Thursday, January 22, 2026

Dear Friends and Family, 

It’s hard to believe that I’m turning 65 on Sunday. I had planned a small gathering. I had people coming from all different walks of life. Some I’ve known for over 50 years! I was so excited! However I have had to postpone that due to the impending storm (or maybe I manifested this since in the last Notes From Nina I spoke about weathering storms). Who knows if it will really even snow much on Sunday. I hate making decisions – if you can believe that, especially knowing what my job has been for 41 years. 

I mean 65 just sounds major to me – always has. Growing up it was the age when one could retire and start collecting social security. That’s not true any longer. Now anyone born in 1960 or later can not get full retirement benefits until the age of 67. 

It’s not like I was planning on retiring now anyway, but I was hoping to start collecting social security — to help meet the fact that it’s much more expensive to live in NYC than it used to be. I remember the rent of one of my first apartments in NYC was $300/month, which I split with a roommate. It was a weird set-up. My bedroom was 4-5 feet by 7 feet. There was a second bedroom which was twice that size. The toilet had a room by itself. And then there was the main room which was a living room, kitchen (stove, only sink in the apartment, half size fridge with counter on top – that was the only counter space), bathtub (table top folded down to make a dining room table). It was a fifth floor walk-up on West 49th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues.  Not a great place, but because it was so inexpensive I was able to keep TADA! going while working at Eeyore’s Books since TADA! couldn’t pay me at that time. 

Years have passed since that time and I’M STILL HERE! (Like the Stephen Sondheim song “I’m Still Here” from Follies) I sometimes still feel like I’m 16 years old and then other times I can feel like I’m 100. A lot has happened over the years. I’ve survived (in no particular order) cancer four times, lived through two home fires, two car accidents (one as a passenger and one as a pedestrian), been married and divorced, recovered from two strokes and heart failure, and had COVID (like everyone else). I also became (and still am) a Mom to an amazing young woman, Ceanna. I had the privilege and pleasure to work with very talented artists (from the very young to those much more seasoned) many of whom I now call friends. 

I’M STILL HERE…at TADA! and I do get paid now, as well as the staff and teaching artists, and production personnel (believe it or not – there have been a number of times that parents of the young people TADA!’s serves have asked if we’re all volunteers). 

I’M STILL HERE…in NYC. I now live in Battery Park City, pay much more than $300 rent, and I no longer eat on top of my bathtub! 

I’M STILL HERE…and have an incredible life and wonderful friends. 

I always like a good musical theater quote so to end this Notes From Nina some fantastic lyrics from Stephen Sondheim:

Good times and bum times,
I’ve seen them all and, my dear,
I’m still here.
Plush velvet sometimes,
Sometimes just pretzels and beer,
But I’m here.
Flush velvet sometimes,
Sometimes just pretzels and beer,
But I’m here.
I’ve run the gamut.
A to Z.
Three cheers and dammit,
C’est la vie.
I got through all of last year
And I’m here.
Lord knows, at least I was there,
And I’m here!
Look who’s here!
I’m still here! 

Best,

Janine Nina Trevens
Executive & Producing Artistic Director