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MEET EMILY SOELL, PRESIDENT OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
“I envision a day when people will say, Oh Sharon! Wonderful! You know they have a Playhouse there that is second to none!”
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in New York City. Manhattan, New York is my “hometown.”
Please give us highlights of your background growing up until now that you want to share.
I grew up in a family devoted to theater. My parents saw everything on Broadway and from the time we were old enough to sit still, they started taking us to musicals. So of course, I wanted to be an actress. At Cornell, I majored in Speech and Drama. When I graduated the Career Placement Officer asked what I wanted to do/be and I told him I wanted to be the great American actress. His reply, “Take a good secretarial course, dear.” Undaunted, I pursued acting for a time. I took courses at The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC. Went on endless fruitless auditions. Consequently, I realized I didn’t have the stomach for relentless rejection. I knew eventually it would flatten me. I had to find another career. After some false starts in teaching and publishing I opted for advertising because it paid better. I got a job as the youngest, dumbest copywriter ever hired. I ended up as Vice Chair/Chief Creative Officer of two direct marketing advertising agencies.
What/who are the biggest influences on your life?
My mother, whom I could never please growing up and who had few expectations for me other than perhaps I could manage to marry well and live a comfortable life playing canasta and shopping at Bergdorf Goodman. She propelled in me the determination to find my own way and ignore the opinions of detractors.
My father was on my side, even though he had a hard time confronting my mother.
My paternal aunt, who taught me compassion, empathy, and the ability to understand two sides of an issue.
My first boss in advertising, who recognized my abilities, pushed me to reach beyond what I thought was in my grasp and praised the efforts even when they occasionally fell short.
What brought you to Sharon, CT?
I didn’t find a house in Sharon. A house in Sharon found me. I was looking for a rental in Columbia County – an area I had been unfamiliar with until my best friends bought a weekend place there. Circumstances – too complex to explain – brought me over the border to Sharon where a real estate agent impelled me to look at a house that was for sale convincing me that it was just for her information – so she could know the kind of house I might respond to when I was ready to buy. I walked into that little house and drew breath. That was about 30 years ago. I own it to this day
When did you first get interested in The Sharon Playhouse and why?
My first experience with The Playhouse was shortly after I bought the house in Sharon and I went to a play there starring Estelle Parsons. I loved Estelle Parsons. But the play was so dreadful, I couldn’t imagine that she had agreed to do it. And I thought, “I live in New York. I can see the best theater. Why am I bothering with anything here?”
My second experience was a few years later when my friend Deb Reyelt, who was on The Playhouse Board asked me for help with a promotion piece that had been designed by the Playhouse Managing Director (MD) but which Deb thought was terrible. I designed three alternative pieces – all of which were rejected by the MD who was highly insulted and ran with her original concept.
My third experience was after I had retired from advertising and saw a notice in the Lakeville Journal that The Playhouse was holding tryouts for the summer season. The memory of my romance with acting resurfaced and I decided to audition. I got a part as a Pick-a-Little Lady in The Music Man. I was hooked. Since then, I have been in more than ten Playhouse productions.
Why do you think The Playhouse is important to the greater Sharon community?
Performing arts is important in any community. Sure, you can watch TV or go to the movies, but nothing compares to the experience of live theater. Plus, The Sharon Playhouse brings a fantastic added advantage to this community that is unique among theaters. In addition to theater professionals, The Playhouse features local performers in casts. That, plus our robust Youth Theater and Education program for both youth and adults, is why we position ourselves as a “teaching theater.” It's like a teaching hospital, where young or less experienced actors learn from the pros and everyone grows their talent and command of the craft. And it’s a fact that for the younger thespians or even those who are just audience members, theater can be life changing – even if they eventually pursue a different life path.
When did you accept the job of President of the BOD and what have been your biggest challenges so far?
I joined the Board as a regular member, then became Secretary and eventually Vice President to Bobbie Olsen as President. So, when Bobbie stepped down, I was next in line for the job. The year I became President we had to deal with a $350k shortfall. Talk about challenge!! There were those who believed we should declare bankruptcy. Or at least take a year off to regroup. I disagreed and eventually, thanks to a few like-minded Board Members we found a way to keep going.
