MST&DA is a nonprofit organization providing classes in theatre, dance, and fitness for both children and adults on Roosevelt Island, Queens, Manhattan and anywhere else the subway runs. For 20 years the children’s theatre and dance classes at MST&DA have had a profound effect on the children:

• Building confidence and self-esteem
• Teaching an appreciation for drama, music and dance
• Providing performance outlets
• Enhancing life skills-public speaking, cooperation, task achievement

Even the mission statement reflects the unique nature of the organization. "The MST&DA nourishes creativity by striving to provide high-quality theatrical and dance training as well as performance opportunities to everyone in our diverse community. We believe that every person, child or adult, should have the opportunity to participate in the arts, regardless of cultural, socio-economic, ethnic background, or age."

When you descend the stairs to the Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance, pass through its nondescript door, and make your way down the sparse, winding hallway that is your introduction to the space, you can't help but feel a special history wash over you. For anyone who has shared that history, there are memories of backstage jitters.

Nancy Howe and Worth Howe

There are the echoes of past performances, the crinkle of flowers stored under the seats of proud parents, the scuffing of tap shoes, Bob McDowell's long, thin fingers dancing across the piano keys, the distant sound of applause, and countless pre-show speeches (listened to most intently by those backstage, crouching in the wings) made by Nancy Howe.

The Main Street Theatre was started in 1982 as an Equity theatre for professional actors. Diana Brill, a long-time friend of Nancy and her husband Worth, chaired the Board of Directors when the Theatre was started. She was instrumental in ushering it from its rocky beginning years to its current position at the center of Island culture. When the original Board - having sold over 400 season tickets for the Theatre's first three performances - realized that the Theatre's first director had spent all of its budget for the first three shows on just the first, accruing additional debt, they had no choice but to fire him. Soon after, Diana was on the phone with Worth. "I said to him, 'Worth, there's just this wonderful opportunity for you on Roosevelt Island. You always wanted to have your own theater, and here's your chance.' Honestly - and we still laugh about it today - I cannot imagine how or why he said yes, but he did."

Back in the mid-eighties, Roosevelt Island was just concluding its

Brenna Stein, Marilyn Atkins and Barbara Parker in Sweet Charity

first decade as a small experimental community in the middle of the East River. By this time, The Main Street Theatre, under the direction of Worth and Nancy Howe, was already going strong, producing a series of outstanding children's shows and professional productions.

Then, one fine spring day in 1984, fate took a hand: At a volley-ball party in Octagon Park, Barry Puritz came up with the original idea of putting on a musical benefit with Worth and Nancy directing and doing costumes, and Diana Brill handling the choreography and musical staging. The professionals would teach the aspiring performers how to get it done on the "boards." It was straight out of the old cliché - "Hey kids, we have a barn, let's put on a show!" We saw the concept of a re-created Broadway show as a chance to raise much-needed funds for the Main Street Theatre, have some fun, and bring the community closer together.

Someone at the party suggested we do Guys and Dolls, and just like that we went into rehearsals (as Miss Adelaide might say) "the following fall." I played Sky Masterson, a free-loving gambler who was about to have his world turned upside down by Sergeant Sara Brown

Program for Murder at the Music Hall

(played by Madeline Schiering), who operated a run-down Broadway Salvation Army mission. Many famous Damon Runyon characters appeared, including Nathan Detroit (Jack Resnick), who runs "the oldest established permanent floating crap-game in New York," and his fiancée of fourteen years, Miss Adelaide (Karen Mann). Big Julie (Ron Schuppert) and Brother Arvide (Mark Ewald) had the Island audiences laughing and cheering all night. Performances by Jinny Ewald, Terri Dancik, Ronnye Halpern, Barry Puritz, Joel and Barbara Packer, and Michelle and Ken Glassberg were especially memorable. (For those performers not mentioned here, please forgive me, but it's been over 20 years and I claim my senior-citizen status.)