At it's weekly lunch today, the Batavia Rotary Club kicked off its annual girls basketball tournament. Coaches and team captains from Notre Dame, Batavia, Alexander and Pavilion were on hand for lunch and a visit from Santa (actually, two Santas).
Pictured above are Amie Brooks, Trisha Pike, Shun-Della Williams and Anna Dominick.
More pictures from the afternoon after the jump:
Last night, young and old alike (some dressed in costumes) enjoyed the opening of "Cinderella," the Rotary Club's 61st musical production. The enthusiastic crowd was enchanted by the tale of the evil stepfamily, handsome prince and pumpkins-turned-carriage, directed ably by Patrick Burk.
The show opened with ballet-style dancers, a theme that continued througout the show. Paul Spiotta, as the Herald, had the first musical number, his talents setting the bar high for the rest of the show as he proclaimed that "the prince is having a ball." Fortunately, the rest of the show reached the bar easily.
The evil stepmother and stepsisters, portrayed by Jane Burk, Deanna Spiotta and Caryn Burk, entertained everyone with their bickering and over-the-top antics. Whiny, glum Joy and giggling airhead Portia were audience favorites.
Esteemed Rotary vet Cheryl Maier was the perfect Fairy Godmother, returning to the stage for her ninth Rotary show. Alex Balbi, Shawnie Woeller and Eric Waples also had solid performances as the King, Queen and Prince, providing both comic relief and some sweet romantic moments.
Rachel Oshlag was a lovely Cinderella, emulating charm and sweetness in her first singing role since her school days.
"I've known Rachel since she was in high school," audience member Patty Pacino told me, "and she is Cinderella."
"We are very proud of her, and the rest of the cast," her father, Jeff Oshlag, said.
All in all, "Cinderella" makes for an enjoyable evening for the whole family. All of the audience members I spoke to had positive things to say about the show.
"I think this is very enjoyable," said Don Fryling. "It's very entertaining."
Pacino agreed with him: "I've seen this show before. This one is even more charming. I never knew my dentist could juggle. And I'd never seen Paul Spiotta in tights."
There are three performances remaining: tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2.
The perenially popular fairy tale of "Cinderella" comes to life beginning 7:30 p.m. Thursday, the opening of the 61st annual Rotary Club of Batavia Musical.
The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic will also be performed Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 and there's a matinee at 2 on Sunday, Nov. 8.
The production is directed by Patrick D. Burk and takes place in the Batavia High School Auditorium, located at 260 State St., in the City of Batavia.
Tickets are $16, available online at <bataviarotary dot com> or at Hawley & Associates Insurance Center, 260 State St. in downtown Batavia, Lawley Genesee in Jefferson Square, or at the door.
More than 40 friends, students, associates, neighbors, citizens, Americans and so forth have put countless hours and great effort into bringing the community this enchanting story. Ditto dozens more in the orchestra and production crew.
It's very much a family show and little ones are welcome -- encouraged -- to come dressed in a befitting costume.
This stage performance of "Cinderella" is one-hour-45-minutes long and has a happy ending, but there's soooo much to keep you entertained until then!
"Once upon a time there was a young maiden named Cinderella, who lived with her wicked stepmother and two wicked stepsisters..."
You are cordially invited to come reimagine the magic, timeless tale of romance-against-the-odds. And invite someone you care about.
Both photos were taken during rehearsals and provided by the Batavia Rotary Club.
The Batavia Rotary Club, reception sponsor, Five Star Bank, and director, Patrick D.
Ted Hawley, right, pays a $10 fine for not wearing the proper name badge during today's Batavia Rotary Club meeting. Hawley started his term as president today and his badge didn't have the year of his presidency printed on it. Outgoing president Ray Chaya gave Hawley a new badge and collected the fine.
The Rotary Flower Sale is going on today until 5 p.m. and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside Tonawanda Federal Credit Union.
Pictured are Rotarians Joseph Gerace, Committee Chair, Anne Garlock and Justin Colarco-Smith.
Press Release:
At its weekly lunch meeting today, the Rotary Club of Batavia announced that Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella has been selected to be their 61st Annual Rotary Show. Show dates are November 5th – November 9th at the Batavia High School Auditorium.
The musical based on the age-old fairy tale was first broadcast on CBS television in 1957 and starred Julie Andrews. It was reprised in 1965 as the first color broadcast musical for television and starred Lesley Anne Warren. A more recent adaptation was broadcast that starred Whitney Houston and Brandy.
The selection made by the Batavia Rotary Show Committee will be the original production with one modification added from the 1965 version. It will include a cast of 30 to 35 Adults and 8 to 10 Children. This is the first time that Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella has been selected by the Rotarians.
This year’s production of Cinderella will be directed by Patrick D. Burk. This is Burk’s first time directing for the Rotary Club of Batavia. Burk is widely known as the creator of the Batavia Players Summer Youth Theater Program and the Shakespeare in Springtime Program, which just completed this past weekend.
“I am excited and honored to be offered this opportunity by the Rotary Club, “ Burk stated. “I have always enjoyed working with this group and have had a lot of fun on the Rotary Stage in the past. I am pleased with the show selection and look forward to offering this truly family oriented show to the Rotary audiences.”
Known for its costuming and beautiful sets, the pre-production work will begin with meetings in April and continue with the selection of show and musical staff. Auditions will be held in September. Show Chairperson is Laurie Mastin, Business Manager is John Saville and the President – Elect is Ted Hawley.
Burk previously directed this version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella for the Gates Community Theater at Robert’s Wesleyan College in North Chili. He has performed in countless stage productions as well as directing and producing shows. Some of his Rotary Show appearances include Daddy Warbucks in Annie, the King in The King and I, Bung Foo in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Charlie Cowell in The Music Man.
Wilma Nichols of Alexander was awarded the Rotary Club of Batavia's highest honor for a non-Rotarian yesterday afternoon. WBTA's Dan Fischer tells us that Nichols was surprised at lunch yesterday with the Paul Harris Fellowship, named for the founder of Rotary. Nichols was 8 years old when the Batavia Rotary was formed in 1919. She is 98 today.
Fischer writes:
Wilma has served lunch to the Rotary Club every week for more years than anyone can remember. The club surprised Wilma yesterday, secretly inviting her family to attend the ceremony. Past Rotary Presidents served lunch to Wilma.
Wilma accepted the award with her typical humility and grace.
Visit WBTA online to hear Nichols.
Thousands of live chickens spilled from their crates onto the state Thruway yesterday when a truck carrying nearly 10,000 of them overturned at the Route 190 off-ramp in Erie County. WBTA's Dan Fischer spoke with state police who said they had never seen anything like it. Dozens Thousands of chickens were killed. Many others were taken to the Erie County Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty. The truck driver was ticketed with unsafe lane change.
UPDATE (9:18am): The Buffalo News ran a full story on this sad crash—the photographs and video are unsettling. It turns out that not dozens but thousands of chickens died, either at the scene or later by euthanization. From that article:
Gina Browning, the public relations director of the SPCA in the Town of Tonawanda, described a grim scene of blood and broken eggs inside the SPCA facility.
“In 18 years [working at the SPCA], I can tell you I’ve never seen anything of this magnitude,” Browning said.
The facility closed 2 hours early to make room for the birds. SPCA officials used the auditorium and the garage to fit all the crates.
“It’s mortifying,” employee Julie Ruppel said. “It’s unimaginable what we’re seeing.”
In other news, Batavia's Rotary Club will be holding auditions for its upcoming musical production of Singing in the Rain. Auditions for the November performance will be held on September 3, 4 and 5 in the Batavia High School from 7:00 to 10:00pm.
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