The Grove Gang
By Linda Dickerman
Susan Freedner and
Bruce-Michael Gelbert
Bruce-Michael Musings…
Two wonderful performers, who are infrequent visitors to Fire Island, kicked off the week before last with their shows. Tommy Femia, frequently heard in cabaret in the city, but absent from the Grove for several seasons, returned to the Ice Palace as “Judy Garland LIVE!” on July 16 and indeed made the pre-Stonewall gay icon live again. Pianist David Maiocco assisted and Sidney Myer made a guest appearance. Part of Tommy’s genius is not to limit himself to repertory that Judy actually sang, but to include songs she might plausibly have sung were she still alive. Therefore, Norma Desmond’s demented “It’s As If We Never Said Goodbye,” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Sunset Boule-vard” and everyone’s favorite madcap aunt’s bubbly “It’s Today,” from Jerry Herman’s “Mame,” sat comfortably beside beloved Garland standards “Swanee,” “The Man that Got Away,” and “Over the Rainbow” in Femia’s show. He’ll be back at the Palace to appear in Jacqueline Jonée’s July 30 gala, “Puttin’ on the Titz.”
On July 17, leggy dancer and singer Edie brought a zesty hour of song and dance to the Tides and many fans from the Pines came to cheer her on. “Dancing in the Street” found her dancing with verve and high kicks punctuated her suggestion, “Get Your Kicks on Route 66.” In the recent Broadway revival of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s “Threepenny Opera,” Edie played a hooker in Madam Cyndi Lauper’s brothel and here she offered “Mack the Knife,” adapting the words to tell of her experience in the show. DJ Texxx assisted on sound.
Fresh from their successful Doctor’s Fund Benefit, “High Fashion Follies,” which added $8,200 to the fund, glamorous Shapiro Sisters Sylvia and Shirley, shimmering in black with rainbow accents, hosted High Tea at the Tides last Saturday and had nothing but glowing things to say about the glowing things that Susan and I had said in these pages about the riotous show.
On Saturday evening, the Grove Hotel threw a White Party. The Ice Palace was swathed in white, as were staff members Isaac, Laura and Aramis and guests Bella, Demi-Tasse, Angelo, Freddie, Joe and I (the last two with black leather accoutrements, of course).
Some news that will disappoint some Grove folks and inspire different feelings in others, came from Inspector Hal Jantzen of the Suffolk County Police Department Marine Bureau, who announced last week that “because of internal concerns,” his office was canceling the Cherry Bowl Volleyball Tournament, according to Amelia Migliaccio, who organizes parades of colors before and between games. The tournament, usually held on the first Wednesday afternoon in August, pits the home team, the Grovettes, against the police team, the Copettes, who have been battling from opposite sides of the net since 1984. “We hope that the games will resume in the future,” Amelia said. In the recent past, many Grovites have complained of unruly behavior on the part of many of the Copettes’ supporters, who seem to think that coming to Cherry Grove gives them license to, well, misbehave.
Linda Looks at…
What a busy weekend. It started on Saturday with the Art Show, and then on to Mark Atten’s. We got to meet Cindy, and check out what he has done with his house: it’s lovely. Many of the people who were there were also at the next cocktail party; some of the people there were Joan and Lorraine, Valerie and Evelyn, Arthur and Michael, Dominic and John, Bud, Renee and Jane, Tall Paul and Kathleen and Laura.
We then moved on to Joyce Yaeger and Lisa Jacobson who hosted a cocktail party for Jon Cooper, Suffolk County Legislator and Majority Leader. He has done and is doing a lot for the Human Rights Campaign. He has been instrumental on creating a Domestic Partner Registry for county residents. There were many community people attending, including, Fran and Alison, Jan and Edrie, Isaac and Sal.
Celeste was at the Ice Palace this week, and as always, she was excellent. She will be back at the Ice Palace, and will also be at the Tides this summer. Glad we will get a chance to see her again. Whenever she comes to Florida, Barbara and I always make it a point to go to see her.
