October 23, 2008 Issue
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Classified Chestnut Hill Local Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or Winner of Two |
Local LifeFormer CHA ‘star’ now on animal rights crusade (not animal welfare)
To dream the impossible dream; to fight the unbeatable foe; to bear with unbearable sorrow; to run where the brave dare not go … This is my quest, to follow that star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far … to fight for the right, without question or pause, to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause … (from “The Impossible Dream” in Man of La Mancha) David Cantor, 53, was the graduation speaker when he finished his senior year at Chestnut Hill Academy in 1973, where he was fourth in his class. He also worked as a volunteer at Morris Arboretum, and he was a Water Tower Baseball League all-star. His family lived in Mt. Airy until he was 2, then on Rex Avenue in Chestnut Hill until he was 14 and then in Wyndmoor. Cantor lives in Glenside today with his wife of 29 years, Elizabeth Holt, 54, a professional choral singer, piano teacher and speech-language pathologist. The couple, who have no children, have both been vegans for 19 years. (David’s mom, Betty Sherman, 75, previously taught art at Springside and Miquon Schools; his dad is deceased; he has a brother, Paul, 52, a 1974 CHA grad, who works for Bank of America in Seattle.)
You’ve got to have a good sense of humor to name your ‘80s high school punk rock band The Beatles. It takes a bit more brashness to deny that another band of the same name never existed. Josh McIlvain, 38, who has long since demolished his version of The Beatles, would rather call his current endeavor Sexcop, a musical revue rather than a band (since he is the only permanent member). And although he’s changed band mates, set lists and venues, his sense of humor remains. The one-man act is a Chestnut Hill resident with a passion for rock and roll, self-written lyrics and dramatic, stylistic live performances. Most of his material is character- or story-driven, which he likens to Smokey Robinson songs. And he keeps performances simple by remaining the only constant member of Sexcop, which he formed in May of 2003. Elvis, Hank Williams and James Brown are his inspirations for live entertaining, but his musical influences run the gamut from Brazilian to Native American to R&B and even country. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill mixture, but his voice is clean and crisp, and his lyrical storytelling is simple and humorous. McIlvain maintains he’s sold his soul to rock and roll, but his musical tastes are not monogamous. “I created Sexcop, which is primarily rock and roll, in the mold of a more jazz standard or country mode, where different guest musicians come up on stage to play on certain songs. Basically, I am the central performer, and I get to collaborate with many different musicians who contribute to different songs, both in the studio and live.
‘Scary Stories’ fun Halloween entertainment for kids on Hill
Browse in Borders/Chestnut Hill or Walk a Crooked Mile Books in the Mt. Airy Train Station, and you might find Jane Toczek haunting the horror, supernatural and sci-fi sections. Coordinator of Scary Stories at the Stagecrafters Theatre, Toczek searches year-round for spine-tingling material. The two-day Halloween event originated in 2003 as a means of celebrating the Stagecrafters’ 75th anniversary by giving something back to the community. Stage manager and special effects technician Mark Grayson, or “Gravestone” as he is known at this eerie time of year (all of the cast and crew assume ghoulish identities for the occasion), came up with the idea. “I used to do a haunted garage in my home and scare kids,” he explained, “so I suggested mounting the show on a bigger scale.” Toczek describes the first Scary Stories as “a work in progress.” Costumed performers stood on stage and read overly long tales and poems, resulting in a static and slow-moving program. “The attention spans of excited children don’t tolerate really long stories,” she observed.
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