In Brooklyn? Want to go to Parkerfest? Now you do not have to go to Manhattan to catch the free ferry over to Governors Island. A new route connects Brooklyn. This week State Senator Daniel Squadron's office sent out the following letter:
I am writing to share some exciting news- this summer there will finally be free ferry service between Brooklyn and Governors Island!
This ferry is something that Senator Squadron has long requested to better connect the Brooklyn Waterfront with the rest of New York Harbor, and we hope that you will be able to celebrate with him at the ferry's innaugural launch this Saturday, June 6 at 11:00 am, at Fulton Ferry Landing.
The ferry will leave Fulton Ferry Landing every hour, every Saturday when there is programming scheduled for Governors Island. It will stop at Governors Island and Battery Park in Manhattan.
Going to the island is one of the best trips in the city; with the live music and activities as part of the Jazz Age Lawn Party that Michael Arenella has planned, it is a weekend not to be missed.
June 6 & 7 – The 11th Annual Parkerfest. This will be on Governors Island (June 7 is also the anniversary of Mrs. Parker’s death in 1967). Come attend a huge Roaring Twenties weekend, with vintage clothes, automobiles, live jazz and outdoor cocktail parties. The Governors Island Jazz Age Lawn Party is produced by Michael Arenella, who will lead his famous Dreamland Orchestra in “hot-and-sweet” period music. Vintage attire is encouraged, and there is a wide range of fun things to do both days. All information about the schedule of activities, which runs from 11 AM to 5 PM, can be found on Michael’s site.
This is the second year in a row that we have taken the free ferry to this wonderful new city park (until 1996 Governors Island was a military base). Depart from the Battery Maritime Building, which is located at the corner of South and Whitehall Streets, adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The nearest subway is the 1 to South Ferry or the R & W to Whitehall/South Ferry. The boats depart every hour on the hour starting at 10 AM. Complete ferry and island information is here.
Some practical information for visiting Governors Island: -The Lawn Party is held in front of Colonel’s Row, west of Castle Clinton, about 10 minutes’ walk from the ferry dock (golf cart shuttle may run) -Bring a picnic lunch, as there are no restaurants on the island -Bring a blanket or lawn chair -Island vendors sell water, juice, soda -There is no ATM, so bring cash, as there will be vendors selling vintage clothing, hats, and more. -Pets are not allowed; this would displease Mrs. Parker -Alcohol is banned; if you must, think “hip flask”
Look for the DPS sign at the lawn party. We will be there from roughly Noon to 4 both days.
Reservations are not necessary. The ferry ride and Parkerfest are free. However, due to budget cuts on Governors Island, the hat is being passed to help fund the entertainment. We suggest donating $5 to $10 per person. See photos and video from previous Parkerfest weekends here.
We have the scoop from Dorothy Parker Society officer Maureen Van Trease, who is once again presenting her show, Those Whistling Lads! The Poetry and Short Stories of Dorothy Parker. It was performed last year to great reviews. Maureen is doing something very similar to what Mrs. Parker did: giving the money to charities. She answered some questions, and the show info is below.
Q: What will we see in your show?
A: Audiences are going to see a show about Dorothy that's like no other. It explores the relationship between the events in her life and how they influenced the stories and poems she wrote. From Eddie Parker, Charles MacArthur, John Wiley Garrett and John McClain, to the more stable influences in her life such as Harold Ross and Robert Benchley, they all make appearances in this show. The audience can expect to live the stories and poems right along with Dorothy. Selections include "For An Unknown Lady", "The Choice", "Here We Are", "Dusk Before Fireworks", "General Review of the Sex Situation", "Unfortunate Coincidence", " The Sexes", "You Were Perfectly Fine", and "Chant For Dark Hours" in combination with "A Telephone Call" as you've never imagined it.
Q: What charities are you giving the box office to?
A: The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity actually found me. The producer of the festival, Glory Bowen, saw the show last year at the Midtown International Theatre Festival, and asked if I would put it in this festival because of the themes it addresses concerning women's issues. Dorothy's early life was fraught with bad relationships, alcoholism, and 4 suicide attempts, mostly the result of those relationships. For this reason we are working with the festival to donate our box office to Safe Horizon Shelter, Suidice Prevention International, and The Actors Fund.
