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Stamford Theatre Works Closes after 20 Years of Staging Productions

By PATRICIA BLAUFUSS
Stamford Theatre Works is in the process of discontinuing its programming and dissolving its theater operations after 20 years of producing professional Equity theater in Stamford, Connecticut. 

Steve Karp, STW's founder and producing director, said, "Over the last five years, our ability to raise money could not keep pace with our increasing operating expenses, and we found ourselves with an overwhelming accumulating deficit that has left us without sufficient resources to produce the currently scheduled production of 'Almost, Maine' or a realistic projection of how we can produce the rest of the season."

For some time, Karp had explored options within the Stamford community to keep STW open.  The theater suffered in recent years from severe reductions in funding caused by the disappearance of corporate support and from major individual donors who have either passed away or moved from the area. Ticket sales accounted for only half of the annual income budget.

"STW's 1,300 subscriber base has remained strong, and our near-90% annual subscriber renewal rate is at the high-end of industry standards," stated Karp. "Our press reviews have been consistently positive, and our 'word-of-mouth' the envy of our theater competitors. Clearly, and despite the fact that not every play we produce is going to be a hit with everyone, we are not closing because of a disappointing product, or because of any appreciable loss of audience interest in our work."   

An interview with Dustin Kohn

Name something about yourself that most people don’t know about you?

I have two adopted brothers, Nick and Keenan. I also have another brother who is a year younger then me but he is my biological brother. Both Nick and Keenan are mentally handicapped. My parents thought it would be good for both of us to have that influence in our lives, to appreciate what we have and also give to others.

If you were not playing hockey, what would you be doing?

The same idea with hockey, working my way up to the top to eventually owning my own business. I am not exactly sure what it would be but having control of the operations and I like knowing the amount of work I put into the business benefits me.

City increases security in ferry parking lots

Bridgeport police will step up patrols and Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company officials will enforce its ‘No Overnight Parking’ ban in its parking areas, following  a rash of break-ins in the ferryboat parking areas in the City’s South End.

 

This came after the Mayor convened a meeting of the City’s Acting Police Chief, Steve Tyliszczak, of the City’s Economic Development office and Port Authority and Bridgeport & Port Jefferson representatives.

 

“The police department will step up patrols in the area, but the lots are leased by the Ferryboat Company for parking by their passengers, and it is their responsibility to enforce the ‘no overnight parking’ rule. The Ferryboat Company agreed to notify their passengers that they will be enforcing their ‘No Overnight Parking’ rules and that patrons park at their own risk,” Mayor Finch said.

 

The Ferry Company has an agreement with the city to use part of “Lot D” for parking, but the agreement stipulates that the Ferry Company “accepts all responsibility for the safe operation of Lot D.” The Ferryboat Company has an agreement with the United Illuminating Company to use a portion of Lot C, which is located south of the railroad tracks at Broad Street and Railroad Avenue .  The Ferry Company does not provide overnight security, close or lock the gates after hours, or enforce the overnight parking ban at either lot.  Lot D is located north of the railroad tracks at the corner of Broad and Allen streets.

Portland rallies past Sound Tigers

By KIMBER AUERBACH

Tyler Bouck’s goal late in the third period completed the Portland Pirates come from behind victory over the Sound Tigers, 4-3. Tim Jackman, Andrew MacDonald and Mike Iggulden had the goals for the Sound Tigers in their second loss of the season. 

 

Small Business Backs Joseph Mioli for State House

STAFF REPORTS

Connecticut’s leading small business association, the National Federation of Independent Business, has endorsed Joseph Mioli for the 136th district House seat.

“Joe Mioli will be a steadfast ally and solid vote for small business,” said NFIB regional public policy director Tim Goodrich. “Joe has experience working with small business and understands how important it is for Connecticut to improve its economic climate in order to attract new jobs and investment.  He will oppose job-killing mandates and stand up for entrepreneurs and free enterprise. Joe Mioli is the right choice for small business and Connecticut.”

