Art Show

Cilento were also part of the West Side Story cast and, along with Spinelli, have remained close friends.

Cilento became one of Broadway’s most creative choreographers and was in the original cast of A Chorus Line. He is currently directing Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ on Broadway.

SDY Co-Founder Clute, who also designed the sets, won Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for the soap opera All My Children

Not everyone from SDY made careers in the arts. Many others became doctors, lawyers, business people and more. I moved on to a career in public relations but my love affair with theatre, especially musical theater, remains ever-present in my life.

But it goes even deeper than that for me.

The only Broadway-type show my Dad ever saw me in was the 1965 SDY production of Guys and Dolls. I was part of the dancing and singing chorus. He died the next year at the age of 42, just before I graduated from high school. I remember feeling really guilty about auditioning for that summer’s SDY show, The Music Man. I felt I hadn’t given myself time to really grieve his death. But my Mom told me I needed to audition and to live the life he would have wanted for me, to be with my friends who were there to support me and my family during this very challenging time. I had gained a little weight from stress eating and I didn’t want to try out for the dancing chorus. Joe Catalinotto said, “Go downstairs and audition for one of the pick-a-little-ladies.” I didn’t know who they were, but I went and was cast as Ethel Toffelmier, one of the semi-leads, who not only had very funny comic moments, but led off the dancing chorus in one of the most exciting musical numbers in the show, “Shipoopi.”

The director knew what he was doing and why he was doing it. That summer saved my life. Stage Door for Youth saved my life. My dad would have been proud. The next year I was back to my dancing weight and was, once again, part of the dancing and singing chorus in Showboat.

Many years later, I was honored to direct many DAC musicals during my years volunteering there. I’m especially proud of the work I did as director of Darien’s Got Talent, a major DAC fundraiser. Working with some of the most hard-working Darien volunteers was a major highlight for me. Directing Darien’s Bicentennial in 2021 was another.

All of this takes a lot of work and an enormous number of hours and people always ask me, “What do you get out of all of it?” Besides feeding my creative soul, I’ve gotten to know so many wonderful people. They are my forever friendships, my soulmates, my thespian angels.

…the mark of true success on any stage.

For more information about the Stage Door for Youth reunion, email: stagedoorforyouth60@gmail.com

CAROLE CLAPS is a long time Darien resident and former Darien Arts Center (DAC) board member where she served as volunteer VP/Arts and directed many DAC musicals including, notably, The Most Happy Fella and Man of La Mancha A public relations consultant, she continues to act, sing and direct as time permits.