Written by Michele S. Brown (@BeautyMamaNYC)
Bailee Stein (right) and a resident of the Apsley. Photo by Julia Blumberg (@JRBphoto294)
The soul serenade of Billie Holiday, the classical cascade of Mozart along with angelic voices from Broadway held an intergenerational audience captive. Toddlers danced in the aisles and octogenarians couldn’t help but sing along to hallmark tunes from their heyday.
Advertisement
The expansive city views from the 14th floor of the luxurious Apsley, which opened on the Upper West Side in 2022, were a storybook backdrop to the inaugural performance of The Stage Exchange, a non-profit founded by UWS 16 year-old Bailee Stein.
Photo by Julia Blumberg (@JRBphoto294)
“I know the arts have the incredible power to connect people, “ says Stein, who has been singing, dancing and acting since she could walk. Stein’s previous volunteer work with seniors at Dorot and Concerts in Motion inspired her to create an official non-profit that would bring together the two most marginalized age groups in showbiz. “There are not that many casting calls for teens my age, and even less so for older adults. Pushing these groups to the wayside only makes us feel more isolated,” says Stein.
The intrepid teen enlisted musical performers from the city’s top performing arts high schools and Broadway actors and musicians to serve as mentors. Finding a senior community to work with proved more challenging. After facing a more than a few closed doors, Stein was disappointed but undeterred. The Apsley, a relatively new senior community at 85th and Broadway, embraced The Stage Exchange immediately.
“Jeremy Whaley, Apsley’s activities and volunteer coordinator, came down the elevator like superhero from a movie,” recalls Stein. “He believed fully in the idea and this could not have come together without him.”
Three Apsley residents, together with four student performers, rehearsed for four weeks with chamber musician and Manhattan School of Music teacher Charlie Zhang on piano, actor-singers Angela Gomez and Kevin Lugo, and Broadway actor-singer Paul Adam Schaefer. Three generations were brought together by a love of music, a desire to learn and the opportunity to perform.
Photo by Julia Blumberg (@JRBphoto294)
“My daughter couldn’t believe I was doing this,” laughed Blanche, 94, a self-described life-long singer who had actually never performed in front of a crowd.
“I enjoyed every minute of it!”
Advertisement
Mimi, a fellow Apsley resident and friend, joined the group late and stirred laughter in the crowd, apologizing in advance for being out of practice. She delivered a beautiful duet of “I Could’ve Danced All Night” with Blanche and LaGuardia High School senior Annabelle Lynch. The 17-year old soprano was eager to gain the collaborative stage experience. “With the Stage Exchange, not only did I gain more confidence in myself as a singer, but so did Blanch and Mimi,”she said.
Free Upper West Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox
Sixteen year-old pianist Drake Owen Smith rendered the audience silent with his exceptional iterations of Beethoven sonatas. At 6’4,” Smith commanded the piano with a lightness and maturity beyond his years. “I wanted to work with The Stage Exchange to share my gifts with others. Performing with others is my favorite part of learning music,” said Drake, who thought practicing and sharing the stage with mentors and seniors was “cool.”
Sixteen year-old pianist Adam Omarah switched up the vibe with soulful sounds of Billie Holiday’s “All of Me” and the everlasting 1930s jazz standard “Body and Soul.” Like Drake’s classical music skill, Omarah’s version of these iconic songs were riffed with skill and emotion well beyond his years. A sophomore at LaGuardia High School, Omarah aspires to be a sound engineer.
The multi-hyphenate Stein offered comedic relief in a scene from The Devil Wears Prada. She drew laughs as aspiring but fashion-ignorant intern Andy. Apsely resident Tina perfectly channeled the film’s Anna Wintour-inspired Editor-in-Chief, Miranda.
Advertisement
The salon-style performance was rounded out by a surprise guest, professional soprano Heather Lake, who dropped in to delight the audience with “If I Loved You,” accompanied by Zhang on the piano. And in a crowd-rousing finale, Lynch’s dad, Broadway actor and singer Mark Lynch, led a boisterous sing-along to Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.”
After a long standing ovation, Stein capped the show by handing out golden statuettes and hugs to all the performers.
“Sharing their talents make a huge difference in the lives of everyone involved,” said Stein. “Who knew that one tiny bar of music could do all that?”
If connection, as science shows, is a key to longevity, Stein’s just might be golden.
Have a news tip? Send it to us here!
