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Revitalizing the Glamour of Old Cinema: The Bedford Playhouse Reopens its Doors

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Passing under the iconic arches flanking the entrance of the Bedford Playhouse, Home of the Clive Davis Arts Center, one is instantly transported to the era of old Hollywood glamour. From the old fashioned box office that greets guests to Paul Shaffer’s grand piano from the set of “The Late Show” with David Letterman gracing the foyer, it’s evident that the Playhouse boasts a rich history. The meticulous detail, however, beguiles the fact that it’s been mere months since the grand reopening of this cultural hub that’s now emerging as a bright star after a questionable future.

A Grassroots Movement

The Bedford Playhouse first opened its doors in April 1947 to much fanfare. In 1983, the theater was acquired by Bow Tie Cinemas and divided into two smaller theaters, losing much of its historic nature. In early 2015, when Bow Tie opted not to renew its lease, the beloved theater closed. That’s when the community unified to take action. Lindsay Hearon, director of marketing of the Playhouse recounts, “The community banded together in a ‘Save the Playhouse’ grassroots movement of sorts and reached out to local resident, John Farr, who was instrumental in resurrecting the Avon Theater in Stamford. The landlord gave us 120 days to raise $2M to prove there was significant interest in the project. That goal was accomplished in six weeks. That’s when they began taking us seriously.”

If the first phase of revitalizing the Playhouse was about generating support, then the second phase can be characterized by reimagining, rebuilding and redesigning the structure. According to Hearon, “Since a movie theater didn’t work, we needed to redefine the Playhouse’s role in this phase of its evolution. The local communities were craving a cultural hub. To tap into that void, we conceived of a space anchored by films, but with the capability to function as so much more. The introduction of a wine tasting room and café, where people grab a smoothie or meet friends for a drink was instrumental in the transformation.” Armonk resident and founding donor, Robert Greenfield concurs, saying, “My wife and I absolutely fell in love with the renovation and the overall experience. It’s this intimate, luxurious cultural destination that’s right in our backyard. It’s different from a movie theater or a concert hall. It’s about bringing the community together to have a dialogue, listen to directors speak about films, attend family programming or just have a drink with friends. You simply can’t beat this.”

To make this vision a reality, the team began working fervently, assembling a group of advisors.  “We consulted with the absolute best,” according to Hearon, “from designers to architects to state-of-the-art technology teams to ensure that no detail was overlooked.” Amongst this exclusive team of advisors is local resident and music industry legend, Clive Davis. Hearon explains the icon’s role, “When Mr. Davis learned about what we were doing, he wanted to get involved both personally and philanthropically. He identified with the need to bring arts and culture back to the community. His decades of incredible experience and connections have been instrumental.” Davis’ contributions were so impactful that the Playhouse thanked him by designating the Clive Davis Art Center as its partner entity, an honor prominently reflected on the building’s façade.

“It’s different from a movie theater or a concert hall. It’s about bringing the community together to have a dialogue, listen to directors speak about films, attend family programming or just have a drink with friends. You simply can’t beat this.” – Robert Greenfield

A Marriage of Old and New

The grand opening of the Bedford Playhouse revealed an opulent interior depicting the perfect marriage of old and new. The theaters feature sumptuous, buttery-soft leather seating with trays for food and drink, vintage film posters and waterfall curtains, complemented by state-of-the art Dolby Atmos surround sound technology. “Our doors opened on September 30th, featured three days of fun-filled programming and culminated in a party with guests including Clive Davis and Paul Shaffer. We’ve been chugging along ever since,” Hearon proudly announces.

“Our programming incorporates a hybrid strategy of arts and film that touch topics that are captivating the community’s interest like the “Me Too” movement or politics–we’re not going to shy away from controversial issues,” says Hearon, further explaining, “We have a really exciting footprint where we take a movie and add a unique component to it.” One space in particular has been designed with flexible furniture to accommodate everything from a themed cocktail event to author reading event discussion to a children’s birthday party.

A series of unique events have already taken place. The Playhouse screened Always at the Carlyle, accompanied by a Q&A with the film’s directors complete with a cocktail event that recreated the hotel’s legendary Bemelmans Bar. Mary Poppins Returns featured a “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” Spelling Bee and costumed Mary Poppins offering spoons full of sugar up and down the aisles. Martha Stewart hosted a private event in the wine tasting room, while Glenn Close headlined a sneak preview screening of the Oscar-nominated film, The Wife, complete with a Q&A event and cocktail party; former head writer of SNL Alan Zwibel held a Q&A and a screening of Love Gilda. And, there’s no sign of the momentum slowing. In the coming months, the Playhouse is set to offer a special screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey, a Q&A with the David Boies, the subject of the documentary, The Case Against 8, and a comedy show starring comedian Robert Klein.

All of the excitement is evidence that the Bedford Playhouse has tapped into the community’s collective yearning for culture. “We’ve even seen the naysayers come out,” Hearon says, continuing, “People really want to join together in a cultural experience. The community has been hungry for this.”

