Young @ Heart - A Review

From Phyllis and Ronald Rosenberg -
On first turning 70, I certainly could identify with this group of seniors and their efforts to make music, even if it wasn't their music. Learning something new and being supportive of each other in crises and chorus, resonated with me, especially when two of the most appealing and dedicated members died within the same week, days before the performance.
Bob Cilman brought verve, vitality, compassion and professionalism to the performance and stretched the participants to their full potential. He had come to understand the health issues and mortality of this age group, but possessed the drive for renewal and inspiration with each new year.
I liked the in-depth portraits of Joe Benoit, Bob Saldini and Eileen Hall who personified the drive, the commitments and pleasure derived from participation in this happening. Of course, I felt sorrow that they all passed away during the past year, two of them during the making of the documentary.
I liked Stan Goldman's performance in the ‘I Feel Good’ showstopper. His flubs and forgetting of lines made him more endearing and his ultimate success and spirit in going forward very motivating. Besides, he is a former English teacher from Brooklyn which was my profession for nearly thirty years. And I identify with him and hope to emulate him in the areas of playwriting and readers' theater.
My husband and I have participated in Readers' Theater and poetry reading events over the past fifteen years and although we haven't performed in such large venues, we have felt rewarded working with a group, perfecting roles and performing before a live audience.
Knowing that there is a place for older and/or retired adults to participate, perform, learn new material and be relevant to a young generation makes the assaults of the aging process less painful.
I have already begun recommending the film to my friends so they will be aware of it when it comes to the local theaters.
Recently, my husband and I performed in a reading of ‘Romeo & Juliet,’ and he suggested that a documentary be made, showing how this group of seniors interpreted ‘Romeo & Juliet,’ a play targeted to young people. After seeing Young at Heart, it no longer seems a reactionary idea.
Thank you for showing this film and we hope it finds an audience that transcends the generations.
Sincerely,
Phyllis Rosenberg
Ronald Rosenberg