New Hours at Port Coffeehouse

The Hours Are Changing! Starting Saturday, November 1, 2008 we will have new regular hours. First our Halloween Hours: In celebration of the holiday, we will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31st.   Second and More Importantly, Our Regular Hours are Changing: It will affect only our closing times. Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Preventing Colds and Flu, The Natural Way Monday, November 3rd, 2008 6 p.m. at Port Coffeehouse Learn how to prevent colds and flu this winter naturally. Dr. Cynthia Anderson RN ND will discuss proven ways to help you and your family stay healthy during the cold and flu season. Dr. Anderson is a Nurse, Midwife and Naturopathic Doctor. She has been featured on Channel 12 News regarding obesity; CT NBC 30 discussing health school lunches and Going the Distance discussing the importance of essential Omega 3 fatty acids.

Klugman wows 'em at Sacred Heart

By ROB SULLIVAN

When he was finished, Jack Klugman bowed and basked in the appreciation of the standing ovation he was given by the audience, just as any accomplished old thespian would have.

Klugman was at the Edgerton Center at Sacred Heart University Sunday afternoon, reminiscing about his life and career and signing copies of his book, "Tony and Me: A Story of Friendship." The book is a chronicle of Klugman’s long friendship with Tony Randall, his co-star in "The Odd Couple."

The actor was in Fairfield as the inaugural speaker in Sacred Heart’s fledgling "American Legends" series. The format was question-and-answer with Klugman answering questions first from Edgerton Center Executive Director Jerry Goehring and then from members of the audience.

Klugman regaled the audience with tales from Broadway, movies, television and his own personal life. Speaking in a rasp caused by his bout with throat cancer 20 years ago, the man best known for his portrayal of Oscar Madison let those in attendance know he is a man who has led a complete life. He also let his audience in on a few not-so-well known details of his acting days.

"I roomed with Charlie Bronson when we were both struggling actors in New York and he was the real life Felix Unger," said Klugman, conjuring up a different image of the late, tough-guy actor.

Bluefish media reports in error

By ROB SULLIVAN

There have been numerous erroneous reports in the media concerning the impending sale of the Bridgeport Bluefish and the reason City Council approval is necessary for the sale.

The stated reason has been because the team owes back taxes, the council must approve the sale. That is inaccurate. The new ownership has agreed to pay the taxes. The reason the City Council must approve the sale is because the city owns the ballpark and the team leases the ballpark.

Hit 'em straight.

Taking a walk to remember Bill Gonillo

By ROB SULLIVAN
I’ve written before in this space about Bill Gonillo and his tragic death last year from diabetes at age 44. So, I’m not going to eulogize Bill again, other to point out that he was funny, kind, loved people, loved life and loved sports – especially high school sports.
There are several walkathons in the area this weekend, and I will be actually participating in one of them, along with some a group of out-of-shape sportswriters and some others who are genuinely in good shape.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA), Connecticut Chapter, has dedicated this year’s Fairfield County STEP OUT:  Walk to Fight Diabetes to Bill Gonillo and will be held Sunday at Penfield Beach in Fairfield.

Police commission tabs Gaudett as acting chief

Mayor Bill Finch named Bridgeport Police Deputy Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr.  as Acting Police Chief during a special meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners Tuesday evening.

 

Deputy Chief Gaudett will lead the 430-member department while a national search for a new police chief is conducted. Police Chief Bryan Norwood resigned Oct. 8 to take a new position as chief of police in Richmond , Va.

 

 “Deputy Chief Gaudett is a great leader; he has excellent management skills and is a believer in the community policing concept that has helped keep the city’s crime rate down and broadened police presence in our neighborhoods. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead the department as Acting Chief as we search for a new chief,” the Mayor said.

 

Gaudett, 47, was promoted to Deputy Chief in February of 2007. He has been on the force since 1983.  

