All,
It seems that the Islip Theater has caused quite a stir among many in this community, good and bad. I would like to introduce myself, Michael McKasty, as the current Executive Director of the new Islip Theater and Performing Arts Center. We are a committed group of volunteers who are trying to rise from the ashes of what was once the Islip Pavilion. Yes, there were mistakes made in the past, and I am truly sorry if people were crossed and negatively affected by personnel connected with Islip Pavilion. But please be assured, we are a new and completely different group of individuals that are striving to bring a community arts center to the town of Islip. Yes, the past director did not work well with others, but he did save this precious building from being razed. He had lofty ideas that just weren’t financially practical; he did believe that quality entertainment should be brought in, but the theatergoers in this township would not pay the price to bring them in. And the theater was dark many a night.
Today we have filled our calendar with events that are being produced by you, the local community. Local talent is striving and starving here on the south shore. I would like to offer our house to anyone who would like to put on a show and produce it for you neighbors. Yes, we would like quality entertainment, and so far we have done very well. We have local teenage musicians from East Islip performing every month for their peers and they love it (according to ticket sales at least). We have an autistic group from the community putting on a show with all autistic artists (doing poetry readings, music showcases, and showing drawings that wlll be displayed. And even though these artists have never been on Broadway, their art is more insightful and beautiful than many others that have. So while we might have ‘quality’ entertainment here in the eyes of some, I guarantee you we do have extraordinary talent.
So I invite all of you to come down and see one of our shows, musical, comedic, theatrical, or on film. And if you have something to offer us, let’s share it with others. We are community.
Mike McKasty
All,
It seems that the Islip Theater has caused quite a stir among many in this community, good and bad. I would like to introduce myself, Michael McKasty, as the current Executive Director of the new Islip Theater and Performing Arts Center. We are a committed group of volunteers who are trying to rise from the ashes of what was once the Islip Pavilion. Yes, there were mistakes made in the past, and I am truly sorry if people were crossed and negatively affected by personnel connected with Islip Pavilion. But please be assured, we are a new and completely different group of individuals that are striving to bring a community arts center to the town of Islip. Yes, the past director did not work well with others, but he did save this precious building from being razed. He had lofty ideas that just weren’t financially practical; he did believe that quality entertainment should be brought in, but the theatergoers in this township would not pay the price to bring them in. And the theater was dark many a night.
Today we have filled our calendar with events that are being produced by you, the local community. Local talent is striving and starving here on the south shore. I would like to offer our house to anyone who would like to put on a show and produce it for you neighbors. Yes, we would like quality entertainment, and so far we have done very well. We have local teenage musicians from East Islip performing every month for their peers and they love it (according to ticket sales at least). We have an autistic group from the community putting on a show with all autistic artists (doing poetry readings, music showcases, and showing drawings that wlll be displayed. And even though these artists have never been on Broadway, their art is more insightful and beautiful than many others that have. So while we might have ‘quality’ entertainment here in the eyes of some, I guarantee you we do have extraordinary talent.
So I invite all of you to come down and see one of our shows, musical, comedic, theatrical, or on film. And if you have something to offer us, let’s share it with others. We are community.
Mike McKasty