Emmy Award winning actor Ed Asner was all smiles after his one man show, “FDR,” at The Kate.

It was just Asner on the stage alone channeling the former President of the United States.

Members of the board of trustees, Executive Director, Chuck Still and members of the upcoming gala committee joked around with Asner and it seems as though, he took a liking to board President, Edie Gengras.

Born in Kansas City, Kansas in 1929, Asner was 15 years old when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died.

Asner says it was his adoration of the 32nd president that led him at the age of 80 to tackle the role. It’s adapted from Dore Schary’s 1958 Broadway hit “Sunrise at Campobello.”

Asner is on tour across the country with his solo show. The audience at The Kate, loved it.

This was just a toe-tappin good time. Jonathan Edwards, in his signature style, came out bare-foot on stage and played with three other amazing musicians.

The sold-old crowd was rockin and I mean “rockin” to everything Edwards sang, talk about a following. His voice has lost nothing over the years nor has his guitar or harmonica playing. He’s still cranking out the new songs too. The  a capella numbers by Edwards and the others were marvelous.

After so many years Edwards has his stage banter down pat, he knows his audience and they know him. Edwards told the crowd he was so impressed with the acoustics at The Kate that he would be coming back. That’s a really great compliment from a guy who has been on stages around the world for more than 40 years.

On the road with Edwards these days is his long time friend and accompanist whom he met in 1969, Stuart Schulman. Schulman plays the bass, piano, fiddle as well as vocals. Also Taylor Armerding, formerly of Northern Lights is an amazing mandolin player.

The “young-in” in the group is banjo player, double bass, guitar, pedal steel and cello player, Charlie Rose.

There were a lot of hands that went up before the start of the concert when Executive Director, Chuck Still asked “how many of you are here for the first time?” We think that’s great that so many are discovering The Kate.

See you at The Kate
Ann Nyberg, Trustee, KHCAC

This was written in response to an article that ran in the Shoreline Times after Christmas.

Success, like beauty, is often in the eye of the beholder and one’s own viewpoint can determine everything. Recently several of us were interviewed by Jerome Wilson for a story in the Shoreline Times. Mr. Wilson began my interview with the assertion that the Kate was failing, and despite an hour of discussion to the contrary, that was the story he wrote. But, as the poet points out, there are other viewpoints and other ways to look at things.

First and foremost, it was way too early judge the Kate by its ticket sales, either good or bad. Open less than four months, the Center is finding its audience just as they are finding us. Every performance brings new people into the building and this is a process that will need to continue for some time before anyone can pass judgment. As I told Mr. Wilson, the Kate is like a new born colt scrambling to its feet. The Center isn’t struggling; it’s learning to run.

But even then, we don’t have much to apologize for. By focusing on the 92nd St Y simulcasts, an inexpensive, weeknight filler, Mr. Wilson gives the impression that ticket sales at the Kate are anemic. In reality, of the 53 total events, almost half had attendance of over 75% and there have been 18 sell-outs. Remove the 92nd St Y events and the 75% ratio rockets well past half.

But it is also true, as Mr. Wilson points out, that even if these numbers go to 100%, ticket sales will never fully cover the costs of the Center. What he fails to mention is that this is true of any theatre or performing arts center. Even the Met runs a commercial during their simulcasts saying ticket sales cover less than half the costs of mounting an opera. Such is the way of the non-profit, particularly the non-profit theatre. We will always have to depend upon our donors. But to imply, as Mr. Wilson does, that that makes us a failure is to imply the same about every performing arts facility from the Met to Hartford Stage.

Truthfully, this lack of balance, more than the blatant errors and the stuff he just made up, is what is so disappointing about the article. Mr. Wilson told one of the people he interviewed that negative sells papers, and again that was the story he wrote. Instead of the 92nd St Y, his article could just as easily focused on sell-outs for Pure Prairie League, Cappella Cantorum, Connecticut Ballet, SteveSongs, Salt Marsh Opera, Missoula Children’s Theatre, Poco, and Margreta Stage, as well as the very successful Met in HD  Or he could have focused on all the local children who’ve appeared on stage from the Goodwin School to Old Saybrook High and Middle Schools to the Community Music School to the performers during Old Saybrook’s Family Day to the children cast in Missoula’s King Arthur’s Quest. Or the local talent on stage at the Shoreline Soup Kitchen benefit. Or the outrageous success of the Center’s first gala and the Taste of Old Saybrook.

