By MATTHEW FALZONE
Staff Writer for Ocean County Observer
Printed Thursday, August 28, 2003

LAVALLETTE - There's always that one little seasonal place you didn't know was there until you find it near summers close.

Then you wish you'd had all summer to go there and enjoy the food, the atmosphere or the view before Labor Day comes to spoil it.

The Music Man in Lavallette is just this type of place. Opened Memorial Day weekend, the ice cream parlor/cabaret's popularity has grown through word-of mouth and heavy repeat business.

So successful, said Husband-and-wife owners Josephine Sessa-Agliata and Robert Agliata (who's known as "Aggie Roberts" while he's emceeing the show) that they've served more than 25,000 people so far in their first summer.

"It's a concept we knew would work," Agliata said. "We wanted to be able to do something fun for the entire family you have the Boardwalk, which kids love, but for adults it kind of gets old."

The shop's bread and butter is the cabaret-style shows from 6 p.m. to midnight. Patrons, from the time they sit down and order, are usually treated to 45 minutes of dessert theater as the cast takes orders, delivers ice cream (sometimes with much fanfare) and a 15- to 20-minute show as customers finish those last drops of hot fudge.

"That's what people want to see," Agliata said of the shows, which account for about 70 percent of the shop's business. "Everyone enjoys it, infants to adults."

Customers who arrive by 11 p.m. are guaranteed to see a show, which for the show (which, Tuesday evening included songs from "Godspell" and "Grease," among others), the shop, only asks that you spend at least $4 per person on ice cream.

"The performance is different every night," he said. "There's a lot of improvisation, and no two shows are alike depending on who's on that night. We toss in a lot of crowd participation, and we get a lot of repeat business - people who live down here for the summer come in with different people every weekend."

Sessa-Agliata's grandparents owned a soda fountain and candy store in Brooklyn when she was young, she said, and "it was so neat growing up. We could get candy whenever we wanted."

The couple bought the Lavallette building in April and had the cast in place and starting rehearsals by May 17.

Besides the shows every evening, the shop's take-out window is open from noon to midnight, and (although tonight is the last night) at 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday is Children's Story Hour, where the cast performs shows such as "Cinderella," "Pinocchio" and "Sleeping Beauty." This evening the staff will close with "The Wizard of Oz." Admission is $6.

And though the shop reduces its hours come Labor Day, it will be open Friday and Saturday nights through September.

The best part, Agliata said, has been getting to know all of the customers and their kids. "There's certain bits the kids will see and will ask for every time they come in," he said, for information call (732) 85-HAPPY.