 

“I am honored to lead the department. I plan to do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition by working with my fellow officers and union members to continue to keep the park City a safe city for all its residents,” Gaudett said.

 

Himes and Shays square off at HCC

Himes-shays debate

By ROB SULLIVAN
In the inaugural event at Housatonic Community College’s newly dedicated Beacon Hall, Chris Shays and Jim Himes exchanged their ideas on health care and a smattering of other issues in a spirited debate Tuesday morning in Bridgeport.
Shays, a Bridgeport republican who has served as Congressman for the Fourth District for 21 years, and Himes, a Greenwich Democrat who is challenging Shays in the Nov. 4th election, squared off in a forum on health care sponsored by the Bridgeport Regional Business Council.
Anita T. Gliniecki, President of Housatonic Community College, noted that health care was an appropriate issue for the two candidates to kick off their series of debates.
“Health care is important to each and every one of us,” she said. “Everyone who votes needs to understand the candidates position on these issues by being fully informed as opposed to listening to sound bites.”

Jay and the Americans to play East Windsor in Gene Pitney tribute

JAY AND THE AMERICANS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR SOMERS SCHOOLS, NOV. 1
(Group available for advance interviews)

JAY AND THE AMERICANS  will be performing for the Somers Education Foundation, at La Renaissance Banquet House, 53 Prospect Hill Road, Route 5, in East Windsor, CT, on November 1 at 7:30 PM.    Also on the bill is master of ceremonies Dave Madsen, news anchor for WGBY Channel 40 and comedian Joe Vega.

This concert honors the late Gene Pitney, who went to school in Somers. 

HCC WINS AWARD FOR RESEARCH TOOL

By Anson Smith

Housatonic Community College has won a statewide award for making a Fortune-500 type research tool available to the state’s business community free-of-charge.

      The Connecticut Quality Improvement Award Partnership has given the college a silver entry level innovation prize for offering the business community free use of OneSource, the worldwide leader in the high-end business research field. OneSource delivers business information on 700,000-plus large companies worldwide and 13,000,000-plus small to medium U.S. firms.

Sound Tigers fall in shootout

By Kimber Auerbach

Peter Mannino started in his first professional game tonight and was impressive allowing only one goal and stopping 34 shots but could not grab the win as the Hartford Wolf Pack beat the Sound Tigers 2-1 in a shootout.  Mike Iggulden extended his point a game streak to three with an assist on Andrew MacDonald’s goal in the first period. 

 

Corey Potter put the Wolf Pack on the board first when he wristed a shot from the point that found its way through Mannino.  Brodie DuPont and Artem Anisimov had the assists on Potter’s first goal of the season coming 7:35 into the opening period.  After two exhibition games of not scoring a goal against Hartford, the Sound Tigers finally broke through while on the power-play.  Mike Iggulden took a pass in the left circle, slowly walked in and was ready to rip a shot on goal but instead dished the puck to Andrew MacDonald at the point.  MacDonald one-timed the puck past Wolf Pack starting goalie, Miika Wiikman’s blocker to tie the score at one.  The goal was MacDonald’s first marker of the season and it came with just under eight minutes to play in the first. 

 

Mannino seemed to shake off the nerves in the first period and came out in the second and stopped all nine shots the Wolf Pack fired on him.  Hartford’s best chance of the period came when Pierre Parenteau had a point blank shot at the left post but Mannino was able to slide over and get his right pad on the puck to keep the game tied going into the third period. 

 

Both net-minders kept the game scoreless through the final period of regulation, sending the game to overtime.  Neither team was able to break through so the contest went to a shootout.  Kurtis McLean scored the first goal of the competition but DuPont answered on Hartford next attempt.  Anisimov would add one more goal in the shootout to give the Wolf Pack the 2-1 win in the shootout and the game. 

 

Mannino stopped 34 of the 35 shots he faced in regulation and the overtime while Wiikman earned the win, stopping 19 shots.  The Sound Tigers were 1-for-6 on the power-play while going 3-for-3 on the penalty-kill.  The shootout loss drops the Sound Tigers record to 1-1-0-1 while Hartford goes to 1-1-0-0. 

