Ragtime Jazz Brunch Celebrates Doctorow's New Rochelle

ArtsFest – the annual weekend celebration organized by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts – wrapped up on Sunday with a very special fundraiser, a Ragtime Jazz Brunch toasting the new statue of E.L. Doctorow installed at Huguenot Park in New Rochelle. Guests of honor included Mrs. Helen Doctorow and members of the Doctorow family as well as sculptor Derek Chalfant, County Executive George Latimer, Mayor Noam Bramson and members of the Doctorow Legacy Initiative Committee responsible for the statue.

Internationally acclaimed author E.L. Doctorow was a beloved resident of New Rochelle, and his Broadview Avenue home inspired the award-winning novel “Ragtime” (which also became a popular film and a Tony Award-winning Broadway show), so the event committee wanted to “salute the new statue with an afternoon recreating the “Ragtime” era in art, music and dance,” says Lynn Green, NRCA Vice President and Chair of the event. The result, she says, was “a toe-tapping tribute to E.L. Doctorow that had 90 guests swaying to the syncopated ragtime tunes and then experiencing a dance demonstration of popular dances of the early 1900's."

The program included acclaimed concert pianist Adam Kent, a New Rochelle native, who performed a selection of Ragtime-era music, followed by professional dancers Paolo and Laurentina who demonstrated popular dance styles of the era and then offered dance lessons so everyone could try the steps. "Paolo and Laurentina made the “Castle Walk” seem breezy and fun,” said Lynn Green, “but as our 21st century dancers found out, when they attempted the steps, they proved harder to gracefully do.”

There was also time for guests to greet the Doctorow family: New Rochelle High School graduate Sharon Weekes-Threash says that, for her , “The highlight was being able reconnect with my NRHS Class of 1976 classmate, E.L's daughter Caroline Doctorow whom I had not seen in many years.” Weekes-Threash noted that she has followed folk singer Caroline Doctorow’s musical career and “We were glad to catch up and plan to stay in touch!”

Guests were invited to wear period-inspired dress for the Ragtime Jazz Brunch for “photo opps” with antique cars and a fire engine of the period parked on the lawn of Wykagyl Country Club. A silent auction of exclusive experiences and unique items – including an autographed copy of Ragtime, a private tour of New Rochelle with City Historian Barbara Davis, a ride on the fire truck during the Thanksgiving Day parade and artwork by Charles Fazzino -- added to the fun.

The Ragtime Jazz Brunch Committee included Maddali Paci Atallah, Zachary Berenbaum, Margaret Chadwick, Barbara Davis, Monica Deane. Dave Fabris, Ximena Francella, Liz Garland, Saralyn Goldsmith, Lynn Green, Janine Jones, Linda Kelly, Theresa Kump Leghorn, Rhoda Lew, Christine Ramage, Karen Selman, Leah Sills, Stephanie Tomei and Catherine White.

The Ragtime Jazz Brunch was supported by Sponsors including Alvin and Terri Bowles, Creative Artists Agency, Lynn and Steven Green, Theresa and Tom Leghorn; Patrons included Barbara Davis, Leslie M. Demus, Zahra Jlayer and Vanda Gallery, and Ilissa and Paul Warhit.

Proceeds from the event benefit the non-profit, all volunteer New Rochelle Council on the Arts and will help to make free arts experiences possible for New Rochelle residents. For more information visit the website at www.newrochellearts.org.