Wakefern Food Corp. Donates $250,000 to Assist in Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts
Keasbey, NJ – January 14, 2010 – Wakefern Food Corp. announced today that on behalf of its ShopRite and PriceRite stores, it will donate $250,000 to The American Red Cross to assist in the relief efforts for the earthquake victims in Haiti — further reinforcing the company’s commitment to community service.
“Lending a helping hand to the communities we serve is at the heart of our business. However, in times when catastrophic natural disasters occur such as Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and now the devastating earthquake in Haiti, we proudly stretch out our hands beyond our borders to assist others,” stated Joseph Colalillo, chairman of the board and CEO for Wakefern Food Corporation. “It is our hope that our donation will contribute towards alleviating the damage and suffering left by the earthquake.”
“We are grateful for receiving this funding to aid the American Red Cross relief effort in Haiti during this crucial time,” said Executive Director of the Tri-County Red Cross, Nathan Rudy. “It is partners like Wakefern and its ShopRite and PriceRite stores who make it possible for the Red Cross and its volunteers to be there when disaster strikes.”
For information on how to provide additional resources, please visit www.redcross.org to make an unrestricted donation to the American Red Cross’ International Response Fund or call them at 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).
About Wakefern Food Corp.
From a small, struggling cooperative with eight members – all owners of their own grocery stores – Wakefern Food Corporation has grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States. The cooperative is comprised of 44 members who individually own and operate supermarkets under the ShopRite banner located throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware. In 1996, the PriceRite banner, an alternate format store, was added extending Wakefern’s reach into Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Today, Wakefern, the merchandising and distribution arm of the company, and the more than 250 ShopRite and PriceRite stores employ more than 50,000 people.
About the Tri-County Chapter of the American Red Cross
The Tri-County Chapter of the American Red Cross, celebrating its 93rd anniversary in 2010, has headquarters in Plainfield, NJ. The Chapter provides health and safety, disaster response and military communications programs and services to more than half a million residents of 22 towns in Union, Somerset and Middlesex Counties.
Since its founding in 1881, the American Red Cross has become the nation’s premier emergency response organization. It has built a reputation around the world as the organization to turn to when faced with a disaster. Its nationwide network of more than 800 chapters is dedicated to saving lives by helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Photo of Tour Company Cast courtesy of Bushnell, Hartford
by Don Church and Tony Schillaci – Critics On The Aisle
Hopeful and vibrant, “In The Heights” redefines the American Dream. The joyful message here is that it isn’t always leaving one place for another that identifies success, but by improving your environment with the support of friends, neighbors and family, success can blossom right in the hood where you live.
This feel good musical, with words and music by Tony Award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda reflects contemporary urban life in the best sense of the word “neighborhood.” In this case it’s Washington Heights, the north end of Manhattan Island – that’s even farther uptown than Harlem – which has “different energy from anywhere else in the city”, according to Miranda.
Populated with immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Ecuador, the essence of the barrio’s Latino flavor is reflected in the energetic melodic music that won Miranda his Tony.
Adding to the excitement and the joyful struggle of day-to-day life is the electric choreography of Tony Blankenbuehler who also won a Tony. The book by Quiara Alegria Hudes is chili-peppered with Spanish phrases and idioms, and director Thomas Kail keeps the show, and the large, multi-talented young cast, fast-paced and definitely in the moment.
Immediately likeable and immensely gifted Kyle Beltran as Usnavi raps the opening number “In The Heights” with such crisp enunciation that every lyric is sharp and clear. Miranda’s words as sung by Usnavi paint an instant picture of the vibe in the Heights, and the set design by Anna Louizos beautifully identifies the place as a melting pot of hard-working Nuevo Americanos under the shadow of the George Washington Bridge.
Standouts (in this first-rate, tour-company cast of all standouts) in addition to Mr. Beltran include soaring-voiced Arielle Jacobs as Nina, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer as upwardly-mobile Vanessa, Isabel Santiago as the wise-cracking hair-burning Daniela, and Natalie Toro as the “I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore” Camila.
