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Gabriel Sousa as Jack and Marilyn Olsen as Bridgit in “Death By Design.”
Photo provided
Take your seats in the spacious Nancy Marine Studio Theatre at the Warner Theatre in Torrington to be transported to a cozy 1930s English country manor house, the setting for “Death By Design,” a farcical murder mystery by playwright Rob Urbinati and presented by the resourceful volunteer-run Stage @ The Warner.
A pleasing amalgam of classic drawing room English comedy and Agatha Christie-style murder mystery — with sharp dialogue, eccentric characters, and suspenseful plot twists —the play keeps the audience guessing and laughing until the final curtain.
The premise involves playwright Edward Bennett and his actress wife, Sorel (played by Darrel Cookman and Christiane M. Olson), who withdraw to the country after a particularly disastrous evening. Unexpected guests arrive, much to the dismay of the couple and their staff, and a murder takes place. Their sassy, smart and resourceful Irish housekeeper, Bridgit (Marilyn Olsen), is determined to solve the mystery instead of just reading about them in novels.
Playwright Rob Urbinati has a clear love of his source material and his writing often out-Cowards Noël Coward with witty wordplay (Coward’s famous line from “Private Lives,” “Don’t quibble, Sibyl,” here becomes “Mustn’t quarrel, Sorel”) and other delightful turns of phrase and aperçus. Under Jonathan Zalaski’s able direction, the production’s game cast dives gleefully into their over-the-top characters, including, in addition to those previously mentioned, an inquisitive chauffeur (Gabriel Sousa); a conservative politician (David Macharelli); a bohemian, free-spirited artist (Adriana Medina); a high-strung revolutionary (Ron St. John III); and a nearsighted ingénue (Zazzy Cores).
The creative team includes David Verdosci (set designer), Renee Purdy (costume designer), Chris Lubik (lighting designer), Nicole D’Amico (props master), Alyssa Archambault (production stage manager), Kyla Madore (assistant stage manager), Charlene Speyerer (production manager), Lee Evans (technical director), Marrianne Parks (choreography), Tracy Liz Miller (intimacy coach), Chet Ostroski (fight coordinator), and Melissa “PK” Tonning-Kollwitz (dialect coach).
The cast’s enthusiasm and the play’s inherent wit provide ample laughs and intrigue to keep the audience amused, engaged and guessing until the end. Though not a play, as one character puts it, of “social significance,” “Death By Design” definitely sets its sights, as another character says, on “cocktail and caviar.” It makes for a fun evening of murderous mayhem.
“Death By Design” runs through Nov. 16th, with an ASL-interpreted performance at 2 p.m. on Nov. 16.
Stage @ The Warner is a community theatre program with over 800 volunteers producing Broadway-style shows at the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre, 84 Main St., Torrington. Founded by Jim Fritch and Neil Pagano, the company makes quality theater accessible at reasonable prices. Stage @ The Warner inspires local performers while enriching the community through exceptional theatrical experiences.
Running time for “Death By Design”: Two hours, including a 15-minute intermission. For tickets, go to warnertheatre.org.
Richard Feiner and Annette Stover have worked and taught in the arts, communications, and philanthropy in Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, and New York. Passionate supporters of the arts, they live in Salisbury and Greenwich Village.
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Legal Notices - November 13, 2025
Nov 12, 2025
Legal Notice
Brevi Properties LLC
Brevi Properties LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 8/27/2025. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 16 Peaceable Way Dover Plains, NY 12522. Purpose: Real estate management. Section 203 of the Limited Liability Company Law.
10-09-25
10-16-25
10-23-25
10-30-25
11-06-25
11-13-25
Legal Notice
Notice of Formation of Studio Yarnell LLC
Notice of Formation of Studio Yarnell LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on October 20, 2025. Office location: Dutchess County, NY. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: 279 McGhee Hill Road, Millerton, NY 12546. Purpose: Marketing consultancy.