Actress Natalie Wilder at rehearsal earlier this year.
Show Information/Links to Buy Tickets
This June, Those Whistling Lads! is back bringing you more laughs than ever before. Come to the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity and help out some really great charities in the process!
We've got 5 shows and 2 amazing casts all working to help The Actors Fund, Safe Horizon Shelter for Women and Children and Suicide Prevention International. 100% of all box office proceeds will be donated to the charities, PLUS we'll be collecting toiletry items (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc) to donate to the Safe Horizon Streetwork Program for Homeless Teens. It's a great way to put all those little HOTEL FREEBIES YOU'VE BEEN SAVING to good use!
TICKETS ARE JUST $18 AND YOU CAN CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO ORDER THEM TODAY. WE'LL BE AT THE ROBERT MOSS THEATRE, 440 LAFAYETTE ST., 3RD FLOOR (R,W train to 8th St., or 6 train to Astor Place)
Those Whistling Lads brings five light-hearted stories and five satirical poems of Dorothy Parker to life, drawing you into the world of loves and friendships that inspired them, from newlyweds to break-ups and waiting for that telephone call. A member of the famed 1920’s Algonquin Round Table and a critic for The New Yorker, she was well-known for her stinging witticisms. Running time: 90 minutes.
June 16 4:30 pm June 21 6:30 pm FEATURING ETHAN ANGELICA*, NICOLE GREEVY*, ANNALYSE MCCOY*, GLENN STOOPS* AND MAUREEN VAN TREASE* AND June 24 8:30 pm June 26 9:00 pm June 28 11:00 am FEATURING ETHAN ANGELICA*, JUSTIN HERFEL*, MAUREEN VAN TREASE*, NATALIE WILDER* AND HANNAH WOLFE *Denotes members of Actors Equity Association
ALL SHOWS ARE AT 440 LAFAYETTE ST., 3RD FLOOR
SPECIAL DEALS ABOUND AS WELL! Join us for the Sunday June 28th, 11 AM show and then meet the cast for a talkback with coffee, mimosas and pastries at 12:30. Group discounts: 10-19 people @ $15/ticket, 20 or more @ $12/ticket - contact Jenn Boehm at planetjennb@gmail.com
We received word from Adrienne, our West Coast major domo, that there are many things to look forward to this summer there. Take it away Adrienne (who can be reached at Adrienne (AT SIGN) dorothyparker (DOT) com.
The Dorothy Parker Society Los Angeles chapter is back from the dead this summer. Here are some activities to enjoy:
1. Cocktails in Historic Places™ Friday, June 19, 2009 at 6:30--6:45 p.m., event starts at 6 but I don't get off of work til 6 PM La Grande Orange Cafe 260 S. Raymond Avenue Pasadena, CA 91105 626-356-4444
La Grande Orange Cafe is housed in Pasadena's historic 1935 Del Mar Station, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Dorothy Parker frequently disembarked from the Pasadena station when taking the train in from the East during the 30s and 40s. Legend has it that a car from the Garden of Allah, DP's favorite Hollywood hotel, would collect guests from this station. Who knows...
Let's join the Art Deco Society of LA for no-host cocktails on June 19th for an evening with like-minded people at their Cocktails in Historic Places™ event for June. The event is open to members and non-members alike and reservations are not required. Located near the Gold Line, why not take the train?
2. If Pasadena is too far for you westsiders, let's reconvene on Saturday, June 20 at 4 PM at the charming La Senora Research Institute in Boca Santa Monica Canyon. The Institute is housed in a home once owned by Anita Loos and her brother. Peter Graves will be the featured speaker at a screening of Airplane in the Institute's Teatro del Canyon. Cost $20.75. You must pre-purchase tickets online. Hurry, seats fill up fast. La Senora (565 Dryad Road, Santa Monica) is located in the serene Santa Monica Canyon where lies the creek from which the City of Santa Monica took its name. Legend tells that a Spanish Solider with the first exploration party drank from the meandering creek running through our Canyon and exclaimed that: "The water is as sweet as the tears of St. Monica."
