Switching bodies for just one day, How hard could it be?
That’s the wacky premise behind Freaky Friday, Webster Thomas High School’s spring musical, which will be presented in four shows from April 20 through 22.
The musical is based on the 1972 novel by Mary Rodgers and the hit Disney films. As the storyline goes, when an underworked mother and her teenage daughter magically switch bodies, they have just one day to make things right again. But in the meantime, they learn to understand each other and the unique bond that exists between mother and daughter. It’s a heartwarming, funny, lively story that the whole family will enjoy.
Not only is this a very entertaining show, the cast also includes several students from Webster Schroeder High School and Willink Middle School. So it really feels like an all-Webster production. Director Mark Stoetzel says “the cast, crew and pit are working very hard and having a blast doing it.”
Freaky Friday will take the stage Thursday April 20 at 7 p.m., Friday April 21 at 7 p.m., and Saturday April 22 at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 each, are on sale now and can be purchased online here. Tickets will also be available at the door. Webster Thomas High School is located at 800 Five Mile Line Rd.
Here are a few shots from rehearsal to give you a feel for the fun (photo credit: Mike Mitchell):
A Thomas vs. Schroeder high school basketball game is always highly competitive and definitely worth watching. But the one happening this Thursday night should be … well, interesting, and dare I say, a little short on actual basketball talent.
It’s a Charity Basketball Game, scheduled for Thursday night March 9 at Webster Thomas High School.
The family-friendly event will pit Thomas/OWL staff and faculty against Schroeder/GOAL staff and faculty in a friendly winner-take-all-bragging-rights game. The school’s Resource Officers will officiate, so it will (well, SHOULD) be a clean game. Halftime activities will include some super fun competitions between Thomas/OWL students and Schroeder/GOAL students. Concessions will be available.
I don’t know for sure how often the high schools have hosted a charity game like this, but I do remember participating in one many, many years ago when I was working at Thomas. What I remember most about it, actually (aside from how poorly I played) were the fun costumes and wigs that many of the teachers wore, and how much laughing there was. It was an enjoyable experience both on the court, and for everyone in the stands as well.
Admission is only $2 (suggested donation), and all proceeds will benefit Dreams from Drake, a Spencerport-based organization which provides children and teens who recently lost a sibling or parent with various forms of community and social support. Additional donations would be greatly appreciated as well.
The game will be played in the gymnasium at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. on Thursday March 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Enter on the east side of the building, near the field house.
The curtain’s about to go up on the Spry Drama Club’s spring musical, Footloose!, which will fill the Spry Middle School Cafetorium with music and dance in three shows this coming Friday and Saturday.
You surely remember the 1984 Oscar-nominated movie musical starring Kevin Bacon. The story follows a city teenager who moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been deemed illegal. The new kid and his rebellious spirit shake up the town as he tries to bring music back into their drab lives … and win the girl at the same time. There’s lots of great music (including that very infectious title song), plus some new songs developed for the stage musical.
As you can see from the photos I’ve included here, I had the chance to pop by one of the dress rehearsals the other day, and was very impressed by how hard these young actors, actresses and stage crew have been working to put together a great show. And the talent I saw in these middle school-aged performers kinda of blew me away. There are some incredibly beautiful voices in the ensemble which I’m certain we’ll be hearing again in future productions at Webster Schroeder High School and beyond.
I highly recommend you see this show. It’ll be a delightful and inexpensive night out.
Spry Drama Club will present Footloose! this coming Friday March 10 at 7 p.m. and Saturday March 11 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Reserve tickets are $8 each and can be purchased online here. Spry Middle School is located at 119 South Ave., in the Village of Webster.
The New York State Ballet, a classical ballet company based in East Rochester, will be returning to Webster Schroeder High School in March to present the ballet Sleeping Beauty.
Among the professional dancers and academy students who will be performing are several Webster students or alumni, including Webster Schroeder graduate Angela Wentling, who will be featured in a principal role.
Performances will be held on Saturday March 25 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and Sunday March 26 at 2 p.m. The evening performance on Saturday is especially designed for younger children and will be sensory-friendly. What that means is,
the program is shorter in duration
sales are limited to half the auditorium to allow patrons to spread out
patrons are free to move around during the show, or leave, no questions asked
patrons can vocally express themselves whenever they feel the need to
the house lights are not completely down
scary parts or loud, sudden instrumentation are kept to a minimum
Let me tell you how much I love to see these accommodations. These will really help sensitive children experience the arts.
