Nina Vansuch in "Love Songs for Dummies," May 30 1998

Nina Vansuch

In the 1960's and 70's, Nina Vansuch performed with many musical groups and as a solo performer. Her work with the New Haven based Night Angels brought her to concert performances with Bonnie Raitt and Leon Redbone, the National Women's Musical Festival, the New Haven Educational Center for the Arts, Yale's Sprague Hall, and New England. She worked as a singer, comedian, and actress. She has also worked with arts organizations (STAND Inc,. Arts/Lexington, New Haven Educational Center for the Arts, et al.) as a consultant, teacher, and director of programming for children and adults. Since 1991, she has served as the director of the Burbank After School Program (BASP) in Belmont. She is also the creator and Director of CHENEX, an extended hours program for middle school students.

Nina Vansuch took a leave of absence from performing to get married and have a child. During this time, she began writing, consulting, and developing programs (including a radio show "The State of the Union") with other artists in her company, Artists On Call. Her return to the stage comes from her fear that if she waited too long, she would not remember the words to anything.

"Love Songs for Dummies' is part of a series of Vansuch's musical memoir that she began in the 1970's. Previous shows have included "We Were Like That" and "Where Have I Been All Your Life?"

Doug Hammer

Doug Hammer is a Berklee College of Music graduate having studied classical jazz, and musical composition. He is the Executive Director of Dreamworld Productions, a company specializing in film and commercial scoring, recording, and composition. This is his second collaboration with Nina Vansuch.

The Kendall Center for the Arts

The Kendall Center for the Arts is a community arts center that has provided affordable studio space to artists, classes in the visual arts for children and adults, children's theater classes and performances, and vacation arts camps since 1982. Over 400 children attend the summer school and vacation camps, and 400 children attend afterschool classes throughout the year. Each year over 300 adults participate in a wide range of classes in the visual and performing arts including decorative furniture painting, photography studio work (which includes the use of the center's new dark room), and expanded ceramics program available through evening and weekend programs. The center sponsors open studio tours, concerts, exhibitions in the visual arts and free community programs.

Kendall Center Staff
Date Mahoney: Executive Director
Catherine McCulloch: Education Program Director
Inez Keller & Phyllis Weinberg: Office Managers

Board members
Ralph Child: President
Stephen Tomczyk: Treasurer
David Caras
Sheri Espar
Tami Kaplan
Jude Larzelere
Richard Pichette
Nan Rogers
Lauren Shaw
Susan Timberlake
Nina Vansuch
Sarah Wald
Mary Weeks

CHENEX
CHENEX--the Chenery Extended Program at the new Chenery Middle School will begin it's second year in the fall of 1998. The non-profit PTO program provides afterschool activities for 5th-8th grade students. Sixty students are currently enrolled in CHENEX. Activities include art, crafts, talent shows, video workshops, Tae Kwon Do classes, science projects, and regular use of the computer lab, library, and gym. Students have regular homework time; in 1998 a seperate Homework Only program for 6th-8th grade students will begin. Next year's activities will include sewing, writing workshops, woodworking, photography, and ceramics. Some of these activities will be coordinated with the Kendall Center through their Community Connections program.

The CHENEX Board and Staff greatly apppreciates the support of the Chenery administration Staff, especially Chenery Headmaster, Debbie Alexander. We would also like to thank the Belmont Superintendent Dr. Peter Holland and the School Committee for its support and encouragement.

For CHENEX information, please call Nina Vansuch @ 489-3442, or 484-8030

Chenex Board Members Co-Chairs
Paul Archer
Andrea Hassol

Members at large
Susan Cunningham
Richard Kocke
Jackie Neel
Patti Fitzpatrick
Carol Mallol

Chenex Staff

Nina Vansuch		Director
Josselyn Whiteside		Site Coordinator
Scott Teabo		Head Teacher
Kim McMackin		Teacher
Julie Campbell		Teacher
Bill Porter		Teacher
Kathy Kohatsu		Teacher
Reggie Perry		Teacher
Judy Cottam		Bookkeeper and therapist