Moviehouse film is a ‘family affair’

Left to right: Michael Rhodes, Keith Kupferer, Tara Mallen and Katherine Mallen Kupferer during the talkback after the screening of “Ghostlight” at The Moviehouse in Millerton on July 2.
Natalia Zukerman
Left to right: Michael Rhodes, Keith Kupferer, Tara Mallen and Katherine Mallen Kupferer during the talkback after the screening of “Ghostlight” at The Moviehouse in Millerton on July 2.
MILLERTON — The Moviehouse in Millerton hosted a special July 2 screening of “Ghostlight,” a film that blurs the lines between fiction and reality blur in the most intimate of ways.
The screening was followed by an insightful talkback session with the cast, a family in the film and a family in real life.
Keith Kupferer (originally from Millerton), Tara Mallen, and their daughter, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, breathed life into their characters with a familiarity, authenticity and depth that perhaps only a real family could, transforming their on-screen interactions into a genuine exploration of love, loss, and healing.
“Ghostlight” centers on Dan, a construction worker wrestling with the profound loss of his teenage son. Struggling to articulate his grief, Dan’s emotions manifest in frequent outbursts of rage, pushing him further away from his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Daisy.
In a twist of fate, he stumbles into a theater rehearsal and is coaxed into joining the cast. This unexpected involvement in the local production of “Romeo and Juliet” becomes a powerful mirror for Dan’s personal journey, allowing him to confront his grief and find solace.
Through the transformative power of theater, Dan discovers a renewed sense of community and purpose, slowly mending the fractured bonds with his family.
The title “Ghostlight” refers to the single light left burning in a theater after everyone leaves, serving both practical and superstitious purposes.
In the Q&A, Keith Kupferer explained, “It’s for practical reasons so that when someone comes in to turn on the house lights, they don’t fall off the edge of the stage. But in a more superstitious or folkloric sense, it’s to either appease the ghosts in the theater or to repel them, whichever way you want to look at it. Kelly (O’Sullivan, the screenwriter and co-director) looks at it as an appeasement. Sort of an invitation to come.”
Tara Mallen noted, “There are several ghostlights that appear throughout the film actually,” explaining that the recurring ghostlights act as beacons in the narrative’s darkness, guiding the characters and the audience alike.
During the talkback session, moderated by Michael Rhodes, artistic director of the Tangent Theatre Company in Tivoli, New York, the cast shared their experiences and behind-the-scenes stories. Rhodes, who has known Keith and Tara for nearly 35 years, expressed how surreal it was to see them in such a deeply personal project.
The family now lives in Chicago. Keith shared that being a family “made the job easier because we didn’t have to establish those relationships, they were already there.”
Describing the connection the audience feels from the intimacy only a real family could provide, he shared, “It’s the kind of stuff that is intangible, you know? That isn’t in the script. It’s more of a behavioral thing that we have with each other. It’s nothing you could ever have with two other actors. It’s always there. Hopefully it comes across in the film.”
Katherine spoke about her experience playing their daughter on-screen.
“Because I was working with my real parents, I felt safe with them in a more unique way than acting with someone else. I could try new things.” She continued to describe a particular scene in the film where she ad-libbed lines that weren’t in the script.
“I don’t think that those moments would have come about if I’d been acting with people I didn’t, you know, go home with,” she explained to raucous laughter from the audience.
The film delicately weaves themes of irremediable loss and the therapeutic power of theater. The film also serves as a love letter to the Chicago theater scene, with its unshakeable bonds and supportive community.
Keith Kupferer reminisced about the unwavering support actors feel for one another, a sentiment beautifully captured in a scene in the film. “We’ve all had those moments that we know whoever we are on the stage with has our back. I absolutely love that about the film,” added Michael Rhodes.
“Ghostlight” is a gentle yet profound exploration of a family’s struggle to stay together amidst tragedy. The talkback provided a unique glimpse into the making of the film and the personal connections that brought the poignant story to life, reminding us that even in the darkest of theaters, a single light can guide us home.
“Ghostlight” is on Amazon Prime and Peacock.
The LED sign in front of Amenia's Town Hall on Route 22 warns passing motorists of the current temporary burn ban, in effect from Oct. 2 to Oct. 15.
A statewide burn ban is in effect as of Thursday, Oct. 2, the New York State Governor's office announced in a press release.
The temporary ban is in effect until at least Oct. 15, and the statement released by the governor's office said the restrictions will be re-evaluated prior to the Oct. 15 deadline.
Lighting fires for brush or debris disposal and large, uncontained fires for cooking or other purposes are banned until at least Oct. 15 under the statewide order. Backyard fire pits, contained camp fires no larger than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in diameter, and small, contained cooking fires are still permitted under the burn ban.
New York State has faced dry conditions all autumn, triggering drought watches and warnings across most of the state.
Dutchess County, along with the other counties in the Catskills region, are under a drought watch according to the Department of Environmental Conservation's drought condition map.
Dutchess County is currently under a "high" fire danger rating, according to the DEC.
LAKEVILLE, Conn. — Barbara Meyers DelPrete, 84, passed away Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 11:00a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 76 Sharon Rd., Lakeville.
A complete obituary will appear in next week’s Lakeville Journal.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com.