(914) Cares Opens New Headquarters

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Dedicated volunteers and Westchester County elected officials gathered together for a grand opening ceremony on September 20th to celebrate the new brick and mortar location of non-profit (914) Cares and hail its adoption of Kids’ Kloset. County Executive George Latimer cut the ribbon, marking the official opening of the new site at 901 North Broadway in North White Plains.

(914) Cares, formerly Chappaqua Cares, supports local non-profits that focus on basic human needs, including food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education. The organization was founded in 2014 by Chappaqua residents CEO Jessica Reinmann and Vice Chairman Dawn Greenberg. The two founders believed that there were many people interested in helping others and there were a myriad of charities in need but the missing piece was someone to put them together. They began working with four local organizations and have expanded to partnering with over thirty non-profit groups. (914) Cares places volunteers, coordinates donation drives, and helps local non-profits with fundraising.

(L- R): Stephanie Roth, Jessica Reinmann and Dawn Greenberg
(L-R): Dawn Greenberg, North Castle Town Supervisor Michael Schiliro, Deputy Supervior Stephen D’Angelo and Jessica Reinmann
(L- R): Dawn Greenberg, County Executive George Latimer and Jessica Reinmann

“Twenty-five percent of Westchester residents live at or below the poverty line,” says Reinmann. “There are families that cannot feed their children and although they get breakfast and lunch in school through government subsidy, these kids don’t get dinner or anything on the weekends and during school breaks.”

Through their Empty Bowls project, they have raised over $300,000 to fight hunger in Westchester County. At an Empty Bowls event, volunteers create hand-painted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a monetary donation, guests keep the bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.

“It’s hard to wrap your arms around the fact that so many local children may not have dinner tonight. It could be the opposing soccer team of your kid.  I think when people get it, they are generous,” says Mary Rosewater, (914) Cares board member and Kids’ Kloset volunteer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF 914(CARES)

The Kids’ Kloset program, founded by Executive Director Stephanie Roth, provides underprivileged local children with donated clothing and related items.  Since its inception in 2011, Kids’ Kloset has provided over 16,000 bags of clothing, footwear, diapers and more to local children. Volunteers sort donated clothing and pack “bags of love” with appropriate items that are not ripped or stained. They fill orders received from referring partners on the front line that can identify children in need, such as social workers, teachers, or houses of worship. Bags contain about a week’s worth of clothing and are packed based on the child’s size and when possible, color and style preferences.

“We pride ourselves as being somewhat of a first responder to these schools and organizations,” says Volunteer Coordinator Sandee Levinson.

“The mission is not just: here’s a bag of clothing because you’re in need, but rather: here’s a bag of clothing that’s going to make you feel good and give you a greater sense of self- esteem,” explains Roth.

“While we have specific operating hours, there’s not one single one of us who if we got an emergency call that a child is now homeless and needs clothes for school due to a catastrophic fire, who would not jump out of bed to make that happen,” says Rosewater.

“We have so many underserved kids here,“ says Westchester Chairman of the Board of Legislators Benjamin Boykin. “This is a wonderful organization.  If you have clothes that your kids have outgrown and you no longer need, bring it in,” he urges.

The adoption of Kids’ Kloset was the impetus to open the current space. Kids’ Kloset had lost its previous location in White Plains. Friends of the organization worked together to locate a new space that was centrally located. White Plains Attorney Seth Mandelbaum, a land use and zoning specialist, provided pro bono services to shepherd them through the approval process in the Town of North Castle.

North Castle Town Supervisor Mike Schirilo and Deputy Supervisor Stephen D’Angelo were both instrumental in the town approval and glad to have been involved. “It’s an incredible organization and it speaks volumes about the people who are behind this and gives you continued faith in society. With all that noise around us, there are still great people like this doing great things and it reaffirms the goodness in our culture,” says Schirilo.

“This coming together represents what makes Westchester great, not the government of Westchester, but the people of Westchester… who are willing to give their time with no compensation or glory,” says Latimer.

The Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry, which is supported by thirteen different congregations, is one of (914) Cares’ partners. “The values that we all hold so deeply from every religious organization, regardless of the brand name, are truly living out their faith in this and it’s extraordinary,” says Mount Kisco Mayor Gina Picinich.

“Often Westchester can be characterized as a place that doesn’t need help but the reality is that there are folks struggling here just like everywhere else and we want them to be part of the fabric of our communities and so we have to make sure we have services available for them,” says State Assemblyman David Buchwald.

“For someone who wants to help but doesn’t know how, (914) Cares is one-stop shopping,” says board member Haley Ferraro.

For more information on how you can get involved, go to www.914cares.org

Byram Hills HS Students Learn a Valuable Lesson Amid Bridge Project Date

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Aerial view of the new bridge’s westbound span stay cables

Eleventh and 12th grade physics classes at Byram Hills High School got a peek into the state’s largest infrastructure project when the New NY Bridge educational outreach team came to their school this academic year. “We asked them to focus on the engineering aspects of it although some science students were there,” BHHS teacher Paul Beeken said.