Today, despite being in a decent place financially, the challenges have taken a different form. How to program for a demographically changing audience while still pleasing core supporters who have been with us forever. Or, how to keep the high-quality of productions on track when costs have skyrocketed. And how to populate our programs, and our Board with a diverse group such that it reflects the face of the nation today. These challenges easily equal and may even exceed the simple quest for monies to cover a shortfall.
What are you looking forward to this coming season?
This is the first season 100% planned and executed by a management team that includes two new and key players: Carl Andress, our new Artistic Director and Rod Christensen, our new Managing Director, along with Michael Kevin Baldwin, our Associate Artistic Director & Director of Education, Sarah Cuoco, Company & Education Manager, and Wendy Prause, Business Manager. I have never had more confidence that we have the absolute right people in place to carry this theater forward. I can’t wait to enjoy the magic they will accomplish in 2024.
What are you looking forward to the most in the future for The Playhouse?
I envision a future where The Playhouse becomes a center for performing arts in our region. A community gathering place. A venue where folks just automatically sign up to see whatever we are presenting because even if they don’t know the piece, they know it will be outstanding and not to be missed.
Years ago, when I told people I had bought a house in Sharon, many said, “Oh Sharon! Great! You know they have a wonderful hospital!” I envision a day when people will say “Oh Sharon! Wonderful! You know they have a Playhouse there that is second to none.”
My First Live Theater Experience: What It Meant To Me and How It Impacted My Life
Many theater-lovers recall their first or early theater-going experiences. They frequently refer to those times as “magical,” “transformative,” “bitten by the theater bug.” Moreover, these theater devotees can trace their current love of theater back to these earliest roots.
The Sharon Playhouse reporting staff has reached out to theater lovers in our communities to ask them to share their earliest experiences, and how these experiences have impacted their lives. Here are thoughts from government representatives, professional actors, local theater patrons, and staff and board members of The Sharon Playhouse.
We hope these stories inspire you to become a regular theatergoer. Your love of live theater doesn’t have to have started in childhood. It’s never too late to be enraptured by the experience of attending live theater.
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05)
“My fondest memories of the theater are from bringing my students for the first time. The moments where they lit up and were pulled into the story are unforgettable – the joy on their faces infectious. The theater is where we seek inspiration, indulge in different perspectives, and foster creativity - everyone should have the opportunity to experience that.”
Philip V. Oppenheimer, Salisbury resident
“I have a vivid memory of attending a road company production of Oklahoma! at the Erlanger Theatre in Buffalo (designed by the architects of Grand Central Terminal and other notable buildings). I think it was the summer of 1950 and I was ten. That fall we travelled by train, the Twentieth Century Limited for Thanksgiving in New York City where my mother’s parents lived. I recall going to Guys and Dolls and the next year if memory serves, The King and I. Those became classics and I was hooked for life. Those plays were performed on classic proscenium stages and I still get the same thrill when the curtain rises on such stages today.”
Maria Horn, State Representative, Connecticut House District 64
“I remember distinctly my first time at a theatrical production. It was not Broadway, but it sure seemed like it to me. I was probably about 10, and it was a summer theatre production at a local high school (I can’t even remember what it was). I think I attended with my friend from next door, whose older brother had worked on the sets, and I remember being thoroughly transported by the actors, stage sets, the plot, and demanding my parents take me to any and all future productions!”
Hon. Faith S. Hochberg, U.S. Federal Court Judge (ret.), Lakeville resident
“My earliest memory is seeing a play at the Jones Beach summer theatre when I was about 8 or 9 years old, where the stage was some kind of barge or boat. I believe that Paul Robeson sang a famous song, that I just loved. I think it was “Old Man River” – but no idea why I think that!
I love theatre….and always wanted to go back to Jones Beach each year to see it!”
Riley Klein, Managing Editor, The Lakeville Journal
“My first theater experience was actually a double feature. I was around eight years old when my grandparents offered to bring me to Broadway for the first time to see Oklahoma. I vividly remember the classic songs and was captivated by the magic of it all. After the show, my parents picked me up at the theater and surprised me with more tickets to a show just down the road: The Prince and the Pauper. This was an extra special show because my classmate was performing as the Pauper. Seeing my friend take the stage was a thrilling moment and meeting up with him after the show was as exciting for him as it was for me. Trips to the theater became an annual tradition after that, each stored as a core memory that I look back on fondly.”
