Newport This Week - July 14, 2011

Page 1

Fishing Report p. 24

Vol. 39, No. 28

BORN FREE

THURSDAY, July 14, 2011

Art Boat, SeaFair Can Stay

What’s Inside

By Tom Shevlin

ARTS ON Page 12

Table of Contents CALENDAR 14 CLASSIFIEDS 26 COMMUNITY BRIEFS 4-5 CROSSWORD 22 EDITORIAL 6 MAINSHEET 13 NATURE 25 POLICE LOG 5 REALTY TRANSACTIONS 7 RECENT DEATHS 24 RESTAURANTS 14-23 SPORTS 21-22 www.Newport-Now.com Twitter.com/newportnow Facebook.com/newportnow

Music at the Art Musuem The Newport Art Museum was the setting for a performance of the music of Franz Peter Schubert by German pianist Michael Endres on Wednesday, July 13. The concert was part of the 43rd season of the Newport Music Festival, which features more than 50 classical music concerts performed in a variety of venues throughout Newport and concluding July 24. Schubert-lovers will be glad to know that Endres is presenting three more “Schubertiad” concerts during the Festival – on July 14, 15 and 17. Other highlights include 13 concerts of the music of Franz Liszt, presented by various artists in honor of the composer’s bicentenary. See the calendar on page 14 of this issue for more information. (Photo by Rob Thorn)

If They Screen It, Will The Audiences Come? By Patricia Lacouture Terri Conners, Andrea van Beuren, and Nancy Donahoe, all cinephiles who truly know what makes a great film, are cultivating a veritable field of dreams in the form of Newport’s latest cinematic harvest—mini-fests, also known as “pop up events.” I had the pleasure of spending two hours at the Empire Tea Room last week with these women who are the backbone of newport FILM, a year-old venue that has launched its 2011 season and plans to do a lot more. FILM is not to be confused with the Newport International Film Festival (NIFF), which some people may think of when they see Nancy Donahoe on the docket, as she was one of the co-founders and directors of NIFF. Although rumors have been afloat that newport FILM represents NIFF’s return, van Beuren asserts, “This is NOT a rebuild of NIFF. (However), we do want to build on what Kathy Staab has started with her incredibly strong programming.” Also, there are films out there that will never make it to Newport regardless of how innovative the films at the Pickens have been. Newport FILM is a work-in-progress. And its founders and directors hope to carve a different yet quite delightful venue for Newport’s film fans. “We analyze everything we do,” Conners states.

Donahoe echoes this idea: “We’re still in a trajectory of growth,” That growth will be slow but steady, and the hope is to carry on with a few min-fests during the winter to see if the Newport community wants more of this year-round. They are looking for feedback on the films, as this will help insure future user-friendly yet cinematically accomplished programming. The group wants to bring in fresh Independent films—narratives, documentaries and childrens’ programs—and

See COUNCIL on page 7

Watershed Action on the Island Part 1 of a 2-Part Series By Jill Connors

Andrea van Beuren (left) and Terri Conners (right), along with Nancy Donahoe (not pictured) have planned outdoor screenings, such as the one above at Queen Anne Square, for their creative programming.

they want to connect the filmmakers with the audience. Hence, as often as possible, someone closely involved with the film will be present for a Q & A after the indoor screenings. These guests will include directors, producers and executives for acquisitions at film studios. One can see that these women love film. When Conners attended the University of Rhode Island, she added a special movie night to her schedule. She recalls that Muriel’s restaurant ran a movie

NEWPORT, R.I. — SeaFair can stay. City Council members on Wednesday voted to approve a proposal to allow the one-of-a-kind megayacht art gallery to extend its hours of operation until 8:30 p.m. The council also granted a succession of special events licenses for the ship, allowing it to remain berthed in the heart of downtown through Labor Day. The yacht, which is owned by Florida-based ExpoShips GP Inc., had initially sought an extension on its preliminary two-week special event permit along with the ability to remain open until 10 p.m. The proposal set off a lively debate inside the council chamber between both councilors and audience members. First Ward Councilor Charles Y. Duncan was the first to speak on the application, saying that he’s received numerous complaints from

night during the winters, where a hungry student could satisfy her appetite for food and film. The cost was $10 for both dinner and a movie. The trio of women made their way into film in very different ways. Conners worked as a location assistant during the shooting of “Amistad,” where she made friends and professional contacts. One of them set up a meet-andgreet appointment in New York, and Conners became a publicist for New Line Cinema and then head of Theatrical Publicity for

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Palm Pictures in New York and Los Angeles. Van Buren’s path was quite different. She started off in fashion, as art director at “Vogue” and producing advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein. Her love for film coincided with her meeting her husband, Roger Kass, an entertainment lawyer and producer. She became immersed in independent films and documentaries, and she fell in love with both. Mostly, van Beuren is passion-

On Aquidneck Island, clean water is essential not just as drinking water for some 14,500 households and businesses, but also as a critical factor in an economy driven by ocean pursuits that include swimming, surfing, fishing, and boating. Warning signs—from beach closings to polluted drinking water—have led to a unique moment in the island’s water quality awareness as more than a dozen initiatives are currently underway this summer, all with one shared goal: protect the watershed, and in so doing, protect the quality of life on Aquidneck Island. The initiatives—undertaken by state and municipal officials, nonprofit groups, and concerned citizens—range from a feasibility study for a storm-water utility in Middletown, to a watershed study identifying significant parcels of land throughout the island that must be conserved. “A healthy watershed is an indicator of overall ecosystem health, and on Aquidneck Island, where you have 60,000 people who rely on surface water for drinking water, you absolutely must have a healthy

See WATERSHED on page 3

See FILM on page 17

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