 

After a week of practice, the Sound Tigers will get back on the road Friday for a match-up against last season’s Eastern Conference Champions, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7 p.m.  On Saturday, the Sound Tigers will finally open up at home against the Albany River Rats.  Game-time is scheduled for 7 p.m.  For information on tickets to the home-opener or to find out how to bring your group out to a Sound Tigers’ game, contact the team’s front office at 203-334-GOAL or e-mail info@soundtigers.com.

Himes issues statement on State Supreme Court decision

"I applaud the Supreme Court's decision. Every person is entitled to respect, dignity, and equality under the law. This is true regardless of race, religion, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. Connecticut should be proud to lead the fight against discrimination."

Shays statement on State Supreme Court decision

“Friday’s Connecticut Supreme Court decision means committed gay and lesbian couples will have the equal right to marry under Connecticut state law.  I believe it’s important to accept this ruling and realize how important this is for gay and lesbian couples.  I also think it’s important to recognize that this decision in no way threatens the relationship that a husband and wife have with each other.”

Sound Tigers earn first win

By KIMBER AUERBACH

The line of Trevor Smith, Kurtis McLean and Mike Iggulden powered the Sound Tigers to a 4-2 victory tonight against the Albany River Rats.  The win is the Sound Tigers first of the season.  Smith, the game’s first star, scored twice and McLean buried his first tally of the season, while Iggulden chipped in with two assists. 

Danis' 29 saves can't save Sound Tigers in opener

By KIMBER AUERBACH

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers opened their 2008-09 season tonight against the Philadelphia Phantoms and were beaten 2-1.  Mike Iggulden scored the Sound Tigers’ first goal of the season and Yann Danis played extremely well in a losing effort, making 29 saves.

 

Tough guy, Matt Clackson, gave the Phantoms the lead just under five minutes into the first period.  Frederik Cabana fed a pass behind the net to Jeff Szwez who caught the puck and quickly whipped a pass in front to Clackson where he one-timed the puck past the glove of Sound Tigers’ starting goalie Yann Danis.  The goal was Clackson’s first of the season giving Philadelphia the 1-0 lead.  Trevor Smith had the best chance for the Sound Tigers in the period.  Mike Iggulden sent a no-look-pass to Smith at the left circle where he snapped a shot that caught Phantoms’ starter Scott Munroe out of position.  As the puck ripped off of Smith’s stick and was headed for the open net, Munroe stuck his glove out to keep the Sound Tigers off the board, going into the second period. 

 

Both teams struck within the first minute of the middle frame.  Claude Giroux gave the Phantoms the 2-0 lead, just 42 seconds into the period with his first tally of the season while Philadelphia was on the power-play.  Sean Curry and Danny Syvret had the assists on the goal.  Mike Iggulden would score the Sound Tigers’ first goal of the season only 18 seconds later.  Smith wristed a low hard shot on Munroe that he kicked out into the high slot.  Iggulden was there waiting and pounced on the loose puck, one-timing it past Munroe’s pad to tighten the score at 2-1. 

 

The goalies were the story of the third period.  Danis’ best stop of the night came with about seven minutes remaining in the third period when Jonathan Matsumoto came in alone on a breakaway.  Matsumoto pulled up and tried to back-hand the puck past Danis but the Sound Tigers’ net-minder got his glove up to make the save.  The Sound Tigers would fire numerous shots on Munroe in the final minutes of the period but Munroe turned aside each one to win the game for Philadelphia 2-1. 

 

Danis finished with 29 saves on 31 shots while Munroe also turned aside 29 shots.  The Sound Tigers were 0-5 on the power-play while the Phantoms were 1-4 with the man-advantage. 

 

The Sound Tigers will travel to Albany, NY tonight in preparation for their game tomorrow night against the River Rats at 7 p.m.  On Sunday, the Connecticut rivalry will renew as the Sound Tigers go to Hartford for game one of their 10 this season. 

