CHEF ALBERT TEEKASINGH RECIEVES CITATION FROM COUNCIMEMBER VALLONE

Chef Albert Teekasingh, chef/owner of Tropical Revival, known for his excellent Caribbean cuisine, received a citation from Councilmember Paul Vallone on April 2.  Joining Vallone were members of the Whitestone Merchants Association and the I Love Whitestone Civic Association.  

Upon presenting the award, Vallone said, “We are happy to be coming today to Tropical Revival.  I’m here to single out all the hard work that Albert Teekasingh has done not only for this restaurant but for I Love Whitestone and the Whitestone’s Merchants Association as well.  He is always helping the community partnering by cooking for and getting involved with our events.” 

The citation stated the following: “Whereas a great city is only great as those persons who give exemplary service to their communities, whether through unique personal achievement in their professional or other endeavors simply through a lifetime of philanthropy and community service and,

Whereas such service, which is truly the lifeblood of the community and the city, so often goes unrecognized and unrewarded; now, therefore be it,”

Resolved , that as a duly elected member of the City Council, I recognize that in Albert Teekashingh In recognition of his distinguished community service, we have an outstanding citizen, one whom is worthy of the esteem of both our community and the great City of New York.”

Teekasingh’s sister Elizabeth was rightly on hand as she prepares the food as well. 

Appetizers of fish cakes and a peppery shrimp were provided for the celebration.

Tropical Revival is located at 12-40 Clintonville Street. 

 

KENNETH FALLIN HONORS AL HERSHFELD WITH HIS ILLUSTRATIONS

                          Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish illustration by Ken Fallin

Al Hershfeld was known for his caricature drawings in the world of show business and politics. There was no doubt about his artwork as he would place the name of his daughter, Nina, in each of the pieces. Many of the black and white portraits were drawn with a single line.  Plays usually had the leads as a group when it came to Broadway shows. There was always a number next to his signature indicating how many times the name Nina appeared. No number meant that it was included only one time.  In fact it became a craze trying to spot them.  For instance, each Sunday a new one would appear in the entertainment section of the New York Times.  

He would be able to capture the essence of the play including costumes and sets. Hershfeld died in 2003 and some nicknamed him “The Line King.” When the off-Broadway show Forbidden Broadway opened in 1984, a new illustrator, Kenneth Fallin made the scene with a poster and continued to do the cover for each of their cds and posters as they toured all over the world . He has been sketching in pen and ink ever since.

No Ninas. “What I have been doing for last few years is hiding my name, particularly as I also do illustrations for the Wall Street Journal. I recently did a cast caricature for the Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof. I had met Jackie Hoffman when she was in Once Upon a Mattress and was hired to draw the scenery. During the performances you would see my hand doing the drawing of such things as the castle and then it would fade.”

Ken has a permanent exhibit at New World Stages as you walk around the lobby. “They kept the exhibit even after the theatre was sold to the Schuberts. As for some of those that I did a portrait, Liza Minelli hates to have either a caricature or impersonation done of her. She asked if I can do one for her. Carol Burnett was another person that really didn’t care for a caricature. Everyone but Carol loved it.  She is most sensitive about her face.  I did one of Barbra Streisand in her gown that had a long slit revealing her leg. She called me one morning after receiving it from a friend saying, ‘I love that drawing. You captured my leg.’” 

Coming up are: Oklahoma, Burn This and Hadestown, all musicals.  If you happen to be there at the time, he does not sketch during the show but works from production photos.

SONDHEIM UNPLUGS SARAH RICE AT 54 BELOW

Feinstein’s/54 Below continues to celebrate a New York event since 2010, with the BroadwayWorld and Bistro Award-winning monthly series Sondheim Unplugged featuring some of Broadway and cabaret’s most dynamic voices, accompanied by piano only, delving into the musical world of Broadway’s master composer. 

Expect tunes from A Little Night Music, Company, Into the Woods, Follies, Passion, Dick Tracy and more.  The show is hosted by series creator Phil Geoffrey Bond, who will fill the audience in on Sondheimien facts, history & assorted tidbits of theatrical lore! Come join the party!

Sondheim Unplugged will feature Sarah Rice, Sweeny Todd’s original Johanna at the 7pm April 21 Performance.“It began with Sondheim’s 85^th birthday and first at the Beecham Theatre running here for seven years,” said Rice. You get to enjoy performers who originated their roles and sharing their stories such as Lane Bradbury, Gypsy’s original Dainty June. “The show is at a high professional level, especially with Bond giving ‘dish’. I don’t only do songs from Sweeny Todd.  For instance I sang A Boy Like That as a duet from West Side Story.”

