64 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • OCTOBER 3, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
buzz
“The Great Gatsby” at RTC
Th e Roaring Twenties—a decade of
fragile wealth, weak morality and the
compulsive need to erase the past.
Enter “Th e Great Gatsby,” the powerfully
haunting drama inspired by F. Scott
Fitzgerald’s literary masterpiece.
Director/Set Designer Frank Caiati
is at the helm for another penetrating
presentation by the Rockaway Th eatre
Company, having gathered a large cast of
experienced performers.
Th eir characters dwell in a fi ctional
corner of Long Island in which wealth,
greed and vague helplessness compete
for their souls. Th eir confl icting attitudes
and behaviors refl ect our own modern
day weaknesses.
Th e stage itself is bordered by an enormous
picture frame which surrounds
another frame that surrounds still another.
Th e most distant frame “upstage” contains
a painting of a beautiful waterfront
that shimmers in the moonlight and
seems to continue for miles.
Th e title role is well played by Nick
Safi er. As Gatsby, his insecurities and
garishness are shown in countless costumes
and equally pretentious phrases.
Th e friend/relative/ narrator Nick
Carraway is played with intensity by
Steven Wagner. He is a seemingly
grounded individual who is oft en swept
away by the temptations of the era. Will
he survive?
Th e glitteringly beautiful characters
Daisy (Nina Varano), Jordan (Tiff any
Faulkner) and Myrtle (Samantha Caiati)
all mesmerize the audience. Th ey are paradoxically
owners and victims of their
chaotic era. Th eir costumes are oft en
stunning (Kerry O’Connor, Adele Wendt)
but beneath the surface they are badly
damaged and self-destructive. Coarse,
cruel Tom Buchanan (John Squires) is
also a contradiction. He is violently jealous
of his wife’s indiscretions yet he himself
is involved in an illicit relationship.
Th e players dance the wild “Charleston”
(Choreographer Ashley Ann Jones) and
wear period attire that would have been
shocking but expected in the 1920s.
Supporting players Jose Velez, Danielle
Rose Fisher, Nick Baytler, Fred Grieco,
Jessica Helton, Kevin Abernethy and the
large “Gatsby Ensemble” are all spokes
in the storyline’s relentlessly spinning
wheel.
Unabashed and well-deserved bows
to all the leads and supporting actors.
Kudos to the creative team including
Assistant Director John Panepinto,
Producer Susan Jasper, Stage Manager
Suzanne Riggs, Anthony Homsey (technical
director) and Lance Lewis (sound).
Nods for everyone behind the scenes too
numerous to name individually.
For information on this and future
productions visit www.rockawaytheatre.
org, call (718) 374-6400 or “like” them
on Facebook. As always, save me a seat
on the aisle!
A VIEW FROM
THE CLIFF
BY CLIFF KASDEN
Try unlimited local brews at the Queens Beer
Festival in Long Island City this weekend
BY QNS STAFF
Th e Queens Beer Festival Enjoy was
launched in 2016 as the fi rst and only festival
in the borough that highlighted the
exploding craft brewery scene in New
York City, particularly in Queens County.
Guests at the festival can enjoy unlimited
tastings from the best in Queens,
Brooklyn, Th e Bronx, Long Island and
Upstate breweries (great hard ciders too).
Over 2,000 attendees came out last
year to meet, taste and discover the
local breweries and seasonal craft beers
off ered. Th e event also included activities
and live music.
Th is year’s Queens Beer Fest will
include approximately 50 beers from
about 25 local craft breweries, including
Coney Island Brewery, Blue Point
Brewery, Brookyn Brewery, Big aLICe,
Gun Hill Brewing Company, LIC Beer
Project, Montauk Brewing Company,
Mikkeller Brewing NYC and more!.
Festival attendees can also enjoy international
cuisine from entrepreneurial
chefs as well as shopping for handcraft -
ed and vintage items off ered by LIC Flea
& Food vendors.
Tickets start at $39 and are available
at www.QueensBeerFest.com. Tickets
include unlimited beer tastings and a
souvenir mug. Use code QNS for 15 percent
off your ticket!
LIC Flea & Food is open on specifi c
dates Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.
until 6 p.m. and is located at 5-25 46th
Ave. in Long Island City, at the corner of
Fift h Street and 46th Avenue. For more
information and to RSVP for a chance to
win Flea Bucks to spend at the market,
visit www.LICFlea.com. Photos courtesy of Festival Media
DYNAMIC DENTAL WORK
NOW YOU SEE IT NOW YOU DON'T
Dr. Adam Lublin is an Elite Top 1% Preferred Provider for
175-15 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica • 718-297-4100 • 718-297-4106
/WWW.QNS.COM
/www.QueensBeerFest.com
/www.LICFlea.com
/www.rockawaytheatre
/www.rockawaytheatre
/www.QueensBeerFest.com
/www.LICFlea.com
