By Tom Kane
Brooklyn Eagle
Extra! Extra! I found the most extraordinary live theater performance space in all off Brooklyn last week. It’s called the Jalopy Theatre and it’s at 315 Columbia St. in Red Hook, and if you’re not half as impressed as I was upon walking into this “throwback to a better time” venue, than I’ll eat my fedora.
I saw an early Sam Shepard play last Sunday called “The Holy Ghostly,” performed by the Sad Old Padre Productions group. It was directed by Frank Palmer, the founder, and starred Stephen Payne, Mr. Palmer and Geoff Wiley. It was a wonderful bit of Shepard, and a perfect Halloween piece. Mr. Wiley, along with wife Lynette are the proprietors of this marvelous space, and they are the best. To find out more about Jalopy, try www.jalopy.biz, or stop by. You have three more dates to catch “The Holy Ghostly”: Thursday, Oct. 25; Thursday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10, and reservations can be made by calling (718) 395-3214.
Chadwick’s says thank you. Gerry Morris and Steve Oliver said thank you to over 500 of their loyal customers, family and friends this past Sunday, marking their 20th anniversary. “Only in Brooklyn,” said Q104 deejay Ken Dashow, “it’s like a block party!” That it was, KD. Everyone from Big Bill DeLorenzo to our own state Senator Marty Golden showed their faces. Brooklyn folks like Dennis McDermott with lovely wife Cathy, my mom, Kandy Kane, and her husband Robert McKnight, stopped by to say hello. Also on hand to congratulate the boys were some of “the boys” from the “Soprano’s” Uncle Junior (Domenic Chianese) and Johnny Sack (Vincent Curatola). Fuggetaboutit! Here’s wishing you 20 more.
Now, not being a fan of the Yankees, but having grown up in Brooklyn all my life, I am quite aware of their ranking in sports history. The team is rich in tradition and World Series victories, too. What worries me the most, mostly for my dad and numerous others who live and die by the Yankees, is this: the future of this franchise, especially with these new “Steinbrenners.” Bad enough New Yorkers had to put up with one of them for almost 35 years. I am referring to this Joe Torre situation. Torre, the classiest guy in a Yankee uniform, should have gone out with a bang. I’m talking parade and all. I should have expected this from the people who fired Bob Lemon midway through the ’79 season after he had just won a World Series. If Torre still needs to be around a ball field, I say, “Go back home, Joe” the new ballpark, Citi Field, would be a perfect fit. P.S. I like the Sox in five.
Congrats to Robert Oliva, ’00, director of alumni relations at Xaverian High School, for “putting together a 400-person home run” for the Xaverian 50th anniversary event last Saturday. “In 1957, Eisenhower was president, Sputnik was launched, the Dodgers left Brooklyn, West Side Story was a hit on Broadway, ‘Leave It To Beaver’ premiered on CBS, stamps cost 3 cents and most importantly, Xaverian opened its doors,” said Oliva in a message to the alumni. He may be the best thing to happen to Xaverian since they graduated me!
Joe Mingrone, you’ve done it again. On Saturday night, even though there was this playoff contest between my beloved Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians, I decided to go see my friend Forte Bellino in a Mingrone one night only production of the famous play “The Front Page” at the Ford Theater, make that the Bishop Ford Theater! Well, due to irreconcilable artistic differences, this match-up did not occur, much to my dismay.
You the man, Forte, ya’ coulda done it! The show was a four-star performance, funny and well acted. My favorite scene (outside of anytime Mingrone was on stage) was the dialogue between the mayor and the sheriff, played by Joe Campanaro and Sam Sued, respectively. Due to a sudden urge for Sox on FOX, I missed the final act of the performance, and a cameo by Ford President Ray Nash, which I hear was a smash, complete with entrance and exit applause! Way to go, coach. Next up Dec. 14-15, their Winter Arts Festival in the Bishop Ford Theatre. Times to be announced.
Don’t forget this Friday: BrooklynONE Theater’s First Annual Fright Night, for children of all ages. They will be featuring scary stories, some poetry, games, refreshments and a best costume contest, too. It all starts on Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. at St. John’s Parish Hall on 99th Street just off Fort Hamilton Parkway. It is a free event sponsored by BrooklynONE, the
Bay Ridge Eagle and Senator Marty Golden, so tell your friends and have a frightful night out.
On Thursday last, at the Fort Hamilton Army base, my friend Joe Autuoro directed a scene from the classic “To Kill A Mockingbird.” It was a Narrows Community Theater production in conjunction “The Big Read,” an organization that encourages reading through the Brooklyn Public Library system and the community. It’s a quality program, and kudos to NCT, and in particular, first-time director Autuoro, for stepping to the plate. We definitely need more of these lit–minded projects.
These are for you, Renee. My song of the week is “The Happening” by Diana Ross and the Supremes, my movie of the week is the classic “Gone With the Wind,” and my book of the week is “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne.
Comments, suggestions? Contact me at citizenkane@brooklyneagle.net. The best of Brooklyn for Brooklyn’s best, that’s you. Have a great week
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