Woman Around Town’s Editor Charlene Giannetti and writers for the website talk with the women and men making news in New York, Washington, D.C., and other cities around the world. Thanks to Ian Herman for his wonderful piano introduction.
Considered “a place of solemn reflection,” the 911 Museum which lies in the footprints of the North and South towers, underneath the reflecting pools, is a sobering and exhilarating experience. Sobering because as you enter the building, head down the stairs to the lower exhibition level, the knot in your stomach tightens. Exhilarating because of the artifacts of faith, photos of everyday heroism, reminders of miracles, and pride in extreme bravery. The date remains a defining moment in our lives. “Where were you on 9/11”, and the phrases “before 9/11,” and “after 9/11” have become common in our culture. Even the color of the brilliant sky that morning has a new name, “9/11 blue.”
This September 11, we mark the 15th anniversary. The date we’ll always remember, but the passage of time will always stop us in our tracks. Has it really been 15 years? A recent visit to the 911 Museum, opened just last year, brought it all back.
Down the long escalators and through the big and bustling lobby, we line up and grow quiet. Passing photographs of the Twin Towers – the before pictures – and then the roaring inferno of the after picture; overhead through speakers, we hear the memories of witnesses walking to work, looking out through windows, bringing kids to school — reminders of the everyday things we did before 8:46 am on that Tuesday morning. Phrases like, “…and then the second plane hit,” or “I was just looking out my window.”
And so 9/11 begins to unfold before our eyes. Exhibit after exhibit, we see the evolution of the mighty Twin Towers in the 1960’s and the importance of its construction, we see images of the 1993 bombing attempt, we hear the haunting moans of bagpipes and the tune “Amazing Grace,” and the soft fragile voices announcing the thousands of names; be prepared, it can feel like your senses are on overload.
The rooms are immense, so that 16 large artifacts like a damaged firetruck, the last column, the steel cross, a portion of the Vesey Street “survivors’ stairs can be placed with plenty of room for throngs of visitors. Through a set of revolving doors are thousands of smaller items found during the cleanup, things like wallets, credit cards, bits of paper that flew out of windows. Chilling. Two striking artifacts grabbed my attention: a tattered page from the Old Testament, opened to Matthew 5:38: “You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth…”. In another section is Todd Beamer’s watch, its face cracked, but we can clearly see the number “11” in the little square.
In corners of the exhibition floors, small darkened mini-theatres play clips from TV morning newscasts interrupted by conflicting and confusing reports; phone messages from Flight 93 passengers, flight attendants, and the hijackers themselves. There are benches to sit on, and a box of tissues on a corner stand. In a larger theatre on the top floor, two movies play throughout the day, one on how 9/11 affected various global leaders, and another on the events of that morning as seen through the eyes of Mayor Rudy Guiliani, Governor George Pataki, President Bush, Condoleezza Rice. Still another section focuses on the attack on the Pentagon, and the chaos that erupted; we see a photo of Secretary of Defense David Rumsfeld assisting the injured; we see the surveillance videos of the plane flying into the building, and we hear from a teary-eyed ex-President who said that until the details emerged, he believed that our military might have shot down Flight 93.
Because of the vastness of the museum, no story could ever come close to capturing every aspect of what a visitor can experience. With that said, expect to spend a good portion of the day there, arrive early, so you can move at a slow pace. Make a point to take a break during the day; take a ride up to the top floor, where the bright light of day shines through the glass windows.
There are times when it’s hard to believe that 9/11 ever happened. We’ve returned to our jobs, classrooms, shopping, traveling, there’s even a brand new mighty tower that’s entered the New York City skyline. And then, it hits you. On one wall, we see front pages of newspapers from September 10, 2001, mostly centered on the next day’s primary vote. How innocent we were on that day, “before 9/11.”
