Former congressman and assemblyman Anthony Brindisi was confirmed as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York by just one vote President Joe Biden made the nomination back in July, and Brindisi was voted in on Wednesday, Dec. 4, with 50 voting in favor and 49 voting against. Brindisi has been a judge on the New York State Court of Claims in Utica since 2022. In addition, Brindisi has been serving as an Acting Supreme Court Justice in Oneida County, since the beginning of 2024. Prior to joining the bench, Brindisi was a partner at Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman, LLP in Utica from 2021 to 2022. From 2019 to 2021, Brindisi served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York’s 22nd Congressional District. Before that, he represented District 119, which includes the Utica and Rome region, in the New York State Assembly from 2011 to 2019. While a member of the New York State Assembly, Judge Brindisi also practiced law at Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman, LLP. He joined the law firm as an associate in 2004, was named a partner in 2008, and served as counsel from 2014 until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018. Brindisi received his J.D. from Albany Law School in 2004 and his B.A. from Siena College in 2000. Officials responsesSenate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said he knows Brindisi and gave him glowing praise. “I know him well,” Schumer said. “He is a proud son of Utica and a former member of Congress. I worked closely with him on many issues for Upstate New York, particularly his hometown of Utica, where my dad was raised, so I have a particular affinity there…He is also an exceptionally qualified attorney whose legal acumen and deep care for the Mohawk Valley – and all of Central New York – will make him an excellent addition to the Northern District.” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also praised Brindisi, calling him accomplished and extremely qualified. “I am honored and grateful that the Senate has confirmed Judge Brindisi to serve on the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York,” said Gillibrand. “Judge Brindisi is an accomplished and exceptionally qualified attorney with a long and distinguished record of public service. Our legal system will be well served by his sharp legal mind and commitment to fair and equal justice. I congratulate him on this well-deserved honor and look forward to his tenure on the bench.” longtime artistic director of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres 5.Courtesy of Chanhassen Dinner TheatresGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories who led Chanhassen Dinner Theatres as artistic director for 37 years and directed 130 productions at the venue A fixture in the Twin Cities theater community friends and collaborators describe Brindisi as having infectious enthusiasm a deep love for actors and an unwavering commitment to the art of storytelling from his early days as an actor to his transformative role as Chanhassen’s artistic leader he worked extensively in summer stock and directed at theaters across the country “He was simply one of the best human beings I have ever known,” said actor David Brinkley who performed in numerous Chanhassen productions under Brindisi’s direction “My wife always tells me I’m prone to hyperbole but when you feel this deeply about someone MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all “He carried with him a light of joy and optimism,” Howland said “The first thing you saw when Michael approached you was this infectious smile and then there was telling you about what he was thinking about or an actor that he had just come across that was so amazing or an audience member that said something to him and everything revolved around joy and optimism.” Brindisi earned his Equity card in 1971 at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres in “The Matchmaker.” He would later recall the moment when founding artistic director Gary Gisselman offered him a part but I want you to be the accordion player in the show.” Brindisi nearly left the industry altogether in the early 1970s “He was sitting at the Howard Johnson on 46th Street thinking about leaving New York when a friend knocked on the window and told him to audition for ‘Grease.’ That changed everything,” Howland said Brindisi landed a role in the show’s national tour a turning point that led to performances on Broadway and an eventual return to Chanhassen as an actor and director while appearing in “Fiddler on the Roof,” Brindisi was tapped to become Chanhassen’s artistic director He would go on to direct nearly every mainstage production for the next three decades “I just don’t know who else has done this,” longtime Chanhassen performer Tony Vierling said “I don’t know how many directors have been in one place and done so much.” Brindisi’s background as a performer informed his approach to directing “He was an actor’s director,” Brinkley said “Because he had been an actor and he knew actors had a process,” Vierling said “And so he oftentimes allowed actors their process before he imposed any kind of directorial ideas upon them.” Vierling performed in 49 of Brindisi’s productions at Chanhassen and had appeared onstage with him when Brindisi was an actor He remembers his attention to detail as an actor Brindisi would watch the show intensely during rehearsals “The joy that he had would just radiate,” Brinkley said And he had such a look of joy on his face when he was watching people perform I've never seen that on another director ever.” “We called it ‘the Brindisi laugh,’” Vierling said “I always called him ‘Boss.’ That made him laugh,” said actress and former newscaster Nancy Nelson who has starred in several productions of “Love Letters” under his direction Nelson recalled his light touch with directing We should work on getting great back,’” Brindisi told her during a rehearsal “And we talked about what his thoughts were,” Nelson said “Love Letters” is currently playing at the theater, where Nelson appears opposite former WCCO anchor Don Shelby Brindisi oversaw the rehearsals for the new production Brindisi was known for his deep respect for actors and his ability to bring out their best work many of whom got their first professional break at Chanhassen under his guidance “Actors came to him with hope in their pockets “And he was able to point a finger at so many of them and say he kept me working for years and years and years I raised an entire family because of Michael,” Brinkley said Brindisi’s interest in musical theater continued offstage as well Vierling recalled a dinner club he formed with Brindisi listen to cast albums and discuss productions they wished they could stage “Some of my favorite memories were just sitting around with those guys talking about musical theater and eating dinner and laughing,” Vierling said Brindisi directed “Grease” four times at Chanhassen, including its current run — his final production recalled the experience of working on Brindisi’s last production and he was so great with leading these younger actors and really trying to get the flavor of the piece because it’s an older piece,” Vierling said “So he was right there every day and always beaming He always wore this little hat that had the ‘Grease’ logo on it And it was always very joyful to work on ‘Grease,’ with him Brindisi was instrumental in saving Chanhassen Dinner Theatres from closure in 2010 when he took ownership of the theater “We would have closed our doors 15 years ago if he and his business partner hadn’t swooped in and saved us,” Howland said “And the dinner theater has been nothing short of miraculous since he did that.” we kept in touch constantly,” Brinkley said “We would just sit there and talk about the next show and what his ideas were for the next one And no one's ever done that with me before.” “We meet so many people in our lives,” Nelson said The Chanhassen Dinner Theatres leader treated his work with reverence and his friends with a spirit that warrants the same Minnesota Star Tribune opinion editor’s note: On Monday, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres held a memorial for Michael Brindisi, the venue’s longtime artistic director and co-owner, who died in February who was a theater critic for the Star Tribune for nearly two decades I can’t do anything for you but how ‘bout we get coffee sometime But Michael made it unmistakable that our friendship would not end because I had become a mere human In fact, in 2018, Michael asked me to join the ensemble of “Holiday Inn.” He warned me; he wanted me for all five months of the run I’d auditioned at Chan when I was 19 and I’m convinced Gary Gisselman ordered Johnny Command to “go break that kid’s ankles before he gets out of the parking lot.” And now in 2018 Michael was offering me this chance It was one of the greatest gifts anyone has ever given me I am old enough to have many times massaged my understanding of God My relationship with Michael taught me that God is the air that exists between two friends God is within us and we push that spirit out through our actions Many here would roll their eyes at the suggestion Michael was God spiritual edification through a ritual that uses music spectacle to gather people together in a room and send them out into the world feeling changed and smiling Michael knew how stories awaken our spirits and teach us things we knew in our hearts I loved having lunch over the years talking about the upcoming show “I think it’s the best show ever.” “Music Man?” “It might be the best musical ever written.” “Jesus Christ Superstar?” “You know this might be the best show I’ve ever worked on.” “Oklahoma?” “Greatest musical ever.” He treated the work in front of him with reverence and respect He felt in his bones the transforming power of each story He created an