Rice said that she is singing “all over the place.”  “I have a booking in London in June doing my own show. I also participate in a weekly program called Peaceable Hour from 6-7pm and given free of charge to the community.  Music by world class singers is diverse and speaking is frowned upon. I sing as well as play the theremin . The location is the St. Clemens Church and non-secular.  www.peaceablehour.com
 
Rice describes 54 Below now being a fancy speakeasy having known years ago as Studio 54. Along with the featured performers cabaret singers are: Kristy Cates, Marquee Five, Alexa Green, Blaine Krauss, Rob Maitner, Julie Reyburn, Courter Simmons, and Lucia Spina. You never know who will stop by as well. 

For tickets and further information go to: www.54below.com  There is an additional $25 food and beverage minimum as well.  

 Sarah Rice is on the far left.

AIN’T TOO PROUD IS TEMPTATIONAL

                                       Illustration by Kennth Fallin

Stories of stars and groups have become the Broadway craze since the Jersey Boys.  Stories of their lives of both ups and downs are combined with what you would construe as a concert performed by actors rather than the artists themselves.  Ain’t Too Proud is the latest to hit the Broadway stage that follows the history of the Motown Group known as the Temptations that turned out to be and audience catcher.

 

Lights up on a stage with five men dressed in fly suits and smooth moves as the Temptations sing “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” the first hit on the charts.  It’s here that we have Eddie Kendricks (Jeremy Pope), as lead voice, David Ruffin (Ephraim Sykes), Paul Williams (James Harkness), Melvin Franklin (Jawan M. Jackson) and Otis Williams (Derrick Baskin) the men who built The Temptations. It is not mistakable that Melvin is the bass singer.  Otis begins the “story” growing up in Detroit and they sing, “Runaway Child Running Wild.”  

Let me first say that I grew up hearing the songs as I practically Velcro-ed the transistor radio to my ear and uttered every lyric.  I was able to remember which groups sang which songs but that faded away after many years.  Unless it was a group that had a name like Diana Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight and the Pips or Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, I wouldn’t be able to tell you the names of any other members. Did I care about any performer’s personal life?  Never. It was all about entertaining me.

Before I give you a rundown on the show itself, I want to share my critique.  I saw the show on a Wednesday afternoon and there wasn’t an open seat unless I missed the ones up in the rafters.  Talent was on the spot in regards to the songs, dance movements and acting.  Having never seen an actual performance of The Temptations, I cannot give a critique as to whether each of the parts that the actors played was spot on with the portrayals. One thing for sure was that the audience was more than reveling in the spectacle. 

A few times when “Diana Ross and the Supremes” made the scene, the leading woman did sound and sing like her….as in the songs, “Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Come See About Me.”  However, only a portion of these songs are sung. Huge kudos and much applause to Candice Marie Woods on sounding and somewhat looking like Ross.  

Sets were not a biggy, nor did they really need to be for this show.  They did have moving images in the rear to help portray actors running, etc and where they were at the time.  There was a stage mechanics that made it appear as though the group was in a bus and driving and although there was no helicopter, they did have the back of a red sedan make its way on the stage. 

Back to the story as they become a part of Motown and meet Berry Gordy (Jahi Kearse) and Smokey Robinson (Christian Thompson). As the show continues you take in the group’s ups and downs with who gets fired, who dies, etc.  I felt that the story line was really made for the younger generation that did not grow up hearing this group as well as getting a better sense of why the songs emerged. 

As for all of the songs in Ain’t Too Proud, here they are keeping in mind that some were sung by groups other than The Temptations.  “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” “Baby Love” “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today)” “Cloud Nine” “Come See About Me” “Don’t Look Back” “For Once in My Life” “Get Ready” “Gloria” “I Can’t Get Next to You” “I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)” “(I Know) I’m Losing You” “I Want a Love I Can See” “I Wish it Would Rain” “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” “My Girl” “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” “Runaway Child Running Wild” “Shout” “Since I Lost My Baby” “Speedo” “Superstar (I Remember How You Got Where You Are)” “The Way You Do the Things You Do” “War” “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” “You Can’t Hurry Love” “You’re My Everything” 

My biggest disappointment at this performance was not with the cast but the audience.  I realize that it was the Isley Brothers who made “Shout” a hit, but it was a feature in the show as sung by The Temptations. Nobody rose for the occasion, I didn’t see hands raising up or anyone yelling, “shout” loudly or softly even when it was encouraged.  This particular song become so popular that whenever or wherever you heard it being sung, you just automatically got ready to participate as if it was a Rabbi telling the congregation to stand for a prayer that indicated when what the participants were expected to recite.

Final number is “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” that goes into the closing number, “I Can’t Get Next to You” that has the entire cast of Temptations, past and present, as well as all of the men and women. When it comes down to it, Ain’t Too Proud: the life and times of The Temptations is worth experiencing as it will certainly leave you with a feeling of great sound, talent and energy. 

Ken Fallin illustration: L to R: Derrick Baskin, Ephraim Sykes, Jeremy Pope, Jawan M. Jackson, and James Harkness