Port Chester's Capitol Hosts Kids For Rockin' Afternoon

PORT CHESTER, N.Y. — Children flocked to the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Saturday to see the Stella Blues Band.

Rita Haitoff was having a groovy time listening to the Stella Blues Band and enjoyed wearing fun glasses.
Photo Credit: *Karen Haitoff*

Children are having fun at Garcia's at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, grooving with the Stella Blues Band.
Photo Credit: *Yassamin Vaden*

Karen Haitoff and her daughter, Rita Haitoff, got to spend some time together enjoying Grateful Dead music by the Stella Blues Band.
Photo Credit: *Karen Haitoff*

At the end of the workshop, children were treated to a huge parachute to go under and dance inside of.
Photo Credit: *Yassamin Vader*

The parachute at the end of the performance thrilled the children.
Photo Credit: *Yassamin Vader*

by Pamela Stern

04/16/2015 1:30 p.m.

The Rock and Roll Playhouse puts together events like this to give children the opportunity to have some music in their lives. With school districts maintaining tight budgets, some schools have had to cut music and art programs. This is an opportunity for children to bring art and music into their lives. These musical workshops have been very popular and successful.

Children were groovin' and dressed in tie-dyed T-shirts with peace signs on them as they rocked to the Stella Blues Band and its rendition of the Grateful Dead's music.

This event at Garcia's at The Capitol Theatre brought in many children and parents as this was the first time an event like this has been held on a Saturday at The Capitol. Usually, these events are held on a Friday after school, but parents enjoyed this just as much as the children.

Nearby New Rochelle resident Beth Cohen, whose husband, Ron Cohen, is the drummer of the Stella Blues Band, was happy to be able to bring her girls, Julia and Gabrielle, to this event. "I think this is great, and the children are so engaged in this; it's wonderful," said Cohen.

Yassamin Vaden, of Greenwich, Conn., attended for the first time with her daughter, niece and nephew. "The children are having a grand time, and I love it too," said Vaden. "The children are having a ball with the bubble machine that is blowing bubbles out into the audience of children."

Karen Haitoff, of Katonah, was "trucking" with her daughter, Rita, who is 5 years old.

"This is the first time that I have brought my daughter here for this type of an event, and I love it," said Haitoff. "I absoutely love this music, and I am glad that I have this opportunity to share my love for this music with my daughter." Haitoff added that she would come back to the Capitol in the evening to see the band play.

Amy Striem, Rock and Roll Playhouse executive director, said the event brought out about 130 people. "We will be doing these shows regularly on both Friday afternoons and also on the weekends, depending on what bands are playing at The Capitol Theatre," said Striem

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