Going back to the charming Antrim Playhouse tonight to see “Brooklyn Boy.” After seeing their wonderful “West Side Story,” I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ll do with a straight play.

Last November, representatives from several local theater groups and institutions gathered around a long table in Valhalla to talk about “inclusive theater,” the idea that taking part in a show isn’t an enterprise only for able-bodied.

At the end of the meeting, the participants were fired up, ready to try to bring the idea into their worlds.

(Read my story here.)

Even before that meeting, Jordan Jankus had experience with “arts-based experiential theater. Jankus and his JessBecause group have run with it. Jankus created a program for teens and adults with disabilities at the Westchester Institute for Human Development.

According to the Jess Because Web site, “We believe that there is great value in the educational experience of just giving a person the chance to try something without the criteria of success or failure. It’s an approach that we’ve used and found to be very empowering for each student.”

Tomorrow night, Jess Because presents Create ABILITY ‘08 at the Valhalla campus, featuring two parts:

STASIS: A Moment of Equilibrium, a juried art exhibit of visionary and outsider art” — This is a juried show by self-taught artists with or without disabilities.
and
SPIRIT — a performing arts show with artists who are disabled or whose work deals with living with disabilities.

The festival is tomorrow night from 6 to 9:30 p.m. in Valhalla.

For more information, call Jankus at 914.526.8245.

Check out Angie Gaul’s video from the High School Theater Awards.

http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/VIDEO/306120025/-1/Frontpage

Another summer, another search for an artistic director at Mamaroneck’s Emelin Theater. It was confirmed today that Michael Bush is out as artistic director nine months after taking over at the venue on Library Lane.

The former Manhattan Theater Club advisor had big plans for the tiny venue—and kicked them off with a Glen Island party last fall to start the drive for a $10 million expansion of the site. He programmed a “Theater in Concert Festival” last fall that he considered a tasting menu of where he wanted to take the theater. There was cabaret, there was theater, there was music.

He staged “Murderers,” a play he helped develop with playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, but then had to postpone a May production of “Pure Heaven: A Party with Kay Thompson,” when its star, Ruth Williamson, developed throat problems in previews. That production was pushed back to the fall and is now in jeopardy.

Carla Sacks of the Emelin’s press firm Sacks & Co. confirmed that Bush is leaving.

“It is true. Michael has resigned,” Sacks said, adding “both parties are working amicably together to resolve it and move forward.”

Sacks had no further details, but said that summer programming will not be affected by the resignation. “Only the theater program is being affected,” she said.

Sara Feldmann Sheehan confirmed earlier that she is stepping down as president of the Emelin board and will be replaced by Mark D. Ettenger and Seth Kaplan. Feldmann Sheehan said she planned to remain on the board.

It’s been a rocky year at the Emelin. In the spring of 2007, shortly after announcing a $10 million capital program to more than double the venue’s usable space – managing director John Raymond left abruptly, followed soon by the theater’s publicity director.Last September, the Emelin’s board of trustees  announced the appointment of  Bush as the theater’s new artistic director, in what was seen as a major step in securing the future of the 250-seat Equity house that is home to legitimate theater, a cabaret series, a bluegrass series and a film club.

In making the announcement, Sara Feldmann Sheehan, said Bush was a good fit.

“Michael Bush has the vision, energy and passion we were looking for to take the Emelin Theatre in an exciting new direction,” Sheehan said at the time. “Most importantly, Michael understands that it is crucial to maintain what is beloved about the Emelin, such as its intimacy and sense of community, while continuing to expand our programming to make it relevant to an even larger audience.”

Bush had a decades-long relationship with Manhattan Theatre Club. He was a key lieutenant to the club’s artistic director, Lynne Meadow, and was involved in the development of “Proof” and “Doubt,” two Tony and Pulitzer Prize winners.

In an interview at the time, Bush told me he was looking forward to taking chances in Mamaroneck.

“It’s a risky thing to say ‘Let’s take chances and actually dare to strive for something larger,’ ” he said then.

