Twenty seven years ago the Suffolk Y JCC initiated a community theatre, named Suffolk Y Theatre, as part of its mission to bring a variety of social and educational experiences to its multi-cultural Suffolk County following. It was a daunting task. For the first few years, talent was sparse and audiences even sparser. One of the first year’s offerings is remembered with a smile - Paddy Chayefsky’s, The Tenth Man, which drew nine people to a six hundred seat auditorium. The cast outnumbered the audience.
     Fast forward to the renamed Star Playhouse at the Suffolk Y JCC. The stage is filled with the sounds of some of Long Island’s best known talent. Nowadays, hundreds of people fill the theatre. They are theatre-goers who walk sprightly or with walkers, not prone to travel into the city or spend $100 a ticket, but who appreciate a good show. The costumes, the sets, the entire production draws raves from one and all. How does a transition like this take place - what’s the formula?
     A theatre committee of more than twenty oversees every aspect of the operation, with absolute devotion and tireless work. It starts with choosing the right shows. It involves hiring just the right Director to work with just the right Music Director and Choreographer. It requires not only spending the money, but the effort to build a set worthy of a professional theatre, to costume the show just so - and to make the actors and actresses, all of whom are volunteers, feel so welcomed and appreciated, they travel island wide to open auditions where they compete vigorously for parts they know are chosen on merit - without pre-casting or favoritism given to insiders. The effort has paid huge dividends, in cultivating a steady enthusiastic following.
     In the last few years, the Suffolk Y JCC provided substantial money for a complete theatre face lift - curtains, seats, carpeting, ceiling - the works. The shows selected are an exciting blend - Curtains, Moon Over Buffalo, Hello Muddah Hello Fadduh and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Ticket prices remain lower than many other local theatres with discounts for seniors, students and groups of 10 or more. A brochure for the season can be obtained from Star Playhouse, 74 Hauppauge Road, Commack, NY 11725, or by calling the box office at (631) 462-9800, extension 136. This promises to be our best and most exciting season. We look forward to having you become a member of the Star Playhouse family.