Throwback Thursday

Michael Miclon and Shane Miclon wowed the crowds with their juggling in OHA’s 201210 Real Star Acts. Photo by Karen Gallela. 

Michael will be back at the Opera House next Wednesday, June 17 at 7pm to screen his directorial debut of Richard3, a comedic film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Richard III. Don’t miss this gleefully absurd story of the famed hunchback maniacal king who murders his way to the top!

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.

Throwback Thursday

Avner the Eccentric thrilled Opera House crowds in 2007. Photo by Annie Tselikis

Avner will be return this July 22nd as part of OHA’s exciting Live! for $5 series. See everything we’ve lined up here…

Behind the Scenes: Meg Taintor

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…

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!

Throwback Thursday

The DaPonte String Quartet at the Burnt Cove Church in 2012. 

The DaPonte String Quartet will be back this summer for Chamber at the Church. Get your tickets or subscription today!

Behind the Scenes: Nicole Nolan

OHA is very lucky to be located on an island chock-full of talented, involved students. They take part in our educational program, they shine on our stage and they work behind our counters.

Deer Isle-Stonington High School junior Nicole Nolan has performed in three shows at the Opera House — Men’s Lives, R&J&Z, and Romeo and Juliet. Not to mention that Nicole is one of our wonderful Assistant House Managers, has been an OHA intern two summers running and is about to embark on her third. Today she’s here to fill us in on a few more details….

Nicole in last summer’s production of Romeo & Juliet.

1. What’s your favorite part about growing up in Stonington?

Growing up here, there isn’t a lot to do, so I had to find ways to not be bored. I spent most of my time with my family because they all live on the island. That was my favorite part about growing up on the island because I could see my family when ever I wanted to, particularly my grandmother who lived across the road from me.

2. What one word would your friends use to describe you?

Crazy.

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

I would be Yogi Bear because I would love to eat all the food he finds in those pic-i-nic baskets.

4. When did you fall in love with theater?

I loved theater all through out elementary school, but I fell in love with it after 2 years of working at the Opera House. I was around people who shared the same passion as myself, and I’d never had that before.

Nicole is currently directing the student-run “Our Own” Staged Community Playreading of columbinus. Come out and support our amazing students next Wednesday, May 27 and Thursday, May 28 at 7pm!

Look for Nicole on stage again this summer as Lady Anne Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by Jeffrey Frace.

Throwback Thursday

Nicole Nolan, Peter Richards and Per Janson in the 2014 Shakespeare in Stonington production of Romeo & Juliet.

Nicole and Per are pairing up again in next week’s student-run “Our Own” Staged Community Playreading of columbinus, directed by Nicole and featuring Per alongside talented current and former area students. Join us on Wednesday, May 27 or Thursday, May 28 at 7pm!

Peter Richards returns to the island this summer to direct an exciting site-specific production of Chekhov’s The Seagull, as well as the next in the “Our Own” series – Dylan Thomas’ Under Milkwood. Email info@operahousearts.org to get on this list to read this community classic, August 5-6.

And, of course, Shakespeare in Stonington will be back strong this year, with a mischievous and merry rendition of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Get your tickets here!