Behind the Scenes: Nellie & Jack

A lot of woman/man-power goes in to every movie and show being produced on the Opera House stage, but here at OHA we don’t simply rely on humans to get things done. Since the beginning we’ve had an Opera House dog to help out with the day-to-day activities of the organization. As most of you know, we currently have two pups carrying the load of OHA’s canine responsibilities. However, while this pair is friendly, they’re not overly verbose – so while you know them, you may not knowthem.

Jack & Nellie spreading cheer in this endless winter.

1. Where did you grow up?

Jack – I was born into a pretty big family in Lincoln, Maine. We had some good times, but there comes a point where you’re just ready to strike out on your own – no matter how much you love your family. When Judith and Linda came along, it just seemed like the right fit. We had so many similar interests and I was ready to see more of the world.

Nellie – I moved around some growing up. Times weren’t always easy, but somehow I always knew there were big things in my future. I’d landed in Bath when I met Linda and Judith. They both seemed to know a lot of words, which appealed to me. I didn’t realize until later that I was becoming part of a family.

2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you? 

Jack – While I haven’t pursued any formalized educational experience, I think those who have known me would remember me as a student of the world. Oh, and a natural warmer if you happen to find yourself treading freezing water in the lake behind your house.

Nellie – This is a ridiculous question. I didn’t go to elementary school. But, fine, if I did, they’d remember me as a real wordsmith. I love words. I’d kill any vocabulary test. Seriously. Try me.

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

Both –

Rin Tin Tin (from Rin Tin Tin) – Rin’s gotten through some pretty serious scrapes. He could definitely handle himself in a stuck elevator situation.

Toto (from The Wizard of Oz) – The books, not the movie, of course – where he could talk. He’s not overly chatty which is nice, but we don’t want to have to completely guess what he’s thinking. Plus, we need to know if he thinks the elevator issue has some kind of Wicked Witch connection.

Tock (from The Phantom Tollbooth) – Not only does he give great advice in dire situations, he’s also part clock. That’s going to make it a lot easier to know how long we’ve been stuck in that elevator.

While both Jack and Nellie were in pretty solid agreement up until this point, their opinion diverged in terms of the last member of their elevator quartet – though they both went in the superhuman direction.

Jack –

The Human Torch (from The Fantastic Four) – Those elevator floors can get pretty cold. If I’m going to be in there for awhile, it would be nice to have someone there to heat them up. And then perhaps melt some of this snow outside after we got out. That would be nice.

Nellie –

Wonder Woman (from Wonder Woman) – Diana Prince would have us out of that elevator in no time. Plus, who doesn’t love Amazons?

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

Jack – I suppose I relate to Pinky – another non-human with the ability to communicate with people. Plus, I always admired his ability to thwart his friend’s less moral attempts under the guise of foolishness so as not to ruin the friendship. He was quite clever.

Nellie – Brain. Brain. Brain. Now, there was a guy who knew what had to be done. I’m telling you, give me a little more time and you’ll be looking at the new Producing Artistic Director.

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

Jack – One of my first theater experiences was the staged reading of Peter Matthiessen’s Men’s Lives that was done at the Opera House in 2008. Having just moved to Deer Isle, the story of such a similar community really spoke to me. I was thrilled when OHA brought it back this past fall.

Nellie – When I heard there had been raccoons in the Opera House. I was actually pretty disappointed when I found out they weren’t living there anymore. I’d love to chase a good raccoon.

Come down to the Opera House and support all of Jack and Nellie’s hard work – plus, Academy Award Best Picture winner, Birdman, this weekend! 

Throwback Thursday

Tosca, the first Opera House dog, enjoying the winter weather of 2005. 

Feeling a little stir crazy with this never-ending snow? Get out of the house and down to the Opera House this weekend for this year’s Best Picture winner, Birdman!

Behind the Scenes: David Mason

OHA is very excited to welcome visiting artist David Mason back to the Stonington Opera House! As you may have seen in the Island Advantage a couple weeks ago, Dave will be up on the Opera House stage next Tuesday and Wednesday. Here’s your chance to get to know him better beforehand – then when you bring all your friends to the Appropriate staged play reading, you can impress them with your insider knowledge.

1. Where did you grow up? 

I grew up in Western Massachusetts. I spent my early years in the tiny hilltown of Pelham, population 1,100. Lots of woods for hiking, a school, a fire department, a general store, and not much else. But it was a great place to live, grow up and learn. We moved a few miles down the road to Amherst, MA when I was a teenager. Compared to Pelham, Amherst was a relative metropolis; a beautiful, diverse college town with a lot going on.

2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you? 

Hmm. That was a long time ago. I think they’d probably remember me as a friendly, shy kid who liked sports and loved the Red Sox. After the Sox lost the world series in 1986, I sat in my classroom and penned a cheerful poem to the team with a rhyming verse for each starting player and mailed it to Fenway Park. I never heard back, but at the time I imagined they had posted it inside the dugout for all the players to see.

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

Well, being stuck in an elevator narrows the field considerably. If I’m stuck in an elevator with someone, then ideally the person would be a great conversationalist, a beautiful singer, extremely funny, or able to fix a stalled elevator. So I’d go with:

Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding (from The Shawshank Redemption) – A fascinating character full of wisdom and compassion, and I think great conversation. But this is also just about Morgan Freeman’s voice from the film version, which I can’t separate from the fictional character. It’s a voice I could listen to all day.

Guy (from the movie musical Once) – A street busker played by Glen Hansard. I think a free elevator mini-concert would be great.

