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ChappPac

Heart and Soul at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center (ChappPAC)

November 13, 2019 by The Inside Press

Founded in 2017, the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center (ChappPAC) was established to provide diverse arts and cultural programming for residents of New Castle and communities throughout the region. Located in the heart of Chappaqua at Chappaqua Crossing (the former Reader’s Digest campus), this amazing 425-seat venue was saved from demolition and brought back to life through a unique consortium of municipal and private support.

ChappPAC’s programming presents a diverse, imaginative and exceptionally entertaining mix of arts and cultural opportunities such as art exhibits, theater, comedy, author talks and perennial favorites such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and an interactive “Elf” experience. Artists such as Tim Kubart and the Space Cadets have had children dancing in the aisles, while the sweet sounds of Vanessa Williams and the rocking music of the Allman Brothers have delighted adults. ChappPAC also is the home of the Chappaqua Orchestra, and has hosted master acting classes with current Broadway stars. ChappPAC offers a full slate of children’s and senior programming and also aims to provide programs and opportunities for under-served communities and people with special needs.

The Town’s Arts and Culture Committee oversees the facility and is the liaison between the Town and the needs of ChappPAC. The Friends of ChappPAC, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, is the entity sanctioned to work with the Town to provide financial support to ChappPAC for capital projects and programming at the theater. For information about ChappPAC and future programming, visit chappaquapac.org. For information about the Friends of ChappPAC, contact friendsofchapppac@gmail.com.

Courtesy of the Town of New Castle Arts and Culture Committee 

 

Filed Under: Discover New Castle Tagged With: Arts, Arts and Culture, Chappaqua Orchestra, Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, ChappPac, Cultural Programming, Diverse, Programming

Battle of the Bands at ChappPac

August 24, 2019 by The Inside Press

On September 21, the Friends of Chappaqua Performing Arts Center (ChappPAC) will be presenting The Battle of the Bands at ChappPAC, featuring three local bands. A meet and greet cocktail party with the bands will be held prior to the event at 6 p.m. for those who purchase tickets at that level and those who are part of the Founding Members Circle. General admission tickets are $50/ticket and priority seating including the pre-party, is $150/ticket.

The three bands taking part in this event are Red Grenadine with The Horn Dogs, Ripchord and The Station Agents. Each band will play for half an hour and there will be a 15 minute intermission between each set. Wine, beer and other beverages will be available for sale at the event.

“Having local bands who are comprised of Northern Westchester residents really speaks well for the talent we have in the Northern part of our county,” said Michele Gregson, Friends of ChappPAC Chair.

The idea for the Battle of the Bands was the brainchild of event Chair and Friends of ChappPAC Board member Sena Baron. “We were lucky that we were able to put together three great local bands to take part in this event.”

The Friends of ChappPAC is the non-profit organization sanctioned by the Town of New Castle, which owns the theater, to fundraise to enhance the facility, provide programming and help run the theater on an ongoing basis. The Friends are currently undergoing a major fundraising campaign for their Founding Members Circle, which includes various financial levels of donations. For more information about supporting Friends of ChappPAC, contact friendsofchapppac@gmail.com. To purchase tickets, visit brownpapertickets.com

ripchord
Red Grenadine
The Station Agents

Filed Under: Gotta Have Arts Tagged With: Battle of the Bands, Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, ChappPac, Family Entertainment, Music Appreciation, rock and roll

Pout Pout Delivered Family Entertainment with an Important Message

June 2, 2019 by Inside Press

Families gathered at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center to enjoy a musical performance of The Pout Pout Fish, a popular children’s book brought to life.

Article and Photos By Leslie Regan

The lively musical Pout Pout spreads the important message that everyone should be valued for who they are on the inside, and not judged based on appearance.

Talented actors and actresses brought The Pout Pout Fish story alive with song. Audience members enjoyed the catchy tunes.In addition to the 11 a.m. show, there was a 2 p.m. performance that was geared towards community members with sensory sensitivities and other special needs. There was a warm sense of inclusivity at both performances where students from The EPIC (Every Person is Connected) Committee sold books and concessions. The EPIC committee helps students with special needs contribute to their community in a meaningful way for all involved.

The Pout Pout Fish was brought to the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center on May 25 by Friends of ChappPAC, a local non profit organization. This newly formed nonprofit was created in order to provide Chappaqua with cultural and live arts and bring families together. Friends of ChappPAC teamed up with another non profit organization–TheaterWorks USA–to put on Saturday’s performances.

Tracy Stein, Vice Chair of the ChappPac Board of Directors, said TheaterWorks brings to life children’s books; their mission is to bring theater to all areas of the country-including underserved areas and schools. “They promote literacy and provide theater to places that might not get it otherwise,” she said. 

As part of Friends of ChappPAC’s mission to provide programming also to local underserved communities, it provided tickets to local organizations such as Neighbors Link and The Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester, which allowed many children and families to enjoy The Pout Pout fish and the ChappPAC.