Registrar Santa Ayala issues statement on voter registration

“The Bridgeport Registrar’s office marks all voter registration cards according to which group is involved in voter registration efforts – this is done to identify the source in case there are disputes.

 

“The Registrar’s office did receive returned mail from many new registrants, and we are in the process of conducting a full investigation into the status of these new voters. The Registrar’s office will not identify these voters as inactive until the investigation is completed.

 

“The Registrar’s office will be working overtime for the next few weekends up until the election to verify each and every new voter, but we cannot simply disqualify voter registrations without a complete investigation. 

 

“The City of Bridgeport will not violate anyone’s right to vote, no matter how much pressure any group or party puts on us.”

 

Art Center wins round one

STAFF REPORTS

After four years of attempting to resolve a lease between the Black Rock Art
Center and the City of Bridgeport, arbitration with The American Dispute
Resolution Center, Inc. (ADR Center) found the City in violation of its prior
licensing agreement with International Performing Arts, Inc. (IPA).  The sole
issue submitted by the parties to the Arbitrator was whether the City of
Bridgeport negotiated in good faith with International Performing Arts in order
to enter into a long-term lease.  The arbitrator stated, “It has been agreed by
both parties if there was a finding for IPA then the City would be required to
negotiate the terms of a long term lease in good faith with IPA for another
thirty days.

Arbitration took place on August 26 and 27, 2008, at the City Hall Annex with
Attorney Frederic S. Ury, former President of the Connecticut Bar Association,
as Arbitrator.  Attorney Ury wrote in his opinion, “The (prior) License
Agreement entered into by the parties provide that not only will the parties
negotiate a mutually agreeable long-term lease, but that they will negotiate in
good faith in order that the Licensee (IPA) can become a long-term member of
the
City of Bridgeport’s art and cultural community.”  It was found that the lease
negotiations that began in August of 2006 were not conducted in good faith by
the City of Bridgeport in light of the language contained in Paragraph 33 of
the Agreement.

Joseph Celli, President of IPA’s Board of Directors said, “Since November,
2004,
we have attempted to resolve this matter with the City.  If they had resolved
the lease I am confident that we would have attracted the necessary funds to
have totally renovated this city-owned building at no expense to the City, and
have a fully operating cultural facility for the city and region.  Even under
these adverse conditions, we have continued to present one of the most active
cultural programs in the city”.

Alexander Schwartz, IPA’s attorney indicated, “We are prepared to meet
immediately with the City to resolve this long-standing issue”.

Prior mayor, John Fabrizi, had advertised for RFPs to potential developers for
the site in July, 2007.  The City Council voted for the mayor to rescind the
RFP and negotiate with IPA as required in the prior licensing agreement.  The
City offered to relocate the Art Center to the Eisenhower Center in downtown
and share space with a senior center.  The location was not acceptable to the
Art Center in that the move would have required the elimination of the
galleries, the education programs and work that has been done within the Black
Rock business community.  The City subsequently offered the Art Center the
opportunity to remain in the current building at a rent ten times greater than
any other art organization in the city is paying, and only a one-year lease.
On two occasions the Art Center has had appropriation bills submitted to the
state legislature for several million dollars of state funding that would have
resulted in a total renovation of the building.  Funding of cultural facilities
has been a priority of the state for the past decade as an economic development
tool and also to enhance the state’s tourism potential.  Prior funding has come
to Bridgeport for the Playhouse on the Green, the Klein Auditorium, the Barnum
Museum, the Downtown Cabaret Theater and the Discovery Museum.  The legislature
would not approve funding for the Art Center without a long-term lease of at
least ten years in place.

Celli stated, “This is an opportunity for the Finch administration to have a
city-owned building totally renovated, for providing educational and cultural
programs for our students, and to project a positive image to the region.  We
are looking forward to working with him to finally resolve this matter”.