experience that stayed in our memories to remind us of that night Augustine wrote that our memories are not just a box of clutter in the attic where our identity is formed and our relationship to God and one another reveals itself Our actions are in large part a function of our memories I’ve written and directed many musicals for the youths at our church I told Michael about them and he insisted that he wanted to come see them for “Tween Jesus,” Michael said he and Cat would likely make the Saturday matinee but I didn’t see them beforehand I was at the piano in the orchestra pit when the first great joke of the show landed and I heard this big clap of laughter I recalled that memory as we opened this year’s show Michael and I last had lunch the day after Christmas I wanted to thank him for getting my family in on short notice to see “White Christmas.” He told me how happy he was that Peter Rothstein had hired Cat at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Florida — and saved him about $80,000, which he would have spent to have her study directing in New York — a most-worthy pursuit but … $80,000. Right? He mentioned the project that he and veteran actor Michael Anthony Brinkley were working on. He talked about the show, and about how “Grease” was coming up and he reminded me again, that was the show that launched him. The best show ever. He was busy — with lots of gigs all over and I envied him. He was so full of spiritual purpose and energy. I felt God in and around and through us both. This was his life, theater. I told him how happy he looked and I reminded him that he would never retire. He laughed that great laugh and said he would work until the day he died. We all hoped that moment might have come at a more-distant time, but it made some kind of cosmic sense. He had just gotten “Grease” on its feet. The remount of “White Christmas” would follow. Everything was on cruise control. Michael knew dramatic timing. This is a guy who studied Abbott and Costello. We just have to trust his sense of timing on this one. It’s the only explanation that helps our broken hearts understand how this could have happened now. I emailed Michael after seeing “White Christmas” to thank him. Nice work as always. The kids dance and sing like crazy. Hegge chews more scenery than anything I’ve seen this side of Kerry Rodau. Hope you’re well. Love to the family. Happy New Year. I didn’t hear back and I worried that maybe I’d offended him. Maybe he encouraged Hegge. Rodau, I didn’t worry about. She’d take it as a compliment. I doubt it. He could take a joke. But I guess I’ll never know. I just know that I’ll miss him. I will miss that soft, cherubic face. I’ll miss the spirit of God that filled the air when we broke bread together. Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote his epic poem “Ulysses” shortly after the death of a very dear friend. Feeling the melancholy of age, Tennyson put these words into the mouth of his hero, standing on the plain of Troy, in the aftermath of battle: “I am a part of all that I have met.” In my life, I have met many people. I have met many experiences, places, moments. Beyond his role as theater critic, Graydon Royce served as a fine arts reporter and editor in various roles for the Star Tribune. Commentaries The gender gap in ideology is prematurely wide state leaders will wring their hands over a collapse they engineered No other government entity in Minnesota enjoys near-total control over public access to its data Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) announced that the theatres’ leader and days before the latest show he directed opens “This amazing man has meant so much to our Chanhassen Dinner Theatres’ family and this news is utterly shocking to us all.” The statement went on to say to hold his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and their young son in your thoughts and prayers. Brindisi’s wife, known professionally as Michelle Barber, and his daughter, Cat Brindisi and both have been in productions he directed Brindisi made his CDT debut in 1971 in “The Matchmaker” and earned his Actor’s Equity Union card in the process Brindisi was named the Resident Artistic Director of CDT in January of 1988 leading the now well-known dinner theater for 36 years and helping establish it as a nationally known regional theater Since being named as the Resident Artistic Director Brindisi has directed all of the shows at the dinner theater Because of the relationships Brindisi made with licensing houses in New York the regional theater was awarded the first regional productions of some well-known musicals including “Cats,” which Brindisi directed in 2003, “Les Misérables,” and Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” Through a partnership with The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization Bridisi also debuted the world premiere stage adaption of “Irving Berlin’s Easter Parade” at CDT Brindisi was one of the three managing partners and the president of the organization in addition to being the Resident Artistic Director and their daughter Cat worked together on a production of “Hello Dolly!” at CDT in 2014 with Barber as the lead Brindisi has just directed his fourth production of the musical “Grease,” at CDT Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Anthony Brindisi has been confirmed by the U.S District Court judge for the Northern District of New York The former Democratic congressman was nominated by President Joe Biden in July for the position to replace David Hurd "I have a particular affinity for Utica He is also an exceptionally qualified attorney whose legal acumen and deep care for the Mohawk Valley – and all of Central New York – will make him an excellent addition to the Northern District," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in floor remarks Wednesday before the chamber voted Brindisi served a single term in the House of Representatives representing New York’s former 22nd Congressional District from 2019 to 2020 He lost his bid for a second term in 2020 to Republican Claudia Tenney who he had narrowly defeated two years earlier He served as a state assemblyman before then he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the state Supreme Court Kathy Hochul to the New York state Court of Claims He's also been an acting Supreme Court justice in Oneida County Brindisi began practicing law in 2004 after receiving his juris doctorate from Albany Law School Also poised to join the the bench is Beth Coombe a prosecutor who spent her career in Albany and Syracuse She was the first woman to become a federal criminal chief for the Northern District The Northern District court locations include Albany Things are shaping up well for Cara Brindisi and her third annual Winter Solstice Concert “The special element to this show is third time’s a charm,” the Central Massachusetts singer said  “I feel so much more elevated from having done it twice I feel I’ve surrounded myself now with all complete professionals to make this happen.” Brindisi has done a little downsizing to come up with a festive and family-friendly event “I’m keeping it a little bit less is more this year and it sounds bigger and better than ever,” Brindisi said “I’m keeping it really simple and letting the songs speak for themselves I’m letting the arrangements speak for themselves The songs that I have chosen and the band that I have put together are so fine-tuned compared to the year’s past.” 'This year is going to really shine'Brindisi’s first two winter solstice concerts were sellouts at the hall and this one looks like it’s going to follow suit “This is not just a local show but this is becoming a show as elevated as you would see in Boston,” Brindisi said “I feel like this year is going to really shine I’m doing it the right way and it’s such a good feeling for me I’m enjoying it this year more than any other years.” Brindisi, who made a big splash as a member of Team Gwen (as in No Doubt's Gwen Stefani) on Season 22 of NBC’s "The Voice," promises another affair filled with music More: 'Masterpiece' St. Nicholas icon acquired by Icon Museum in Clinton More: Gift guide for ghouls offers darkly magical choices With her Winter Solstice Concert becoming a local holiday tradition after only a few years Brindisi carefully selects and performs songs from all generations to bring joy and reflection to the season “The songs capture the essence of not only Christmas and the holidays but definitely the wintertime and the fact that this is the darkest time of the year,” Brindisi said “The concert is really about bringing light and gathering in a place that’s warm and full of light.” “We’re going to be playing some songs that people might not know and songs that everyone will know It’s a combination of all different genres,” Brindisi said whether it’s a child or somebody in their 90s will walk away with at least something that they connect to.” Promising a show that is not a repeat of the previous two years Brindisi chatted about some of the new things to expect this year while refusing to reveal the holiday surprises and festive magic in store “The thing I’m most excited about is we are rolling out the grand piano to be one of the focus points of this year’s performance So that’s exciting because it’s Mechanics Hall and its pristine acoustics and it’s the perfect fit for the stage,” Brindisi said “I have a piano player (Brindisi’s fellow Shrewsbury High and Berklee College of Music classmate Kazumi Shimokawa) who is unbelievable We got some really beautiful songs planned for everyone That I will keep a little bit of a secret.” Brindisi’s core band for the evening includes guitarist Nate Radley bassist Joey Whelan and drummer Dan Drohan respectively the poet laureate and junior poet laureate of Worcester Grafton High School student Adrianna Peloquin who last year performed a cover of Swift’s “Forever Winter,” will return again this year to perform an original song she wrote especially for the concert a 16-year-old pop phenom hailing from Falmouth is also going to join Brindisi in a yet-to-be-discussed number or two spiritsBrindisi said she’s taking advantage of Mechanics Hall reworking its speakers and lights “A large portion of the budget this year for the show is actually going toward making the sound and lighting just completely elevated compared to years prior,” she said “So that was a really wonderful opportunity to take advantage of this year and I am really looking forward to that.” Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles’ “Winter Song,” which was performed last year with 16 “beautiful young people” who make up the choir at Shrewsbury High School will be performed this year by a small group of students from “Many Voices: Mechanics Hall Youth Singers,” which was founded in 2022 and is open to fourth through seventh graders from Worcester “A portion of the proceeds of ticket sales this year is going back to that program like my honorary guests of this year’s concert,” Brindisi said “Mechanics Hall and (Youth Singers’ managing director) Christon Carney and (Youth Singers’ Artistic Director) Reagon Paras they have put together this unbelievable group of young people and I was an honor to be a part of their concert in the fall so I invited some of them to represent and be a part of my show this year because we are giving back to them through our Winter Solstice Concert.” This winter concert also marks the first time that it will be done with two acts and an intermission “Mechanics Hall agreed to do two acts instead of one long show I’m gonna need two outfits,” Brindisi said Tickets: $40-$95.mechanicshall.org. 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Brindisi becomes the fourth Cardinal this season to be named to the conference’s weekly award list and second to be tabbed Defensive Player of the Week Brindisi showcased her defensive prowess in Stanford’s ACC Tournament clinching win over #21 Notre Dame last week earning a season-high four caused turnovers as well as three ground balls as the Cardinal earned an 8-7 win in South Bend Brindisi was part of a defensive corps that only allowed three goals in the final three quarters of action against the Irish while holding Notre Dame scoreless on both of its woman-up opportunities Brindisi is enjoying a solid senior season on The Farm tallying 16 caused turnovers and 25 ground balls while starting all 14 games this season for Stanford She currently sits two caused turnovers shy of tying her single-season high and is 11 shy of 12th place in program history in the defensive category Brindisi currently leads the Cardinal in games played with 59 through her four-year tenure Stanford begins its push to the postseason this week April 10 before closing the home slate against Denver on Sunday Opening draw at Cagan Stadium on Thursday is slated for 3 p.m PT while Sunday’s affair is scheduled for 1 p.m songbird Cara Brindisi is the reigning queen of the holiday season Not only has Brindisi’s annual Winter Solstice Concert become a local holiday tradition until Brindisi comes to town and sings Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” it's not officially the Christmas season Her third holiday outing (and third sell-out!!!) performed Friday night was an eclectic winter wonderland of music and song that captured the true essence of the season of giving I have never seen a gifted performer who gives more than Brindisi — not only of herself but as to the way she shares the stage with other younger Brindisi delivered the holiday concert of year for all ye faithful who came out on a snowy night to see it the only thing that could have made this show any cooler was Brindisi duetting with the ghost of David Bowie on “The Little Drummer Boy.” Chockful of piping hot renditions of contemporary as well as pop covers and original compositions the show was an abundance feast for the senses that even the most humbuggy and those with the most finicky of musical palates would enjoy Brindisi’s fellow Shrewsbury High and Berklee College of Music classmate Kazumi Shimokawa quietly walked onto the stage and sat behind Mechanics Halls’ grand piano as well as the concert garb of his fellow bandmates bassist Joey Whelan and drummer Dan Drohan (who all embarked on the stage after the first number) Shimokawa’s nimble fingers elegantly tickled the ivories on the Claude Debussy’s timeless classic “Clair De Lune.” Brindisi, who made a big splash as a member of Team Gwen (as in No Doubt's Gwen Stefani) on Season 22 of NBC’s "The Voice,"  slinked on the stage wearing the first of two stunning outfits: A beautiful chiffon blue dress adorned with silver leaves winter diva finished singing the earth motherly Making an unforgettable entrance without even setting foot on the stage Brindisi’s disembodied voice began to filter into the celebrated concert hall expecting her to descend from the ceiling wearing angel wings It might have been too much but it would have been totally appropriate an earthbound angel gracing the audience with her God-given Mechanics Hall was alive with the sound of holiday music as Brindisi delivered a fiery take on Rodger and Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Thing” that was strong enough to make Julie Andrews run for the hills With bare-branched birch trees decked with white Christmas lights decorating the minimalist stage Brindisi delivered a warm and inviting cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Song for a Winter’s Night.” Brindisi’s take of Joni Mitchell’s “River” sounded heaven sent Despite being a song about delicate heartbreak during the holidays Brindisi’s daydream musings were awe-inspiring and absolutely beautiful Gifted Grafton High School student Adrianna Peloquin who last year performed a cover of Swift’s “Forever Winter,” return again this year to perform an original solstice-theme song she wrote especially for the concert An accomplished songwriter in her own right one could easily see the Swift influence (we’re talking Taylor not Jonathan) in the Peloquin-penned “First Snow.” Wearing a sparkly blouse and long white dress Peloquin’s command of the stage was well beyond her years No signs of butterflies or stage jitters that one would expect from a teenager Peloquin belted out her original tune with heartfelt conviction and embraced her lovelorn words for all its worth Brindisi fans know all too well that she sang Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” for her blind audition on “The Voice.” Well on Friday night Brindisi return to Swift country And the crowd of 1,200 was lucky too with Brindisi's stellar interpretation of the Tay Tay’s gooey ditty Brindisi’s delivered a spirited cover of Bob Dylan’s “Winterlude.” A little offbeat After an original winter solstice poem from Worcester poet laureate Oliver de la Paz (who obviously was the only one who didn't see the memo to dress up for this gala affair) Brindisi invited five enthusiastic and well-dressed singers from the “Many Voices: Mechanics Hall Youth Singers” to sing Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles’ “Winter Song” with her Brindisi closed the first set with a showstopping "Let It Go " from Disney's 2013 computer-animated feature film “Frozen.”  wine velour dress with matching “elven cape” and gold-leaf headband Brindisi dedicated Tori Amos’ “Winter,” the opening number from the second act to her father Brindisi _ who is known primarily as an acoustic guitar-strumming singer-songwriter _ left her comfort zone and played piano While Brindisi was absolutely stunning onstage in her elegant outfits Worcester junior poet laureate Serenity Jackson took the cake for best dressed Wearing a beautiful gown and topped with a gem encrusted tiara Jackson looked like a Disney princess that came to life while her profound poetic musings in “The Sun Within Winter Solstice” was anything but kid’s stuff Brindisi went unabashedly old school with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s wartime holiday wish “Christmas Bells,” Christina Rossetti’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” and the traditional British folk Christmas carol Brindisi passionately sung Mark Lowry/Bubby Greene's modern Christmas classic “Mary Did You Know?” with a deep heartfelt conviction that transcended the inherent religious message of the song and made it more about the plethora of wonderful possibilities instilled in children Wearing a red dress that was the same color as Brindisi's keyboardist-singer-songwriter Vanna Pacella delivered the poetic and profound original “The Dark Side of the Light.” Hailing from Falmouth the 17-year-old pop phenom and her impressive two- piece band (of guitarist Tom Davis and drummer Nick Simpson) delivered Brindisi raised the roof off the place with her most compelling and strongest vocals of the evening one-two punch of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’and "Please Come Home for Christmas," Brindisi captivated the crowd with “Snow Globe,” her beautiful holiday song about experiencing an Andy Williams-like awe while traveling through a winter “Snow Globe” is featured in the Hallmark Channel’s “A Very Vermont Christmas.” Hallmark Brindisi would be perfectly cast as an aspiring singer-songwriter single mother and widower who has to choose between signing a big record deal or falling for the small town's resident hunk.Alone on the stage Brindisi closed the evening with her signature closer which matched the shared sentiment of the room Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Can't wait to see what magic Brindisi has in store for the next winter solstice Several years after losing a nail-biter reelection campaign Anthony Brindisi of New York found himself on the other side of the Capitol on Wednesday to audition for another