It’s fair to say that the message one comes away with is more about the resiliency of the human spirit, and the number of miracles that occurred, like how the evacuation of the Twin Towers was the most successful in U.S. History, that because it was Primary Day workers were late to their desks, and that it was the first day of school so parents were at the school bus. It’s also hard not to leave the museum with a little more patience, a little more aware to live life to the fullest, and to be good to each other. We saw a lot of evidence of that. On his reflection on the goodness he saw that day, Mayor Guiliani says, “It was a beautiful time…and a terrible time.”
Top photo: Monika Graff
Other Photos: MJ Hanley-Goff There are a variety of tours and price packages for tours. Please visit the following websites for more information. Advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended. Plan to start your tours early in the day before the crowds. 911groundzero.com – combination of tours available, of museum, St. Paul’s Chapel and observatory. 911memorial.org – information for the memorial pools oneworldobservatory.com – observation deck
It’s magnificent. If the original Twin Towers signaled a shining hour of building greatness, the new Freedom Tower at 102 floors is a new marvel of the modern age.
While the 9/11 Museum is a slow-paced time to reflect, the tower is like a ride at a theme-park. With scheduled times to enter, the place is orderly, and we step into a hallway with clips of stories from those involved in the building “7 days a week, 15 hours a day.” How proud they were to be a part of it, and how relieved they were when the antenna at the very tip top slipped right into its slot. We walk through a tunnel of very, very old bedrock (like millions of years old), which is the stuff the foundation of Manhattan island is made of. And then the elevators.
We’re headed up to the 102nd floor, a 47 second flight, and throughout the short time, a video plays all around. Clips of early NYC, when first settled. Then, we step out and walk towards a railing and view another short video about the many neighborhoods of the city, at night, in the morning, in sun and rain. The walls open to Voila! a stunning sunset over New Jersey. We can see three states, five boroughs, eight bridges, and – ready for this? – 70,000 buildings. But we’re not there yet. An escalator ride down to floor 101 is where we get the jaw-dropping 360-degree view. (For $15, an iPad can be rented which provides details about the famous sights in every language.) There’s a spot where photos are taken by staff photographers, available for later purchase at the end of the visit. Oh, and there’s a gift shop and the One World Observatory restaurant here, too.
There was one second when my mind wandered to what it may have been like to be on the 101st floor with no way out. It’s a jarring moment, but then you instantly become hypnotized by the ferries heading to Staten Island, the line of red lights on West Side Highway, the traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, and even the BQE. There’s no time to stay in the horror of the day. The city, like it’s people, are back to work, with places to go. But we’ll always remember.
Photos by MJ Hanley-Goff
There are a variety of tours and price packages for tours. Please visit the following websites for more information. Advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended. Plan to start your tours early in the day before the crowds. 911groundzero.com – combination of tours available, of museum, St. Paul’s Chapel and observatory. 911memorial.org – information for the memorial pools oneworldobservatory.com – observation deck
After about the 30th painting, my eyes were going cross-eyed, and any comprehension was questionable. Reading the artists’ notes, peering into the artwork, contemplating the exhibits, one gets a bit weary. And, I’d only gone through two of the Whitney’s massive seven floor art collection. What was I to do, especially since every art piece was just as fascinating as the previous one.
The Whitney Museum, located between the High Line and the Hudson River on Gansevoort Street is an elegant and shiny building with an open rooftop for dining and city-viewing. Opened in 2015, this new entry in the organization’s list of museums is kind of its fourth. The first one, opened in 1914, was located in Greenwich Village, founded by heiress and sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, who was a descendent of the railroad tycoon, Cornelius Vanderbilt. A friend of the living American artist, Whitney wanted to exhibit their works. Over time, she amassed over 500 works and after the Met refused her offer of the collection, she founded her first official museum: The Whitney Museum of American Art on West 8th Street, again, in Greenwich Village. Another museum came in 1954 (West 54th Street), then another in 1963 (Madison Avenue), and now its newest in the trendy Meatpacking District. Whitney’s plan was to advocate for twentieth century artists who were unable to show their works, and thus became their greatest champion; Whitney died in 1942.