Any of the characters from Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor – Based on the writer’s room for Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, the characters are all laugh-out-loud, joke-a-minute funny. And being stuck in an elevator with funny people is a good thing I think.

Superman – I mean, if for no other reason, I don’t think Superman is one to stay stuck in an elevator for very long. I think he’d just open the doors (or use his laser beam eyeballs?) to get us out. Problem solved.

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

Charlie Brown. Or so I’ve been told by more than one person. It has something to do with being clumsy and injuring myself, apparently.

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

The first time I stepped on stage in front of an audience in high school. I played Harry the Horse in Guys & Dolls when I was 16 and it was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I was a shy, insecure kid and somehow my friends convinced me to audition and I ended up performing on that stage in front of all of those people. And it was as if I suddenly had found my voice. I think that’s a common story for a lot of actors, or artsists, or for folks of any profession. When you find something you are passionate about and into which you are able to channel your energy, it can be liberating. I’m count myself very lucky that I’m still able to work in the theater all these years later. And I still love it.

 Come out to see Dave and your fellow community members in the latest “Our Own” Production – Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Appropriate, directed by Producing Artistic Director, Linda Nelson! We have two shows next week, Tuesday, February 24th and Wednesday, February 25th – both at 7pm.

Throwback Thursday

Bunzy Sherman, Ingrid Bengis, Amanda Larrabee, Larry Estey, and Cherie Mason in 2007 “Our Own” production of White Lilacs.

 In celebration of Black History Month, our latest “Our Own” staged play reading is Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Appropriate, a story that explores the family and racial tensions of the Lafayette siblings. Come out and join us Tuesday, February 24th, 7pm and Wednesday, February 25th, 7pm!

Behind the Scenes: Linda Nelson

Anyone who has ever had any interaction at all with Opera House Arts knows Linda Nelson, our Founding Executive Director and current Producing Artistic Director. But do you know enough about her outside of the Opera House? Of course not. We’re here to fix that. 

Our fearless leader at age 3 (jaunty eye patch not pictured)

Where did you grow up?

Stonington, Connecticut. I grew up as a…we called them wharf-rats. I grew up on and off the water. I had my first volunteering position at the Mystic Seaport.

How would your elementary school classmates remember you?

As a one eye – I had to wear a patch over my left eye – not because I was a pirate – but because I have amblyopia and that’s the treatment. You wear a patch over your good eye to strengthen your bad eye.

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

Harriet (from Harriet the Spy) – I was just like her. She’ll document our time in the elevator.

Beebo Brinker (from Beebo Brinker) – In the 1950’s, before it was cool to be gay, she moved from the hinterlands to New York City when it was all jazzy and beat. She was a real groundbreaker.

Tom Sawyer (from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) – I love Tom because he’s a bee charmer. He can sweet talk anybody into following him anywhere, into any of his adventures, doing anything. I think it’s often a much maligned and neglected skill.

Katniss Everdeen (from The Hunger Games) – Well…that’s self evident. Whether we’re middle-aged women or young women, she’s the swashbuckling heroine of our times. She’s smart too, which I like about the character. And she’s very much a young woman, not trying to be anyone but who she is. She comes from rough circumstance and makes the most of what she has.

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

Speedy Gonzalez. I already use his catchphrase when I drive.

When did you first fall in love with theater?

When I walked into the main door of the Opera House and stood in the stinky, falling down, dark, raccoon inhabited theater.

Come and hang out with Linda tonight in the Ivory Tower for the preliminary round robin read- through of the next “Our Own” production, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Appropriate. Email Linda at lnelson@operahousearts.org to let us know you’re coming, or call 207-367-2788.

Throwback Thursday

Heather Matthews and Bob Burke in Tennessee Williams’ 27 Wagons Full of Cotton in a 2008 “Our Own” production.

Interested in being involved in our newest “Our Own” play reading? Join us tomorrow night, Friday the 13th, in the Ivory Tower for the preliminary round robin read through of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Appropriate. Email Linda at lnelson@operahousearts.org to let us know you’re coming, or call 207-367-2788.

Behind the Scenes: Henry Teverow

If you’ve been in Stonington at any point since September, you’ve probably run into OHA’s Facilities and Stage Technician, Henry Teverow – whether it was here at the Opera House or through his other position as the town’s Economic Development Director. But how much do you know about the young gentleman from away? After today, a little bit more…

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York—practically the same town as “Brooklin with an ‘I’”, across the bridge.  I’ve spent practically every summer of my life on the island, though, which makes me a local…right, guys?

How would your elementary school classmates remember you?

My elementary school classmates would hopefully remember me as being a sweet and nice kid—probably more than can be said for my classmates after elementary school.  I always thought I peaked developmentally in fifth grade.

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

In no particular order: the talking tree grandma from Pocahontas—I think she could impart some serious knowledge unto me while we wait to be unstuck.  Luke from Cool Hand Luke, because he’d be able to find a way to escape—and then we’d do some world shaking.  Agnes from David Copperfield, so that I might hopefully catch some of her decency through osmosis.  Lastly, whoever Tommy Chong plays in Up in Smoke.

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

                                                               

I don’t know what character I’d be, but I’d like to be a hybrid of Gandalf, Han Solo, and Speed Racer—I’m getting light-headed just thinking of all the greatness.

When did you first fall in love with theater?

April 26th, 1564.

Want the opportunity to pepper Henry with your own questions? Come down to the Opera House for our weekend movies! Unbroken is this weekend’s selection, with Selma and The Imitation Game coming up next. If you don’t find Henry helping out in the projection booth, you’ll probably see him tirelessly digging us out of the snow. In this case, you can likely convince him to help you build a pre-movie snowman.