• Another Opening, Another Show for St. Barnabas
• The Holiday Mix: Interfaith Couples Share How They Blend
Their Holiday Celebrations

By Janice Lane Palko

For St. Barnabas Health System, Pennsylvania’s premiere health care concern, the lyrics from the musical Kiss Me Kate, “another opening, another show” are quite apropos.  The Kean Theatre located on the campus will stage its first musical, Nunsense, in July 2009, and the St. Barnabas communities will welcome a new addition to its Valencia campus,
The Crystal Conservatories, this month.

Actually, another show is not exactly accurate; the Kean Theatre is so successful, this year it will be adding many more shows to accommodate the community’s enthusiasm for the performances at the theatre. 

“When the theatre opened in 2002, we had five performances that first season.  This year we will have 32 performances, and in 2009 we will host 49,” said Tom Madden, managing and artistical director of the Kean Theatre.  In addition, the theatre will be adding something new – matinees.  “In 2009, in response to our audience’s requests, we’re going to offer matinees on Saturdays and Sundays,” Madden said. 

December’s show, Johnny Angel and the Halos Christmas is sold out, but the new season will begin in January.  Interested theatre-goers should order tickets soon as most shows sell out quickly.  The 2009 season will debut with Murder Most Fowl 7, one of four murder mystery dinner shows offered throughout the year.  Madden is a veritable Renaissance man in that he not only manages the theatre; he directs and writes all the murder mysteries and casts and directs the theatrical productions.  In February and March the theatre will host the Kean Idol Amateur Talent Contest, Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit and a new type of show for the Kean Theatre, Live TV, a variety show.  Spring blossoms with the hit Steel Magnolias, Viva Broadway and Murder Most Fowl 8. 

For those Johnny Angel and the Halos fans, the group returns on June 12, and to get the audience in the proper patriotic spirit for celebrating the Fourth of July, June concludes with America: A Musical Tribute.  Pure Gold takes the stage on July 11 and then the uproarious Nunsense, the first musical staged at the theatre, promises to bring the house down with side-splitting laughter.  August ushers in the Summer of Fun Oldies Show featuring The Fabulous Hubcaps and then the third murder mystery dinner theatre of the season, Murder Most Fowl 9 rounds out the summer.

Things turn serious in September with the play 12 Angry Men.  “We are fortunate to have a very large group of talented actors who perform at the Kean Theatre.  Many local theatres have to produce 12 Angry Jurors, because they don’t have enough male actors to stage it as it was written,” Madden said.  October showcases The Tamburitzans and Murder Most Fowl 10, while November brings Sinatra and It Had to Be You.  The season concludes with the ever-popular Johnny Angels and the Halos Christmas. 

The Kean Theatre has also collaborated with Atria’s Restaurants to offer dinner theatre events.  “Every Atria’s, whether it’s the Route 8 location, Route 19 or Mt. Lebanon guarantees that they will serve you and have you out the door in time for the show.  All you have to do is let the Kean box office know you want the Atria’s dinner, and we’ll call in a reservation for you.  Atria’s will give you a special menu that evening,” Madden said.  To date, nearly 1,300 Atria’s/Kean meals have been served.

In addition, the Kean hosts Tuesdays@2 and Wednesdays@1 films that are free to the public and residents at St. Barnabas.  As a bonus, parking is always free.  “I’m not aware of any other health care system that has a theatre as a source of revenue for providing free care to its residents.  It’s a win-win situation.  The seniors support the theatre and the theatre supports the seniors,” Madden said.  Season tickets are available at a discounted rate.  Plus, those purchasing a “Broadway pass” – a discounted subscription to all four of the Kean’s plays – will receive first-choice seating for Nunsense.

“The Kean Theatre is doing quite well, and it is truly a feather in Tom’s cap,” said Kathleen Brenneman, St. Barnabas spokeswoman.  St. Barnabas Health System is always implementing innovative strategies for making their facilities the best around while at the same time providing the best in care to its residents.  “Our 10-year master plan implemented in 2000 is nearing completion,” Brenneman said, “and during that period, we’ve expanded to include the Kean Theatre and many additional Woodlands homes, our one-story carriage home community.  We recently expanded the master plan to include The Crystal Conservatories.”

Crystal Conservatories

In 2005, St. Barnabas bought property in Valencia that was previously a children’s camp and on the grounds was a swimming pool.  For the past several months, this newest addition, The Crystal Conservatories (photo left), has been under construction.  When finished in late December, it will be a magnificent glass facility enclosing the swimming pool, as well as a tower recreation area, a bathhouse, and a maintenance building.  The indoor pool will enable year-round swimming, water exercise and aqua therapy.  “The pool will be kept a littler warmer and will provide a wonderful way for seniors to exercise safely while receiving great benefits,” Brenneman said.

