Yorktown News 12.09.21

Vol. 10 No. 38 T‘ isseathseonVisitTapIntoYorktown.netforthelatestnews.Thursday, December 9, 2021

Hundreds came out Saturday,
Dec. 4, to watch as brightly designed
holiday-themed floats made their
way through Yorktown for the town’s
10th annual Holiday Electric Lights
Parade. The parade started at Front
Street and ended at Jack DeVito
Veterans Memorial Field, where the
town’s Christmas tree was Lighted.

Awards were handed out for best
decorated floats.

SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 16

PHOTO: ROBERT DISTASIO

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Page 12 – Yorktown News OPINION Thursday, December 9, 2021

On Stage: Livin’ the dream

BRUCE a dreamlike state. Hudson Valley theater commu- the human condition casts her as “Ode to Flannery” does not
THE BLOG Authored by ve writers of nity. a portrait artist whose palette is pussyfoot around making its
words, each of which she chooses climactic point, which lands with
BRUCE diverse voices, styles, and skillsets, Gorn’s trademark playfulness with utmost precision and a ec- the impact of a numbing thud.
APAR tying the eclectic tales together juggling words and ideas conjures tion.
is a uniform fascination with the the mischievousness of both e memorable nish for the
As we Zoom out of the meaning of existence, notably Brooks and Allen, as in Mel and Gri n embodies a woman in WCT show is Bronx resident
nearly two-year winter the randomness and revelations Woody. He e ectively mixes the Section 8 housing whose live-in Robert McEvily’s “Full E ect,”
of our pandemic discon- inherent in human interaction. fantastical with the everyday tra- boyfriend of convenience lost his e ectively directed by Susan
tent, theater fans don’t have to vails of being inexorably human, head in a t of rage, which causes Ward (Ossining). It is a lot of
look very far to nd vest-pocket Pithy phrases of an existen- yet in his world of “If I Loved him to summarily lose face with things, like mysterious, tantaliz-
entertainment in the form of live tial stripe pop up from the likes You” there’s no romantic pursuit his girlfriend. ing, loopy, but what it’s not is any
stage performances featuring a of Maya Angelou and Joseph so elusive that it can’t be recti ed one thing that is easily de ned.
montage of fast-moving one-acts, Campbell (“Life has no meaning. with a potent love potion. rough the formidable It’s also inventive and a tad
or playlets. Each of us has meaning, and we stage presence of the trans xing experimental. Much of its charm
bring it to life.”) UNREQUITED LOVE Gri n (with due credit to savvy is that it de es convention.
In fact, on a recent Saturday, Gorn weaves in an easily director Mel Nocera, of York-
I found myself acting in one TIME IS MEANINGLESS town Heights), Mertens’s nely e austere set notwithstand-
such production mid-day before Other navel-gazing nuggets understood crash course in how textured tale un inchingly pierces ing, we feel transported to an
taking a busman’s holiday that the brain works, a palatable lesson the dark corners of the minds of Avant-Garde art gallery by this
evening to enjoy another series of are issued directly by the play- that helps frame his touching sto- two working-class people. provocative piece, thanks in large
one-acts, on stage through Dec. wrights: “Nothing’s real except ry of unrequited love. It’s brought measure to the mesmerizing
10-12 at Westchester Collabora- what you think is real” and “Time to life by the solid performances e picture of squalor she performances of Brenna Hughes,
tive eater (WCT) in Ossining is meaningless.” I suspect most of Emily Arono (Pelham), Julie paints is consciousness-raising, Katie May Porter, La Rivers (all
(wctheater.org). procrastinators would agree with Gri n (Ossining), and the comic and yes, we recoil at the reveal, New York City), and Dimitri
that sentiment. interludes expertly provided by but in her deft hands this moral- Dewes Jr. (Chestnut Ridge).
Titled “Diners, Dives & Maggie Kramer (Ossining) as a ity tale is cautionary rather than
Dreamers,” the ve original Mini-festivals like this typically kooky healer of heartaches and unbearable. McEvily’s message in “Full
pieces form a colorful pastiche. grab the audience’s attention with headaches. E ect” points persistently in one
Just about every piece in this a strong start and close with a OUR PRIVILEGED GAZE direction: e only reality is the
collection includes at least one or memorable nale that lingers like As with other actors who pop As if making us stare at a raw one trapped inside your head.
more characters wafting through the nish of a ne wine. up twice in the show, Gri n does Your perspective is wholly pro-
double duty, to powerful e ect, wound, Mertens pries open our prietary, unique to you and you
e strong start here is “If I by also delivering the monologue jaded eyes to a sordid layer of alone. Nothing else is veri able,
Loved You,” a passionate and “Ode to Flannery,” by Evelyn society, racked by misfortune and really, or surreally.
quirky rumination on unrequited Mertens (Briarcli Manor). misery, from which we normally
love by noted playwright Albi Mertens is more than a writer— avert our privileged gaze and, by SEE APAR PAGE 18
Gorn (Hastings-on-Hudson), her mastery of imagery, story, and doing so, also involuntarily with-
whose proli c portfolio makes hold our empathy.
him a virtual brand name in the

