Behind the Scenes: Lily Felsenthal and Emma Grace

Regardless of our current sweater-clad days, summer is coming – and with it,exciting, busy days for the Opera House. Thankfully, we’ve called in some amazing reinforcements in the forms of Intern Coordinator extraordinaire Lily Felsenthal and Emma Grace Keenan, our magnificent Assistant Stage Manager.

Here’s what they had to say when faced with our hard-hitting questions…

LILY FELSENTHAL 

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up just outside of Washington, D.C. in a town called Silver Spring, Maryland, whose claim to fame is that a road sign bearing its name inspired Stevie Nicks to write the seminal classic “Silver Springs” when she saw it while driving on the interstate with Lindsey Buckingham.

2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you?

I’m not sure if they would– I was a very shy and quiet child. I spent a lot of time crying about my feelings. At 12, I was cast as the evil villain in a summer theater camp production of an original play based on Hieronymous Bosch’s Haywain Triptych, which gave me a burst of weird confidence that helped me come into my own.

3. Name four fictional characters with whom you’d be okay being stuck in an elevator. Why them?

Dana Scully from The X Files, who I would trust my life with in any perilous situation.

Ferdinand the Bull because I respect his general chill attitude in stressful situations and I think that would be a good energy to have around when stuck in an elevator.

Han Solo would get us out of there for sure.

Titania, Queen of the Faeries because she’s rad and I’d like to ask her a few things, specifically about moths and constellations.

4. If you were a cartoon character, which cartoon character would you be?

Definitely Tintin. I have blonde hair that often sticks up in funny ways and I like to write and wear sweaters. Also I’m scrappy.

5. What are you most looking forward to about working at the Opera House?

Being part of an incredible team in such a staggeringly beautiful place. Just kidding, it’s definitely the free popcorn.

EMMA GRACE KEENAN

1. Where did you grow up?

I was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts but spent most of my childhood until college in Holliston, Massachusetts. It’s quiet, suburban, and incidentally the hometown of Producing Artistic Director Meg Taintor, so it must be pretty cool.

2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you?

Inseparable from Ellie, my beat-up stuffed security elephant that I clung to loyally because I was so painfully shy. They’ll probably also remember that I said sorry too much, although I guess that isn’t surprising! I was a tiny little blonde girl with a squeaky voice, and I went through a phase where I only wore black leggings, huge turtlenecks, and clogs. I loved to read and spell, competitively – I always wanted to be in the top spellers of the school and make my reading log be the longest, so I would practice inside during recess. When the teachers made me go outside, I would come up with elaborate games to make my friends play, and then write short stories about it. The one I remember the most was “Animal Rescuers,” where I made everyone cover their eyes while I hid stuffed animals around the playground and then gave them ten minutes to find them all before they became extinct. Another time I gave lessons in a gibberish language I made up.

3. Name four fictional characters with whom you’d be okay being stuck in an elevator. Why them?

Dr. Horrible (Dr. Horrible’s Singalong Blog) – he makes me laugh and he makes me cry and we could sing together and maybe come up with a ray of some sort to get us out of the elevator.

Scipio (The Book Thief) – I always thought of him as a kindred spirit, out on a quest for adventure and friends, and a lover of intrigue and taking care of those he cares about. I think he would just be interesting to talk to.

Clara (The Nutcracker) – she was my intro into theatre and dance and music and all of those good things. My birthday is near Christmas so every year I would ask for tickets to The Nutcracker and sit in the theatre in awe. And she showed me what a strong female lead could look like. I’d love to meet her and thank her for that.

Stormy Skye – from nothing, just a character I made up for my first short story, about a girl who lived in a cloud castle, had the singing voice of a bird, and could control the weather. She was me, only cooler, so we would have a lot in common and we could catch up on lost time.

4. If you were a cartoon character, which cartoon character would you be?

DW Read (from the Arthur books) – we’re both sassy, independent, competitive, and very protective of our siblings. Plus we spend a lot of time in our imaginations, are stubborn, and are a little gullible – but we know what we like, and want to be in charge of every project we’re a part of!

5. What are you most looking forward to about working at the Opera House?

As ASM, I think I’m most looking forward to working with the amazing Rachel Calter and learning good leadership skills and the real inner workings of the theatre. And I’m thrilled to be back on the beautiful island, working with some of the smartest, kindest, cleverest, and hardest working creative people I know.


Lily and Emma Grace want to say hi! So, come down to the box office or give them a wave when you see them at shows this summer.