Jordan Rich | The Sleepless Critic

REVIEW: Hosted by Jordan Rich, renowned Broadcast Hall of Fame recipient, author, veteran, and Boston radio legend Ron Della Chiesa celebrated his 85th birthday with a marvelous bash

Posted on March 1, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

Ron Della Chiesa still spends his life doing the very thing that he loves best. When he is not sharing his extensive music knowledge on the air on Strictly Sinatra and Music America Sundays on Easy 99.1 FM or announcing for the Boston Symphony Orchestra or for Tanglewood under a warm summer sun, one of his biggest loves is opera. A frequent visitor to the MET, Ron’s father was an opera singer and Ron could passionately talk about opera from Giacomo Puccini to Marcello Giordani, two opera dynamos who are also the names of Ron and his wife Joyce’s beloved cats. Ron knows so much about opera that during the night of his 85^th birthday, he shared a little known fact about a famous opera singer and how the Phantom of the Opera musical really got its roots.

Raffaels in Hingham, MA Photo by Louise Lori Patricia

To the swinging sounds of Rico Barr and his Jump and Jive Band and hosted by Jordan Rich, Ron Della Chiesa’s 85^th birthday took place to a full house at Raffaels in Hingham, Massachusetts on Friday, February 17, the night before his real birthday.

Host Jordan Rich and Ron Della Chiesa Photo by Louise Lori Patricia

It seemed not so long ago that Ron was turning 70 and didn’t feel a bit like it. Still happily working in Broadcasting at 85, he still makes guest appearances to talk about Broadcast history, his popular book with bestselling author Erica Ferencik called Radio My Way and will be quick to tell anyone what still makes him fond of radio after all these years. Always good natured and positive, the theme of his birthday bash was ‘The Best is Yet to Come,’ not only named after a Sinatra song but the personal slogan of his amazing life.

Surprise appearance by Cha-Chi Loprete Photo by Jeanne Denizard

Tenor Matthew D i Battista sang the National Anthem to open this special evening. With guests invited to dress in red, people took to the dance floor to swing to an extensive list of American Standards performed by Rico’s band. The elegant evening even included a couple of songs Ron sang from Sinatra’s classic tunes.

Tenor Matthew DiBattista sings the National Anthem From L to R Ron Della Chisa Matthew DiBattista and Jordan-Rich Photo credit to Louise Lori Patricia

Music Director for the Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons, renowned Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart, and popular jazz musicians Bo and Bill Winiker were among the special guests that sent their birthday wishes via phone. Popular DJ and close friend Cha-Chi Loprete surprised Ron with his presence. Born in Quincy, MA, Quincy Mayor Koch proclaimed February 18 as Ron Della Chiesa Day among many of Ron’s generous gifts. The evening also included birthday cake, cocktails, table seating, and countless guests reminiscing with Ron about his blessed life. Ron called it a magical evening he won’t soon forget!

Birthday slideshow produced by Christopher Desprez

Visit Strictly Sinatra and Music-America’s Facebook fan page for more photos of this celebrated evening. Ron’s Della Chiesa’s Strictly Sinatra and Music America offer occasional dance parties at Raffaels in Hingham, Massachusetts. The next event will be Ron Della Chiesa Strictly Sinatra Tribute Dance on November 3. Email musicnotnoise@aol.com, visit musicnotnoise.com or call Executive Producer Paul Schlosberg at 617-633-5100. To learn more about Ron, click here and listen to him on Easy 99.1 FM on Sunday night on Music America and Strictly Sinatra. Be sure to check out his memoir Radio My Way by Ron Della Chiesa and Erica Ferencik.

REVIEW: Motherhood goes under the microscope in Flat Earth Theatre’s powerful ‘Not Medea’

Posted on March 28, 2019 by The Sleepless Critic

The mind can be your greatest asset or your worst enemy. Flat Earth Theatre presents Allison Gregory’s powerful, semi-interactive drama Not Medea at the Black Box at the Mosesian Theatre for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts through March 30. Partially based on the classic Greek myth Medea, the show runs 100 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and tickets. This show has mature themes.

Flat Earth Theatre Not Medea Juliet Bowler

Juliet Bowler as Woman Photo courtesy of Flat Earth Theatre

As rain pelts an onstage window, water is caught in a bucket. This is an unintentional issue for director Elizabeth Yvette Ramirez, but this little wrinkle works well. A storm is brewing, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the storm brewing inside the mind of an overwhelmed mother portrayed convincingly by Juliet Bowler. Not without its lighthearted and sometimes relatably frank moments, Not Medea tackles love and motherhood in all its triumphs and complexity.

Allison Gregory’s Not Medea gives this classic a modern spin while cleverly keeping the earmarks of the classic intact. Not enough can be said about Juliet Bowler as Woman. She is a natural in this meaty and demanding role, navigating in a “show within a show” atmosphere. We all know this harried woman. She is rash, impetuous, and temperamental. She shares too much, talks too loud, and can’t be still only to hide that she is lost in more ways than one. She is also daring, which is indicative of her exclusively breaking the fourth wall, a modern convention usually reserved only for comedies.

Flat Earth Theatre 'Not Medea' Juliet Bowler and Gene Dante

Juliet Bowler as Woman and Gene Dante as Jason Photo courtesy of Flat Earth Theatre

Woman meets gallant and narcissistic Jason, portrayed with gusto and charisma by Gene Dante. They share an instant connection. However, as Woman remarks, “The Gods always have a plan.”

From child to maidservant, Cassandra Meyer skillfully takes on several roles during the production. Gentle and compassionate, she is the most impressive as Woman’s conscience.

Gene Dante as Jason, Cassandra Meyer as Chorus, and Juliet Bowler as Woman

Flat Earth Theatre continues Allison Gregory’s Not Medea through Saturday, March 30 at the Black Box at the Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street in Watertown, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and tickets.

Partially surrounded by a lush green lawn that gives it a campus feel, The Mosesian Center for the Arts houses a number of productions and exhibits during the year. Offering free parking and next door to Panera Bread, upcoming exhibitions include Five Stars Regional Exhibition and Please Touch the Art. The Underlings Theatre Company presents MacBeth April 5-13. Hosted by WBZ’s Jordan Rich, Upstage Lung Cancer’s annual fundraiser, Here’s the The Ladies: From Lady Day to Lady Gaga takes place for one night only on Thursday, April 18.. Click here to see all that Mosesian Center for the Arts has to offer.