Tickets start at $15, and can be purchased online here.
The New York State Ballet aims to preserve the classical art form of ballet by creating and performing exceptional productions that bring a refreshed appreciation and awareness of classical ballet to the New York state community and beyond. NYSB productions are designed to be affordable and accessible to community members from every background and socio-economic status.
I’ve heard about a couple of R.L. Thomas High School reunions coming up I want to start off with. Well, one’s a reunion, and the other is kind of a … birthday party.
The R.L. Thomas Class of ’71 will be holding a 70th Birthday Bash on Saturday June 24 at Schutt’s Apple Mill from 5 to 7 p.m. Thanks to COVID, the class was unable to hold its 50th reunion, so they’ve decided to celebrate their 70 birthdays together instead.
The festivities will begin at 4 p.m. and will include a cornhole tournament, door prizes, a 50/50 raffle, hay rides and more. Dinner will be provided by Wraps on Wheels. There’ll be a cash bar with beer and wine, and live entertainment. Admission is free.
Organizers are asking for everyone to register by May 15, by emailing RLThomas1971@gmail.com.
The R.L. Thomas Class of 1973 will be holding their 50th reunion on the weekend of September 15 to 17. There will be a dinner on Friday and a casual picnic on Saturday. I don’t have a lot of information about this one, so to find out more, ask to join the “RLT73WebsterNY”private Facebook group or email RLT73reunion@gmail.com.
The Webster Public Library is hosting a Cat Food Drive to benefit Habitat for Cats. Any donations of dry food, canned food, litter and cat treats would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped off during the library’s regular open hours. You’ll see the drop-off area across from the circulation desk.
The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.
Here’s another reminder about the free Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, hosted by St. Martin Lutheran Church on Tuesday Feb. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The dinner is being served to thank the community for supporting the church’s missions throughout the year. The menu will include sausage and applesauce, unlimited pancakes and syrup. Beads will be handed out, and you can even make your own masks. You’re invited to come dressed in Mardi Gras style, too.
This is an event for the whole family, and while the dinner is free to all, a free-will offering to support the church’s Little Free Pantry can be made, or bring boxed and canned goods.
St. Martin Lutheran Church is located at 813 Bay Rd.
Got hazardous waste? The Town of Webster will be holding a Household Hazardous Waste recycling event on Saturday Sept. 16 from 7:45 a.m. to noon at the Webster Highway Garage, 1005 Picture Parkway.
Items that can be accepted are listed on the poster below. The event is open to Webster and Penfield residents, and appointments are required. Sign up online now to guarantee your spot.
Finally, the Webster Comfort Care Home has published their most recent wish list, which you can also see below. This amazing organization relies entirely on donations to keep the home running, so let’s help them out!
For anyone who enjoys stage performances, song and dance, you’re gonna love these first few weeks of February. No fewer than four stage and concert performances are scheduled, beginning this coming weekend, when Willink Middle School presents Disney’s Newsies, Jr. in three shows on Thursday and Friday Feb. 3 and 4.
Featuring a cast and crew of 100 sixth, seventh and eighth graders, the show is based on the real-life newsboy strike of 1899. It tells the story of Jack Kelly (Nicole Eggleton), a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant, Joseph Pulitzer (Jeremiah Fischer), raises newspaper prices at the newsboys’ expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. With help from reporter Katherine Plumber (Evie Aiezza), the newsies learn that they are stronger united and create a movement to fight for what’s right.
The show is packed with high-energy songs which have become well known to theater-goers and non theater-goers alike, including “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “Santa Fe.”
Shows are Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 4 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Willink Middle School, 900 Publishers Parkway, Webster. Tickets are on sale now on the Drama Club website. Cost is $10 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. Children 3 and younger are free.
Also this weekend, on Sunday Feb. 5, our very own Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody will participate in a free concert at the Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre called “A Taste of Song.”
The concert, presented by the Greater Rochester Choral Consortium, will feature 16 area choral groups. More than 600 singers from local choirs/choruses of all sizes and musical styles will sing in this unique, 75-minute collaboration.
Each chorus performs for five minutes or less in a “prism” arrangement, with ensembles singing from various locations throughout the theater. Groups perform continuously without a break or applause between ensembles.
The Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody will be joined by the Eastman Rochester Chorus, the Genesee Valley Orchestra and Chorus, First Inversion, Madrigalia, the Oasis Community Chorus, the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus, and many more. For a complete list and more details, click here.