Because it offers, as the website says, ““the only continuous series of exhibitions in the country to survey recent developments in American art,” I wanted to make sure I left a little more informed about just one American artist I’d never heard of. So, with the museum’s summer late night hours, I took the 8 p.m. tour given by Elizabeth, one of their Fine Arts teaching fellows.
We gathered near the elevators on the fifth floor, and as Elizabeth explained, the focus of this tour would be on one artist, Stuart Davis (1892-1964). After a clever opening (“Raise your hand if you came in here for the air conditioning”) Elizabeth provided a forty-five-minute explanation into the mind and talent of an important contributor to American art. Rather than read the label beside the work and walking on as I had done already, this tour was eye-opening, entertaining, informative, and made the visit all the more memorable. As we stood next to one of Davis’ most important work, we learned his intentions in relation to what was going on in that period in art and in our culture, and who inspired him.
The one piece she examined, “Lucky Strike” (1921), was a culmination of Davis’ time in Europe, suppored by a generous stipend from Whitney. What Davis did was take a typical American object, the Lucky Strike cigarette package – a favorite among WWI soldiers — and create a style which came to be called “Americanized Cubist.” His took something from our everyday life, and put his abstract spin on it. Another work, “Super Table” (1924), combines abstract with still life.
A day at the Whitney is a great way to spend the afternoon. Learn a little bit more about American art, enjoy a bite or beverage in one of its two restaurants, and savor the panoramic views from the roof. Throughout the rest of the Whitney, visitors can enjoy in total, seven floors of art pieces, photographs, 3D works, and even art films in the third floor theatre.
Visit whitney.org for exhibit information, ticket information, directions, and special summer hours (til 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the rest of August); on Fridays from 7 – 10 p.m. is a “pay as you wish” option.
Despite that it’s going to be 50 years since the infamous ’69 concert took place on the great meadow that is now Bethel Woods, the spirit of the place still has a free-spirited, friendly, Woodstocky feel. As K. Phillips, the folksy opener for Rob Thomas and Counting Crows, played his set on this perfect summer night there were still a lot of empty seats. But those concert-goers were here, just wandering the lawns, finishing up their tail-gating festivities, and relishing the atmosphere. Big groups of friends gathered, hugged, gave great big waves to each other across the amphitheater, and in a relaxed air, make their way to their seats. Maybe there’s still something in that air, but that’s what a Bethel Woods night is like.
K. Griffin played his final number, thanked the crowd, and the stage was cleared and set up for Rob Thomas. No stranger to these parts, Thomas is a big, big supporter of Pets Alive, the no-kill shelter in Middletown, NY; he’s donated thousands of dollars, appeared at their fundraisers and at their animal sanctuary. Even the tee-shirts sold at his “official merchandise” tent went to benefit the organization.
Rob Thomas plays guitar
The former lead singer of Matchbox Twenty took the stage in a “Woodstock” tee-shirt, and went right into his extensive vault of danceable hit songs from “Her Diamonds,” to “Lonely No More,” and the pounding and powerful “This is How a Heartbreaks.” He also added in a few from his newest release, “The Great Unknown,” alongside covers of songs that, Thomas wrote, including “Bent,” “Smooth,” and “Unwell.” Thomas is an active performer, never standing still during his set, using the microphone stand as a baton, or placing it behind him and across his shoulders, almost like an exercise routine. He could do no wrong this night as he pleads his fans to “hold tight, everything will be alright!”
And then he was gone.
After a short intermission, Counting Crows took over and just as masterful as Thomas, played their hits, and just a few lesser known ones. It was good to see Adam Duritz, lead singer and songwriter, who has struggled with mental illness, be in great form. He added freshness to the songs, as he meandered through them, and sometimes spoke the lyrics, like a storyteller. We heard “A Long December,” and “Round Here” and their other hit numbers, a few unfamiliar ones, but all crowd-pleasers. And, just when we thought they were done for the night and crew members began to take the stage, they emerged from the shadows for a rousing performance, complete with lots of audience-participation, of “The Rain King.”
In contrast to Thomas’ songs which focus on relationships, sharing burdens, being strong and staying positive, Duritz’ songs are mournful, and a real mixed bag, some are taken from literature, about the songwriting process, some are about the cyclical changes in life, and some are about failure. Deep stuff.