In the end, I guess an article like this says almost as much about its author as it does the Kate. Over the past three months, I’ve met a lot of people streaming through our doors, and the vast majority have been impressed by the facility and what they’ve seen here. It’s a shame Mr. Wilson, who had never attended a performance here, wrote an article that reflects his own agenda instead of the facts, or the feelings of the population as a whole. That makes it something less than news and much more damaging.
Chuck Still
Executive Director

I don’t even know where to start. The first gala for the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center was a smashing success. An enormous tent, make that tents, on the green in Old Saybrook, bathed in red (Hepburn’s favorite color) with close to 500 people toasting to the brand new venue.

Major contributors for this event included CL&P/Northeast Utilities, Gengras Volvo and Hoffman Auto Group.

Among those seated round the tables, famed long time Executive Director Michael Price of Goodspeed Musicals (East Haddam, CT) and owner of one of the most successful independent book stores in the country (RJ Julia Booksellers), Roxanne Coady.

Major contributors for this event included CL&P/Northeast Utilities, Gengras Volvo and Hoffman Auto Group.

Three women to thank for bringing this together and spending countless hours tweaking to make it was just perfect are Jean Caron, Jeanne Potoff, Kathy Berluti. They navigated high seas the likes I’m sure had not been predicted. You all deserve a vacation in the islands.

Countless volunteers worked tirelessly on the gala to make it just right. One person whispered to me who knew what he was talking about , said this was nothing short of a Hollywood premiere event.

Behind the scenes organizers were manning walkie-talkies so that nothing would be over looked throughout the evening.

Though this was a black tie event, there was nothing stuffy about this affair…even the auctioneer, Kathy Kingston of Kingston Auction Company had at one point a stuffed monkey around her neck bidding up the prizes.

Speaking of which, the prize of the night was a “Summer Dinner at the former Hepburn Fenwick, Ct Mansion with cooking legend, Jacques Pepin and a meal prepared by the Bee and Thistle Inn of Old Lyme. The Bee and Thistle is owned by a “Kate” board member, Linnea Rufo. Linnea wears any hats for The Kate evening being in charge of the production of the gala.

The ending bid for this wonderful event went for more than $8,000.00! Frank and Barbara Sciame the owners of Hepburn’s former Long Island Sound seaside home ,have graciously been such a supporter of The Kate and we thank them so much.

Governor Jodi Rell, though not in attendance, sent along these words provided in the evening’s program:

“This anniversary gala is an opportunity to celebrate the reopening of a community jewel and a restored, original theater that preserves the memory of a Connecticut star.  This occasion is a true testament to the members, volunteers, and supporters of the Katharine Hepbrn Cultural Arts Center’s commitment to raising the standards of excellence in the State of Connecticut by enriching the cultural and educational life of our local communities.”

There were two shows for guests of MOMIX, based in Washington, Connecticut, this group astounded the group. MOMIX is an internationally known dancer-illusionist group under the direction of Moses Pendleton.

There were “Kate-tinis” in Side Car champagne glasses (how vintage) served as guests arrived and the wonderful food was provided by Coastal Gourmet Catering of Stonington, Connecticut. The flowers on the tables were red roses, the water was filled with tiny apples that were very fragrant, perfect for a fall gala.

Seriously, you did not want this night to end. Executive Director, Chuck Still did an outstanding job of welcoming everyone and thanking everyone profusely for all they have done or will do for The Kate.

An oil painting of Katharine Hepburn was unveiled by famed artist, Everett Raymond Kinstler. Kinstler, who has studios in Easton, CT and in New York, has also painted the official White House portraits of Presidents Ford and Reagan and some fifty Cabinet officers. We are deeply grateful to Mr. Kinstler for his contributions to the arts and to The Kate.

You’ll have to come to the new museum at The Kate to see  this beautiful portrait for yourself.

Speaking of which, we have so many things there for you to see there, including dresses worn by Miss Hepburn in the 1949 movie “Adam’s Rib” and my favorite, made in 1957 “Desk Set“….they are something to see. Hepburn stars in both with her long time companion, Spencer Tracy.

We also have Hepburn’s actual Emmy, lifetime achievement awards and many other awards…you’ll want to spend a lot of time seeing this tribute to Katharine Hepburn. We weren’t kidding around when we said this was going to be Kate’s Place. Hey, those of you out in Hollywood, you just might want to take a trip out to see the only theater in the world named after the 4-time Academy Award winner, Katharine Hepburn.

See you at The Kate!
Ann Nyberg, Trustee, KHCAC