job: federal judge would mark an unusual path from Congress to state court judge to U.S one that left him defending his qualifications during a confirmation hearing at the Senate Judiciary Committee Brindisi sought to distance himself from his former job as a rank-and-file House lawmaker repeatedly emphasizing his current role as a New York state jurist In response to a question from Chair Richard J Brindisi said he sought to be fair and impartial by making lawyers and litigants feel respected and heard Brindisi, a former member of the New York State Assembly, defeated Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney in 2018 for a House seat in upstate New York. He served one term in Congress before Tenney beat him in the 2020 general election by 109 votes “One thing that I take away from being in Congress for two years is the ability to be a good listener,” Brindisi said my goal was always to try and work with both sides to get things done and that involves sitting down with individuals sometimes you may disagree with and listening to their ideas and thoughts on a particular bill,” he said But some Republicans questioned him about whether his past stances on legislation would influence decisions on the bench Brindisi said he sponsored pieces of legislation as a member of Congress but years ago gave up his title as a policymaker and has “transitioned to a neutral arbiter sitting in state court currently.” Several Republicans focused on Brindisi’s support for a bill that backers say would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in public accommodations and other areas of life The legislation, called the Equality Act, has been part of the cultural, policy and partisan divide over LGBTQ rights. Brindisi voted for the bill in 2019, when it passed the Democrat-controlled House and then stalled in the Republican-led Senate it has been a number of years since I’ve been in the House and have been a judge for the last two-and-a-half years,” Brindisi said and I do know that in New York state there are several cases that are on point with this particular issue,” he said questioned the judicial nominee over his support for the bill while Brindisi said it’s been years since he was a co-sponsor of the measure Brindisi began to explain the aim of the bill but was swiftly cut off by the Republican senator “Your recollection is contrary to the explicit text of the statute,” Cruz said “Are you fond of ignoring the text of statutes?” and if I’m fortunate to be confirmed as a district court judge I will follow statutory …,” Brindisi said before Cruz interrupted “But you didn’t when you were a congressman — you sponsored it the state of New York really is getting hammered with judicial nominees,” Cruz said The theater world mourns the loss of Michael Brindisi the beloved impresario of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres just two days before the opening of his latest production “Grease.” Brindisi dedicated over 50 years to Chanhassen Brindisi’s passion for theater was evident in every production he touched His commitment to excellence and ability to bring stories to life on stage made him a cherished figure in the theater community Chanhassen greeter and local broadcasting legend reminded the audience on opening night of Brindisi’s impact His legacy will continue to shine brightly on the stage he called home Brindisi’s journey with “Grease” was particularly special He first brought the musical to Chanhassen in 2006 stands as a testament to his enduring legacy and the indomitable spirit of the theater he loved As the curtain rises on “Grease,” the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres family and audiences alike will remember Michael Brindisi’s remarkable contributions and the joy he brought to countless lives through his work who starred as Carole King in Chanhassen’s 2024 production of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” reflected on her time with Michael: “I cannot get Michael’s smile out of my mind: Michael had the most mischievous grin that would dance around his face whenever he was pleased with a moment we would find in rehearsal a spirit of collaboration and respect for every artist He brought me into the Chanhassen Dinner Theaters family and alongside his spectacular daughter Cat made me feel like I belonged so deeply in the fabric of that theater The best year of my life was spent with Michael Brindisi and the brilliant artists he brought together to bring joy and inspiration to our audiences I will always call CDT home because of Michael.” His death comes two days before the opening of “Grease,” a show that was pivotal in his life and which will open as scheduled a Broadway actor-turned-director-turned-theater owner died Wednesday at his home in Chanhassen after a brief illness Brindisi served as artistic director and co-owner of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres the nation’s largest theater of its kind and a company he helped save by joining a group that purchased it in 2010 “Michael has been under the weather for the last couple of days but this is a total shock,” said theater spokesperson Kris Howland Brindisi, 76, was finishing rehearsals this week of a new revival of “Grease,” which is slated to open Friday he went on a 56-week national tour with “Grease” as an understudy for four parts That engagement would lead to his Broadway debut in “Once in a Lifetime,” where he acted with John Lithgow and Treat Williams and shared a dressing room with legendary director Jerry Zaks “Grease” will open at CDT as planned Friday The elder of two children born to barber Tony and pastry seller Rita Brindisi Brindisi was born in 1948 and grew up in a close-knit Italian neighborhood in Philadelphia He was in 10th grade when a teacher took him to his first Broadway show — “Golden Boy,” starring Sammy Davis “All that power, all the energy, everything — I wanted part of that,” he told the Star Tribune in 2019. But his parents wanted him to go to college, so he enrolled at Philadelphia’s Temple University. But he never went to class, acting in plays instead. He flunked out. It was his second attempt at college that brought him to Lea College in Albert Lea, Minn. He succeeded there by putting on popular theatrical revues that bridged the town-and-gown gap. The school covered his tuition for his work. After college, Brindisi won a spot in the troupe of sketch comedy impresario Dudley Riggs, playing an accordion. That performance caught the eye of Gary Gisselman, who was casting his production of Thornton Wilder’s “The Matchmaker” at Chanhassen. Gisselman created a role for Brindisi as an accordion player, and the two became lifelong friends. “Michael has a great love of people, and that shows up in everything he does as an actor, a director, a manager,” Gisselman said. But Brindisi would leave Minnesota to perform around the nation, returning to Chanhassen frequently throughout the 1970s and ’80s. He became Chanhassen’s resident artistic director in 1988, and in 2010, was part of the group that purchased the company. “Gary and I loved what Michael achieved onstage but more importantly with the theater,” said Margo Gisselman, wife of Gary and also Brindisi’s colleague at Chanhassen for more than 25 years. “The different facets of the theater are all full-time jobs — the productions have to be good, the food has to be excellent, the place has to look great and the employees have to be happy. And Michael excelled at all of them.” Brindisi was the patriarch of gifted theatrical family. His wife, Michelle Barber, is an esteemed actor. The pair met at Chanhassen when they were in different plays. He was doing “What The Butler Saw,” and she was in “Annie Get Your Gun.” Their union produced Cat Brindisi-Darrow, an actor and director who’s now associate artistic director of the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Fla. Brindisi-Darrow is married to actor, playwright and composer David Darrow. On Wednesday, Barber was on a flight from Sydney, Australia, where she was visiting family, back to Minnesota. “It’s heartbreaking and I’m in shock,” she said. Brindisi had a gimpy walk, a vestige of a 2013 operation to relieve the pinching pressure of vertebrae on his spinal column because of a condition called cervical stenosis. But he otherwise was in fine fettle, recently traveling to Iowa, Florida and Pennsylvania to stage productions of “Mamma Mia!” and “Jersey Boys.” Asked once why he was still running full throttle at an age when many are thinking of lounging in the sun, he said, laughing, “I can’t help myself.” “He always said that he would work until the very end, that’s what would make him happy,” said Brindisi-Darrow. “The fact that he died peacefully in his sleep and there wasn’t a struggle is a kind of gift.” Besides Barber and Brindisi-Darrow, survivors include a grandson and numerous relatives. Rohan Preston covers theater for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Stage & Arts Sally Wingert is by turns gentle and caustic in a show that shows God is the ultimate entertainer The “Bad Boys” star is near the end of his comeback tour Rhiana Yazzie’s new play is highly creative but occasionally feels overstuffed The theater community is remembering Michael Brindisi The 76-year-old was the longtime artistic director and co-owner of the Chanhassen Dinner Theater He passed away unexpectedly Wednesday after a brief illness Brindisi was a man of many talents and one who filled plenty of shoes.