It’s a great combination, Rob Thomas and Counting Crows. They kept us dancing, but they also made us think. Just like in 1969.
Upcoming shows include Smokey Robinson, August 20, and Don Henley, September 10. Visit bethelwoodscenter.org.
Top photo: Adam Duritz with guitarist David Immergluck
Photo credit: Kevin Ferguson/ Courtesy of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Bethel Woods celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and the place looks damn good. The lawns continue to be meticulously maintained, the grounds are still immaculate, the museum still draws thousands from all over the world. Even the comedian Jim Gaffigan was singing its praises last Saturday at his first time gig at the Sullivan County landmark.
“It’s beautiful here,” he said, gazing at the distance, with the skies as big as Montana. And then he went into his shtick. “The Fall must be amazing….the FOLIAGE,” he says reverently as if describing a trip to Lourdes, and with an excited girly voice proclaims, “Let’s go for a ride in the car and watch leaves DIE.” The place goes wild. We’re all guilty.
Jim Gaffigan
“More chlorophyll….more chlorophyll,” says one leaf as his partner-leaf, named Carl falls to his death. The pine trees nearby chuckle at the weaknesses of their neighbors.
For an hour, Gaffigan was non-stop funny. Explaining his weight, he blamed it on growing up in the Midwest where it’s too cold to do anything but eat. As a youth, he had watched a documentary about Siberia, where the Russians sent their enemies, and gazing at the snow covered land, little Gaffigan yelled, “There’s my house! My bike….” Why would anyone LIVE here,” he moaned to his father. But his style is very unique in these days of foul-mouthed comics. Gaffigan’s act is very much PG, more observational than cruel, and occasionally lapses into the third person, someone in the audience who might find his joke about the Pope, for instance, offensive. “It must be a tough job,” Gaffigan says, “the last one just quit.”
Or his love for meat, especially Omaha steaks which come in the same kind of cooler that paramedics will one day bring his new heart.
Or on his touring, when his youngest says, “Daddy, I miss your voice,” Gaffigan shoots back with a “Well, buy my album.”
Or (one more, I promise), his famous “Hot Pockets” hilarity. The frozen meat patty comes two to a box, he says, “One to eat now and the other to keep in your fridge until you move.”
It’s just too funny, and so as not to give any more away, you can watch him in The Jim Gaffigan Show which is starting its second season on TVLand. In the show, he plays a fictional version of himself as he tries to find a balance between being a father of 5, a husband, a comedian, and having an insatiable appetite.
Opening for Gaffigan was the funny Ted Alexandro who uses his past job as a teacher for his comedy. “The recorder,” he says. “Who remembers Satan’s instrument?” And he proceeds to show the crowd the three notes used to perform “Hot Cross Buns.” The same three notes used to perform “Three Blind Mice. BUT NOBODY NOTICED!” Alexandro performed heroically, got in his own funny licks, and then as soon as he left the stage, Gaffigan walked on to great applause.
Now a word about Bethel Woods. It’s more than just a summer concert destination. Throughout the year, the Center is host to indoor classical concerts, movies and lectures. Its museum tells the story of the 1960’s and the Woodstock Concert, with lots of music videos, plenty of memorabilia, and the fascinating timeline of the tumultuous decade.
Upcoming shows include: August 4: Toby Keith with Brandy Clark August 5: Counting Crows & Rob Thomas August 7: Pitbull with Prince Royce August 20: Smokey Robinson September 10: Don Henley
For ticket information, overnight accommodations, dining and travel options, visit bethelwoodscenter.org.
All photos by Mike Solomon/ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
An extraordinary production of Macbeth is playing out this summer under the big tent at the Boscobel estate overlooking the Hudson River. Director Lee Sunday Evans has elected to have the entire cast portrayed by three women, in this case, the talented Maria-Christina Oliveras, Nance Williamson, and Stacey Yen. As the three approach center stage, with menace in their eyes, they are the three witches ready to give Macbeth and his comrade Banquo the prediction that sets off the action.