The reception area will accommodate 300 guests and will be available for rental for private functions such as wedding receptions.  “It will be a spectacular place to hold any event,” Brenneman said, “and I imagine it will look just breathtaking in the winter.” Construction on the Conservatories is expected to be completed in late December with a grand opening occurring in the spring. 

St. Barnabas Health System has also bought a historic landmark building in Valencia to use for administrative office space.  The Valencia building will enable office space at St. Barnabas Nursing Home in Gibsonia to be converted into assisted living apartments.  “These will be apartments with laundries, kitchenettes and private bathrooms,” Brenneman said.  “In years past, people spent more time in nursing homes, but the trend today is for assisted living settings.”

To learn more about how St. Barnabas Health System is keeping up with the trends or The Crystal Conservatories, or how you can purchase Kean Theatre tickets, visit the website at: www.stbarnabashealthsystem.com or call 724-443-0700. 

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Interfiath Couples Share How They Blend THeir Holiday Celeberations

By Paula Green

This time of the year, Christians are preparing for Christmas while those of the Jewish faith are getting ready for Hanukkah. Both are important holidays, but what happens when a Christian and a Jewish person marry, how do they celebrate? Two interfaith couples decided to share what the December holiday celebrations are like in their households.

Dan and Lori Solenday reside in McCandless Township. Dan is Roman Catholic while Lori is Jewish, and they have two daughters, Samantha (8) and Ashley (5 1/2) [photo right]. The Solendays celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah.

“We wanted to give our daughters best of both worlds. So during Hanukkah we light a menorah candle for eight straight nights. During those evenings, the girls each receive a small gift. We also read Hanukkah books,” Lori said.

“I have always differentiated between ‘Santa Christmas’ and ‘Jesus Christmas.’ I was always the one in the family who wasn’t into ‘Santa Christmas.’ After I was about ten years old, I never cared if we had a tree or decorations. I thought that when I married a Jewish girl, that I would not have to worry about any of that stuff. However, Lori enjoys it way more than I do,” Dan said.

Lori likes Christmas decorating, especially the tree. “When Dan and I first got together, I wanted to surprise him; we had a tree in our living room. I placed four strands of bulbs on it. I never knew you needed to check them first. They didn’t work, so I went to the store and purchased four more strands and put them on as well. Our tree toppled over and we had pine needles all over our living room,” Lori said. [photo left: Ashley Solenday with Christmas tree and Menorrah]

“Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we spend with Dan’s mom since she is Catholic (his father is deceased). Dan is also Italian so they celebrate Christmas Eve with the traditional seafood and lasagna. On Christmas morning the girls receive gifts from Santa. The girls and I bake Christmas cookies with Nonna (Italian word for grandmother).

This is actually my favorite part of Christmas,” Lori said.

Another local family that has an interfaith relationship is the Segals, but their scenario is reversed - the wife, Joanne is Roman Catholic, while her husband Howard is Jewish. They have three children Leah (12), Aidan (10) and Anna (3), and they are being raised Jewish.

“I told Howard that I wanted our children to live their faith. It needed to be in actions, not just words. He has my total support,” Joanne said.

“We are members of a synagogue, Rodef Shalom Congregation, on 5th Avenue in Oakland. My children attend Sunday school, and we celebrate Hanukkah in our house. We light our Menorah for the eight straight nights. Each child receives a small gift, whether it is a bracelet or even a piece of candy. Other Jewish traditions that we follow during Hanukkah are the playing of the dreidel game and frying up latkes,” Joanne said.

“The elementary school that Leah and Aidan attend has been very supportive and allows them to talk about their Hanukkah celebration. Additionally, they also participate in the Christmas celebration at school and at home. At our house we put up a small tree, and we decorate with white Christmas lights. The children receive a few presents Christmas morning from Santa as they celebrate Christmas with me. We compare it to celebrating a birthday. Although Christmas might not be their celebration, they can certainly share in my celebration, my joy for Christmas. My children also participate in the family Christmas grab bag gift exchange with my side of the family.

We like to make Christmas cookies and have even built a few gingerbread houses. We send Hanukkah cards to our Jewish relatives and Christmas cards to our Christian relatives,” Joanne said.

So this holiday season if you drive by a house and see a Menorah candle in one window and a Christmas tree in another, don’t be confused. It is probably two religious faiths joining together to celebrate the true beauty of the holiday season.

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