The concert begins at 4 p.m. at the Eastman Theater, 26 Gibbs St., Rochester.
Next weekend, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Feb. 9, 10 and 11, Webster Schroeder Musicals will present the ABBA-inspired jukebox musical Mamma Mia!
Chances are you’re familiar with the story, but here’s a short synopsis for those who aren’t:
Young Sophie is readying for her marriage to her fiancée, which will be taking place on a beautiful Greek island where she lives with her mother, Donna. She’d like to invite her father to the ceremony, but problem is, she doesn’t know who he is. After reading her mother’s diary, she invites three men, one of whom she believes is her father. When Donna discovers they’re all on the island, she naturally becomes a little distressed. Emotions run high, but everything works out in the end.
The play features tons of popular ABBA songs, including “Money, Money, Money,” “Thank You for the Music,” “Dancing Queen,” and of course “Mamma Mia.”
Mamma Mia! will be presented on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Feb. 9, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Saturday at 2 p.m. Reserve tickets are $14 each and are available now. Click here to purchase.
Webster Schroeder High School is located at 875 Ridge Rd.
And last but not least, also on Feb. 10 and 11, the Webster Theatre Guild will present “The One-Act Play that Goes Wrong” as part of a dinner theater at the Penfield Recreation Center.
Both the Saturday and Sunday shows will begin with a pasta dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by the performance. Tickets are $25. The event is a fundraiser and proceeds will help fund scholarships for graduating high school seniors and support the staging of upcoming musical theater productions.
I wrote a much more complete blog about this yesterday, so click here for more information.
You know that spring can’t be far behind when Webster’s middle schools announce their late-winter performances, which are always the first on the schedule every year.
Willink Middle School kicks everything off in just a few weeks when they present Disney’s Newsies, Jr. in three shows on Feb. 3 and 4.
Featuring a cast and crew of 100 sixth, seventh and eighth graders, the show is based on the real-life newsboy strike of 1899. It tells the story of Jack Kelly (Nicole Eggleton), a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant, Joseph Pulitzer (Jeremiah Fischer), raises newspaper prices at the newsboys’ expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. With help from reporter Katherine Plumber (Evie Aiezza), the newsies learn that they are stronger united and create a movement to fight for what’s right.
The show is packed with high-energy songs which have become well known to theater-goers and non theater-goers alike, including “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “Santa Fe.”
Shows are Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 4 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Willink Middle School, 900 Publishers Parkway, Webster. Tickets go on sale the week of January 30 on the Drama Club website. Cost is $10 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. Children 3 and younger are free.
Looking ahead to March, the Spry Middle School Drama Club is putting the final touches on their production of Footloose, scheduled for March 10 and 11.
Footloose tells the story of a young man who transfers to a high school in a small Midwestern town where rock music and dancing have been made illegal. As he struggles to fit in, he faces an uphill battle to change things.
The cast is led by 8th graders Rowan Murphy as Ren and Lilah Kastrinos as Ariel, supported by Rory Goodwin as Rev Shaw and Sarah Lowe as Vi. Ani Boller, Savannah Lane, Emily Berry, Grace Clayton, Abby Bielemeier and Evan Burdick round out the strong ensemble cast.
The performance features 80’s classics including “Footloose,” “Holding Out for a Hero,” “Almost Paradise” and “Let’s Hear it for the Boys.”
Footloose will take the Spry Cafetorium stage on Friday March 10 at 7 p.m., and Saturday March 11 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. More details to come about tickets.
In a program that brings the Webster community and the Webster Public Library (WPL) together, our school district’s third graders are getting a jump-start on their love for reading by getting a close-up look at the library and all the services it offers.
All of Webster’s third grade students will be taking field trips to the Webster Public Library (WPL) this school year as part of a get-to-know-the-library program that will run through June. The idea came from discussions WPL Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole and Schlegel Elementary School librarian Jamie Palmer were having last year about school visits. At the time, due to the pandemic, schools were not allowing visitors, but students could go on field trips. Classes were already visiting the downtown library; giving them the chance to see their local library as well seemed like a natural next step.
Earlier this year, Schlegel Rd. Elementary students were the first to make the trip, in a trial run of the new program. It “went pretty well but was a little chaotic,” Poole said. He added,
After discussion with the youth department, we changed our approach to the current system, adapting and combining elements of existing in-house programming (staff area tours, storytimes, crafts, etc.) to create four stations that offer students a little taste of all WPL has to offer them. A charcuterie board of library experiences, if you will.