Then, each one remarkably melds into another character, seamlessly, and with enough of a clue so the audience can follow along. Having three performers play a roster of characters could be off-putting, but in this case, Evans is playing on the notion that Shakespeare’s plays generally have the women stand by the sidelines and don’t have very much do. As each character comes to life, we are seeing the play in a new light, with the women telling the story, and with a feverish gusto that leaves the audience speechless; you could have heard a pin drop on the dirt floor.
In the director’s note, Evans writes, “Macbeth is not a play about legality, but takes us deep into the morass of psychology and desire that can drive individuals to do unconscionable things in the pursuit of power.” Each actor has the opportunity to show raw emotion at the unfolding of the action, from murder to slaughter and to madness. When Yen, as Malcom’s wife comes upon her dead child, her scream of “MURDER” shakes the rafters. The clever use of sound effects and the chanting by the ladies create an eeriness to the murderous plots and brings Shakespeare’s most famous play chillingly alive.
Macbeth is one of three rotating plays at the 2016 Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, now celebrating its 30th anniversary. As You Like It and Measure for Measure are also on the schedule, and each one has been directed with a new flair, and presented with a fresh point of view. This year, as the world celebrates the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, come celebrate the man considered the “greatest playwright in the English language.” After seeing Macbeth, you will be convinced.
Boscobel is located about 90 minutes north of New York City, in Putnam County. Accessible via Metro North with shuttle service is available at Cold Spring. The estate is a popular site for picnickers who come for the day, pack a blanket, and watch the Hudson River go by. The season continues until Labor Day. For ticket information, special performances, and dining ideas, visit the website for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival.
There’s always excitement in the air before one of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival plays take the stage. Every director over the course of the festival’s 30 years, has made a little tweak here, a twist there, changed the time period, or inserted a trendy bit of dialogue to remind the audience that though it’s been hundreds of years since these words have been written, humans are still pretty much the same. We’re looking for love, our place in the world; some seek vengeance, others seek peace. It’s just a hoot wondering what will appear out of the darkness of Boscobel’s back yard, or down the bleacher steps into the light and onto the dirt floor. Granted, it takes a few minutes for the ear to adjust to the dialogue, but once on board, the show moves along, and there’s always someone to root for, and someone to hiss at, with others being downright silly. Now that’s entertainment.
Measure for Measure
In Measure for Measure, directed by Davis McCallum, we have a story about the temptations of power, but also the power of forgiveness. The Duke decides to run off to see if his people will fall into unlawfulness, and leaves his dukedom in the hands of, Angelo, an inferior officer. Angelo resurrects an ancient law that prohibits premarital sex, and of course, poor Claudio has just done the deed with his fiancee’ and is now sentenced to death. Claudio’s sister, soon to be Sister Isabella, appeals for his brother’s life, to which Angelo proposes a late-night tryst in exchange. (Gasp!)
The title, Measure for Measure, refers to the dispensing of justice by the Duke, who upon his return sees the chaos his absence has caused; we are reminded that our actions can have unanticipated consequences, and that situations can turn dire very fast. Throughout the three-hour performance, there’s silliness by the servant, Pompey, and the cool, hip Lucio, the smooth talking braggart who plays each side.
As You Like It
As You Like It, with Gaye Taylor Upchurch as director, deals with belonging, our quest for love, and the things we do to obtain it. Our two lovers meet, and Orlando and Rosalind are dumbstruck. When Rosalind is banished, she retreats into the forest, dressed as a man for safety. Orlando, too, has left the town to seek a new life out of his older brother’s shadow. As they meet up in the forest, Rosalind sees the love Orlando has for her, but still keeps her identity a secret so as to understand love from a man’s point of view. Along the way, we meet up with other banished souls who’ve formed their own society, and burst into the occasional folk song and do some fancy line dancing. Then, a new character appears out of the dark, and who is it but Elvis himself, arriving just in time to perform a wedding. Or not. (See, I told you the director does a little tweaking here and there.)