Volunteers were hard at work putting the finishing touches on the crucial creepy decorations for the Haunted Fortress of Stanford on Sunday, Sept. 28.
STANFORD — Greg Arent led a devoted team of volunteers on Sunday, Sept. 28, in a final push to prepare Stanford’s Haunted Fortress for opening day.
Final touches included cleaning the bottomless pit, scrubbing the pirate ship, raking the graveyard and dressing the dolls. By 2 p.m., about 20 volunteers had assembled to creepify the beloved local landmark.
Many of the volunteers have been coming back for years, Arent said, dedicating time and valuable skills to the town-owned haunted house that was constructed by the artist Peter Wing.
Arent has been building sets in his free time for forty years, but he started out volunteering with the Haunted Fortress in 2014 when his children wanted to get involved, he said. At that time he would help out one or two days a year. That grew into a leadership position over the course of a decade.
On Sunday, Arent was touring the decrepit grounds checking light bulbs, soundtracks and other set details to contribute to that perfect spooky ambience.
Nathan Miller
When it’s all said and done, the Fortress will be ready to welcome visitors starting on Friday, Oct. 3, with shows running from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sundays. The Haunted Fortress is entirely staffed by volunteers, Arent said, including the actors that don costumes to scare visitors. Anybody aged 6 and up can volunteer to act in the horror show, and families often will volunteer to take over a scene.
“I love it because every scene is different every night,” Arent said. “Sure there are going to be vampires in this scene, but this family is going to do it different from these three kids from Bard, who are going to do it different from these three middle school kids.”
The sets themselves were all built from recycled material to be as creepy and decrepit as possible, Arent said. Concrete culverts adorn the sides of a bridge over a stream, stacked vertically with a cone on top to elicit a fortress’s spires. Reclaimed lumber bolted to a fence evokes a dark and scary forest blocking any escape. A rusting tractor with a steel box welded above the seat sits on a set of rails with two cars attached to it, mimicking a wrecked train with it’s inner mechanisms exposed and blowing steam on passersby.
This year the Haunted Fortress is following a haunted circus theme featuring clowns and other carnival staples alongside the classic settings of the Fortress.
The team of volunteers is dedicated and numerous, and the Stanford Highway Department lends a hand too, Arent said, but there’s always a need for skilled labor at the local attraction.
And the group appreciates all the help they can get. “Whatever you’re interested in and capable of doing,” Arent said.
The haunted pirate ship marks the spot where groups of visitors are paired with their ghastly guides for the remainder of the Haunted Fortress tour in Stanford.Nathan Miller
From left, Jim Milton, Spencer Parks and William J. Clark stand with Joseph Olenik on their first day working under him as the head of Public Works on Monday, Sept. 29.
MILLERTON — The Village announced a leadership change at the Highway Department on Friday following the resignation of Superintendent Peter Dellaghelfa. Police Chief Joseph Olenik will step into the role, effective immediately, officials said.
Olenik will continue to serve as Police Chief.
The decision was made Friday, Sept. 26, during an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees following Dellaghelfa’s resignation.
Mayor Jenn Najdek said the “amicable split” with Dellaghelfa was part of an ongoing annual employee review process, adding that turnover is not uncommon in small municipalities. She expressed her gratitude for Dellaghelfa’s service over the last four years.
The Board went into Executive Session on Aug. 26 and Sept. 9 for “matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person,” but village officials could not comment on the specifics of those discussions.
The leadership shift will allow the Village to “better respond to the changing needs of our residents and community,” announced the Board in a press release shared with The News. “The Mayor and Board are excited to see Joe expand his impact on Millerton and we’re confident this change will bring lasting improvements to operations, communications and community engagement.”
Police Chief Olenik, who will continue his leadership role within the Millerton Police Department, said he is looking forward to the added responsibilities.
“I am excited to help move the department forward and rebuild it after the devastating fire,” Olenik said. “I am also looking forward to working with the dedicated staff and helping the residents of Millerton by making needed changes and repairs.”
Though Olenik will assume additional responsibilities as he leads the Highway Department, the Millerton Police Department will continue to operate separately — but with the same shared goals of supporting the village community.
William J. Clark installs the leaf container he and his colleagues built. Leaves from the Village will be delivered to McEnroe’s Organic Farm for composting.Aly Morrissey
Mayor Najdek added that Olenik has extensive supervisory and administrative experience that, given the imminent need to rebuild the Highway Department building, will be critical. In addition to managing the upcoming construction, his first orders of business will include making sure the village is on track for leaf pick-up and snow removal, working to ensure the right equipment and personnel are in place.
Olenik held his first meeting with the Village Highway Department on Monday, Sept. 29 and discussed a new leaf container — built by Millerton’s Highway Department — that will support efforts to collect leaves. The leaves will then be turned over to McEnroe’s Organic Farm for composting. While the team configuration — which includes Jim Milton, William J. Clark, and Spencer Parks — will be new, Olenik said they are not strangers. “They’ve always helped me out and I’m looking forward to working with them more closely.”
The Board said in a statement the Village is in good hands moving forward. “Joe’s leadership style — hands-on, structured, and community-focused — makes him well suited to guide this department through the transition.”