It’s one of the few programs that touches all areas of the library.
In December, Plank North Elementary third graders visited and experienced the newly-tweaked program. During their tour, the students made a craft in the teen area, explored the Children’s Room, and sat for storytime. They even got a close-up, behind-the-scenes look at places usually hidden from the public, including the back offices and the receiving end of the outdoor book drop.
But teaching students how to use the library really wouldn’t mean much if they couldn’t actually check out books. So, working closely with the library’s circulation department, Palmer and Poole came up with an ambitious plan to also make sure every one of the visiting third graders could sign up for a library card, if they didn’t have one already. Allowing them to do so without a parent or guardian present meant adjusting the library’s standard policy, but it was definitely well worth the effort, Poole said. Using their brand new library cards, each student could actually check out a book before they left the library. For a child who’s never been able to do that before, it’s a pretty exciting experience.
“Third graders are pretty much at the perfect developmental stage to really begin to appreciate the value of having their own library card,” Poole said.
As an added bonus, each student also received a coupon, redeemable on their next library visit for a goodie bag with lots of little gifts including a card holder, an activity booklet, a WPL pin, and several other fun items.
So far, Schlegel and Plank North are the only two schools to have made the WPL trip, but the rest of the schools will be visiting in the next several months. Still, the Webster Public Library has already touched the lives of 146 students. In the process, 90 new library cards were issued, 26 cards were replaced, and four account problems were resolved. A whopping 80% of these third graders did not have access to the library before the trip, and now they do.
It’s a proud feeling to be trusted with the responsibility of having a library card, and a thrill to be able to walk into the library and leave with your favorite book.
What an awesome way to reinforce the joy of reading, and start these young people on their journey to lifelong learning.
I’m going to lead this mailbag today with two great opportunities to give back to our community through volunteering.
Webster HOPE, located at 1450 Ridge Rd., is looking for volunteers to help stock their food pantry, work in the gardens, organize the clothing closet and work with their clients. They’ve also noted several items on their January wish list which they need to keep their food pantry stocked. Check out the flier below for more information.
The mission of Webster HOPE is to serve the needs of residents in the 14580 zip code area, by providing food, clothing, household goods, furniture and financial assistance to those in need.
Webster Comfort Care Home, at 700 Holt Rd., is also in need of volunteers and nurses to help them with their mission to provide compassionate end-of-life care for terminally ill patients. For more information, visit webstercomfortcare.org.
This from the school district:
Webster CSD Parents/Guardians Invited to Family Engagement Roundtable
The Webster Central School District invites parents and guardians to a Family Engagement Roundtable. The evening will feature discussion with Dr. Robert Chalwell, Webster CSD Executive Director of Family & Student Services & Inclusivity, Janine Sanger, Webster Health & Education Network Executive Director, a Webster CSD parent, and a Webster CSD student.
The roundtable will be held on Thursday Jan. 19 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Spry Middle School, 119 South Ave. Please RSVP and submit questions by clicking here. Questions may also be submitted via email or audio file to robert_chalwell@webstercsd.org or in-person to Lindsay Young at the district office, 119 South Ave., Webster.
The annual Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship has been scheduled for Saturday Jan. 21 at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. Registration begins at 3 p.m. and the contest begins at 3:30. It’s open to all boys and girls ages 9 to 14.
Webster Parks and Recreation will host Rich the Magic Man on Monday Jan. 16, when he brings his amazing show to the Webster Arboretum Lodge from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. There’ll be magic, bubble fun (including big enough bubbles to put a kid inside), and a mini dance party.
Cost is $10 per ticket. Sign up through the Webster Recreation Center online or call 585-872-7103.
And since we’re talking about Webster Parks and Recreation, believe it or not, they’ve opened registration for summer camp.
This year, the Rec will be offering camps for children from preschool through 5th grade. Check out the flier below and visit the Webster Recreation Center website for more information.
Even when there’s not much going on in the great wide Webster world for me to write about, I can always count on three of my most reliable sources — the Town of Webster, Webster Public Library and Webster Rec — to throw me some tidbits via their regular newsletters.
Daphne Geoca at the Webster Recreation Center sent along her monthly Webster 55+ newsletter, which is always packed with information about fitness programs, social opportunities, dining opportunities, entertainment and more, so many that I can’t list them all here. But they range from the Lunch Club, Senior Stretch and Balance Bootcamp to Decluttering Dynamics, Mindfulness and Bingo.