11-13-25
11-20-25
11-27-25
12-04-25
12-11-25
12-18-25
Notice of Publication
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF
NEW YORK
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS
Index No. 2025-51557
FORECLOSURE SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS
LLACG COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND,
Plaintiff,
-against-
DONNA PARILLO, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF EDWARD P. SWEENEY, DECEASED; BRENDA J. SWEENEY, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF
EDWARD P. SWEENEY, DECEASED; DONALD E. SWEENEY AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE
OF THE ESTATE OF EDWARD P. SWEENEY, DECEASED; EDWARD P. SWEENEY AS HEIR,
DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF EDWARD P. SWEENEY, DECEASED; JAMES
RICHARD SWEENEY AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF EDWARD P.
SWEENEY, DECEASED; ROSEMARY SWEENEY AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE
ESTATE OF EDWARD P. SWEENEY, DECEASED; SCOTT P. SWEENEY AS HEIR, DEVISEE,
DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF EDWARD P. SWEENEY, DECEASED; THOMAS SWEENEY AS
HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF EDWARD P. SWEENEY, DECEASED; RENEE PERRY AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF EDWARD P. SWEENEY,
DECEASED; ANY AND ALL KNOWN OR UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF EDWARD P. SWEENEY, DECEASED; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON BEHALF OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; “JOHN DOE #1- #50” and “MARY ROE #1- #50”, the last two names being fictitious, it being intended to name all other parties who may have some interest in or lien upon the premises described in the Complaint,
Defendants.
TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS:
YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to serve upon plaintiff’s attorney an answer to the complaint in this action within twenty days after service, or within thirty days after service is complete if the summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty days of service hereof. If you fail to answer, judgment will be taken against you for the relief demanded in the complaint.
Trial is desired in the County of Dutchess. The basis of venue designated above is that the real property that is the subject matter of this action is located in the County of Dutchess.
NOTICE
YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME.
If you do not respond to this Summons and Complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.
Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the Summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action.
YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR
THE. PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.
Dated: October 14, 2025
MCMICHAEL TAYLOR GRAY, LLC
By: s/ Patricia Pirri, Esq.
Attorneys for Plaintiff
3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260
Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
(404)474-7149
10-23-25
10-30-25
11-06-25
11-13-25
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North East Town Hall
Maud Doyle
MILLERTON — The North East Town Board held a special workshop meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 4, to finalize a years-long review of its commercial district zoning code — a process that has spanned 100 meetings over four years.
Town officials had hoped the meeting would mark the completion of the most complex phase of the overhaul — approving a final draft of zoning edits to be sent to the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development for review before scheduling a public hearing.
But the process was delayed after Town Attorney Warren Replansky, who joined the meeting via Zoom, raised procedural questions about whether the document before the board was a “preliminary draft” or a final version.
Replansky said that although the zoning document itself is largely complete and not expected to undergo major revisions, the accompanying local law still needs to be reformatted before it can “pass muster” with the county and the state. The update is primarily technical — ensuring the law is structured correctly for formal adoption and filing — but it delayed the board from scheduling a public hearing.
Regardless, the Board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to forward a copy of the proposed zoning amendments to the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development and the town’s Planning Board for “preliminary review” prior to the commencement of the formal local law adoption process.
The board also approved a motion to allow Town Clerk Tilly Strauss to send copies of the Zoning Code amendments to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Advisory Committee, Village of Millerton, Town of Amenia, Town of Ancram, Town of Pine Plains, Town of Stanford and Town of Salisbury, Connecticut.
In the meantime, the town’s legal counsel will work to finalize the local law’s formatting to comply with official filing requirements. If acceptable, the town may schedule the official public hearing at this week’s board meeting, to be held on Thursday, Nov. 13.
“This is an important waypoint in the work that we have done to rezone the commercial portion of the town,” said Supervisor Kennan at the special meeting before giving credit to those involved in the lengthy process and its 100 meetings. “I just want everyone to wrap their heads around that,” said Kennan. “That’s a lot of volunteer time. That’s a lot of work that went into this.”
