A Frog House 2nd Annual Gala Fundraiser for Pittsford, NY Vernal Ponds

Carole Demas and Paula Janis of Carole and Paula on The Magic Garden Photo Credit, Website

No, Paula will not join us this year, but I include the photo to illustrate the magic of friendship, and how it endures. The successful pair co-produced The Magic Garden, a twice weekly children’s television program aired for 12 years, through September 14, 1984, on WPIX-11 in the New York City metropolitan area. The two still are good friends, and perform together for benefit concerts.

Carole created the starring role of Sandy in Grease. She has had many significant roles on and off Broadway, on TV and cinema, in cabaret acts and on concert stages. To get a taste of her talent, listen to A Frog House promotional video prepared by her husband Stuart J. Allyn, embedded on our home page.

The couple is famous for their years of work together as Cabaret Luminaries, described in Nite Life Exchange 4 years ago. To quote the source about Stuart, “He has been nominated for four Grammys, three Emmys, an Obie, several CLIOs and is the winner of EMMY, ASCAP, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and three film festival awards.”

Stuart has many Broadway credits, has worked for the Olympics, served The White House, and done many Actor’s Fund benefit concerts.

Ian Herman is joining Carole and Stuart for our Gala, taking the train to Rochester to be, as always, solid at her side. After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music, Ian teamed up with many well-known female soloists, including Carole, in nightclubs throughout the US and Europe. Ian has been the vocal director for many Broadway shows, including a revival of Grease. A recipient of the Backstage Bistro Award for best Musical Director, he also has composed his own music. Listen to 35 second sound bites of his 15 original compositions, or the whole album “Images”, here.

With a trio such as this, brought to you by A Frog House and Car-Pal, how can you stay away on Saturday, November 9, at 6 pm?

Yes, we are back again at The Century Club this year, fundraising for one or more Vernal Ponds to mitigate climate change, encourage biodiversity, (especially a suitable habitat for FROGS, and provide a plethora of outdoor nature learning opportunities for everyone who lives in or visits Pittsford, NY.

For those of you who were at the Gala last year, you remember how fantastic the food and the setting were, and we are going to outdo ourselves for you once again.

Will you be one of our supporters in any of many ways from now through the actual installation of the ponds?

We can’t really be sure of anything, except each other. November is bound bring hurricane winds of turmoil, whatever the result, immediately following the election. In the meantime, we can still celebrate love, warmth, the peace of friendships and honor life, one frog at a time. We hope to see you there!

Margot L. Fass, MD. Psychiatrist, climate activist and local educator.

Host or Publisher Frog House Project, Inc