FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MAY 16, 2019 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 67
buzz
Royal Star Theatre goes ‘Beyond a Dream Come True’
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Natoya McGhie, president elect of the
Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association,
said that her life was forever changed by
a strong, female mentor.
This week on the Power Women podcast,
McGhie told host Victoria Schneps
about the impact that interning for
Judge Nancy Bannon, who is now a Supreme
Court justice in Manhattan Civil
Court, had on her career.
McGhie told Schneps how her experience
working with Bannon in a oneon
one setting for a summer opened up
her world. When she and Bannon would
discuss the trials that the judge was conducting,
McGhie described how it meaningful
it was that an experienced judge
trusted her opinion.
Growing up in Ocho Rios,
Jamaica, McGhie said that
she was always interested in
law enforcement. When she
was 14, she moved with her
mother and sister to Brooklyn,
enrolling in Canarsie
High School, then John Jay
College.
She met Judge Bannon in law school
during a precarious time in her life
Working at a bank, and attending law
school classes at the New York Law
School, McGhie said she wasn’t getting
grades that would allow her to participate
in career-advancing
activities like law
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review moot court. Her
relationship with Bannon built up her
confidence.
When she began working
at Legal Aid Society after
law school, Bannon asked
her to join the board of the
Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association.
This past year she
co-chaired the mentor committee
to pay her mentor experience
forward by connecting
eight mentors and mentees.
“Power Women” is a podcast devoted
to sharing women’s secrets to professional
success. Tune in to the 15-minute
podcast at SchnepsBroadcasting.com or
wherever podcasts are heard.
40th Gregorian Festival this June in Bellerose
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
Warm weather signals the start of the
annual Gregorian Summer Festival in
Bellerose, which makes its grand return
next month.
From June 20 to 30, St. Gregory the
Great Church and Academy will host 11
days of family-friendly events and activities.
Organizers of the 40th annual festival
promise to treat guests to a selection
of food from around the world, live entertainment,
rides and games.
Th e festivities kick off with a parade and
“Bellerose Night” on June 20 and continue
with international cuisines for the following
days. Th e parade begins at 6:30 p.m.in
front of St. Gregory the Great School on
87th Avenue. Check out the full festival
schedule below:
Th ursday, June 20: Parade and Bellerose
Night, Indian Night
Friday, June 21: Irish Night
Saturday, June 22: Alumni Night, Irish
Night
Sunday, June 23: Hispanic Night
Monday, June 24: Pay One Price (POP)
Rides, Filipino Night
Tuesday, June 25: POP Rides, Polish
Night
Wednesday, June 26: POP Rides,
German Night
Th ursday, June 27: POP Rides, German
Night
Friday, June 28: Italian Night
Saturday, June 29: Italian Night
Sunday, June 30: 6 p.m. Mass in honor
of St. Gregory, Italian Night
Hours of operation are from 7 to 11
p.m. at 87th Avenue and Cross Island
Parkway every night. All food will be
prepared by parishioner volunteers and
school and parish volunteers will run
event booths, food and refreshment tents
and games.
Festival-goers can get hot dogs, pizza,
fries and other fair food at the main festival
tent, while diff erent international cuisine
will be available for purchase on designated
days. Click here to browse the full
international menus for the festival.
A single ride ticket is $1.25, a book of
21 tickets is $25 and a book of 44 tickets
is $50. From June 24 to 27, visitors
can purchase a “pay one price” ride bracelet
for $30.
For more information, visit sgtgfestival.
com or @sgtgfestival on Facebook.
Sometimes community theater is exactly
that — an opportunity for the neighborhood
to express its creativity. Th at
includes everything onstage, behind the
scenes and throughout the audience.
With Royal Star Th eatre’s latest, original
musical revue, the cast off ers a sincere
theatrical lesson. Th at is, just follow your
heart with everything you’ve got!
Th e troupe has enjoyed a loyal following
since its origins in Flushing. Today,
many of the community veterans have
risen to vital leadership roles. Production
coordinators Maryellen Pierce and
Amanda Doria and musical director Paul
L. Johnson are among that small select
group. Meanwhile, many new talents of
all ages face their fi rst audiences. Others
are returning for another chance to build
their confi dence. Entitled “Beyond a
Dream Come True,” it features dozens
of Disney favorites in a stylized audition.
Director Anne Marie Cahill, assistant
director Edwin Palacio and choreographer
Gabriella Marchese utilize local talent
to make their point. School-age children
in colorful, casual attire sing and
dance with joy and energy. Th eir presentations
include samples from “Th e Lion
King” and “Coco,” as well as several medleys.
Well-earned bows go to Gabriella
Almonte, Jessica Maderik, John Paul
Maderik III, Angelina Maradiaga, Isabella
Marsh and Marchella Ramos.
Many of the adult performers enjoy
stepping away from their daily routines to
shine brightly onstage. Some outstanding
harmonies in the “wish” medley are provided
by the lovely trio of Jackie Moe, Lisa
N. Curran and Kellie Correira. Another
performer, Jenna Kantor is a physical
therapist by day. Kantor is so smitten by
the joys of theater that she is jokingly
dragged from the stage by an impatient
colleague aft er the fi nale. Others who are
very accustomed to the footlights include
Ellen Armet and Dolores Voyer.
Several solos are poignant and courageous.
An inspiring pilgrimage to “Go the
Distance” is sung by Elias Avalos. A meaningful
message is presented in Jordana
Keller’s “Just Around the Riverbend.”
Th ree genial guys (Alex Andres, Erik
Neilssen and Paul Mastrella) sing the
lighthearted “A Guy Like You” in Act I.
Th is easygoing musical in the smaller
Parish Hall at the Immaculate Conception
Church in Jamaica Estates will be followed
by a major production in their
larger auditorium. For information on
this vibrant theatre troupe, visit www.royalstartheatre.
org, “like” them on Facebook
or call 610-322-8498. As always, save me a
seat on the aisle.
A VIEW FROM
THE CLIFF
BY CLIFF KASDEN
/www.roy-alstartheatre.org
/www.roy-alstartheatre.org
/www.roy-alstartheatre.org
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