Maestro Stephen Lord, pictured above, has been a fixture at Opera Theatre performances for nearly 25 years. The longtime music director will be stepping into a new role, Music Director Emeritus, at the end of the 2017 season. But this is not goodbye, as he will continue to conduct main-season productions as his schedule allows. What else will he be doing? Possibly a little conducting at other great opera houses.

Insider-We’ve all heard ‘it’s not good to keep it all in,’ and psychotherapist Cathy Lander-Goldberg has taken that to a new level with her new book, Photo Explorations. It helps girls use the expressive arts to better understand themselves and live a balanced life. The series of exercises are geared toward girls ages 9 through 15 and can be done alone or in groups.

Insider-FilmmakersIf you happened to notice film crews around the St. Louis Women’s Club, or other spots in the CWE and Clayton, it’s because three former hometowners came back home to shoot their new movie, The Lipinski. About a trio of imposters who infiltrate a private exhibit to steal a $7 million violin, the film is a collaboration among (pictured from left) director Nate Townsend (Clayton H.S. ‘10), producer John Hayden (Burroughs ‘10) and screenwriter Oliver Reed (Burroughs ‘10). Look for the short film to come out in 2016, including, hInsider-Terrye-Seigelopefully, at the SLFF (fingers crossed).

So what does native daughter Terrye Seigel have in common with the likes of Jerry Lewis and Penn & Teller? They all were honored by the Grammys of the casino entertainment industry, the Global Gaming Awards. Held in (where else?) Las Vegas recently at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, these recognize the achievements and contributions of casino talent. Seigel, a native of Ladue, has had an eponymous band, DJ’ed a morning drive rock radio show and was a managing producer at Opryland Productions. She was named 2015 Talent Buyer of the Year.

Insider-Colleen-StarkloffDisability rights activist Colleen Starkloff has been honored with the Disability Awareness Award from the Missouri Commission on Human Rights. She co-founded Paraquad in the ‘70s with husband Max Starkloff and David Newburger. She is recognized for educating the public about institutional obstacles in the workplace and advocating for more inclusion of persons with disabilities in all areas of life.