Review: Other People's Money at the Ivoryton Playhouse

Image courtesy of the Ivoryton Playhouse

Other People's Money, the last time I heard those words uttered concerned the movie which was released originally on October 18, 1991 starring Danny DeVito. It was based on the play written by Jerry Sterner, which is the play being performed right now at the Ivoryton Playhouse.

Edward Kasser* (pictured above) plays Lawrence Garfinkle, a Corporate Raider interested in Rhode Island's New England Wire and Cable.

Gary Allen Poe* is Andrew "Jorgy" Jorgenson,the owner Rhode Island business

Dennis Fox* plays William Coles, the President who runs the company

Denise Walker plays Bea Sullivan, Jorgy's assistant

Elizabeth Donnelly*(pictured above) is Kate Sullivan, Bea's daughter

The story involves issues of ethics as well as social and economic justice versus objectivism or capitalism.  This is a game of strategy and power and money. Jerry Sterner, the man who wrote the play, spent much of his life in business before play writing that is why this story is so interesting.

Maggie McGlone Jennings directs this production.

See the world of business from the top down. The actors performed their parts to a tee; the stage fit the scene, and the actors were fitted to fit their parts. I personally would love to own the shoes worn by Ms. Donnelly. The only message left is to go and see the show!

The Cake that Cassandra Made

 This is what I started with to make my cake for my birthday party.  I decided on a Strawberry Cake for Spring because the day before I had been outside for The Big Event with Quinnipiac University and my team was working outside and it was 39 degrees. We were all freezing but we worked hard despite the cold.

Along time ago I took a cake decorating class and although I enjoyed it I found I had some difficulty I found I was very much the perfectionist when it comes to creating the little roses, leaves, flowers, and etc.
Recently I attended the Cake Decorating with King Arthur Flour - Community Education Series hosted by Chef Dennis Littley and King Arthur Flour. The hangout renewed my interest in cake decorating once more.

 I purchased Wilton 9 inch cake pans just for the occasion from my local Jo-ann Fabrics store.

I sprayed the pan with no-stick cooking spray and the cakes came out of the pan very easily.

 I trimmed one of the cakes, but I don't know where my head was (actually I must have been having one of those blonde moments) because I didn't trim the top of the other cake as I should have.

 I purchased 2 cans of vanilla frosting.

 In order to not pull up the crumbs you have to really pile up the frosting.

 Now the inside of the cake is pink that is why I used the pink decorator frosting.

You can see the cake split, and this because I didn't trim the other cake. Split cake or not, the cake still tasted wonderfully.

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Passover Seder Invitation and Matzah Brittle

This week my friend and I were invited to a Passover Seder. This week is extraordinary because Passover and Easter fall in the same week. We celebrated the story of Exodus reading from the haggadah in English. About twenty people had been invited.

These are the symbols of the Seder Feast. There is  clockwise: fruit (apples with walnuts and cinnamon), parsley, horseradish (the root, and ground), egg, and lamb.

We ate Matzah, and drank wine.

We had a Christian version of the Jewish Passover Seder. Our meal consisted of turkey, green beans, salad, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted white potatoes, and carrots.

Everyone looked like they had a wonderful time. It was a time of learning and of faith. A time to rejoice in a people and a time to rejoice in each other. A time to rejoice in food.

For dessert there were almond macrons, dates, noodle kugel and matzah brittle which I brought.

The brittle was a hit and the plate was cleaned!

Here it is fresh out of the oven.
I found the original recipe at Dying for Chocolate.
And it all started with a matzah.

English: "Holyland" brand matzah, machine-made in Jerusalem and purchased at Trader Joes in the United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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My Pork Creation

Pork roast with a butternut squash crust #pork #butternut #squash #roast via caseygoduti

Have you ever had a moment of inspiration that turned itself into something totally amazing. That was what it was like for me, in the creation of the dish above. I literally created this dish at the grocery store, while thinking of the leftovers I wanted to use in the refrigerator.

This meal was made in two parts.

The first part was the butternut squash mixture, where I roasted the butternut squash, mashed it, and added ginger, Chinese 5-spice, Duck Sauce, Soy Sauce, celery and garlic.

"Let's see, I have half a butternut squash mash mixture I used for stuffing potstickers Asian style. What do I want to do with it?"

The only meat that came to mind to me was a pork loin.

Putting the pork loin in the pan, I poured sesame oil over the top and placed the butternut squash mixture on like a crust. I then stuck a thermometer into the pork and put it into a 350f  oven. I put 1/2 cup white wine into the button of the pan and cooked the pork until it reached 170F.

When it was done it was moist and juicy and a real treat.

It is not that often that I come up with such a creative meal. I was really proud of myself.

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Review: Life Could Be a Dream at the Ivoryton Playhouse

Rob Rodems* as Wally, Sheila Coyle* as Lois  and Matt Densky* as Eugene

Life Could Be a Dream takes place in Springfield and croons its way into audiences' hearts from Denny's basement where he is planning for his future. Wally and Eugene, his friends, reminiscence about school. It is not until they meet Lois and Skip that everything starts to come together.

Life Could Be a Dream is written and created by Roger Bean Musical arrangements by Roger Bean and Jon Newton. Additional musical arrangements by Steve Parsons.

Doo-wop and  sh-boom are just a few of the musical sounds you'll hear in this fun, slightly romantic, musical. Denny, played by Aaron Catano* is the driving force, Rob Rodems* is Wally the church goer, and Matt Densky* is Eugene, who is slightly emotional. In enters Sheila Coyle* as Lois, who assists with the group, and Evan D. Siegel* as Skip, who is a auto mechanic.

The cast was terrific and the singing was out of this world, especially when they performed the angel song music mix which included such songs as "Earth Angel". That was my favorite! I loved the way the songs were put together.

The choreography was smooth, and the acting and the singing was terrific. The show is worth a standing ovation. If you haven't bought tickets to see the show at the Ivoryton Playhouse you should. This is a show for the family, just as the Jacqueline Hubbard says.

This show is directed by Jacqueline Hubbard. The Choreographer is by Schuyler Beeman and the musical direction was done by Jason Wetzel.

This show will leave you bopping in the streets.

Photos courtesy of Anne Hudson and the Ivoryton Playhouse
* member of Actors Equity

Quarter Pounder Hamburger Meat Loaf

My room mate went off to Italy and left a lone hamburger in the refrigerator. I didn't feel like eating a burger so I decided to dress it up. This definitely does not look like a burger but I can tell you, for me, it would have been one hell of a big burger for me.

Quarter Pounder Hamburger Meatloaf
Serves 1
1/4 pound hamburger
2 portobella mushrooms, chopped fine
1 celery stick (from the center), chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 slice pepperjack cheese
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350F. Beat egg, and add the meat and other ingredients. Shape into a meatloaf. Place on a baking pan and put in the oven. When meatloaf becomes a dark brown but the juices are still flowing red, place (about 15 to 20 minutes) the slice of cheese on top and place back in the oven. Cook for another 10 minutes or when you cheese is nice and crisp, and pull the meatloaf out of the oven.

This meal was not your plain old every day hamburger.

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