Excellent performances by the entire cast, who handle Shakespeare’s heavy and tongue-twisty dialogue heroically. That they can do this every night for the entire summer – rotating three plays including Macbeth — is a remarkable feat in itself. So, get thee to Boscobel and catch these extraordinary performances by the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival troupe, and you’ll know why it’s celebrating its 30th season.
Photos by T. Charles Erickson Photography
The Boscobel Estate is located on the banks of the Hudson River and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Located just 60 minutes north of New York City, it’s accessible by car or train. Visit hvshakespeare.org for ticket information, directions, and dining ideas. The season runs until September 5, 2016.
The story of how the Statue of Liberty came to New York, and the debate of the country’s immigration policies of the late 1880’s is playing out on the delightfully intimate theatre stage of 42West. It’s a perfectly timed production that opens on our country’s birthday, July 4th, but also during the height of the national debate on the issue of immigration.
Liberty: A Monumental New Musical includes a cast of outstanding veteran actors from Broadway and national tours who portray a selection of witnesses to the Statue’s arrival in New York. Through the stories of newly arrived immigrants, and those of high society who feared the numbers of immigrants, we learn that history does repeat itself, as we continue to grabble today with the numbers of immigrants still struggling to make America home in 2016, just as in 1886.
Abigail Shapiro as Liberty
Adapted from the musical, Lady of Copper by Dana Leslie Goldstein, Jon Goldstein and Robert Bruce McIntosh, the story begins in France, as the statue’s sculptor Bartholdi (Ryan Duncan), completes his design and ships the statue to America. The statue, however, is in the form of the talented Abigail Shapiro, 14, (Cindy Lou Who in Broadway’s Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas) but her arrival is anything but monumental.
Emma Rosenthal and Nick DeVito
In fact, the financing for the building of the statue’s pedestal has not materialized, and the country is in recession. It takes the help of newspaper publisher, Joseph Pulitzer (Mark Aldrich) to use the power of the press to encourage donations from the wealthy and middle class. Through the plentiful musical numbers (17 in all) we also watch the poet, Emma Lazarus, (Emma Rosenthal), receive the inspiration she needs for her epic sonnet, “The New Colossus,” which will find its place on the bronze plaque at the base of the statue. It is her words that we repeat even today, to remind ourselves of the promise we made to the world.
Ryan Duncan, Tina Stafford and Mark Aldrich
The talented voices of Brandon Andrus as an immigration commissioner who wants to send the statue back; Tina Stafford who enjoys her two roles, that of the Jewish lady selling knishes on the street and the wealthy Regina Schuyler who promises to fund the commissioner’s campaign; do their characters’ justice and are a joy to watch. We have Nick DeVito who represents Italy; Patrick McKay, the Irish; C. Mingo Long, African-American; and Ryan Duncan, the Native American, who are all looking for their place in the new world. All bring a dignity, and a desperation that touches our hearts.
Cast of Liberty
Liberty is fun for all, and a clever way to impart a little history lesson to us all as we celebrate our country’s 240th birthday. And when the show is over, it’s another perfect time to head on over to the west side, grab a Water Taxi or the Circle Line and go for an up close view of Lady Liberty.
42West is located at 514 West 42nd Street, between 10 and 11th Avenues. The show runs through Labor Day, with performances Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday at 3pm & 7pm; Thursday at 12pm at 3pm. Visit Liberty the Musical website for more information.
Photos by Russ Rowland
Top photo: Abigail Shapiro and Brandon Andrus with the cast of Liberty.
In the director’s note, Evans writes, “Macbeth is not a play about legality, but takes us deep into the morass of psychology and desire that can drive individuals to do unconscionable things in the pursuit of power.” Each actor has the opportunity to show raw emotion at the unfolding of the action, from murder to slaughter and to madness. When Yen, as Malcom’s wife comes upon her dead child, her scream of “MURDER” shakes the rafters. The clever use of sound effects and the chanting by the ladies create an eeriness to the murderous plots and brings Shakespeare’s most famous play chillingly alive.