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Thursday, December 9, 2021 SPORTS Yorktown News – Page 23

COLLEGE SOCCER

Francese ends career as Stony Brook legend

Yorktown graduate
wants to coach next

BY MIKE SABINI Francese said.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Francese said what she’ll miss

the most from playing at Stony

Forward Alyssa Francese, a Brook is the team atmosphere.

2017 Yorktown graduate, ended “We had a culture that was

her legendary career at Stony amazing to be part of top to bot-

Brook University with a bang, tom and it is something that you

by being named to the America won’t nd in many programs,”

East All-Conference second Francese said.

team and All-Academic team One of the things that made

while ending her Stony Brook for such a great atmosphere at

women’s soccer career as its Stony Brook is its diversity, with PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM HARRISON/STONY BROOK ATHLETICS

second-leading all-time goals four of its players being from Stony Brook’s Alyssa Francese, 2019 Yorktown High School graduate

scorer. Hawaii, two from Norway, and

“It was very rewarding to n- one player each from Germany,

ish out my career adding more Czech Republic, Iceland, Trini-

accolades to my resume,” said dad, and Sweden.

Francese, a graduate student. “Having such a diverse team

“Having my name in the record has opened me up to so much of

book is something I will always the world,” Francese said. “I have

be proud of. To look back now little pieces of family all around

and see all I accomplished is re- the globe, that I would have nev-

ally incredible and I can truly say er had without soccer.”

I will forever pride myself on the Francese now wants to be- Russell Girolamo Jr Stephanie Girolamo Burke Jennifer Thorp Gregory Bell

career I had.” come a coach.

Yorktown coach Rich Arm- “I plan to stay connected to

strong said that he always knew the game I love so much by be-

Francese would do great things. ginning a career in coaching,”

“Since her freshman year here Francese said. “Over the last few

at YHS, her dedication to excel- years, it is something I have got-

lence has never wavered,” Arm- ten involved in. I am excited to

strong said. “She is the kind of begin somewhere o cially and

athlete that doesn’t expect any- see what I can accomplish from Auto | Home | Business | Life
thing; she will work and get the sidelines for the next phase

what she has her mindset on. To of my life.” Let us help you protect what’s most important.
see her succeed at Stony Brook She wants to coach to impact

was not a surprise. Both aca- in a positive way the lives of oth-

demically and athletically, Alys- ers. 914-962-9777 • www.girolamoagency.com
sa is goal-oriented. For me, I am Francese has gotten involved

just happy for her. e time and in coaching by hosting her own

dedication she has given soccer training sessions for youth play-

is unmatched.” ers and also coaching youth

Francese scored the only goal teams on Long Island while at

in a 1-0 victory at the University Stony Brook.

of Maryland, Baltimore County “I decided on coaching be-

(UMBC), which was her 43rd cause it is a path that allows me

in her storied career, in her nal to stay involved in soccer in a

game wearing a Stony Brook way that allows me to teach and

uniform. guide a new generation of play-

“To end my career with a ers as they step into a role I have

game-winning goal was very been in myself,” Francese said.

meaningful to me,” said Fran- “My coaching sta at Stony

cese, who holds the record at Brook has been the biggest in-

Yorktown for goals in a season uence for me in that regard, as Happy Holidays and a Peaceful New Year.
(37) as well career goals (96).“To I see how much they enjoy help-
end the story of a career I had on ing their players achieve their

that note was special given it was goals.”

my nal game. Of all the goals I ere is no doubt in Arm-

was able to score this will be one strong’s mind that Francese will

I always remember.” do just as well in coaching as she

Francese credited her team- has in her storied playing career.

mates for the success she had “She will make a great coach

this season. and continue to make a positive

“Our season was full of ups impact on the game in the fu-

and downs, but my teammates ture,” Armstrong said. “I am very

allowed me to have to success I proud of her and also proud to

was able to have in the long run,” have coached her for four years.”