approach to the casting process. “Instead of shoehorning kids into a show that we’ve chosen before we know [them] and what their levels are….we pick shows that fit them,” explains Arc Stages’ Artistic Director Adam David Cohen.

In other words, shows aren’t necessarily, in all cases, chosen ahead of time. Based on what they see from a certain person or group during their audition, the staff may handpick a show to fit the needs of that group–even if that means changing a previous selection. And yes, Cohen acknowledges that this approach does “present marketing problems,” but he strongly believes the pros outweigh the cons, arguing that this process better supports the company’s aforementioned goal of education and artistic growth.

“It’s really about the art of what we’re doing…and less about someone in a star role,” Cohen explains. “We don’t like to do a big show and then stick thirty people in the background. We try to put on shows that are ensemble in nature,” so that, in the end, “everyone’s more hands-on and it feels like it’s their [own].”

Another way to promote the values of ensemble and not “shoehorn” actors into roles like Velma Kelly or Harold Hill? “We like to focus on newer work,” Cohen continues. “[Especially] in the Next Stage (the professional program), new writing is very important to us. [We] don’t want to re-paint the same painting over and over.” Additionally, by performing newer pieces–such as Love/Sick, by John Cariani–in favor of the old standards, “[the actors] get to originate roles. They don’t have a recording [of a performance] to fall back on. The role gets to be theirs.”

In keeping with their goals and supporting inclusiveness and education, and in an effort to get everyone involved, Arc Stages will kick off a series of classes for adults in 2016–“scene study classes, improv, voice, that type of thing.” And that’s not all. Another exciting event the staff plans to roll out in the New Year is a playwriting festival for younger students.

“We’re working with [students at] Bedford Road School,” Cohen explains. “We’re going to teach them the principles of playwriting. They’re going to come here, we’re going to go there… it’ll be a lot of fun.”

The year-long project will culminate with each student completing a short play, which may be chosen to be performed in the Arc Stages space. “They’ll be invited back [to Arc Stages] and [the event] will be open to the public, as a Playwriting Festival from local students.” Cohen stresses that if this initial run goes well, he hopes to extend Playwriting Festival submissions to the community at large.

Finally, they’ll be launching a Theatre for Young Audiences program, in which the professional Equity actors will perform an educational show exclusively for kids. The staff will also begin registration for their summer program, titled Summer Stage, open to all community kids aged 4-18. And of course, each stage within the company–Community, Educational and Next–will put on another show.

Physical Expansion Underway!

And, amidst all the expansion in programming, the company will also undergo a physical expansion as well. The current 74-seat auditorium will be split in two, “becoming part dressing rooms, and part flex classroom [space],” Cohen explains. In addition, their current storage closet/set building room will become the new entrance space for audience members.

The larger, 175-200 seat auditorium will be a proscenium theatre in which all of their main productions will be held. The building/construction project, which began in 2013, is expected to be completed within the next five years. Want to join in on the fun?

If so, the Community Stage is open–naturally–to all members of the community, regardless of age. The next set of auditions will be held in January, and the production for that program will be chosen in advance. So, if you’re intrigued, come out and show them what you’ve got! “There are a lot of talented people out there,” Cohen says, on the subject. “We’re happy to see them all.”

For those who may not be as performance-inclined, Arc Stages also has volunteer programs in costuming, set design, lights and sound, box office, publicity, and more.

“The only thing we keep in-house is we clean the bathrooms,” Cohen says with a laugh. But, seriously, as you can see from the wide variety of opportunities, Arc Stages really is a place where you can truly do it all. As Cohen states, “You can learn about theatre, you can be a part of theatre, [and] you can see good theatre.”

Arc Stages is located at 147 Wheeler Avenue in Pleasantville. For more information on the organization and/or how to audition, please visit www.arcstages.org.

Matt Smith, a proud graduate of Skidmore College, is a regular contributor to The Inside Press, Inc.