Without making any promises, Kennan expressed his hope that the process can be completed before the end of the year, prior to the conclusion of Councilman Ralph Fedele’s term, allowing him to cast a vote to approve the zoning changes after dedicating significant time to the effort.
Town officials said they hope the County review process will not drag on as they have already reviewed an earlier draft. The document is currently 181 pages long.
In addition to the zoning discussion, the Board approved two additional resolutions.
The first authorized a grant application to the Hudson River Valley Greenway for $30,000 to hire planning consultant Nan Stolzenburg, who will guide the residential and agricultural zoning review expected to begin in early 2026.
The second resolution approved a contract with LAN Engineering for the new Town Hall renovation project. The firm will handle both the engineering and architectural work, including updates to ensure bathrooms are ADA-compliant and interior modifications. The town previously rejected a $940,000 renovation bid from another architect earlier this year. “I believe that we’re going to be able to get this done for a lot less,” said Kennan, adding that while the new proposal is “not inexpensive,” it’s a comprehensive and complete plan to move the project forward.
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Meredith Rollins is the local writer behind Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries podcast “Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage.” The series highlights recipients of the nation’s highest military award for bravery, sharing their extraordinary acts of valor and sacrifice. Season two was released this summer and Rollins reveales that a third season is on its way.
Photo by Aly Morrissey
SHARON, Conn. — After 20 years as a magazine editor with executive roles at publishing giants like Condé Nast and Hearst, Meredith Rollins never imagined she would become the creative force behind a military history podcast. But today, she spends her days writing about some of the most heroic veterans in United States history for “Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage,” a podcast produced by Malcolm Gladwell’s company, Pushkin Industries.
From her early days in book publishing to two decades in magazines and later a global content strategist for Weight Watchers, Rollins has built a long and varied career in storytelling.
“I’ve learned a lot with each career shift, but the higher I went up the masthead, the less it was about writing and editing,” said Rollins. “I missed the creative process.”
While the podcast isn’t her first writing project, it marks her first foray into audio storytelling.
“During the pandemic I used to listen to mostly true crime podcasts when I was doing the laundry, driving my kids somewhere or working in the garden,” she said. Now Rollins gets to write one, and approaches each episode with awe and a reporter’s curiosity.
After 30 years of friendship with Malcolm Gladwell, the pair decided to collaborate on a project that would combine their shared journalism roots with stories that celebrate bravery and courage.
“Malcolm approached me about a project, and he was looking for a subject that he believed would really bring people together in this fractured political time we’re going through,” said Rollins.
Enter “Medal of Honor.”
The podcast’s namesake is the highest U.S. military decoration for valor, awarded for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.” Each episode brings to life the story of a Medal of Honor recipient — often with the cinematic pacing and emotional resonance of a feature film.
“Medal of Honor” released its second season this summer, and production on a third season is underway. While Season One was narrated by Gladwell himself, Season Two introduced a new voice with firsthand experience. J.R. Martinez is a former U.S. Army soldier, author, motivational speaker and winner of Dancing with the Stars Season 13.
Writing for two very different narrators, Rollins said, has been both a challenge and a joy.
“As we’ve gotten to know each other and gotten deeper into this project together, I can almost predict how J.R. will react to certain moments,” she said. “He brings so much heart and humanity to the stories.”
Both her father and father-in-law served as Marines, but Rollins said military history was never top of mind until Gladwell pitched her the idea.
“The deeper you get into a subject you don’t know about, the more excited you get about it,” she said. “It’s been a way for me to learn about the incredible sacrifice woven into our country’s history.”
Rollins approaches each episode of “Medal of Honor” by looking first at the act of sacrifice itself, which she describes as “a moment that often happens in a flash.”
She dives deep into research, gathering biographical details from their upbringing and motivations to the circumstances that led them into combat. She then recreates the atmosphere of the conflict, setting the scene with vivid historical detail.
“These men would tell you they were just average guys,” said Rollins. “And if you believe that, then you have to believe we’re all capable of that same bravery or selflessness. It has really shown me the incredible courage we all have, and our ability to do right in the world.”
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