Throwback Thursday

Local kids learn new skills at OHA’s Arts Camp, 2003.

Registration for this year’s Arts Camp begins later this month! Start planning your summer activities!

Behind the Scenes: Morgan Witham

Whether you’re a fisherman, you’ve been part of any performing arts on the island, or both – you probably know Morgan Witham. Most recently at the Opera House, you might have seen the “Our Own” production of Peter Matthiessen’s Men’s Lives in November that Morgan directed or your kids might have listened to her bang up job as a panelist during OHA’s Grapes of Wrath educational symposia just this week.

But even with as active a community member as Morgan, there are always more mysteries to unfold. After all, can you really say, off the top of your head, you know which cartoon character with whom Morgan thinks she has the most in common? After reading this, you’ll be able to answer that with a resounding yes!

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up on the island, then spent my last couple of years of high school in Limestone, where I got a chance to appreciate life up in the County.

2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you?

I was the irritating kid who raised her hand all the time and had done the reading- it probably looked like I really needed to go to the bathroom, but I was just that antsy to answer the question. Or more to the point, to answer ALL the questions. I thought school was an unending episode of Jeopardy… and I might have been one of the few under that illusion.

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

Silent Bob from the Kevin Smith movies… there’s much to be said for people who don’t say anything using the mouth part of their faces. His quiet presence wouldn’t add to any incipient claustrophobia. Harry Dresden, from Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files- so we’d have someone personable to blame for the elevator’s failure… except it would probably also mean that there were demons trying to attack us. Meh- might as well have an adventure. In which case, next I would add Holden Caulfield, as the sacrificial chump that gets eaten first, buying us time/distraction, and MacGyver to actually get us out of the elevator. Not exactly My Dinner with Andre, but it works for me.

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

Calvin. See above elevator scenario, which is inked in color. And the demons look AWESOME. And they ate Holden Caulfield… who is not unlike Calvin, which means- did I just subconsciously feed the more irritating parts of myself to demons in a hypothetical elevator scenario?

5. When did you first fall in love with theater?

I was at Cold Comfort Theater Camp at Maine Maritime, and it was the lighting cue to cue for that summer’s production of Bye, Bye, Birdie! All of the campers had been shuffled into the theater to watch the tech happen from the audience. Looking back I bet it was a good dodge for the counselors catch a break from us. Our job was to shut up and be still while other people worked. It was tedious, and painstaking, but as they made all of these slight but critical cue changes, quietly, in the dark- I thought “this is amazing.” There was no pay off in excitement or applause, there was just the methodical process of improving the details, the satisfaction of seeing something being refined, of the rough bits being smoothed out. It was formative- having a chance to be in a space that was so focused, to witness what good flow sounds like, looks like, when a cast and crew just buckle down and make their way, as gracefully as possible, through the fiddly things. It’s when I fell in love with the work of theater.


Morgan will soon be returning to the Opera House stage! Come down and see her, visiting artist Per Janson and other local community members in the “Our Own” production of Eugene O’Neill’s Anna Christie, directed by OHA Board Member Peter Richards. The staged play reading will be offered on Wednesday, April 22 and Thursday, April 23 at 7p.m.

Throwback Thursday

Perry Hunter (left) & Paul Fishman (right), OHA’s earliest volunteers working on the driveway in 2003. 

The Opera House will be closed from today until the evening of Friday, April 10 as we race toward this summer’s grand reveal of the new lobby and scene shop – but we’re still working away down in the front office, so come down and say hi. Tickets for the summer season are now on sale – start your planning!

Behind the Scenes: Robin Cust

Here at OHA, we’re big believers in arts integrated learning, so much so that we’ve made it the cornerstone of our educational partnerships. Thankfully, we’ve had OHA Education Associate Robin Cust leading the charge. This evening’s your chance to get to know a little more about this lovely lady.

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up just outside of Boone, a university town in the mountains of North Carolina, in one of the most idyllic and beautiful valleys on the planet. The worn and gently rolling mountains of the ancient Appalachian range provided an exquisite setting to commune with nature.