Shout-outs go to show-stopping David Baida who authentically reminded us of the guy who sold us shaved ice in San Juan; to Rogelio Douglas, Jr., who illustrated that ambition and determination can also be coupled with tenderness; to Shaun Taylor-Corbett – a good thing in a small package; to Elise Santora, who made us cry for Abuela Claudia; to Daniel Bolero who we wanted to “boo” but knew that as Kevin he was only a product of his upbringing; and to Genny Lis Padilla, whose bubble-headed charm was only matched by her tight jeans..
Another shout out to the fluid dancer who played Graffiti Pete – there was a substitution at the performance that we saw on January 5th, and it was unclear as to who played the part, so we’ll congratulate three dancers : Jose-Luis Lopez, Sandy Alvarez and Michael Balderrama!
In “The Club/Fireworks” and “Carnaval Del Barrio” ensemble numbers each dancer had a chance to showcase his/her exuberant talent. This is as much an inventive dance show as was “West Side Story,” although with a more joyful message.
Multiple accolades have been bestowed upon Lin-Manuel Miranda and “In the Heights” for its music – and for good reason. Most new musicals are one-note, one-mood pieces. All the songs sound alike; they aren’t well integrated with the book to further explore character or drive the plot. Not so with “In The Heights.” Miranda was influenced as a youngster by “Camelot.” “Man of La Mancha,” “Phantom,” “Les Mis,”,“Fiddler,”and he even played the Pirate King in “The Pirates of Penzance” in ninth grade.
Miranda not only knows how to write a song, but he knows how to end it – a technique that is also direly lacking in so many new musicals. His final notes punctuate the close of each number; there’s no need for the audience to wonder when to applaud.
Lin-Manuel wrote “In the Heights” when he was a sophomore at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. His sweetheart was going off to study in the Dominican Republic, and the day after she left he started writing the story of his angst, and finished it two weeks later. He also was unhappy that a show on Broadway by Paul Simon, called “Capeman,” depicted Latinos as knife-wielding murderers, much as “West Side Story” had done more than forty years earlier. “How specific a subset can you get?” he asked himself, and that spurred him on to write “In The Heights.”
Great theater is the hallmark of the Bushnell. And “In the Heights” exemplifies how it brings in the very best in fresh and exuberant theater. Nos gusto!
Don’t miss “The Lion King” 1/27-2/14. “Spring Awakening” 2/23-2/28. Buy tickets now at www.bushnell.org or call 860-987-5900.
Photo courtesy of Ruth Tefft, Spirit Of Broadway Theater
by Don Church and Tony Schillaci – Critics On The Aisle
What could be better on a cold winter’s night than to go to the Spirit Of Broadway Theater (SBT) in downtown Norwich, grab a glass of wine or some homemade cake, and sit in a make-believe Florida trailer park with a zany group of outrageous residents for two hours of hysterical laughter?…. Nuthin’!
The latest offering from SBT Artistic Director Brett Bernardini is “The Great American Trailer Park Musical.” This laugh-out-loud confection is as yummy as momma Janet Bernardini’s cherry cheesecake, and yes, the show does offer a bit of cheesecake too, in the character of Pippi, the pole-dancing stripper who comes to live in the Armadillo Acres Manufactured Mobile Home Park and reeks hormone havoc with the tenants.
Pippi (recent Hartt School graduate Meagan MacLeod) does not get a hearty welcome from the wacky narrators, a trio of singing trailer park gals – Betty (Maureen Pollard), Lin (Heather Ruley), and Pickles (Hayley Pearl Overturf). These three are the real stars of the show! What great performances! They’re onstage most of the time, and they sing their hearts out with silly words and melodic music by David Nehls, opening with “This Side Of The Tracks” (which they sing while tanning themselves with aluminum reflectors as they sit in folding chairs in front of their tin-can residences.)
The rootin’-tootin’-hootin’ book by Betsey Kelso is so irreverent and bawdy that only the most prudish and those lacking a sense of humor will fail to laugh out loud. It’s one of those shows that insults just about everyone, but with such toothless good natured winks that it ain’t offensive!
Whenever Hayley as Pickles opens her mouth you can almost see the air leaving her head, and teamed with the combat-boot-wearing Heather as Lin these two could carry a show on their own.