“He is the face of this theatre,” said Tony Vierling “It’s rare to meet a person like that Brindisi had been affiliated with the theater since 1971 when he played the accordion in a show but he then took over as artistic director in 1988 “He was a mentor and a leader,” Vierling said some current and former co-workers gathered to remember Brindisi at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre “His joy for the whole thing was huge,” said David Brinkley, a former actor at CDT “For the people on that stage he made careers he offered newcomers the first opportunity that is some legacy to make people’s dreams come true,” Nelson added One longtime friend had a unique relationship with Brindisi you’re oftentimes not very popular,” said Dominic Papatola Papatola was a theater critic for the Pioneer Press for decades He says there were both good and bad reviews but having honest conversations about it with Brindisi made him special “If there was a Mount Rushmore of artistic directors in the Twin Cities Michael would be one of the guys on the mountain,” Papatola said Brindisi and his business partners bought the theatre 15 years ago. Many say he brought a new level of enthusiasm and leadership “It was like the theater was re-born,” Papatola said His friends and colleagues are now working to process the loss.“Michael is bigger than life he can’t be gone,” Nelson said. “It was simply shock.”“It’s too surreal still,” Brinkley added As the stage at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre lights up again those closest to him know he will forever live on “I envision for decades to come it will be Michael Brindisi’s Chanhassen Dinner Theater and people will endlessly say ‘I’m doing it for Michael,'” Nelson said Brindisi was just finishing rehearsals this week for the theater’s new revival of Grease President Joe Biden has nominated former congressman and assemblyman Anthony Brindisi as a federal judge in New York. This nomination is for the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. In a statement, Biden’s office called all those nominated in this round “...extraordinarily qualified, experienced, and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution.” Prior to joining the bench, Brindisi was a partner at Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman, LLP in Utica, from 2021 to 2022. From 2019 to 2021, Judge Brindisi served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing New York’s 22nd Congressional District. While a member of the New York State Assembly, Judge Brindisi also practiced law at Brindisi, Murad & Brindisi Pearlman, LLP. He joined the law firm as an associate in 2004, was named a partner in 2008, and served as counsel from 2014 until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018.  'Exceptionally qualified'Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released a statement shortly following the White House's announcement. “Judge Brindisi is an exceptionally qualified and dedicated attorney with a long track record of service to the people of New York,” Gillibrand wrote. “He is tough and fair and has a sharp legal acumen. I am proud that President Biden has nominated him to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York at my recommendation, and I look forward to voting for his confirmation in the Senate.“ Brindisi will replace Judge David Hurd, who will take senior status if Brindisi is confirmed. “I am exceptionally grateful for Judge Hurd’s dedication and service over the past 25 years,” Gillibrand wrote. This will be Biden’s fifty-third round of nominees for federal judicial positions, bringing the number of announced federal judicial nominees to 254. The President has now announced 25 nominees to serve on the District of Columbia Superior Court. “These choices also continue to fulfill the president’s promise to ensure that the nation’s courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country — both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds,” Biden’s office wrote. Former Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi was grilled by Republican senators in his hearing to be a federal judge. Brindisi was nominated to serve on the United States District Court by President Biden. Brindisi faced criticism from Republican senators over his co-sponsorship of the Equality Act when he served in Congress, representing parts of central New York and the Southern Tier from 2019-2021. The bill would prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The text of the bill states an individual cannot be denied access to a shared facility including a restroom, locker room, and dressing room that is in accordance with their gender identity. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz began his questioning by asking Brindisi quote “Should biological men be able to expose themselves to unwilling women, including underage girls?” Brindisi said that was not a view he shared, which Cruz then pushed on, asking why Brindisi sponsored and voted for the bill. “Senator, my recollection of the legislation is that it would prevent discrimination based on gender,” Brindisi said. “Your recollection is contrary to the explicit text of the statute," Cruz said. "Are you fond of ignoring the text of statutes?” “Senator, as a sitting judge now and if I'm fortunate to be confirmed as a district court judge, I will follow statutory—” Brindisi said. “But you didn't when you were a congressman," Cruz said. "You sponsored it. You voted for it.” Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee Democratic Senator Dick Durbin asked Brindisi the difference between serving as a congressman and now as a judge. Brindisi said his goal was always to try and work with both sides to get things done, including individuals you may disagree with. “And that's a skill that I have taken to the bench, actively listening to the lawyers and litigants who come before me, making sure that they feel respected and heard when they enter the courtroom and walk away knowing that I listened to them, and whatever happens, that they got a fair and impartial judge to hear their case,” Brindisi said. The earliest the Senate Judiciary Committee could vote on Brindisi’s nomination is November 12. If he passes the committee vote, it would go to a vote in the full Senate. At Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, artistic director Michael Brindisi meant the world to the cast. They honored his legacy Friday night, two days after his death. Grief that hung like storm clouds was parted Friday night at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres as the nation’s largest dinner theater dealt with a tragic dilemma. How would actors and audiences react to the opening of “Grease” just two days after artistic director Michael Brindisi, who had worked at Chanhassen for 50-plus years and led it for the past 37, died? Would it doom the production? How would the shock of mourning affect what is usually a peppy and boisterous show? The theater didn’t even consider postponing or canceling this “Grease,” an official said, but instead charged ahead in a situation so rare, most can only recall composer Jonathan Larson’s 1996 death a day before off-Broadway previews of his iconic musical, “Rent.” “It’s what Michael would have wanted,” said Michelle Barber, Brindisi’s widow and a fellow actor. “The actor in him would’ve loved all this acclamation and outpouring.” Barber arrived at the theater hours after returning from Australia, where she was visiting family, to give the actors a pep talk at a brush-up rehearsal Friday afternoon. She was greeted with tears and hugs. “Michael is in this room with us, and he’s so proud of each of you,” Barber told the ensemble. “He wants you to go up there and carry forward. Go get ’em!” Brindisi died at his home in Chanhassen on Feb. 5 at age 76. Barber revealed that the cause was heart failure. Barber was accompanied to the rehearsal by their daughter, Cat Brindisi-Darrow, who also had flown in the day before, from Florida where she is associate artistic director of the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota. Dressed like her father in a jacket with a baseball cap pulled low over her brow and carrying the cane that he had used since 2013 after an operation for stenosis, Brindisi-Darrow shared an email with the “Grease” ensemble that her dad had sent her. Dreams are realized regardless of whether or not one reaches a goal, he told her in the email. “It’s in the doing where you succeed, not the results,” Brindisi-Darrow said. A Philadelphia kid who loved baseball and the accordion, Brindisi acted on Broadway and became a Minnesota legend. Chanhassen thrives with 300 employees and a bevy of theater and comedy shows, concerts and a bar. But that’s not the real measure of its impact. It’s a place of cherished celebration where people have marked birthdays, weddings, graduations and, sometimes, death. In his 37 years at the helm, Brindisi directed 120 productions at the theater, entertaining millions who flock to the suburban playhouse by bus and car from as far away as the Dakotas and Nebraska. “Michael made people feel special, and he celebrated their humanity with a big heart,” said Nancy Nelson, the onetime broadcaster who now works as a greeter at Chanhassen. Nelson spoke before the Friday evening performance. “He made so many dreams come true.” Brindisi also provided employment and livelihoods for thousands of actors, musicians and stagehands. Some of them returned Friday to the theater. “I met my husband when we were both working here,” said actor Emily Rose Skinner after the show ended. Skinner has performed in 19 productions at Chanhassen but is not in the current one. “All of us — we love this state and region — owe Michael so much.” “Grease” ensemble member Laura Rudolph, who dressed in homage to Brindisi for the rehearsal, said that he not only preached values but that he lived them in a way that she and those she met at Chanhassen have become. “It’s a cliché to say that you become family here, but Michael made that true,” Rudolph said. “When we strike out to do anything, like build our own company, we feel we can because of not just the success that Michael had, but the values that he used to build the company here.” Brindisi usually sat at table No. 415 on