(Long Island, N.Y.) Bay Street Theatre held their annual Summer Gala Benefit Bash at the Long Warf in Sag Harbor, New York on Saturday July 17th. The benefit is held each year as the major fundraiser to support the programs for Bay Street, a non-for-profit professional theatre serving the East End of Long Island and beyond. The magical evening on the Wharf was hosted by Actor Mario Cantone and guest auctioneer Richard Kind.
Star of Stage and Screen, Mario Cantone is best known for his role on “Sex and the City.” Mr. Cantone has performed his comic routine for several years at Bay Street Theatre’s Comedy Club. Television audiences know Actor Richard Kind from his role in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” along with numerous stage performances.
Bay Street Bash Artistic Directors Murphy Davis, Sybil Christopher and Actor Mario Cantone
This summer Richard Kind will appear once again in Bay Street Theatre’s production of ROMANCE, by David Mamet showing August 10th through September 5th alongside Chris Bauer of “True Blood” and Darrell Hammond of “Saturday Night Live.”
Both stars, Mario Cantone and Richard Kind are members of Bay Street Theatre’s recently formed Artistic Associates Board which includes Alan Alda, Joy Behar, Kim Cattral, Mercedes Ruehl, Twiggy, Anne Jackson and Veteran Actor Eli Wallach to name just a few of the notable talent that has made Bay Street Theatre a signature entertainment source in Sag Harbor, New York.
Former Actress Sybil Christopher who was married to Actor Richard Burton has owned the Bay Street Theatre for nineteen years.
Bay Street Bash Cognac interviews the Countess LuAnn deLesseps
Sybil also holds the title of Producing Director of the Bay Street Theatre. Ms. Christopher trained at LAMDA in London, England. She appeared in Harvey in the West End and in Shakespeare’s Histories as part of the Festival of Britain at the Memorial Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon. She was Myfanwy Prince in the celebrated recording of Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. She is also the founder of the New Theatre on 54th Street in New York. Productions at the New Theatre included The Knack, directed by Mike Nichols, Scuba Duba starring Jerry Orbach and The Mad Show written by Mary Rodgers. Ms. Christopher also previously opened the hilariously successful club, Arthur, with Roddy McDowell and Edward Villella.
The glamorous event was catered by Sterling Affair Caterers and guests enjoyed dancing to the spinning styling’s of DJ to the Stars, Tom Finn. Escola de Samba BOOM aroused the gala tent with their robust performance. An added feature to the annual event was the opportunity to bid on some of the “Fantasy” Auction items on CharityBuzz.com.
The Gala is Bay Street Theatre’s largest annual fundraiser of the year. As a not-for-profit professional theatre, Bay Street relies on donations to cover nearly half of their annual operating budget used for yearly programs including the Summer Mainstage Series, Comedy Club, the Picture Show Classic Film Series and educational outreach initiatives such as the Summer College Internship Program for students across the country and Literature Live, bring Theatre Arts education to students throughout the East End’s middle and high schools.
I had the pleasure of interviewing both Artistic Directors Murphy Davis and Sybil Christoper. During our interview, Mr. Davis expressed “It’s our big support, it’s when we raise the most money for the theatre in one event. It has been a really terrific experience to be able to join with our community and all those people that are really for us and to celebrate. It’s a big celebration for us.”
Other celebrities that attended included Countess LuAnn de Lesseps and her companion Jacques, Star Jones, Herb Wilson, Stage Actors Danny Gerroll and Patricia Kalember, Movie Actor Eli Wallach and Actress Ann Jackson
For more information please visit www.baystreet.org.
Later my film crew and I attended The Wild Night For Wildlife – Fourth Annual Benefit. Hamptonites were invited to join the celebration to benefit the Quogue Wildlife Refuge which was held at the waterfront estate of Ellen and Jerome Stern in Quogue. This exciting evening included wine, cocktails, substantial hors d’oeurves, music, dancing, and silent, live, and chance auctions.
Quogue Refuge Wild Life – Cognac interviews President Mary J. Post
I had the pleasure of interviewing President Mary J. Post. Mary J. Post is owner and director of the Love of Learning children’s school. She has volunteered on the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance as an EMT for the past 17 years and has served as one of their board of directors for over 14 years. She is the secretary of the Quogue Community Foundation and is an active member of the community. Ms. Post loves to share her fondness for nature with her students, friends and family.
