By Karen Wolitzer
This amazing place is called the Long Island Cultural Arts Studios (LICAS). Located at 48 Atlantic Avenue, in Lynbrook, LICAS has something for everyone.
Whether you want to see a show, a comedian, send your kids to theater camp or give them private lessons in acting, music or dance throw a magical birthday party or bring little ones to exciting mommy and me classes LICAS has got it all!
Run by Adam Schaap, whose family owned the Fantasy Playhouse in Lynbrook for 28 years, it's a one-of-a-kind facility.
We're best known for our children's shows, says Adam, adding Snow White,' is set to open in June, followed by Cinderella' and my favorite play, It's Just Kids Club.'
It's an amazing play about a group of kids that hang out together their hopes and dreams. They all live on the same block and everyday they get together, discuss their problems, and try to solve them together.
Then one of the children is given a magic basket, by her grandmother who tells her that it will take away her bad dreams and all of a sudden she isn't afraid of the shadows on the wall.
One by one, the basket helps all the kids make decisions that change their lives. The thing that makes the show so wonderful is that it reminds parents of how they felt when they were children. And it gives children the feeling that it was written just for them. They see that other kids have the same kind of problems as they do problems ranging from losing a special earring to divorce.
In the end, they all have very optimistic points of view and they sing three songs that are my favorite songs in the history of Theater Workshop: Is There A Lost and Found in Heaven,' Adam says as his eyes begin to water. Whenever I hear this song, it I get all choked up. It's about all the things that we lose...from little things to pets and people.
Then they sing another song, Plant a Seed For My Future' (and watch me fly), which talks about what the children will be when they grow up, he adds, again holding back tears.
When the song ends, the kids wonder if the magic basket helped them and realize it gave them the faith to believe in themselves just like Dumbo's feather did for him and they sing the third song, Dumbo's Feather.' It's an original show and I'm very proud of it. As a matter of fact, it's had such a large impact, that it has its own Web site.
Kids really love it and that's so important. This whole project is really for the children in the community, because a community without arts is a community devoid of culture. And if we want to have an impact on the future of our society, we have to offer culture to our children. I'm trying to give the arts a home on Long Island. And the community has been so wonderful. While I was building the theaters and fixing up the space, amazing people just walked in and offered their help. I can't thank them enough.
It's clear that Adam is grateful to the community and proud of all the hard work that has gone into building his theaters. He's also proud of his students and all the actors in his shows. Many of my students have gone on to become household names. But I'm just as proud of past students who have become talented doctors, lawyers and teachers Again, his eyes water.
He cheers up considerably when discussing the plays that are in the works. And as he talks about LICAS, his excitement is contagious. When we were done talking, I was ready to sign up for acting lessons!
LICAS
48 Atlantic Avenue, Lynbrook
(516) 599-1982
Call for info on Snow White,
Cinderella, It's Just Kids Club, concert schedules,
classes...everything!
