Private initiative has paid off for the Oyster Bay-East Norwich School District. A ribbon cutting ceremony officially opened the newly restored and renovated Oyster Bay-East Norwich auditorium on Saturday, May 20. Local elected officials recognized the work of Cliff Kane, president of the Foundations for the Renovation and Restoration of the Oyster Bay Auditorium and his committee members whose enthusiasm for the project and donations from the public received additional backing from the board of education to create what is now called, "The Oyster Bay Performing Arts Center." It was called an educational laboratory for the performing arts.

That it is a performing center was shown during the evening, beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner which were "performed' by students in Nicole Ragonese's American Sign Language course. It was very moving to see the beauty of the visual forms created to express the (usually) spoken language. Oyster Bay-East Norwich Schools band teacher Steven Walker said later that in 1932 Helen Keller had spoken from the stage of the auditorium.

Oyster Bay High School graduate Jessica Chen, a concert pianist, performed as did the Chamber Singers, Brass Ensemble and Saxophone Ensemble.

During the performance two students, Sean Roach and Ben Selman demonstrated another aspect of the performing arts - training students to work in the support services that make artistic productions function. They moved equipment and scenery in front of the curtain to the delight of viewers.

Most importantly, the night was meant to thank everyone who helped make the restoration-renovation happen. Dr. Phyllis Harrington, superintendent of schools quoted anthropologist Margaret Mead saying, "Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world, it is the only way it ever happens," as she thanked Cliff Kane, president of the Foundation for the Renovation and Restoration of the Oyster Bay Auditorium committee and the members of his group. They include a succession of Superintendent of Schools - Dr. Frank Banta, Dr. George Chesterton and now Dr. Phyllis Harrington - and Cliff Kane, president; Judy Wasilchuk, vice president; Bobbie Kane, secretary; Lou Kaplan, treasurer; Penny Hoyt, Frank Imperiale, and Dan Friedman, the OB-EN Fine and Performing Arts supervisor who replaced Stuart Rauch after he retired from the district. The newest member of the committee is Jill Talve Heaney.

Dr. Harrington said, the project to preserve the architectural elements of the 1920s auditorium has taken 10 years from conception to the grand opening. She thanked the current board members, Robin Dando, Dolores Greico, Keith Kowalski, Tim Mietus, James Robinson, Judy Wasilchuk and James Smiros - "whose professional skills as an architect were priceless for the project," she said.

She thanked everyone involved in the project including architect Roger Smith, Konstatin Karamousis, and staff members Diane Hanna, Scott Lyle, Dan Freidman, and Interim Assistant for Business Sydney Freifelder and Assistant Principal Frank Imperiale, "whose insight, vision and passion for the performing arts we share." Between the speakers, there were super performances by the school music students. The OBHS Jazz Ensemble; the OBHS 7th & 8th Grade Saxophone Quartet accompanied by a drummer; OBHS alumnae Jessica Chen both played the piano and accompanied students. The chamber singers played under conductor Dan Freidman, supervisor of fine and performing arts, in the absence of Lina Koevary. The Brass Ensemble was marvelous performing Govanni Gabrielli's Sonata Pian'e Forte which conductor Matthew Sisia said was created for St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice and added, "This is our St. Marks." It was a superb performance.

Senator Carl Marcellino said as a teacher for 10 years, and a board member for three years (in Syosset), "schools are not buildings, schools are made by people: good teachers, administrators and parents." He said, "This is a caring community. It can be seen from the Boys & Girls Club to the Doubleday Babcock Senior Center and everything in between. This is a marvelous place and you should be proud of yourselves."

The audience watched a "movie" of the work done to restore and renovate the auditorium as the voices of Roosevelt students sang appropriate songs. The photos were taken by Mr. Imperiale and the piano accompanist was Jessica Chen. Mr. Friedman explained that the stage has a hydraulic lift, unique in high schools, that they hope to use in a future production. He said Ms. Chen, a graduate of Yale and the New England Conservancy, and her brother Steven plan to hold a recital in the auditorium.

Board President Jim Smiros said the auditorium, originally built in 1928 has Tiffany windows and chandeliers. During the restoration they discovered they have green and red rosettes. He congratulated all on a job well done.

Cliff Kane explained how the committee was formed. He said 10 years ago after his son Joe performed in a school production he sat with Stuart Rauch, then supervisor of performing arts and Assistant Principal Frank Imperiale and talked about what had to be done for the auditorium, and the committee was formed. That year his daughter Amanda was just starting kindergarten at the Roosevelt School and this year she performed in the OBHS production of Grease. He said, she took part in the fundraising along with other family members, and sold candy at performances to raise money. When the committee found that they weren't raising the kind of money they needed he said, "I rang my bell and you the community came out and helped. Harry Pinkerton was one of the first to donate $25,000 saying he hoped others in the community would follow suit. Charles Dolan did with anther $25,000. The PTSA donated $25,000 earned through their Taste of the Gold Coast galas. People bought chairs and most recently we received $15,000 from a woman (who chooses to remain anonymous) to renovate the lobby and the ticket booth."

He said throughout the process Frank Imperiale has been a fantastic person. "The practice for Grease was done in the music room and they had to rehearse taking mini steps. They only had one week on stage to do the full steps.

"Frank Imperiale teaches the kids. He barks an order and they make it happen. It's a learning center. It's phenomenal. They know where stage right and stage left are. They didn't know what a hammer did but they learned. It took seven days to build the set. I sat here and watched the crew working behind the scenes during Grease. When the show was over they broke the entire set down in a number of hours."

He said he hoped that theater groups would come to use the auditorium and hoped it would be used for a theater night for senior citizens. He added that there were over $50,000 in materials and supplies donated for the project. There is more to come - and more seats need to be sold.

Later he talked about the wonderful letters he's received from people writing about how they loved the school. One person wrote that she met her spouse while attending the high school 60 years ago. She asked for a certain seat in the auditorium to sponsor. Dr. Steven's wife purchased a seat in honor of her husband who was a teacher, principal, and superintendent of schools from 1952 to 1982.

He said, "Thank you for making this a reality."

The committee members were invited to the stage as Mr. Kane cut the ribbon with a pair of giant scissors. Afterwards everyone was invited to a reception in the gymnasium foyer.