There were a few highlights, however, like the three-course Pasta Palooza dinner on Thursday Jan. 26 beginning at 4:30 (check out the flier for details); Pizza and a Movie on Friday Jan. 20 beginning at 12:30, featuring The Lake House, and a whole page full of Talks on Tuesdays including “The Science of Color” and a chance to meet Webster Supervisor Tom Flaherty. And don’t forget about the spaghetti dinner being hosted by the Masonic Temple this Friday Jan. 6, to benefit the Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters. (Check that flier, too.)
As always, there was a ton of great information in this week’s Webster This Week newsletter. Here are a few highlights:
You can sign up for a tour of the Town Highway Facility on Picture Parkway between Jan. 9 and March 3 to see the current facility conditions and learn about planned improvements. Visit the website here or call (585) 872-1443 to register for a half-hour tour.
Three nearby blood drives are coming up later this month. Click here to make an appointment:
Jan. 5, Xerox building 209 on Mitcheldean Drive from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Jan. 19, Immanuel Lutheran Church on West Main from 1 to 6 p.m.
Jan. 23, the American Legion on Ridge Rd. from 1 to 6 p.m.
The Red Cross is offering a great promoton this month, too. Anyone who donates in January will be entered into a contest for a chance to win a trip to this year’s Super Bowl. Click here for details.
The Women’s Club of Webster‘s January general meeting and luncheon takes place on Thursday Jan. 19 at Proietti’s Restaurant, 980 Ridge Rd. beginning at 11:15. Mark Dwyer from Foodlink will be speaking. Cost is $23. Register by Jan. 12 by sending a check to Carolyn Rittenhouse, 405 County Line Rd., Ontario 14519.
The Webster Public Library‘s January schedule is packed with all sorts of adult programs and family fun. Here are some highlights from their latest email:
You can pick up your very own Webster Public Library tote bag for just $10 on your next visit. They’re pretty good looking, especially if you like purple.
Learn about Argentina and Chile at a travelogue presentation on Tuesday Jan. 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. Your tour guide will be WPL Director Adam Traub himself. Registration is required.
Hear the story of Rochester’s 100-year old airport told by former Airport Director Rick Iekal. The program takes place Thursday Jan. 26 from 7 to 8 p.m. and registration is required.
Read with the Amerks on Monday Jan. 23 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., when an Amerks player will stop by the library for storytime, a brief hockey demonstration and an autograph session with the Moose. Every child who attends will get a free Amerks ticket. All ages are welcome and no registration is required.
Monday Jan. 30 is National Puzzle Exchange Day. This is a great opportunity to trade in your gently used puzzles for something new to you. It’s going on all day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
January’s make-and-take crafts include a marshmallow snowman for kids, snowflake paper lanterns for teens and a CD case desk calendar for adults. Materials are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The library will host a Preschool Open House on Monday, January 9 at 6:30 p.m. Representatives from preschools and nursery schools in the Webster area will be available to chat with parents and provide information about their programs. Registration is not required.
Visit the Webster Public Library website for even more crafty events, a preschool drive-in, World Read Aloud Day storytime, and more.
Congratulations to Webster Comfort Care for winning this year’s Festival of Trees competition at the Webster Museum. The beautifully decorated tree received more votes than any of the others scattered throughout the museum during the event. Thank you to everyone who voted and helped make the Webster Museum festive this year!
This press release actually came from the Webster CSD before Christmas. I LOVE this idea.
Throughout the school year, the lost and found items at each of the district’s schools pile up, despite the schools’ concerted efforts to return the items, including spreading them all out on tables at open houses. Some students in Cari Horn’s class at Willink Middle School had a great idea on how to put those items to good use.
The students and their teacher gathered the lost and found items from Willink and other schools. They washed, dried, folded, sorted and packed the items, and then donated them all to Webster NY Hope (formerly Hope House), a social ministry agency located on Ridge Rd. in Webster that provides clothing and other household items to Webster residents in need.
In all, the students were able to donate 36 copy paper boxes filled with lost and found items to Webster Hope. Plus, four bags and one box of items were handed over to a Willink retiree who brings the items to various places that service families in need.
The program was so successful this year that Horn is planning to repeat it.
“We had such a great time and are looking forward to doing it again in the spring.” she said.
I feature the people and places and events that make Webster the wonderful community it is — and throw in some totally-not-Webster-related personal ramblings every once in a while as well.
I love it when readers send me news about the great things happening in their schools or the community, so please email me anytime at missyblog@gmail.com