Friends of ChappPAC is also working to raise money to kick off its inaugural 2019 Fall Season. “Models like the Jacob Burns Film Center and the Emelin Center for Performing Arts show that community investment is critical to programming,” said Stein. 

Friends of ChappPAC would like to continue to help spread the joy of theater, and is seeking additional funding. If anyone would like to join the Executive Committee, they are encouraged to contact Friends of ChappPAC at friendsofchapppac@gmail.com

Leslie Regan is a Lehigh University student with a passion for photography. She studies Psychology and Journalism and enjoys combining her interests by getting to know people and telling their unique stories through photography. She has covered several events for Inside Chappaqua Magazine and has been photographing parties, and families, and special events on her own for the past few years.

Actors and actresses were the voices and singing voices behind the sea creatures. Some characters consisted of a shark, clam, octopus, eel, and of course The Pout Pout Fish.
The Pout-Pout Fish book is illustrated by Dan Hanna. His beautiful drawings were  brought to life on stage with bright fish and other ocean creatures.
Tracy Stein is the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of ChappPAC. The goal of this organization is to bring more productions to Chappaqua such as musical theater and concerts in order to unite and bond the community.

 

 

 

Filed Under: New Castle News Tagged With: Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, ChappPac, EPIC Committee, Family Entertainment, Friends of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Pout Pout, Special Needs

COMPLICIT: A May 9 Film and Discussion at ChappPAC

April 22, 2019 by Inside Press

The documentary Complicit will be shown on May 9 at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. The filmmaker, Ruth Kalish, will provide a post screening talk. A representative from HIAS will also speak about current immigration and refugee policies and issues.

Complicit follows the story of the SS St. Louis, which left Germany in 1939 and was refused safe haven from Cuba, the U.S., and Canada and had to return to Germany (the film Voyage of the Damned follows this story). In this documentary, the film puts the Roosevelt Administration on trial for their complicity in not allowing refugees to seek safe haven in the U.S.

Reduced price student tickets are available “in the hope that you will bring your children,” stated  Michele Gregson, a founding member of the Friends of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center.

See link for tickets below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For tickets, please use the following link “and share with your friends!”

https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4208627

 

 

Filed Under: Happenings Tagged With: Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, ChappPac, Complicit, Film and Discussion, holocaust, Roosevelt, Ruth Kalish, Voyage of the Damned

ChappPAC Destined to be a Center For the Arts and Family Entertainment

December 2, 2018 by Ella Ilan

Tucked away beyond the construction crews and heavy equipment that have been plowing away for the last two years at Chappaqua Crossing lies the recently transformed Chappaqua Performing Arts Center (ChappPAC). Once named the Wallace Auditorium and used primarily for Readers Digest meetings and conferences, the intimate playhouse has been reincarnated as a performing arts center, cultural destination and mecca for educational children’s theatre.

Initially slated for demolition when Summit Development and Greenfield Partners designed Chappaqua Crossing’s retail and residential community, the small theatre was saved through negotiations with Deputy Town Supervisor Lisa Katz and the help of the New Castle Arts and Culture Committee. Summit Greenfield offered to donate the theatre to the Town of New Castle for one dollar.

When the town asked experienced theatre professional and educator John Fanelli’s opinion about saving the theatre, he said, “You don’t find 425 seat theatres in your backyard every day. You couldn’t build this. It would cost way too much money. It’s like a beautiful country playhouse and it’s pretty awesome that it’s still here.”

After issuing a request for proposal for a theatre manager, the town chose Fanelli as the theatre manager. Scott Campbell of Soup’s On Entertainment was also chosen as a promoter. Fanelli was well acquainted with the facility and well aware of its potential as he had already been renting it for productions of his own Armonk-based educational children’s theatre company, Lighthouse Youth Theatre and Standing Ovations Studio, where he serves as artistic director. His responsibilities at ChappPAC include managing bookings, rentals of the space, volunteers, vendors and maintaining the integrity of the structure. Clearly the right man for the job, Fanelli, whose passion is educational theatre, has been directing, teaching and creating programs for children and teens in theatre for almost 25 years.

“If you ask me,” Fanelli professes, “the most important education you can give your child is a performing arts education because it teaches them so much about who they are as people and gives them such great confidence. If they can stand up in front of 400 people and do a show, then they certainly can do a book report or run for class president…they can do pretty much anything they want. We are teaching life skills.”

The theatre has ushered in its second year of children’s theatre programming with a collection of fall children’s workshops presented by the Town of New Castle, Standing Ovation Studios, and Soup’s On Entertainment. Most recently this November, Tony Award winner Lindsay Mendez (Carousel, Wicked, Godspell, Grease) and Broadway star Derek Klena (Anastasia, Wicked, Bridges of Madison County) led a workshop about musical theatre technique and audition preparation. The session ended with the students performing on stage for parents and friends and a “talkback session” with the actors about their own Broadway experiences. Earlier this fall, Broadway actors and former cast members of Wicked, Arielle Jacobs and Alicia Albright, led a children’s Wicked workshop which also culminated in an on-stage performance and an informative Q & A session with the actors.