He gave audiences a glimpse of his theatrical vistion with a November festival – Theatre in Concert – that included plays about Tennessee Williams, cabaret nights, and a bit of bluegrass.

The news of Bush’s departure has to be unsettling for those watching the ambitious capital plan the theater had laid out before his arrival: A $10 million “Next Stage” project would expand the theater’s stage and seating capacity (from 250 to 399), add a film-only theater (allowing for an expanded film series), and a 60-seat “black box” experimental theater. The complex will go from 9,000 square feet to 36,000 square feet.

Bush had ventured from Manhattan Theatre Club before.

In 2002, he left MTC to lead Charlotte Rep in his native North Carolina. After 18 months, he left Charlotte, having presented Hilary Swank in “The Miracle Worker” and several new works, but finding that the community’s support was insufficient to sustain the professional theater. In February 2005, the theater folded.

When he took the Emelin post, Bush said the Charlotte experience taught him to be humble, and that “transition takes time.”

“The board there had given me a mandate to put Charlotte Rep in a national spotlight, which I did very quickly. But the South is a tricky area. There’s no history or tradition of philanthropy. I had tremendous competition from all of the sports. My second season there, the Panthers went to the Super Bowl and my theater was right across the street from the stadium. I was having a hard time drawing in that audience there, so I was trying to create true events. One of the ones I pulled off was getting Hilary Swank there, and we did sell out every night.”

Bush said the experience made him stronger.

“You can’t know success without tasting failure. I’ve had great success and I’ve fallen on my face. I learned more from falling on my face, but I come to this job with a true yin and yang to what life is about – and what success is about.

“I think it has prepared me for what I call Act 2 of my life. And I see the Emelin as a really strong and kind of glorious Act 2,” he said last September.

With Raymond’s departure, and now Bush’s departure, the Emelin, it appears, is ready for Act 3.

Photo by Mark Vergari/The Journal News: Michael Bush at a Midtown Manhattan rehearsal of “Pure Heaven: A Party with Kay Thompson,” which was planned as the spring production at the Emelin, but which was postponed to the fall after its star, Ruth Williamson, developed vocal problems during previews. Bush is out as artistic director after nine months on the job.

Here’s the story I wrote for today’s paper, with some complete quotes I couldn’t get in on deadline. (I love this blog!)

Rye Neck High School’s production of “Cats” was the cat’s meow at the High School Theater Awards last night, taking home three awards, including outstanding overall production of a musical.

The 10th annual awards, at the elegant Paramount Center for the Arts, had all the trappings of a star-studded event, with presenters, production numbers and acceptance speeches.

The most anticipated acceptance speech of the night came at 10 p.m., when Rye Neck’s Pat Rinello following a crowd of pouncing cats onto the stage to accept the trophy for outstanding overall production of a musical.

“Every one of you in this room is living a life that is so blessed because you’re involved in theater,” Rinello said. “You touch humanity. You hold a mirror up to everyone. You show us our strengths, our weaknesses, our joys, our sorrows. Every one of you in this room tonight should be so proud that you are involved in this art form.”

Thunderous applause.

She continued: “I would like to ask all the directors — could you give me house lights? — I would like all the directors to stand up, please.”

More thunderous applause.

She went on to thank her Rye Neck production team, including musical director Steve Loftus, an HSTA winner last night, and choreographer Deb Spahr, Karen Fontecchio (costumes and makeup) and “a cast and crew that took this journey — as bizarre as it was — as far as I asked them to go. And they did it.”

“But again,” she continued, “every one of you in this room did it for your directors or you wouldn’t be here tonight. You took the journey, you took the risk and it’s enriched your life and your audience’s lives.”

“Thank you so much. I hope that you continue in this endeavor and share in each other’s joy and each other’s pride. It’s a wonderful night for all of you. God bless you.”

Thunderous applause — and many happy cats frolicking on the stage — yelling “Womp! Womp! Womp!”

Rinello later explained that “Womp!” is something the cast came up with to represent “reaching beyond your grasp.”