Even the pseudo-serious songs sung by Nicole Marion as Jeannie and Derek Corriveau as Norbert are peppered with good-humor so that they don’t drag down the show. After all, this is a frothy musical comedy, and there’s no room here for any thought provoking message to interrupt the dizzy doings.
When the handsome and sexy, Sharpie-sniffing Duke (Nick D’Angelo) arrives in Armadillo Acres singing “Road Kill,” neither critter nor human is safe from his dumb jealous rage. Nick’s portrayal is so perfectly “in the moment” that it’s easy to forget that he’s actually a fine actor and not some drugged-up nitwit that just happened to get onstage. Duke has about two watts burning, which is only one watt less than the rest of the musical’s characters.
Brett Bernardini has opened his closet of exquisite tackiness to dress the set and the actors. From faded plastic flowers, battered mailboxes, scroungy garbage cans and blown out tires, to the rattiest wigs ever seen in a theater, they seem just right for Armadillo Acres. Choreographer Lisa Foss works with Director Bernardini to keep the musical’s bouncy action lively and effervescent.
The unseen four piece orchestra is directed by Daniel Brandl, who doubles on piano and keyboard. Lighting director Glenn Michaud and his crew have done some fun stuff, especially with floor projections in the sequence called “The Great American TV Show.” The MC of this segment, Maureen Pollard, does her turn as Betty Springer, and she squeezes the audience like a lemon to get every laugh, giggle, roar, guffaw, titter and hooter from her lines. Titters and hooters? Yeah, it’s that kind of a show.
This is an ideal escape from tough times. For two hours you leave everything behind except the inhabitants of Armadillo Acres in forgettable Stark, Florida.
If you were planning to go south this winter don’t bother because the weather’s totally unreliable this year. We suggest you take all your vacation money and call box-office manager Ruth Tefft at SBT to order a big block of tickets before this show closes on February 7th. And this is one rollicking show that you’ll definitely want to share with friends. It’s the kind of bawdy adult humor and situations you get in live theater, but never on network TV!
Brett Bernardini told THE RESIDENT that he would like everyone to put on your trashiest duds, black out a tooth or two and join him for one helluva trashy time at Armadillo Acres! For tickets, directions and getting on the mailing list go to: www.spiritofbroadway.org. or call Ruth at (860) 886-2378.
Top Dog Rufus paws-es to read the Resident with Alexis Ann, editor & publisher, while visiting Mystic on August 27th. Rufus kicked off the Seaport’s Dog Days of Summer Promotion with visits to Academy Point, the Charles W. Morgan and even a cocktail party at the Ancient Mariner. Rufus enjoyed some ‘red carpet’ treatment - Mystic Style - riding in the Famous Pizzetta Fire Truck. Rufus is the Top Winning Bull Terrier of ALL TIME, with over 750 titles including 35 Best in Show.
by Alexis Ann
“Happy New Year.” Such great words that we will repeat over and over as we welcome 2010 with optimism and hope for all things good and wonderful both in our personal lives and our businesses.
The year 2009 flew in and left its mark on our region. In fact, it’s going out with abundant honors that deserve appreciation and applause. You’ll find numerous stories and photographs in this issue that demonstrate the energy of those helping others in need. For example, Backus celebrated CorePlus’s donation to the Backus Breast Cancer Awareness Fund here. The Celebrity Bartending Event raised money for the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center (PNC) here. I was behind the bar, mixing up drinks and raised $2,500.
On October 1st, the Groton and Willimantic Elks, gifted eight computers, and two laser printers to the Adult Computer Learning Center at the Groton Senior Center here. To date, the joint venture between Willimantic and Groton Lodges has also donated over 60 computers to local police and fire departments.
It’s the kind of community spirit that gives us market appeal as an ideal place to work, do business, raise families, and live life to its fullest. Certainly, that was the signature of the late Ron Aliano who passed on October 31st, leaving a legacy of outstanding community involvement here.
Let’s enjoy a look back at 2009 and let’s aim for new beginnings in 2010. A warm thank you, from the heart, for making the good news happen! Thanks for reading the Resident, the Good News that Rocks! Please remember to patronize our advertisers as they’re helping to make the “good news” happen. Happy New Year!