opening nights, and it was occupied by longtime general manager Solveig Theis and her party on Friday. “I owe my whole career to Michael,” Theis said. “A lot of us can say that, but it’s true. He touched so many lives.” Brindisi always underplayed his accomplishments, dressing in jeans and T-shirts with a signature baseball cap. He shied away from the spotlight. But the show was all about him Friday as Nelson welcomed the capacity audience to “a night of celebration in Brindisi’s honor.” She also led the crowd in raising their glasses in a toast “to the joy of musical theater that he so believed in, to this last production … to his final bow.” At the end of the show, Brindisi-Darrow was teary-eyed. “Thank you,” she said to Maureen Sherman-Mendez, who plays dancer Cha-Cha in “Grease.” “I just wept throughout the show because this group of actors doing this show is so overwhelming.” Former news anchor Don Shelby, who took to the stage after retiring, was directed by Brindisi and Nelson in “Love Letters.” Brindisi taught him generosity and grace, Shelby said Friday before the show, adding that the director also impressed him with the breadth of his talents. “Michael had a way of doing shows that matched entertainment with profound drama,” Shelby said, adding that at the end of rehearsals with Brindisi, he usually liked to tick him off by quoting Prospero from “The Tempest,” Shelby said Friday before the performance. “Our revels now are ended. These our actors, as I foretold you, were all spirits and are melted into air, into thin air. … We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” They recall the impact the late director and theater had on their careers and lives Hollywood star Amy Adams remembers the period when her life changed unexpectedly and for the better who had seen her perform while working at a Colorado dinner theater plucked her to replace an injured dancer in “Crazy for You” at his Minnesota company at the suburban playhouse on an upward trajectory that resulted in stardom in such films as “Doubt,” “Junebug,” “The Fighter,” “American Hustle,” “The Master” and “Man of Steel,” where she played Lois Lane Pointing to Brindisi’s artistic guidance and support Adams said in a phone interview from Japan that he and the theater gave her something more lasting than the training and discipline that she still calls on today “The kind of community the theater provided at that time in my life really gave me the courage to step forward,” Adams said “When I moved to Los Angeles to start auditioning [for film roles] I always felt like I had a place to go home to Chanhassen was my home and that meant the world to me.” In 2006, Brindisi cast Laura Osnes, the Eagan High School grad who had also trained at the Children’s Theatre Company, as Sandy in “Grease,” a show that had special meaning for him. He often said that it saved his career and life. “Grease” was similarly life-changing for Osnes, who would leave the Chanhassen production and then go on to win the lead role as Sandy on Broadway via a reality TV competition. “I can’t say enough about Michael because he played such a pivotal role in my trajectory,” Osnes said. “I was in the fifth or sixth month of my eight-month contract when he gave me the green light to fly to L.A. and audition for ‘Grease.‘” She recalled that the whole audition process made her incredibly nervous but Brindisi provided unqualified reassurance. “He said, ‘You’re gonna win,‘” Osnes said. “He could see things in you that you might not even see in yourself. And he helped make my Broadway dreams come true.” Another Chanhassen “Grease” headliner that Brindisi cast has also gone on to big things. Caroline Innerbichler would star in the Broadway tour of “Frozen” and also originate a lead role on Broadway in “Shucked the Musical.” Innerbichler, also an Eagan High School grad who briefly trained in the Guthrie Theater/University of Minnesota BFA program, said that she’d been trying repeatedly to get into Chanhassen before Brindisi finally tapped her in 2012 for “Bye Bye Birdie.” Innerbichler would go on to play the lead in “The Little Mermaid” among a battery of roles at the dinner theater. Brindisi was not only a strong artistic leader but because of the community he fostered and the role that Chanhassen plays, being in the company changed her world. “It was one the biggest meal tickets for theater where you get health insurance and Equity [union] points,” Innerbichler said. “For me, I had left school and at 25 it allowed me to be a performer who didn’t have to wait tables. I could get a one-bedroom apartment and feed my dog as a grown-up.” Like others, Innerbichler was guided, perhaps even mentored, by Tony Vierling, whom she had met on the national tour of “A Prairie Home Companion” and who has the distinction of being directed by Brindisi perhaps more than any other performer — over 50 productions. Vierling first met Brindisi at Iowa State University when he came in as a guest speaker and director. “He was like a Dustin Hoffman or Al Pacino with all this passion and energy,” Vierling said. “I was impressed by his belief that this work and craft could take you anywhere and that you can do anything with it.” Vierling would meet and marry his husband because of Brindisi, who invited Michael Gruber into the company, luring him from a Broadway career. “It’s pretty amazing how he got the ball rolling for me in the second half of my life,” Gruber said, recounting a dinner at Rosie O’Grady’s in New York, and his eventual first role in “Easter Parade,” which was developed at Chanhassen in 2007. “He said, ‘Do you think you want to come out and do it?’ It was a total leap of faith, and I don’t want to get too mystical about it, but it was something out of the stars,” Gruber continued. He met Vierling in that cast, and the pair echo something that all those who have worked at Chanhassen under Brindisi stress. It’s a theater family that fosters tight-knit community, and that allows artists to develop their skills in a supportive artistic hothouse. Adams said that she still counts people from her Chanhassen days, including Vierling and resident choreographer co-owner Tamara Kangas Erickson, as friends. And that’s all a tribute to the environment that Brindisi created and fostered. When: 2 p.m. Monday with an open house to follow from 3:30-6 p.m. Where: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W. 78th St., Chanhassen. Former New York Congressman Anthony Brindisi will now serve as a federal judge Brindisi was appointed by the Senate on Wednesday He has served in many state roles before this appointment including as a judge on the New York State Court of Claims in Utica New York since 2022 and as an Acting Supreme Court Justice in Oneida County Syracuse City Court Judge refuses to perform same-sex marriage ceremony He is also an exceptionally qualified attorney whose legal acumen and deep care for the Mohawk Valley – and all of Central New York – will make him an excellent addition to the Northern District,” said Senator Chuck Schumer The confirmation comes as Senator Schumer pushes to get a number of judges confirmed before republicans gain control of the Senate and White House in January Beth Coombe was also confirmed on December 5 She will serve in a lifetime appointment to preside over the Northern District of New York You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Albert Leans are remembering fondly the co-owner and artistic director at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres who died Wednesday after leaving an indelible mark on Albert Lea theater decades before “All of us at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres are profoundly devastated to make the announcement that our leader passed away very unexpectedly today following a very brief illness,” the theater posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday “This amazing man has meant so much to our Chanhassen Dinner Theatres’ family and this news is utterly shocking to us all.” Brindisi had well over 100 productions to his credit and was preparing for his fourth production of “Grease.” “His extreme passion for life and his love for what we do here for our employees musicians and audiences is something that is broadly evident in everything he did,” the post said Brindisi grew up in a close-knit Italian neighborhood in Philadelphia and went to his first Broadway show in 10th grade so he enrolled at Philadelphia’s Temple University but he never went to class because he would rather direct and act in plays and ultimately flunked out The newspaper said in his second attempt at college While in Albert Lea he directed the first show at Lea College and went on to serve as artistic director for Albert Lea Community Theatre for several years “You couldn’t help but remember him the moment you met him,” said Rosalie Truax about Brindisi in an interview with the Tribune in 2023 He was immediately embraced by a number of families in Albert Lea and quickly got involved with Albert Lea Community Theatre Glen Parsons said he moved to Albert Lea in 1970 right out of college to teach here and the first show he did with Brindisi was “Fiddler on the Roof.” He remembered others including “Carousel,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “On Golden Pond” and “The Three Penny Opera.” “The thing about Michael — when he was just meeting the cast for the first time with a new show that enthusiasm got the cast excited to prepare the show.” Parsons said his wife and daughter also worked with him “His passion was just always there for every project,” Parsons said “Every show he just brought so much energy and so much attention do detail It was just so much fun to work for him because he was so enthusiastic.” Parsons said seeing how Brindisi directed made him become a better director directed a play at Chanhassen and has been connected there ever since later started