Since 1934, the Quogue Wildlife Refuge has been a nature preserve that is home to diverse wildlife including some that are permanently injured and require human care to survive. 365 days a year, you can enjoy walking seven miles of trails to explore diverse habitats including forests and ponds, as well as the ecologically rare Dwarf Pines in the Pine Barrens. A bobcat, owls, falcons, eagles and other native New York animals that have permanent injuries are housed in the outdoor Distressed Wildlife Complex and can be visited any day of the year. Inside of the Nature Center, huge picture windows offer spectacular views of Old Ice Pond, as well as a great spot to bird watch or enjoy some quiet time. Comfy chairs, wildlife exhibits, live animals, a nature library, and gift shop can also be found inside of the Nature Center.
The Quogue Wild Life Refuge’s mission is to serve as a responsible land steward of the Refuge property and its natural resources, as well as promoting, implementing, supporting and assisting environmental education and wildlife management.
The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is a 305-acre expanse of protected land, with over seven miles of trails where you can explore a variety of habitats including Pine Barrens, bogs, wetlands, a field, and a tidal estuary. Their main trail is wheelchair and stroller friendly and all of the trails can be enjoyed in every season. The Refuge is a great place to cross-country ski and snowshoe! There is also a Distressed Wildlife Complex which houses animals that have been injured and would not be able to survive in the wild.
For more information please visit http://www.quoguewildliferefuge.com
Longislanders and Film enthusiast enjoyed a full week from July 8th though the 18th of a variety of films from around the world at the Long Island Film Expo in Bellmore Long Island.
The Long Island Film/TV Foundation is established to stimulate and encourage film and TV production on Long Island. Since film and activities on the Island account for over 80 million dollars in revenues per year, the foundation hopes to invite future projects to the Long Island area by working closely with industry executives, financiers, film producers, TV/Cable operators and government officials.
The Mission of the Long Island Film/TV Foundation is to provide support and assistance to the individual businesses and organizations that contribute to the economic and cultural vitality of Long Island through film, television and video or video.
Long Island Film Expo, Cognac interviews Cathy Moriarty
This year Movie Actress and Hampton Bays Resident Cathy Moriarty was honored at the closing party as well as Movie Actor Armand Assante.
Her first film credit was Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull in 1980, as Vikki LaMotta, the wife of Robert De Niro’s lead character. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared opposite Andrew Dice Clay in the short-lived CBS sitcom Bless This House in 1995. Later she appeared as the villain Carrigan Crittenden in the 1995 film Casper and as Rose Donlan, wife of Harvey Keitel’s corrupt cop in 1997’s Cop Land. Ms. Moriarty reunited with De Niro for 2002’s Analyze That, in which she played female Mafia boss Patti LoPresti.
Ms.Moriarty was born in The Bronx to Irish Catholic immigrants. Her mother Catherine was a homemaker, and her father John Moriarty was a warehouse worker. Cathy Moriarty was raised in Yonkers, New York. Her first marriage was to Carmine D’Anna from 1981 to 1988. The marriage ended in divorce. She has been married to Joseph Gentile since August 28, 1999. The couple have three children. Twins, Catherine Patricia and Joseph John, were born in 2000. Their third child, Annabella Rose, was born on Thursday, November 15, 2001 at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, New York.
She is co-owner of Mulberry Street Pizza in Los Angeles, with partner Richard Palmer, a former companion. Ms. Moriarty resides with her family in Hampton Bays, New York.
Movie Actor Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine, a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian American and his mother was Irish American. Assante was raised a devout Catholic.
In the 1970s, Assante was a regular on two NBC soap operas, How to Survive a Marriage as Johnny McGee and The Doctors as Dr. Mike Powers. His first significant film was The Lords of Flatbush in 1974. A role that brought him greater attention came in 1980’s Private Benjamin as the sexy, dashing handsome Frenchman who becomes the romantic interest of a U.S. soldier portrayed by Goldie Hawn.
Assante’s intimidating sinister look has made him a popular choice for tough-guy heroes, as in his starring role as private eye Mike Hammer in the film “I, the Jury” in 1982 or as Mafia gangsters like that of Michael Moretti in Sidney Sheldon’s “Rage of Angels.” He portrayed the notorious Bugsy Siegel in a comedy, Neil Simon’s “The Marrying Man” in 1991. Mr. Assante also portrayed mobster in “Hoffa” in 1992 starring Jack Nicholson, and he is famous for taking the role of crime kingpin John Gotti in the 1996 made-for-television biopic “Gotti,” for which he won his Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie.
Other celebrities that attended included “Rescue Me” Actor Anthony Mangano, Soprano Star Brandon Hannan, Comic Jackie the Joke Man, “Clerk” Star Brian O’Halloran, “Mask” Star Peter Greene and Opera Star Cristina Fontanellli.