Hopefully the rain will soon stop. It is very depressing. Some of the wind damage has caused problems. Telephone lines were out, and some were lying across the walks and were quite dangerous if someone walking didn’t see them before they got to them. Trees came down, everything was soggy, and there were lots of lost blueberries.
We stopped at the Tides on Sunday, and it was lovely. We met some of our friends (Lee and Janice, Lois and Eleanor, and Lyn and Pat) and had a great time. It looks like Meryl and Lois have done it again. Andi of course is the bartender, and I think she makes the best mudslides on the island. Check it out because it’s a nice place to go for a drink.
Who will be Franny Frankenstein, and who will be Dr. Frankenstein? If you don’t go to see the APCG's Labor Day weekend show written and directed by Sal Piro, Panzi and Philomena Meet Frankenstein, you may never know. Tickets will be on sale by mid-August at the kiosk at the CH.
Till next time…
Sooz Sez…
This week everyone was talking about the weather… there were many long-time residents who stated without any reservation whatsoever that this past week’s storm was worse than any hurricane ever experienced on the island. There was hail, torrential rain, and tornado-like winds causing damage to many trees, fences, roofs, deck furniture, etc, and Toto, we’re not in Kansas. We are now hoping for boring weather… no extremes, please.
The Arts Project of Cherry Grove held their 57th Annual Art Show and Sale this past weekend at the thankfully air-conditioned Community House. Ceejay Rosen, APCG President and her partner, Peg Ryan, celebrating their 18th anniversary, co-chaired the event for the fifth consecutive year and they have every right to be proud of the artistic, financial, and community success they have achieved. Preliminary results of this year’s sales, including raffles, are over $20,000. Ceejay graciously thanked many volunteers without whose efforts none of the varied APCG events could be held. Specifically named were Bob Lerch and his assistant Jason, along with Katrina, Just Lorraine, and Lynn who made the trip over on the ferry to lend a hand with set-up. Thanks to Matt Baney and the very busy Bob Lerch for their able assistance with lighting the CH as if it were an art gallery; Joan Van Ness and Bud Henriksen for tending bar during the Members-Only Champagne reception; Rikki Gassen and Anne Anderson, along with Peg Ryan, handled the desk with patience and aplomb; Audrey Hartmann, who for nearly every minute of the shows’ hours lent her personal touch to sales; and the inimitable Ceejay herself hawking raffles with flair.
Our fabulous Homecoming Queen Coco Love officially opened the show and bestowed the Queen’s Prize on one of the excellent photographs of Sam Green. Ceejay announced that she was awarding the President’s ribbon to the many artists who graciously and generously donated artwork for the raffle. Every inch of space in the CH and the pavilion was utilized, as there were 28 artists who showed photographs, paintings, stained glass, ceramics, jewelry, hand-sewn household and decorative items, collage, and mixed media. My VSO (Very Significant Other) of 21 years, the artist known as Cathy Eckdahl, showed and sold for the 20th consecutive year.
All Time Favorites
This weekend the APCG presents casino, one of the all-time favorite annual Grove events. The theme is Mardi Gras so come to the air-conditioned CH and check out the decorations and costumes of the volunteers. There will be wheels of chance and the ever-popular blackjack on Saturday, 7/29 from 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. and Sunday, 7/30 from 6 p.m. – midnight. Place your bets… place your bets…
Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend two of the most eagerly anticipated events in the Grove, Saturday, 8/5, from 3 – 7:30 p.m., Concerned Women of the Grove hold their 11th Annual Breast Cancer Benefit at Heaven ‘n Earth at the far east end of Bayview Walk, and Sunday, 8/13, the Cherry Grove Fire Department hosts, cooks and serves for you at their 13th Annual Pancake Breakfast from 8 – 11 a.m. at David’s Grill, see your local firefighters to purchase tickets in advance and look for more details in flyers and posters either on your deck or posted downtown. |