2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you?

That seems so long ago! If I can pull those days from the recesses of my memory, they were probably filled with creativity and humor. So yeah, I guess my classmates might most remember me for my having a creative leaning. I remember my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Taylor, giving me permission to excuse myself from the class work to “perfect” my painting of a horse…I scrubbed right through the paper in the pursuit of artistic perfection, and I’m still scrubbing today, only with different tools and materials.

I also remember laughing a lot with my closest friends at really ridiculous stuff …geez…who knows what was so funny. I surely can’t remember the details, but I’m sure it had to do with some bizarre imaginings.

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

John Steinbeck’s Junius Maltby would be a great companion and would find many things to be in awe of or to wonder about while being oblivious to the desperate situation. He would have us enthralled with some interesting flight of fancy for a very short time until The Forrester Family from Marjorie Kennan Rawlings The Yearling, who are constantly fighting and arguing with everyone over every little thing, would take matters into their own hands. They’re not the type of friends you want to invite to a dinner party: they’re loud, violent, wild and mean, and I actually have a soft spot in my heart for them. Guaranteed…we wouldn’t be stuck in that elevator for very long!

I know that’s more than four people…The Forrester Family is big in number and girth, but I also think Mary Call Luther from Where the Lilies Bloom would be an asset. Mary Call is an unflinching and determined young woman with enough grit to bear up under a load of difficulty that would be too much for most adults. She could keep the Forresters productively focused.

I’m not sure what it says about me that I would be willing to be stuck in an elevator with characters who are desperate, intense and completely out of touch!

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

Pink Panther. He’s sly lanky and definitely cool. He doesn’t even need to speak to keep your attention, and even after he’s been through the wringer, he saunters off with that sideways glance and a wink…totally in control and ready for the next hair-raising escapade!

5. When did you fall in love with theater?

Probably shortly after the unfortunate family of raccoons were evicted from The Stonington Opera House. Prior to that I was mildly intrigued by theater, and thought I might someday like to participate.

Want to see OHA educational programming in action? Come down to the Opera House next Wednesday, the 25th, at 7pm for a reprise of The Living Room Project: Grapes of Wrath, starring CAB member Bob Burke and directed by Caitlin Shetterly. This performance is done as a follow up to Tuesday’s educational symposia with the Deer Isle Stonington High School.

Oh, and if you see Robin? Give her a high five!

Throwback Thursday

CAB member, Bob Burke in the 2014 Living Room Project performance of The Grapes of Wrath.

A reprise of this performance is being offered next Wednesday, March 25th at 7pm. This is being done as a follow up to Tuesday’s upcoming symposium with the high school. Want more information? Check out our Cue Sheets!

Behind the Scenes: Isaac Goss

Who is that man behind the curtain? Or, more accurately, up in the projection booth. OHA Projectionist Isaac Goss keeps our movies running smoothly each week. Here’s your chance to get to know him a little better!

1. Where did you grow up?

In Bolton Valley, Vermont.

2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you?

I would like to think fondly. Constantly reading or sketching or writing. One of the three or all of the above.

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

Captain William Lawrence (from Temeraire series by Naomi Novik)

Commander Sam Vimes (from Discworld, by Terri Pratchett)

Doctor Gordon Freeman (from Half-Life)

Chell (from Portal)

The first two would be interesting to talk to. The other two know how to keep quiet.

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

Marvin the Martian

5. What drew you to working at the Opera House?

I knew the people who worked here and it seemed like it would be the place for me.

Isaac will once again be valiantly manning the projector at this weekend’s showing of Fifty Shades of Grey. Come, check out the movie that everyone’s talking about and admire his fine work! 

Want to know more about the inner workings for the Opera Hose? Read our other Behind the Scenes interviews!

Throwback Thursday

Local children explore the world from a new viewpoint at the 2003 Arts Camp. 

Interested in this year’s upcoming Arts Camp? Click here for more information. Registration begins next month!