FIRE ISLAND - Cherry Grove paid tribute to New York City in "I Love New York," a dynamic new Arts Project of Cherry Grove show, running the last two Saturdays in June at the Community House, directed by John DeMarco, choreographed by William "George" McGarvey, who also designed the set, and musically guided, from the piano, by Christopher Vassiliades. The effort comprised familiar songs and new numbers, performed by a cast of familiar friends and newcomers, and all adding up to a salute, with verve, to the city we love.

Director DeMarco called my particular attention to a couple of new songs that cast members were introducing. Sherri Rase, who sang Lakmé's music in "Ocean Aires" earlier in the month, proudly proved that she had learned the ropes in a lyrical pop song, "I'm a Real New Yorker Now," by composer John McMahon and lyricist Jay Jeffries, and Bill Perez grandly conveyed a sense superiority about the city in a wryly delivered "I'm Glad I Live in New York," with words by Tom Toce. Making a Grove debut, irrepressible Zachary Mordechai demonstrated versatility by appearing as a Chasid, in a broadly comical ethnic selection, limning Lola Galore as a faux, but comely, "Latin from Manhattan;" perching atop the piano and pouring out his heart as he waxed optimistic about a diverse Big Apple's "Mona Lisas and Manhattans;" and donning drag and singing soprano in Irving Berlin's "Easter Parade," one of the company's striking production numbers ("42nd Street" was another). Lola's own star turn, augmented with suggestive touches, was "I Feel Pretty," in tones female and male, in succession.

In defiance of the old saw about performing with neither animals nor children, George McGarvey braved both this month and survived with flair, singing Sondheim to a pair of pups in a benefit for PAWS, the Pines Animal Welfare Society, and here joined by Alexandra and Zachary Kelly-Spadafino, and their mama Laura Spadafino, for "East Side West Side," with which the audience was invited to sing along. George helped open the show with Leonard Bernstein's "New York, New York," from "On the Town," with charming sailor companions James Belzer and James Duus, kicked off "Easter Parade" by serenading Lola with its verse and, as a construction worker spending his lunch break on a girder, dulcetly shared his reverie, "(We'll have) Manhattan." Alexandra and Zachary's other mother, Lana Kelly, was on hand to sing a hot "Native New Yorker."

George and Chris performed together in "Ocean Aires," and here, the music director delighted the ears with his moody piano variations on "Autumn in New York" and "Autumn Leaves." Chris also offered a cameo as a shapely, furry, nearly nude sunbather in the Village People's "Fire Island," with SallyAnn Piacentino as a comely leather cop backed by Jason Versace's construction worker, Dale Lally's cowboy, and the stage crew's Arthur Cohen's leatherman. There was more leather, greaser-style, in Ruth and Susan Freedner, Denise Harbin, SallyAnn and Sherri's endearing doo-wop offering, "Coney Island Baby."

As James Duus whipped folks into a frenzy, in "New York, My Home," set at "Gate 69" in an airport, with Jerry as a blonde stewardess and a sextet of the others as waiting passengers, Ruth and Susan nearly stole the show from the soloist, with Susan's very audible exclamation--retort?--of "San Francisco," which broke Ruth up. James had the stage to himself, singing and tap dancing with pizzazz, for George M. Cohan's "Give My Regards to Broadway." The Freedners took center stage, as scheduled, to enthuse over "Broadway My Street," an encore from Sal Piro's "Some Like It Holy," in 2001, when Lynne Tunderman sang with them.

What Grove show would be complete without an appearance by Rose Levine, who paid tribute to the city, with brio, in "Broadway Melody," "Take Me Back to Manhattan," "New York State of Mind," and Kander and Ebb's "New York, New York?"

Not usually heard in solos, but strutting their stuff with distinction, were Jacqueline Presti, AKA Giacomina Presti-Giacomo, in a "Broadway Baby" befitting the diva name; Dale, doing an energetic "Not for the Life of Me;" and Curtis Strohl, as a larger than life Little Orphan Annie, expressing affection for "NYC," to Duus' Daddy Warbucks, in the grand finale. Robert Verbrugge completed the cast.

Matt Baney, Allison Brackman, Michael Romanelli and Wendy Lewis made up the tech staff, and Martha Pitkin and Ellen Biggers served as stage managers on very short notice when Lorie Bradshaw became indisposed.