From the Coast Highway drive up the Canyon along Entrada to San Lorenzo.
From Santa Monica take 7th Street across San Vicente. Start down the hill and, while on the big curve, turn right onto San Lorenzo.
3. Finally, let's have a picnic! I'm soliciting dates for a fun picnic in July or August at the Coldwater Canyon Park, just a few miles from where Mrs. Parker lived off Coldwater Canyon Blvd around 1938. Let me know which month works and what dates work and we'll schedule it.
Also taking suggestions for ways to celebrate Parkerfest West in October.
News about Club Wit's End, the monthly music and dance party downtown:
MAY 30TH, 2009 : Grandpa Musselman and His Syncopators are BACK for an encore of the hottest jazz to keep you out on the dancefloor! Even more featured vintage cocktails are coming your way, along with our favorite sweets, handmade chocolates from Chocolats Meurens! Akemi Kinukawa of Sandra Cameron Dance Center is back at 8pm for another FREE DANCE LESSON! This time, begin to learn to Charleston with the best of them! Arrive early to participate in this fantastic freebie! Doors are at 7pm, band begins at 8:30pm, with recorded music of the 1920s/30s throughout the evening for your enjoyment!
Ages 21+. For more information, and to read our dress code, visit our Facebook Group or our website! See you there!
We got a message from Maureen Van Trease, playwright, actress and member of The Dorothy Parker Society. She is looking to stage again her successful show Those Whistling Lads! The Poetry and Short Stories of Dorothy Parker, which had a successful run last year. She writes:
We are looking to find 100 people to take a $20 (or more) tax deduction by donating to Third Eye Theatre Company for the show. Please take a moment to consider this opportunity to get Those Whistling Lads! The Poetry and Short Stories of Dorothy Parker up and running in June. The show premiered last summer and is having another run for charity this summer at The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity.
I know things are tough for many of us, but if you can contribute anything at all, it will help me to donate 100% of the box office to some very worthy local New York charities. Please help me raise funds to offset the cost of the production of "Those Whistling Lads" in June. Your tax-deductible donation to Third Eye will ensure that 100% of the box office net from the production of "Those Whistling Lads" will go to: - Safe Horizon Shelter for Women and Children, - Suicide Prevention International and importantly, for those of you in the entertainment industry, - The Actors Fund, which is in dire need due to the recent Broadway strike.
You may send checks or money orders to Third Eye Theatre Company with "Lads" on the memo line, to the address below, Third Eye Theatre Company One River Place #3306 New York, NY 10036 OR - visit our paypal site at Third Eye.
- click on the link for "Get Involved Now!" - be sure to indicate that it is for "Lads" when you donate.
If you don't have a paypal account, there is an option to use your credit card on the paypal page. A letter of thanks will be mailed or emailed to you for your tax purposes. You may use your electronic receipt from paypal as well. Thank you all for your support! It means so much to me. I can't thank you enough.
We are planning on having Parkerfest on June 6-7 on Governors Island as part of the Jazz Age Lawn Party that Michael produces and performs during. However, due to budget cuts in Albany, this good times are threatened. In an email that Michael sent to his fans and supporters: "At the current time, we do not have the necessary funds to provide a dance floor and stage for the 2009 Jazz Age Lawn Party, so it is important that we receive all the support we can get so that we are not dancing and playing in the grass!" The event will take place, but in a scaled back way, he says. "The State of New York has cut funding for programming on Governors Island. While the island will thankfully remain open, there will be no funding provided for entertainment on the island. In order to raise funds for the Jazz Age Lawn Party, we are hosting the Dreamland Gala."
The Dreamland Gala is Sunday, May 24, 9:00 PM, $30 (includes open bar, hors d’oeurves, and live entertainment!). It features Michael and his 12-piece Dreamland Orchestra. This promises to be an enthralling night of music, dancing and cocktails, as well as other attractions. A silent auction will be held showcasing an array of items donated by local high-end boutiques and restaurants. Guests are encouraged to attend in their finest Roaring Twenties evening wear. Keep in mind, Monday the 25th is Memorial Day! So we hope you’ll take advantage of the long weekend and join us on Sunday night.
