BUZZ Times Newsweekly •• Ridgewood Times Community Profiles • Local History • Nightlife • Food Reviews • Neighborhood Events And Memories THEATER FOR THE COMMUNITY Bushwick Starr Gives Actors A Chance To Shine by Anthony Giudice Community theater has found a home in Bushwick. Playwrights, artists, actors and even puppeteers have a place where they can perform their craft in the heart of the neighborhood.. The Bushwick Starr, located at 207 Starr St., has grown in recent years and provides many artists with a venue to showcase their productions. Starting from humble beginnings in 2001, The Bushwick Starr was a private rehearsal space for the New Yorkbased theater company, Fovea Floods, Inc. By 2007 the site was transformed into a black-box venue and hosted large-scale theatrical runs. Sue Kessler, co-founder and executive director of the Bushwick Starr, said “being in Bushwick was a happy accident. It was great to see the community grow around us, it dictated to us what we should become.” As time progressed, the Bushwick Starr opened to the public and helped emerging professional artists produce their shows, and continue to do so today. The performance venue holds reading series where they read through artist-submitted scripts and decide which ones should be featured in one of their four main stage shows produced throughout the year. “We pride ourselves on seeing works. That’s how we build our seasons,” Kessler said. “We are starting to work with more and more established artists, as the theater grows in popularity, we get more interest. We’ve been thrilled to work with these artists,” Kessler touted. “But it is important to maintain a balance. We want to work with everyone, from emerging artists to midcareer artists.” Besides providing artists with a performance space, the Bushwick Starr also gives the artists full support in press, marketing and other areas such as a full technical package of technical gear and is fully stocked with lights and sound systems. They also provide staff members to handle ticketing, ushers during the shows and an internship program that allows students to work with the artists. The current main stage show is Social Security, written by Christina Masciotti and directed by Paul Lazar. The play is about a retired pretzel factory worker who depends on help from her neighbors to make it through her days. This is Masciotti’s first time working with the Bushwick Starr and, “it’s been really great,” Masciotti said. “They take really good care of their artists.” The three-person show features downtown theater actors Cynthia Hopkins, T. Ryder Smith and Elizabeth Dement. “The ensemble is stellar. It’s totally thrilling to see these talents under our roof,” Kessler said. The Bushwick Starr provides more than just performance art for the Bushwick community. In June they will host the second annual Taste of Bushwick event where local vendors can come and show off their abilities in the culinary arts. “It’s one thing to bring people into Bushwick to our theater, but we want to bring people in for other things,” Kessler said. “It is great to help out the community. We are definitely here to stay.” Actors performing a scene at the Bushwick Starr. (photo courtesy: Sue Kessler) A Golden Ridgewood Couple Elizabeth and George Derenches of Ridgewood will celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, Feb. 28. The golden couple married back in 1965 at Bushwick’s St. Barbara’s Church. The Derenches and their son George will enjoy an anniversary dinner Saturday night at Connolly’s Corner restaurant in Maspeth. Boy Scouts Sunday Mass In Woodside Boy scout Troop and Pack 390 attended mass at St. Teresa’s Roman Catholic Church to show respect, gratitude and honor for the organization’s hospitality. Pictured from left to right are: Assistant SM Peter Ross, Ronan M., Cubmaster Marvin Jeffcoat, Chris P., Monsignor Steven Ferrari, Andrew M., Wolf Den Leader Elizabeth Minchala, Chris M., Manny J., Bear Den Leader Tomoko Herrera and Aurilius H. 21 • TIMES, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015
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