The presentation included the politics of getting a megaproject started. “One fascinating concept for us (students) was how to get a project like this in place,” Beeken said.

This year one of BHHS’s classes built a truss build from balsa wood and was challenged to see how much it can carry versus the weight of the bridge itself. “With this in mind, they have an understanding it’s a tradeoff: cost of materials and how heavy is the bridge versus how much can it carry,” he said.

Outreach educator Dan Marcy addressing students at Byram Hills High School

Beeken requested the presentation focus on engineering and the stress factors: what goes into building the roadway, the technologies needed to lift roadway and how the super crane was able to lift the weights it did as he’d finished a unit on forces including weights and pulleys.

When the kids asked Marcy where he got his degree, he told them he’s not an engineer and explained his background. “That was very valuable,” Beeken said, “because the kids could see someone who wasn’t an engineer but who was still very articulate about all the different facets of the project.”

Engineering is only one part of the project, he noted. “While maybe one-tenth of the class will become engineers, it’s important to have a basic literacy to more easily navigate the subject.”

Precast concrete panels atop structural steel girders

Months after the new bridge’s eight iconic towers were completed (in December) the super crane resumed setting structural steel on the eastbound span utilizing a different process. Assemblies lifted from the northern side of the westbound were moved to a floating barge between the two new spans and then fitted across the eastbound span’s concrete piers.

Anti-climb tensile mesh fencing will line both sides of both spans and the walking/bicycle path; steel mesh safety netting will be below each of the six belvederes. Earlier this year, an aesthetic LED (light emitting diodes) hour-long system test set more than 20 piers on the westbound Rockland awash in bright colors.

Crews anchoring a stay cable to the roadway

When fully installed, the 2,700 color lights and 500 white lights from Philips Lighting, the same company that brightens Madison Square Garden, will also illuminate the eight iconic towers and stay cables. With a predicted 100,000-hour lifespan (three times that of conventional lamps), the lights will use roughly 75 percent less energy.

As of a mid-April, date, all 96 stay cables–ranging from 190 to 623 feet long–for the westbound span and one-third (32) for the eastbound span are attached to their respective towers and tensioned to structural steel. More than 120 girder assemblies have been installed on both spans. Ongoing work includes installing concrete noise barrier panels along the northbound Thruway in South Nyack this week and installing transparent acrylite noise barriers on the Rockland approach on the soon-to-open westbound span and installing overhead gantries with electronic signage about lane use, exits and other helpful information.

Bucket trucks used to install LED system

“Before the (Tappan Zee) bridge was built there was nothing there, so no one had any expectations about what a bridge would do,” Beeken said. “Now (building a bridge today) is 10 times more difficult because people need that bridge and depend upon it. You want to build a new one, so the logistics of being able to build a new bridge without ever shutting down the old one presents challenges.”

Two-way traffic will temporarily switch to the new westbound span’s eight lanes by spring/summer. Crews will then dismantle the current bridge so the eastbound span can be completed and attached to the Westchester and Rockland landings.

The full bridge and its walking/bicycle path is expected to open in 2018.

PHOTOS CREDIT NYSTA

New Rabbi Appointed at Pleasantville Community Synagogue

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image001Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan succeeded Rabbi Sameth this summer as the new Rabbi for Pleasantville Community Synagogue, a trans-denominational synagogue known for Joyful Judaism serving 20 Westchester towns over the last 18 years. Rabbi Danan received rabbinic ordination after five years in the ALEPH Rabbinic Program. She was a student of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi of blessed memory, the founder of the Jewish Renewal movement.

Since then, she successfully led two congregations: Congregation Beth Am (Reconstructionist) in San Antonio, Texas; and Congregation Beth Israel, in Chico, California.

She has extensive experience in Jewish Education at all levels, as well as leadership in interfaith work and dialogue, including the Celebration of Abraham in Chico, bringing together hundreds of Muslims, Christians, and Jews to learn about one another’s faith and also to get to know one another as neighbors.

In addition to her rabbinical studies, Rabbi Danan earned a Ph.D. in Hebrew Studies, specializing in Rabbinic Literature and Culture, from the University of Texas at Austin. Rabbi Danan grew up in Texas, lived for several years in Israel and for 12 years in Northern California.

Based on her love of nature and the outdoors, she recently started a creative website: Wellsprings of Wisdom, www.wellspringsofwisdom.com, designed as a virtual retreat center built around Jewish symbols from nature.

Rabbi Danan is also the author of The Jewish Parents’ Almanac, reflecting her experience as the mother of five children.

Rabbi Danan is married to Avraham Danan, a Moroccan-Israeli who loves and teaches Piyut (traditional Moroccan Jewish liturgical song). They are delighted to be closer to most of their five grown children and two young grandsons on the East Coast and Midwest.

Visit shalomPCS.com for more info about Rabbi Danan, the Hebrew school, Shabbat services and adult programming at PCS.