“You gave all, there was nothing left to give and then you feel good. Win or lose, it’s a womp! From the first day of auditions right on to the end, it was a womp. What a great bunch of kids,” she said.

The proud director called the evening “probably one of the best feelings of my life. It’s overwhelming.”

In addition to overall production, Rye Neck picked up awards for musical direction, Steven Loftus, and lighting design, Kyle Kegan.

The awards honor the best in high school musicals from those schools who enter the competition. This year, 39 schools from Rockland, Westchester, Putnam and Bergen counties entered.

In the hour before the show began, bus after bus rolled up to the Paramount, a beautifully refurbished movie palace that seemed fitting for the occasion. When the kids from Rye Neck piled out of the bus — most in their Spandex costumes and some in full makeup — they got some pretty puzzled looks from passersby.

Inside, there were cell-phone photos, digital cameras popping and lots of hugs and kisses.

Then the Lower Hudson Valley Youth Choir took to the stage to an ovation, the first of dozens the eager crowd would offer throughout the course of the evening. Under the direction of Jared Rosenblum, they sang “Seasons of Love” from “RENT” and a medley from “The Phantom of the Opera.”

As they sang, peasants in scarves from Anatevka filed into the hall – the kids from Pleasantville’s production of “Fiddler” – and began to clap along.

It was that kind of night.

Then it was on with the show and a series of videos set to the song “Show People” from “Curtains.”

Each category, each nominee, was met with an ovation from the sold-out 1,025-seat auditorium. Then the buzz as the presenter asked for a drum roll and the kids obliged, patting their thighs with their hands to create the effect before each winner’s name was announced.

Two categories ended in ties, heightening the tension in what was a room already full of anticipation.The leading-actor category was won by two Tevyes – Blind Brook’s Andrew Benowich and Pleasantville’s Anthony daCosta. Both played the lead character in “Fiddler on the Roof” at their respective schools.

They received their star-shaped trophies from Terrence Mann, a huge Broadway star.

Benowich was up first. He hushed the loud Blind Brook cheerers, and then thanked them.

“You guys were great, some of the best people I’ve ever worked with,” he said. And he thanked director Christina Colangelo. “I share this with her,” he added.

Next up was Pleasantville’s da Costa, who received the award from Mann, turned to the podium and said “thank you” in Tevye’s voice.

“Thank you, Mr. Mann. That was awesome. I’m glad they didn’t judge this on facial hair authenticity,” said daCosta, who wore a fake beard as Tevye. He thanked his family, his director, his costumer and choreographer (while admitting he wasn’t a great mover) and he even thanked local barbers for contributing to his fake beard.

In the outstanding vocal performance categories, awards went to Blind Brook’s Scott Winston and Kim Giordano of Pascack Hills in New Jersey.

Blind Brook took home awards in a third category, as Kelsey Crandall won outstanding performance by an ensemble member, playing Fruma Sarah in “Fiddler.”

Two Bergen County schools took home three awards each: Ramsey’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress” won for outstanding direction, leading actress (Leea Borst), and outstanding lobby display, and St. Joseph’s Regional’s “West Side Story” won for outstanding ensemble, scenic design (by Joseph Egan, a longtime director at Nyack High School) and dramatic performance by Ryan Mati.

Supporting-role honors went to Hailey Fyfe of Rockland Country Day School and Niko Gelfars from Hastings’ production of “City of Angels.” (That’s Hailey at the moment her name was announced, with her dad, Jim, to her right.)

Later, Fyfe described the feeling.

“It feels like I just dove into a pit of, like, marshmallows or something really good, something I can’t quite describe. It’s shocking,” she said.

Archbishop Stepinac High School, which entered the night with a dozen nominations, ended the night with one win: for the stage crew of “Singin’ in the Rain.”

There were performances from each of the shows nominated for top honors and by each of the nominees for leading actress and leading actor.Presenters included Tony-winner Beth Leavel (“The Drowsy Chaperone”) and Mann, who played the Rum Tum Tugger in “Cats” on Broadway, and was also in the Broadway casts of “Beauty & the Beast” and “Les Miserables.”

