Callboard

Callboard - Volume XVII • Issue 1 • Spring 2020 www.tanys.org Page 5 TANYS Mourns The Passing of Dr. Laurence Baker Dr. Laurence S. Baker of Pleasantville, N.Y., died peacefully on March 24, 2020 at age 94. Born and raised in Mount Vernon, N.Y., he graduated from New York University where he received his Ph.D. in psychology in 1955. According to his daughter Lisa, “He was a vital force in the NY State Community Theatre Association for many years”. He was one of the original organizations founding fathers once serving as President before it became TANYS due to the merger of the two organizations. Laurence started The Street Theatre, an organization that brought theatre into Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, an involvement he believed would benefit prisoners and visitors alike. “Dad always felt theatre was a safe place for many. You could reinvent yourself onstage, be whoever you wanted to be,” his daughter Lisa Baker Brill remembered. He founded The Theatre Place dinner theatre in Pleasantville in 1975. Over the course of eight years, it presented 102 musicals. At The Theatre Place, “People would come, eat dinner and watch shows. Afterward the cast would come in and sit at the bar with the theatregoers,” his daughter Jennifer Baker said. “It was a wonderful place. They did everything from Jacques Brel to Oklahoma!” Jon Clark, a longtime friend and Theatre Place colleague, wrote: “Larry believed in the value of the performing and fine arts and devoted his life to supporting them in many ways. In this case it is not trite to say, "There won’t be another one like him." “Single handedly, Larry brought quality theatre to Westchester,” wrote David Auslander, a director who worked on Dr. Baker’s productions over many years. “As a member of the Board of Pleasantville Music Theatre, and later the producer of many shows, he insisted that only directors who knew what they were doing be hired. The quality of Pleasantville Music Theatre's presentations skyrocketed.” In 2010 he was presented with the Cab Calloway Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes recipients’ body of work, dedication and contribution to the performing arts in Westchester County. Larry is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Joy Piza Baker, as well as daughters Lisa and husband Rob, and Jennifer and husband Stephan. TANYS expresses our condolences to his family on his passing. If anyone wishes to send individual condolences, please email his daughter Lisa Baker Brill at Lbakerbrill@aol.com which she would love to show her sister and her 92 year old mom. BMI Competition Wrap-up Congratulations to the 2019 BMI Design Competition and Exhibition winners! Judge this year was Dianna Angell, Production Manager for the Syracuse University Department of Drama. The following was selected and awarded $100: Best Overall Design: Terri Fox for Props of L’il Abner – Auburn Players Community Theatre Here are a couple pictures of the winning exhibit. TANYS wishes to thank all of the designers and technicians who shared their work at the 2019 TANYS Festival in the BMI Design Competition and Exhibition. For 2020 TANYS decided to simplify the entrance requirements to encourage more entries. Please take the time to look at the simpler requirements at www.tanys.org . Rome also has decided to schedule the presentation of the awards at the beginning of the Saturday afternoon session as the result of suggestions made on the Festival 2019 survey. The Festival 2020 committee in Rome and TANYS chairperson Bob Frame are looking forward to your entries.