Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • October 15, 2014 Midland Park Recreation department adds theater for young adults The Midland Park Recreation Depart- ment has partnered with a local business, From The Top Music Studio, to offer a theater program for children and teens and a musical production in the spring. Set to begin next week, the program is the first arts-oriented offering in what Recre- ation Director Kathy LaMonte hopes will be several non-sports options for young residents. “I’m excited for the program and grate- ful to Lisa for all the work she has done to get it going. It should be a lot of fun,” LaMonte said. She said several young people had already signed up. Focused on the “partners’” philosophy “Every kid deserves a chance to shine!” the program is designed to instill a pas- sion for the dramatic arts in children and teens while building self-confidence and leadership skills, which will serve them throughout their lifetime. It will be in residence at the DePhillips Community Center on Dairy Street. The after-school theater program includes an eight-week workshop either on Monday or Wednesday afternoons in the fall, with similar follow-up sessions anticipated in the spring. The goals, according to From The Top Director Lisa Plasse, are to teach children to be creative, to create dramatic expres- sion, and to learn the enrichment of the- atre terminology. The program also aims to develop advanced technical skills for young adults, including opportunities such as assistant director, lighting, cos- tumes, props, backstage assistance, and set building. The workshop fee is $95 per student, with a 10-student minimum requirement. The Spring Musical Workshop, to be held after school on Wednesdays and Fri- days beginning on Jan. 7, will teach what’s involved in creating a show from start to finish. The program will culminate in a live evening performance of The Wizard of Oz / Wicked in April. According to Plasse, participants will work on audition techniques, casting, blocking, choreography, music, dialogue, set design, costumes, props, make up, playbill design and many more aspects behind the scenes. The cost for this pro- gram is $195 per student, with a 20-stu- dent minimum required. Plasse has owned From The Top Music Studio on Prospect Street in Midland Park for 16 years, where she offers recit- als for children and adults, summer music camps, summer theater programs, pre- school music classes, special needs music classes, music therapy sessions, and music ensembles. She received her bachelor of music education from William Paterson University with a concentration in flute and voice, and has a master’s from Mont- clair State University. Anyone interested in the recreation department’s theater program may call From The Top at 201-445-8780 for further information. MPPEF fundraiser set The Community Thrift Shop provides an ongoing fundraiser for the Midland Park Public Education Foundation. The shop, located on the lower level of the Midland Park Shopping Center at 85 Godwin Avenue, donates a percentage of sales made on items designated as MPPEF donations. To donate gently-used and in season clothing to benefit the foundation, items should be marked “MPPEF 28.” The shop accepts donations on Mon- days and on the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to clothing for adults and children, the shop accepts donations of bric-a-brac, books, and toys in excellent condition. The shop cannot accept the following items: stuffed animals (except those with a tag attached), records, sports equip- ment, computers, printers, car seats, and clothing larger than size 22. The shop is open Tuesday through Sat- urday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Colleen Monahan at jcmonahan111@yahoo.com. Chief Marra to retire (continued from page 3) in administrative science the follow- ing year. He has an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Passaic County Community College. A Midland Park resident, Powderley joined the department as a dispatcher in 1990 and was hired as a police officer in January, 1992. He was promoted to ser- geant in February, 2009 and to the lieu- tenant’s post last April. Papapietro said the council “is not pre- pared to make a decision at this time” on whether to name a new lieutenant. He said the department is now down at least two patrolmen and is advertising to fill the vacancies. One would be to replace Lt. Bernie Vandenberg, who began his termi- nal leave in June and will officially retire at the end of October. The other recruit would replace Officer Matthew Lom- bardo, who resigned earlier this year to join the Mahwah Police Department after less than a year in Midland Park.