After the high-decibel event, Leavel said it was a bit surreal being up on the stage at the Paramount, experiencing the volume of crowd appreciation.

“It’s tangible. You vibrate when you’re up there,” the Tony-winner said. “And I’m like ‘I’m too old to vibrate.’”

It’s like nothing she’s experienced on Broadway, she said.

“Not unbridled enthusiasm like that,” she said. “It’s a blast. I was telling someone back stage, how it’s really good for us old farts to be here. It feeds our soul and it’s real, real cool.”

She said she was still having trouble hearing, but would likely never forget the screams from Pleasantville’s “Fiddler on the Roof” and Rye Neck’s “Cats.”

Danielle Rudess, who runs Nyack’s Helen Hayes Youth Theater, is the producer of the awards and her husband, Jordan Rudess, is musical director. The hosts for the awards were Barry Carl, who was the bass in the a capella group Rockapella, and actor-singer John Patrick Schutz.

For the first nine years of their existence, the awards – which began under the auspices of Nyack’s long-gone Helen Hayes Theater Company – were lovingly called “The Helens,” after the first lady of the American stage.

But Washington’s theatrical community gives out Helen Hayes acting awards to professional productions, and it prevailed upon the Hayes family to rescind permission to use the actress’ name for the high school awards, which began a few blocks from where Hayes lived for years.

Still, old habits die hard.

The marquee at the Paramount announced the Helen Hayes Theater Awards and even the video montage — something Rudess and her team had toiled on for months after the name change was made — was titled “The 2008 Helen Hayes High School Theater Awards.”

(Photos by Angela Gaul/The Journal News)

I chatted with Beth Leavel about what it’s like to be up on that stage announcing the award.

“It’s tangible. You vibrate when you’re up there,” the Tony-winner said. “And I’m like ‘I’m too old to vibrate.’”

It’s like nothing she’s experienced on Broadway, she says. “Not unbridled enthusiasm like that. It’s a blast. I was telling someone back stage, how it’s really good for us old farts to be here. It feeds our soul and it’s real, real cool.”

She said she was still having trouble hearing, but would likely never forget the screams from Pleasantville’s “Fiddler on the Roof” and Rye Neck’s “Cats.”

I couldn’t quite make out what the cast of “Cats” was shouting on stage as Rinello prepared to give her speech.

Rinello told me they were yelling “Womp! Womp! Womp!”

Womp, she explained is a good thing, the best thing, reaching beyond what you think you can do and doing it.

Womp!

The HSTA went to …
Here’s a list of the winners of the 2008 High School Theater Awards, presented at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill last night to schools from Rockland, Westchester, Putnam and Bergen counties.
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical: Rye Neck, “Cats”
Outstanding Achievement by a Director: Ramsey (N.J.), “Once Upon a Mattress,” Doug Gipple
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Ramsey (N.J.), “Once Upon a Mattress,” Lea Borst
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: (Tie) Blind Brook, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Andrew Benowich (Tevye) and Pleasantville, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Anthony da Costa (Tevye)
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Rockland Country Day School, “Oklahoma!” Hailey Fyfe
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Hastings, “City of Angels,” Niko Gelfars
Outstanding Vocal Performance: (Tie) Blind Brook, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Scott Winston and Pascack Hills, “Damn Yankees” Kim Giordano
Outstanding Dramatic Performance: St. Joseph (N.J.), “West Side Story,” Ryan Mati
Outstanding Featured Dancer: Spring Valley, “Crazy for You,” Alexander Domini
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Group: St. Joseph (N.J.), “West Side Story” — Brendan Hall, Michael Peer, Brian Doyle, John-Christopher Record, Taylor Popielarz, Matthew Pereira, Matt DePietro, Joseph Hall, Steven Simone, Derek Scheeler (The Jets)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Member: Blind Brook, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Kelsey Crandall (Fruma Sarah)
Outstanding Performance by a Chorus: Fairlawn (N.J.), “Merrily We Roll Along”
Outstanding Performance by an Orchestra: Suffern, “The Sound of Music”
Outstanding Musical Direction: Rye Neck, “Cats,” Steven Loftus
Outstanding Achievement in Choreography: Don Bosco Prep, “Bye Bye Birdie,” Kimberly Galberaith
Outstanding Achievement in Scenic Design: St. Joseph (N.J.), “West Side Story,” Joe Egan
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design: Northern Highlands (N.J.), “Beauty and the Beast,” Denise Higgins-Regan, Mary Welton
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design: Rye Neck, “Cats,” Kyle Kegan
Outstanding Stage Crew: Archbishop Stepinac, “Singin’ in the Rain”
Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design: River Dell (N.J.), “High School Musical,” Annie Arjarasumpan
Outstanding Lobby Display: Ramsey (N.J.), “Once Upon a Mattress,” Sarah Calogero and the Art Club
Child Actor: Don Bosco Prep, “Bye Bye, Birdie,” Mary Kate Kelly
Achievement in Technical Production: Harrison, “Miss Saigon,” Stephen Ferri (Technical Director)

