38 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM buzz Lively Black History Month celebration at Boro Hall BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport To celebrate Black History Month, Borough President New musical opens in Queens It’s a busy Sunday aft ernoon in Bellerose, Queens. Th e director is everywhere as he off ers instructions to the cast and crew. Th ey’re beginning fi nal preparations for opening night. Th eir presentation? It’s a brand-new musical called “Don’t Judge a Play by its Title: A Funsical.” Th e cast includes 4-year-old Hudson and his big sister Ruby as well as new players and community theater veterans. Th e show is written and directed by Mark Lord. His theatrical experience covers dozens of productions on both sides of the curtain. As for this new show, he explains, “Th is is a journey through the wide and wonderful world of the poetic word from Seuss to Shakespeare. … Th e songs in the show are all poems that have been set to music. … Poetry plays a major role in our lives whether we realize it or not.” Mark continues, “As an English teacher when I used to do units on poetry, it was always in the back of my mind to do something “big” with it. I always thought it would be kinda cool to do it at the community level. … Th is is a very good performance space and we try hard to bring the audience into it.” At rehearsal, various skits provide insight into the show’s concept of poetry as theater. In the opening number, several actors recite lines from famous poems. Th ey remind us that “the world is full of useful phrases…Poetry rocks!” In another segment, Robert Gold provides an introduction. Erin Clancy Balsamo and Mario- Francisco Robles perform a moving, well-known sonnet. Trouper Sue Fiebert provides some one-liners. She will be wearing a gown and tiara, but her lines are deliberately not regal. Young Nicole O’Connor, dressed in black, delivers a heartbreaking monologue. Meanwhile, hammers pound as the sets in the Oak Room at St. Gregory’s Church are prepared. Artistic director Kathy Rollo keeps an eye on the entire process. Musical director Jon Riss plays piano as Barry Feterman and Jean Ann Kump sing their duet. Mary Lynch plays a woman whose lifetime unfolds with both humor and angst. Five youngsters share a collection of poems known as the “Animal Verses” by Ogden Nash. More surprises are expected during their eagerly anticipated but brief run. For specifi c information, visit www.sgtg.org or call 718-989- 2451. As always, save me a seat on the aisle. A VIEW FROM THE CLIFF BY CLIFF KASDEN Melinda Katz, along with Th e African American Heritage Committee (AAHC), honored fi ve exceptional high school students and six outstanding community leaders during the 2017 Black History Month Celebration at Queens Borough Hall last week. Th is year’s celebration was held inside the Helen Marshall Cultural Center at Borough Hall — the fi rst time the event was held in the venue named for the former borough president. Th e evening featured amazing musical performances by Ashley Chambers, and wonderful dance performances by the students of the Devore Dance Center, who treated the audience to a traditional African dance. Katz paid homage to the many important African American leaders of the past, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks, but she also looked to the leaders of today who would be honored at the ceremony. “We also have many heroes right in our community,” Katz said. “And tonight is our chance to pay honor to those heroes as well.” Lastly, she honored the leaders of tomorrow: the students who earned the 2017 scholarship awards. Th e scholarship winners were CJ Brown, from Hillcrest High School; Sydni Karyn Hicks, from St. Francis Preparatory High School; Jaya Hamilton, from the Academy of Finance & Enterprise; Tamara Smith, from Forest Hills High School; and Cosette Davis, from Queens High School for Sciences at York Colllege. Katz and members of the AAHC also presented awards to community leaders for their tremendous devotion and accomplishments to the community. Th e winners were Jacqueline G. Boyce, who was presented the Queens Borough President’s Award; Bill Briggs, who won the Sports Award; Elsie Saint Louis, who was awarded the Civic Award; Shearon Smith of St. Best Jerk Spot, who won the Business Award; Nathaniel “Nat” Valentine, who was presented the Journalism Award; and Ralph McDaniels, who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. Photos by Anthony Giudice
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