Scott Baldinger reports from Salisbury. A demigod of the theater world appeared as a special guest on Saturday, June 23, at a garden party benefit for Sharon’s cozily literate Aglet Theatre (the name of which means the tags at each end of shoelaces) at Ragamont House. It turns out that orchestrator Jonathan Tunick, whose gorgeous instrumentations of Stephen Sondheim scores have been an important part of keeping the art of musical theater alive, resides in nearby Sharon with his lovely wife Leigh Beery Tunick. (The couple is pictured at left.) It turns out that Leigh and Aglet co-founder Gloria Miller are both avid gardeners, and before you knew it one thing led to another… Such is life in the RI universe. During a question and answer session with the two Tunicks, a member of the audience recalled seeing Pacific Overtures at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York as a teenager, and how the exquisite sound of the score played by unamplified instruments was a nearly religious experience that changed his life. “Keep talking,” said Tunick, finally letting down his affably modest guard a bit. “That’s music to my ears.”
Macey Levin and Gloria Miller, who run the Aglet Theatre Company, in the glamorously green entryway of the Ragamont House; Aglet Theatre treasurer Richard Boyle, supporter Barbara Nicholls, and Ragamont House proprietor Peter Hathaway.
Aglet supporters Laura Carolson, Elaine and Lou Hecht, Dorothy Rivkin, and Richard McGriff; Tony Aiuvalasit with Carol and Robert Sadlon, owners of the Moviehouse of Millerton.
Theater director Tom Gruenewald and playwright Lonnie Carter. Lynne Bragonier and her mom, Ilene Tetenbaum, Aglet board members.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