This speakeasy-themed gala will be held at the Green Building on Union, a 19th-century warehouse nestled along the banks of the Gowanus Canal, at 450 Union Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, a short walk from several major subway lines. This fundraiser is vital to the success of the weekend that so many of us love on Governors Island. There are vintage cars, hundreds of attendees wear vintage clothing, plus the live jazz and the fantastic setting on the city's newest parkland. If you plan to attend Parkerfest, or can't make it to the gala, I encourage you to donate to the cause. Perhaps $25 (at least!) to show your commitment to a great New York tradition.
This will be the second year in a row that the DPS has visited Governors Island, a beautiful park and landmark in New York Harbor. A free ferry shuttles visitors from Lower Manhattan to the island, just eight minutes away.
The island is free and open to the public. For Parkerfest, get into the spirit by dressing up. See photos from last year of the activities, which included dancing, a pie baking contest, tug ‘o war, and a vintage swimsuit contest. Sign up for the monthly e-newsletter for the latest news.
Many people over the years have asked me about various Dorothy Parker collectibles. These have ranged from limited-edition books and prints, to more specialized things like sculptures, Christmas ornaments, and autographed photos. So to gauge interest, we have posted a 10-question survey that takes about 2 minutes to complete. If we get a good response, we may act on it, and see about creating licensed products.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to take this survey!
We got a press release today from Lida McGirr, the director of the first show based on Dorothy Parker material to play in Manhattan this year (there are others on the way). It is timed for Valentine's Day, a good marketing hook, to be sure. We were tipped off by DPS member Caitlin McEwan (pictured here). The press release:
Dorothy Parker: MEN!
compiled and directed by Lida McGirr
In my early 20's, I escaped to bygone times with Dorothy Parker and F. Scott Fitzgerald, times where anything went: the Depression and the gaiety, poverty and extravagance, prohibition and debauchery, saints and sinners. The literary world was on fire. Dorothy Parker was part of this world. She once said, "I was just a little Jewish girl trying to be cute." She was more than this.
She was ahead of her time in trying to make a place for herself in what was very much a man's world. And she succeeded. She wrote, competed and survived among the finest writers of her time. Her poems and witticisms show an intellect and quickness that rivalled the Benchleys and Kaufmans.
Last year, as Special Events Coordinator for the Concord Players in Massachusetts, one of my duties was to put together a night of entertainment. Dorothy Parker sprang to mind. I resurrected my Dorothy Parker books and notes and research and "Dorothy Parker Revived" was born. Caitlin McEwan, who played my daughter in a production of "The Glass Menagerie," came to see the show and the next thing I knew "Dorothy Parker: MEN!" came into being.
What has evolved is a review of Dorothy Parker: her quips, wisecracks, poetry, book and theater reviews, and three short stories adapted to play form. The young, spirited, gay Dorothy is contrasted with the older, wiser, disappointed, but still hopeful, Mrs. Parker, and the theme of relationships -- young and old, naive and jaded, hopeful and desperate -- runs throughout the piece, making it a fitting way to spend Valentine's Day, and every day. An evening chock full of laughter, gasps of recognition and, ultimately, a celebration of the human condition, life and love.
. . . I must go on, till ends my rope, Who from my birth was cursed with hope. - Dorothy Parker
Pieces include: "One Perfect Rose" "Love Song" "Fighting Words" "General Review of the Sex Situation" "You Were Perfectly Fine" "A Telephone Call" "Here We Are" "The Waltz" "Too Bad" "A Fairly Sad Tale" "The Lady's Reward" ... a bouquet of quips, wisecracks, short poems, and reviews ... ... and, of course, "MEN"
CAST: Lida McGirr George Pappas* Caitlin McEwan Andy Junk Maureen Kenny*
*Member of Actors' Equity Association Equity Approved Showcase
LOCATION: The Producers' Club - Crowne Theater 358 W 44th Street near 9th Avenue
SCHEDULE: Wednesday February 11th at 8pm (Preview) Thursday February 12th at 8pm (Opening Night) Friday February 13th at 8pm Saturday February 14th at 2pm and 7pm Sunday February 15th at 2pm
Approximate running time: 80 minutes with no intermission.
Tickets: $15 Comps available to AEA members on a standby basis.