The big magilla goes to…..

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical: Rye Neck, “Cats”

Wow!

What a stunner!

What a great night.

Beth Leavel and Terrence Mann presented it to some very happy cats.

And everybody stood up and clapped.

The cats pounced onto the stage and, eventually, director Pat Rinello made her way to the podium, where one cat came up and hugged her.

“Everyone of you in this room is living a life that is blessed,” Rinello said, telling the crowd that work in the theater is vitally important to everyone who does it and sees it.

She asked for the house lights to be brought up, they were, and all the directors to stand up for a round of applause, they did.

Bravo.

Outstanding Achievement by a Director: Ramsey (N.J.), “Once Upon a Mattress,” Doug Gipple.

Louder, louder, louder.

Doug Gipple thanked the cast and drama mamas, the crew and everybody involved.

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Ramsey (N.J.), “Once Upon a Mattress,” Leea Borst.

She was really funny.

“I just killed a man getting up her. First of all, I’d like to thank God. And my parents for giving birth to me. The drama mamas, cast and crew. I love you.”

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Rockland Country Day School, “Oklahoma!” Hailey Fyfe

Tony-winner Beth Leavel presented. During her entrance, she asked for more applause — and got it. She recalled how she got bit by the acting bug—“doing my senior high school musical, Brigadoon.” (Tappan Zee’s kids went wild. They did “Brigadoon” last year.)

Hailey Fyfe is a funny kid, too, who vaulted down the aisle and hugged Leavel

“For real?” she said. She went on to thank “Jason Avezzano for being my best friend. My dad for being my dad. My mom’s up in heaven looking down on me. Thank you.”

When Fyfe left the stage, Leavel said, “Does she remind anyone of me?”

Blind Brook, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Andrew Benowich (Tevye)

and Pleasantville, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Anthony da Costa (Tevye)

Two Tevyes, two HSTAs. What are the odds.

They also got their awards from Terrence Mann. Too cool.

I thought the kids from Blind Brook were going to tear the place down, they were so happy.

Andrew hushed them and thanked them. “You guys were great, some of the best people I’ve ever worked with.” And he thanked director Christina Colangelo. “I share this with her.”

Next up was Anthony da Costa.

I thought Blind Brook was loud until Pleasantville erupted.

Da Costa said “Thank you,” as Tevye.

“Thank you, Mr. Mann. That was awesome. I’m glad they didn’t judge this on facial hair authenticity. And I’d like to thank the local barbers for their contribution.’

Funny kid.

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Hastings, “City of Angels,” Niko Gelfars

Terrence Mann — yes, that Terrence Mann — presented this award. Mann created Rum Tum Tugger and The Beast on Broadway and many other parts.

Imagine getting an award from Terrence Mann.

That is pretty cool.

Niko leapt to the stage, without using the stairs.

The kid was flying.

Blind Brook, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Scott Winston

and

Pascack Hills, “Damn Yankees” Kim Giordano

Both thanked their casts and crews.