As of this coming Monday morning, Meg Taintor is officially OHA’s Producing Artistic Director. While those of us down here at the Opera House, as well as the folks who came to March’s community potluck, have gotten the chance to get to know her a bit, there are still so many more questions to ask. Before we get started, allow us to assure you that we already know the most important of answers – yes, Meg likes dogs. Now we can move on to the next queries, though honestly, this picture may tell us everything we need to know…
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| Little Meg, clowning around… |
1. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Holliston, MA, which is a suburb about 25 miles south-west of Boston: quiet town, picket fences – that sort of thing. I didn’t appreciate it when I was a teenager there – but I now I completely recognize it for the lovely New England town that it is.
2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you?
Giggling. I used to (and still occasionally do) get stuck in the giggles – something would set me off and then I’d be helplessly laughing and trying to gasp out whatever it was that had set me off – which was never as funny as it had originally struck me.
Most recently this happened to me while I was trying to tell a story about my cat, Oscar, seeking escape from being cat-sit at my friend’s house by diving out the open window – only to be caught by his hind-paws by my lightning-reflexed friend. That one is as funny as I think it is….
3. Name four fictional characters with whom you’d be okay being stuck in an elevator. Why them?
Eliza Bennett (from Pride and Prejudice) – we could entertain each other with arch comments and witty banter.
Kvothe (from the King Killer Chronicles) – he could play soothing music for me and wax poetical. Also, never hurts to have a magician on hand, right?
Sydney Carton (from A Tale of Two Cities) – because I’ve been in love with him since I was 12 years old. Seriously. He’s dreamy.
Pi (from Life of Pi)- anyone who travels across the ocean with a Bengal tiger for company is good in my book. Also, he could spin amazing stories for us about our time in the elevator.
4. If you were a cartoon character, which cartoon character would you be?
Lisa Simpson. I’m a proud, self-proclaimed nerd – pre-occupied with social and environmental justice – and I really really like things to be somewhat ordered. Lisa is also an artist (although I’m most definitely not a musician – I collect instruments believing I will learn to play them and then failing to do that) and an avid reader. And, as my hair is currently growing out from being buzzed, I do indeed have pointy, spiky, triangular hair.
(**Editorial Note: It’s a good sign when the new Producing Artistic Director’s animated alter-ego is in OHA colors.)
5. When did you fall in love with theater?
I’ve loved it most of my life – but when I was 13, I saw a production of Waiting for Godot at the American Repertory Theatre that changed my life. I knew that I wanted to learn how to do THAT. Then, a couple years later, I interned at the ART for their production of Long Day’s Journey into Night and that was when I knew that I was in the right place. Never looked back since.
You can get more information about Meg here and we hope to see you down at the OHA office saying hi next week!