a professional summer theater in Albert Lea which became known as Minnesota Festival Theatre Brindisi and his wife liked to stay connected to Albert Lea as it is the place he got his start in theater The Minnesota Timberwolves (33-29) are home in Northwest Division play versus the Utah Jazz (15-45) on Sunday which includes the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the Florida Panthers Top 25 teams will take the court across two games on Monday’s college basketball schedule The college basketball schedule on Monday should provide some fireworks Our computer model has provided picks against the… Ranked teams are on Monday’s college basketball schedule for two games including the Kansas Jayhawks squaring off against… A former Central New York congressman-turned-judge has been nominated for a federal judge position Brindisi was defeated by Republican Claudia Tenney — who he'd defeated by fewer than 4,500 votes in 2018 — by a razor-thin margin after a months-long court battle. He announced in June 2021 that he would not run for the House of Representatives in 2022, and also ran unsuccessfully for a State Supreme Court seat. Brindisi, also a former New York State assemblyman, began practicing law in 2004 after receiving his juris doctorate from Albany Law School. Nate Raymond reports on the federal judiciary and litigation. He can be reached at nate.raymond@thomsonreuters.com. , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Artists performed the national anthem at the game in honor of the legendary Twin Cities artistic director. It was a knock-it-out-of-the-park tribute to a theater director and diehard baseball fan. Ten members of the cast of “Grease” at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre sang the national anthem Thursday at Target Field for the Twins home opener. Their well-timed performance, which included a down-to-the-second flyover by a pair of Duluth-based F-16s, doubled as a tribute to Michael Brindisi, the artistic director and co-owner of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres who died Feb. 5 — just two days before the official opening of “Grease.” Brindisi was a Twins fan for decades. Actors from his theater have generally sung the national anthem every season for as long as theater spokesperson Kris Howland can remember, and that includes the 48 years she has been with the theater. But Thursday’s outing was the first time a CDT ensemble did the honors at the home opener. “It was so special because when they put Michael’s picture on the Jumbotron and the planes came through, the clouds parted as well and the sun came out,” Howland said. “It was emotional.” Brindisi wouldn’t have lingered in that emotion. He would have wanted his beloved Twins to go out there and win. he never manages to show off and doesn't find the basket even by mistake It must be said that often his teammates didn't look for him but he didn't make himself dangerous and when he tried he always missed He finishes with 0 points and 0/8 shooting Laquintana 5: struggles to get the team into rhythm and never manages to set up his teammates He leaves in the first minutes of the last quarter of the game after suffering a strong elbow to the nose he heads with the medical staff to the locker room and is never seen again Arletti 4: in the 19 minutes on the court he is almost never seen He scores only one basket and nothing else Of Cadia 3: his evening was more than negative Terrible performance and injury suffered at the end In the 14 minutes he made no impact either in defense or in attack and the coach made him sit on the bench a lot Vildera 6: he scores 17 points but misses more than a few baskets and a few too many balls on the rebound In the fight under the boards he suffers the physicality of the opposing big men and manages to recover just 4 rebounds Phantom 3: in the 10 minutes on the pitch he seems like a ghost Ogden 5,5: he shoots terribly (3/12) and especially in the offensive phase he struggles a lot the opponents keep him away from the basket and he can't take a clean shot He doesn't shine in defense either but he still tries and fights even things that are certainly not expected from a good shooter like him such as shots from the arc where he is completely free He still fights for the rebound and throws himself on every ball but it was a complicated evening for him too Shoemaker 6,5: He was the best for Brindisi even though he only came on in the second half He certainly can't carry the team forward alone He took some great shots and played a lot for his teammates Coach Bucchi 5: the team suffered throughout the game In the offensive phase almost everyone was confused Terrible shooting percentages and wrong attitude from the first minutes of the game Potts 4,5: not a good performance from him He forced the conclusion very often and made many errors in shooting (3/14) Dear 7,5: the former Brindisi player opens the game with 5 consecutive points and closes the first quarter with 13 he proves to be a thorn in the side of the opponents He closes with a double double of 20 points and 13 rebounds He also scores a basket from half court at the buzzer and does not lack provocations with the opposing fans Beloved 8+: superlative performance by the captain who is having a great night and shoots everything that comes his way With his three-pointers he broke the legs of his opponents (7/15 from three) and with his 23 points he dragged the team to victory Maspero 3,5: his performance was completely anonymous In the 24 minutes on the pitch he never really managed to make an impact and get into rhythm Lectern 6: the Brindisi native and former white and blue player plays a good game He takes little responsibility from an offensive point of view but is very precise (3/3 shooting) and defends very aggressively given the 5 fouls committed in the 12 minutes of play Knight 4: his performance was also completely anonymous Note 6: the player owned by the white and blues gave a good contribution to the team in the 10 minutes he was on the parquet Udanoh 8,5: a dominant presence under the backboards: 11 points and 10 rebounds He makes the most of his physicality under the backboards and puts in as always a lot of grit on both sides of the court Coach Cardani 8: the team played very physically defended very aggressively and in attack the ball moved very quickly and everyone was good at finding the free man He transmitted the right grit to his men and kept the right concentration for the entire duration of the match email and website in this browser for the next time I comment Lawrence University Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome two new members for six-year terms Henry ’84 were elected at the May meeting of the Board and both began their service on June 1 P’19 is the head of institutional relationship management at Fidelity Investments in Boston He is responsible for retaining and growing investment management relationships with Fidelity’s largest institutional customers His previous roles at Fidelity include senior leadership positions in sales he spent 10 years consulting with Fortune 500 companies on the design and implementation of human resources and SLU Connect site host and guest speaker He was an active member of the SLU Parents Committee and during The Campaign for Every Laurentian Brindisi served on the Laurentian Major & Planned Gifts Committee Lawrence with a degree in mathematics and economics and was a member of Sigma Pi fraternity He earned an MBA in General Management from D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University Morgan Wealth Management’s flagship New York City office where he works with financial advisors to support their growth Morgan in 2022 after a more than 30-year career at Merrill Lynch where he had most recently served as the national resident director executive overseeing the training and development of the firm’s 450 producing managers Henry held the position of director of diversity implementing training programs to develop the skills for racially and gender-diverse financial advisors Henry held a variety of leadership roles in Merrill Lynch Wealth Management while located in various cities he received the first Bank of America CEO Award for Diversity and Inclusion in 2015 and On Wall Street’s “Top 10 Branch Managers” award in 2009 Lawrence as a past member of the Alumni Executive Council and a presenter for numerous Center for Career Excellence initiatives he was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame having earned All-American honors as a record-setting fullback and member of the 1982 national semifinal football team Lawrence in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in economics he was a member of the Black Student Union The Brewer Bookstore carries SLU apparel, books, gifts, and other items. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use Graham and Ted Cruz went after a nominee who once served in Congress as a Democrat and supported the pro-LGBTQ+ rights Equality Act Republican senators on Wednesday used transphobic language in their harsh questioning of a New York state judge and former congressman nominated to the federal court During the hearing on his nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, Judge Anthony Brindisi was repeatedly challenged by Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Ted Cruz of Texas over his past support for the Equality Act Brindisi was one of 200 sponsors of the Equality Act during his tenure as U.S representing New York’s 22nd congressional district The historic act would have amended existing civil rights laws to ban discrimination based on an individual’s sexual or gender identity Both senators peppered Brindisi with questions about the act and the use of bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with an individual’s gender identity “Are you okay with a biological male who identifies as a female sharing a locker room?” Graham asked Brindisi “I thought it to be an unacceptable outcome to share locker rooms and bathrooms based on gender identity,” Graham commented about Brindisi’s support for the act Cruz described the act as “Orwellian” during his equally lurid questioning of the state judge in Syracuse should biological men be able to expose themselves to unwilling women including underaged girls?” Cruz asked Brindisi Brindisi disputed the senators’ framing of the legislation which passed the House in 2019 and 2021 but died in the Senate without a vote The bill also faced a certain veto from then-President Donald Trump if passed by the Senate Brindisi was nominated to the federal court by President Joe Biden on July 31 of this year Parravicini 4,5: he plays 14 minutes in which he scores 8 points but also makes several errors both in attack and defense Cinciarini 4,5: He scores his first field goal with about 4 minutes left in the game He misses a lot of shots and struggles to make an impact he shoots accurately and gives his contribution both in attack and defense At the end of the game he scores a very important triple that officially closes the game Gaspardo 6+: the former Brindisi player loses a few too many balls and isn't very precise in his shots but still manages to give his contribution Perkovic 8+: he plays a great game from an offensive point of view and has an impact especially in the second half of the game breaking the opponents' legs with his baskets With his 19 points he is the MVP of the game Pasture 5,5: dominates the rebound fight and recovers 9 Del Chiaro 7: plays a great first half and has his say under the boards A bit in the shade in the second half of the game Sucker 6,5: he scores two triples and takes 7 rebounds Harper 7,5: good performance for the other ex of the day He comes back fully charged after the long break and makes the difference in both halves of the court 5 rebounds and 3 recovered balls in defense Coach Martin 6,5: pays for several points left on the iron in penetration and the 15 lost balls otherwise the gap in the final score would have been much wider even if in defense they were not very consistent Victory far from obvious and important in view of the play off Brown 4,5: He starts off very strong and scores 7 points in the first minutes of the match but fades away immediately after He returns to score his first field goal with six minutes left in the game He closes with 15 points but shoots a terrible 4/15 Laquintana 5,5: He often messes up the ball forces the conclusion and then gets nervous and gets a technical in the second quarter He scores 7 points but the errors committed in the management phase of the game are many Arletti 6-: once again he starts very well but then fades into the shadows during the match He only takes four shots but was quite accurate Of Cadia 5,5: his colleague in the department returns but in this game he had a lot of trouble under the boards he struggled to hold the opponents' tall players he is recovering after a long stop due to injury He plays 16 minutes and tries to play his game under the backboards In the last quarter of the game he misses two important points under the basket Phantom 6+: He plays 11 minutes of excellent quality scores two difficult baskets and does his part in defense as well Ogden 5: Brindisi really missed his contribution in the offensive phase even if it must be said that he doesn't receive many balls and very often has to create very difficult shots to score Radonjic 6+: returns to Forlì as an opponent His first points come in the last quarter of the game but he has a good defensive performance To understand the difficult game in Brindisi just note that with 7 he was the best player for Plus/minus Shoemaker 4: perhaps his worst performance since he arrived in Brindisi He never really gets into rhythm and forces the conclusion a lot (2/10 shooting) He's not in his evening and it shows when he also misses the two free throws (2/4) Coach Bucchi 5: He immediately gets a technical at the beginning of the second quarter of the game In this game he lacked a reference point on the offensive level and there were many distractions on defense Forlì lost 15 balls but Brindisi recovered just 5 The rebounds figure is also not to be underestimated given that Brindisi took 10 less than Forlì who was good at scoring points from second-shot opportunities We are a week away from Game 1 of the playoffs and RivieraBanca is waiting to find out, tonight, the opponent of the quarterfinal series. It will be one between Verona and Brindisi, with the Scaligeri having the home field advantage in this second round of play-in. In the meantime, the red and whites are working. Technical Director Alessandro Bolognesi, how did this week without official matches go? "Good, the team is on the ball and focused. We are working on our things since we don't know the opponent yet. The important thing is to arrive with the right focus on Sunday 11th, mentally you have to be ready when the playoffs start". What is your assessment of the regular season? "It was an incredible season, in which we were first for 26 days in a row and in the end we finished in second place, leaving behind teams with a budget higher than ours. All this is the result of the work of an exceptional group, on the other hand if you don't work well you don't achieve certain results. We became a team before others, thanks to the work of the staff". Let's talk about the darkest period, the weeks between February and March. Have you ever thought about replacing Robinson? "It's been a difficult month and a half, we don't deny it. Several weeks in which we didn't train as a whole. Given the problems of Robinson and Tomassini, the market was always monitored. The idea of ​​a change, however, no, that never existed. The situation would have become concrete in the event of a worsening of the medical situations, but that wasn't the case". Luca Conti has been on the roster for a few weeks. How did his arrival come about? "We had in mind to lengthen the roster and we didn't want to leave anything to chance. We considered the possibility of an arrival of this type once the situation in the point guard department had normalized. Conti is a player who knows how to fit into a group of this kind, a team player who can give a big hand". Tonight you will know your opponent in the quarterfinals. What are the characteristics of Verona and Brindisi? "They are two similar teams. They have physicality, they are solid up front and back. Two teams that we suffered against and with whom we won and lost. They gave us a hard time. Brindisi has many veterans and Verona is younger, but both have two excellent pairs of Americans. We'll see who wins." What will matter most in the upcoming playoffs? "You always have to be ready to start again, no matter what happens. Reset and start again. In a five-a-side series anything can happen and in the playoffs it's a very mental issue, as well as physical. You have to be ready from this point of view." Much like a coherent theory of "originalist" jurisprudence, the page you're looking for does not exist. Deeply rooted in this nation's history and tradition Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information A former congressman became the latest Biden judicial nominee to struggle with a constitutional law question at a Senate confirmation hearing nominated for the Syracuse-based Northern District of New York John Kennedy (R-La.) when asked on Wednesday whether “government has the right to free speech.” Brindisi started to frame an answer around individual free speech rights before later saying he hadn’t had a case on government speech in “my 20 years of litigating civil litigation matters” and more than two years as a state judge Kennedy is known to pose questions at Judiciary Committee hearings about legal doctrines and courtroom procedure that have tripped up nominees from both parties Other Biden nominees who didn’t pass a Kennedy quiz included Kato Crews couldn’t define a Brady motion and how to analyze it He was confirmed to the District of Colorado in January Charnelle Bjelkengren failed to answer inquiries about articles dealing with Constitutional amendments and the executive branch She later withdrew her nomination for a trial court seat in Washington state Kennedy’s questions frequently relate to petitions or cases pending before or recently decided by the US Supreme Court The high court touched on government speech last term saying that public officials who post about their work on their private social media accounts may be considered a government speaker In quizzing Brindisi, Kennedy referenced the court’s 2015 decision in Walker v. Texas Div., Sons of Confederate Veterans. The justices said that Texas didn’t violate the Constitution when it banned Confederate-themed specialty license plates because such plates were “government speech.” there’s a whole body of case law out there my gosh,” Kennedy asked during his exchange with Brindisi Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) defended Brindisi after the hearing and told Bloomberg Law that “Lawyers look up the law all the time and these pot shots of taking one question of the law and trying to judge whether a person is qualified—I don’t think it’s fair.” Brindisi has served on New York state’s court of claims since 2022 after his appointment by Gov He lost reelection to the US House in 2021 after a state Supreme Court judge ruled that his opponent Kimberly Strawbridge Robinson in Washington also contributed to this story To contact the reporter on this story: Tiana Headley at theadley@bloombergindustry.com To contact the editors responsible for this story: Seth Stern at sstern@bloomberglaw.com; John Crawley at jcrawley@bloomberglaw.com workflow tools and premium legal & business news Log in to keep reading or access research tools