The season kicked off with a free musical theatre workshop open house where students learned to perform songs and dances from Peter Pan and Hamilton.

Three additional free workshops are planned for the new year to help get people in the door and get them excited about the programs offered.

As part of these workshops, students are split up according to age and then further divided into three small groups that rotate among a musical director, choreographer, and acting teacher. Students are then able to focus on all three disciplines.

Bringing theatre education to our youngest citizens, ChappPAC also hosts Drama Bee, an educational weekly theatre program for preschoolers, in partnership with New Castle Recreation. “My goal is to educate kids and teach them things about themselves using musical theatre,” says Fanelli. “When a parent calls and asks me how to get their child on Broadway, I always tell them to call someone else because that’s not my goal. I think the way to get to Broadway is to go to college and then be a professional and go as an adult. Being a child actor on Broadway doesn’t necessarily translate to becoming a professional actor.”

While many of the children’s programs have been made possible through a generous private grant, the reinvention of this hidden gem has been facilitated through a combined effort of the town, dedicated theatre professionals like Fanelli and private citizens. 

Deputy Town Supervisor Katz spearheaded the acquisition of this theatre for the town.  “Personally, making this theatre a reality has been very fulfilling for me. It’s really just an exciting opportunity for the town to be able to utilize it and do something incredible for not just our residents, but all of the surrounding communities as well,” she says.  “The goal is to eventually make it a preeminent destination for theatre, dance, music and visual arts in Northern Westchester,” she adds.

A foundation comprised of volunteers, The Friends of Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, has been formed to provide funding for capital improvements, programming, special projects and sponsorship opportunities to support ChappPAC. At the time of writing this article, the group was seeking and awaiting 501(c)(3) status so they can begin fundraising. Michele Gregson and Tracy Stein, Chairs of the Friends group, have been instrumental in engaging volunteers and potential donors, developing marketing strategies, and planning for the theatre’s future as a premier performing arts center.

“We have a great model in the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, a highly regarded cinematic destination, where the surrounding merchants have benefited. We hope to do the same here where you can see a show, make an evening out of it, and go to one of our local restaurants downtown,” suggests Gregson.

Some of the exciting ideas that Gregson says have been discussed for the theatre are to organize a lecture series with prominent speakers along the lines of the offerings at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan, to use the theatre as a developmental space for prospective Broadway shows, and to host art exhibits.

Gregson, who also serves as Chair of Westchester Women at UJA-Federation of New York, has helped secure a grant from UJA to produce three Jewish-related programs at the theatre, which will likely be presented in the spring.

(L-R): At a ChappPac celebration following its opening: Jonathan Leibner, David Restivo,
Jeff Kuduk, Michele Gregson, Scott Campbell, Lisa Katz and John Fanelli.

The leaders behind this theatre are also open to suggestions. Their goal is to provide programming that the community craves. As they move forward, they will continually assess what is successful and optimize programming to bring in audiences.

Besides producing shows, maintaining the space is also at the top of the agenda for the town and the volunteers. Luckily the building was in good shape and already beautifully laid out as a theater when the town acquired it. Fanelli put in new LED lighting, upgraded the lighting board and the acoustic equipment, and renovated the stage. With the help of the Friends group, he hopes to continue improving the space. “Within three years it will be just like the Ridgefield Playhouse. That’s the goal,” he says, referring to the 500-seat venue in Connecticut. 

As the front of the building is in need of repairs, Gregson hopes to undertake a fundraising initiative where donors can purchase bricks engraved with their names on them to adorn the building. She also anticipates planning a fundraising gala in the near future. Additional plans for the theatre include adding a box office and a concession stand. Organizers hope to hire and train workers with special needs to work at the concession stand.

With various improvements yet to be made, exciting ideas yet to bear fruit, and despite the surrounding construction, the theatre has been open for business and successfully putting on programming.

Recent performances in November have run the gamut from family fun with Tim Kubart and the Space Cadets, an indie pop dance party for all ages, to fodder for adult audiences like folk/rock singer-songwriter and former Chappaqua resident Dar Williams. On December 1st, comedians and co-hosts of the popular parenting podcast What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood performed.

“The funny thing is that nobody really knew this place was sitting here for 30 years,” remarks Fanelli. “I hope that we can establish ourselves as the number one place for family entertainment and for educational theatre programming in the area.  If you want to go see a great show for the whole family, Chappaqua Performing Arts Center is your place,” he says.

RESERVE YOUR TICKETS:

An interactive screening of the Christmas film Elf will take place on Saturday, December 8.

Junie B. Jones will be performed by Theatreworks USA on Saturday, February 9.

On March 9, the Chappaqua Orchestra will perform an interactive, inclusive family concert spotlighting the special needs community playing with the orchestra.

For program information, visit www.chappaquapac.org. For fundraising inquires, email the Friends of Chappaqua Performing Arts Center at friendsofchapppac@gmail.com.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Arts, Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, ChappPac, Entertainment, John Fanelli, Lighthouse Youth Theater, Local, performing arts, shows, Theatre

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