 

 

 

 

Get Ready, Get Set: Discover “Live Action Role Play” at ARC Stages

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Looking for a singular way to commemorate a lifetime milestone? Or a noteworthy evening with friends? There’s a new game in town, literally.

For the first time, a theatrical experience game–a bit of theater-style live-action roleplay (LARP)–is coming to Westchester.

Briarcliff native Warren Tusk, a theatrical experience game designer, will run his popular game, The Dance and the Dawn, a gothic fairy tale for 15 players who waltz and duel while in a search for true love, on Sat., May 2, from 6 p.m.-11 p.m., at ARC Stages, 175 Tompkins Avenue in Pleasantville.

To register to participate, visit www.paracelsus-games.com.
Cost is $25 (students, $15) for the evening.

Warren Tusk
Warren Tusk

There are boffer-style (physical combat) groups at Sarah Lawrence College and scattered throughout the county, but no groups running theatrical LARPS.

Dance, which was funded by a Kickstarter campaign, has been played at The Brick Theatre in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and dozens of times around the world.

Participants fill out a brief casting survey to be fit to the best role for them. There are seven female and six male parts available.

“I’m excited to help people live out their own theatrical narratives through this fun and social medium,” said Tusk. “Dance is the kind of game that makes it easy for new players to get swept up in the action; it’s introduced many to the hobby.”

Dance and other games he has written are also available on his website so people can run a game on their own. Included is a game written by Betsy Isaacson, daughter of author Walter Isaacson, and as well as a private event service for those hoping to feature one of his games at a celebration or simply to engineer a memorable evening in the NY metro area.

While role-play has its roots in early make-believe games, today’s more modern role-playing hobby can be attributed to the mega-popular game Dungeons & Dragons, which, since the 1970’s, spawned worldwide interest in the medium. Live action role play was influenced by D&D, but also includes elements of theater and historical reenactment.

Tusk fell in love, as he puts it, “pretty hard and fast,” with theater LARPing in 2003, when introduced to the medium as a member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association (HRSFA). “I joined up for the whiz-bang fantasy-fulfillment element of it all,” he says, “but I stuck around for the power and the complexity of the stories that got told.”

As a 17-year-old college sophomore, Tusk was inspired by the opportunity to combine his interests in gaming and theater. He had often performed onstage in his youth and in Harvard student theater. And he was deeply involved playing many kinds of games, from board games and video games to tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons.

Theatrical experience games generally feature a story with pre-written characters, each with their own personality, motivations and goals, but no script. Participants interact with each other while improvisationally playing their characters, choosing their own actions and dialogue. Similar to murder mystery games, a LARP can vary in length from less than an hour to a weekend or longer.

There are various styles of LARPs. Theater LARPs center on improvisational play with elaborate stories and complex characters. Boffer-style, because they focus on physical combat using foam weapons, are most prevalent and best known. Freeform (often “Nordic LARPs”) games emphasize emotional intensity in realistic and minimalist settings and are a game design particular to Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. Dozens of college campuses across the country have active groups. There is a strong community in the Northeast and are manifold role-play groups around the world.

Tusk wrote his first game in 2003, but his career as a LARP creator truly began in 2006, when he wrote Dance, based on an innovative tabletop game written by a friend; it draws on sources from philosophy-of-gender theorists to Japanese anime. His study of religion, folklore, bioethics and the law (Harvard ‘05, U Penn ’09) and varied media influences inform his creative work.

“It never really occurred to me, once I knew about these games, that I wouldn’t try my hand at writing them,” says Tusk. “I was embedded in a creative and motivated circle of people; if you cared about something, in that crowd, you’d find a way to try and make it your own.”

Tusk has run his games at Intercon, the annual LARP convention in Massachusetts, and all over the Northeast. His wife, a middle school teacher and fellow Harvard-vintage LARPer, will use a theater LARP in her classroom this spring to teach about the Age of Exploration.