Jennifer Van Dyck, Actor (The Sharon Playhouse’s Lifespan of a Fact)
“I grew up in a college town with a family that appreciated art in all forms. My first show was a church production of Finian’s Rainbow. I remember learning that there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The theatre was instructive! And hilarious. My search began - primarily in the woods behind our house. My next time at the theatre was filled with delight and terror. It was the Paperbag Players performing several of Grimm’s fairy tales. "Bluebeard’s Wife" is the one that is etched in my memory. It involved a woman being locked in a basement and having her pinky cut off (which was a better alternative to her life being cut short, I suppose). It hardly seems like child-friendly material, but those Brothers Grimm know how to do it. I nearly leapt out of my seat, but also remember the thrill of make-believe.
My best friend and I were bitten by the bug and put on plays in our backyard. We had an ongoing series of short plays called “Mother and Madeline.” I played the mother and my best friend was a massively misbehaving Madeline, which set us up for all kinds of running jokes (or so we thought). We also did a production of The Wizard of Oz, in which I played the Scarecrow and got to slip and slide all over the place. The plot was not as important as the physical comedy involved in being made of straw.
The theatre was a place of magic and community. Going to the theatre was a habit that was formed early and stuck. I knew even then that this was the life for me. I am so grateful to my parents, and the community in which I grew up, for introducing me at such a young age to both the thrill and wonder of the theatre.”
Alexander Wilburn, Special Events Editor, The Lakeville Journal
“Growing up in New York City, I had the privilege of a childhood surrounded by the best artistic output this country has to offer, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Philharmonic to the American Ballet Company, as well as a father deeply interested in providing his children a rich, artistic education. Early productions of Shakespeare in the Park began a lifelong interest in The Bard and led me to act in several youth productions, like A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and As You Like It. Even as an adult, I recently sought out a five-hour production of Hamlet performed at The Park Avenue Armory. Exposing a child to the works of William Shakespeare is more than crafting a love of theater; it's a way to unlock the meaning behind paintings, literature, and the origins of poetry found in common speech. Along with Greek mythology, the works of Homer, and The King James Bible, a childhood spent understanding Shakespeare is a preparation to engage with and understand the culture of the Western World. Shakespeare is not the dialogue of the everyday man — as Mozart is not the music of the everyday man — it is the language of man's highest accomplishment: the sound of art.”
Jen Cody, Actor (The Sharon Playhouse’s Something Rotten)
“There is nothing like experiencing and sharing emotions with an entire theatre of people. The first time I remember this communal joy was seeing the Original Broadway Cast of Noises Off. I must have been around 11 and the entire audience was belly laughing with tears rolling down their faces. I was hooked. That only happens at live theatre. Every show I see reminds me of how special it is to escape with strangers for a few hours and laugh.”
Carl Andress, Artistic Director, The Sharon Playhouse
“My earliest encounter with live theater happened when I was just three years old, when I was taken to see a local production of the musical, Li’l Abner, and it turned out to be a magical experience that has stayed with me throughout my life. The vivid colors of the stage, the enchanting voices of the actors, and the buzzing excitement in the crowd sparked a fascination that eventually led me to become a theater director and now the artistic director of The Sharon Playhouse. As someone deeply involved in the world of theater, I can't help but emphasize the importance of attending live performances. There's something truly special about the connection that forms between the audience and the performers during a live show – it's a shared experience that goes beyond the virtual world we often find ourselves in. Seeing real emotions unfold in real-time creates a captivating and memorable atmosphere, fostering empathy, understanding, and a shared love for the stories we tell. I'm a firm believer that live theater adds a touch of magic to our lives, weaving stories into our cultural fabric and bringing people together in a way that lasts long after the final bow.”
Emily Soell, President, Board of Directors, The Sharon Playhouse
“From the time my brother and I could sit up, keep quiet, and pay attention, our parents took us to Broadway. (In those days, theater tickets were affordable.) Because of our ages, they choose musicals. At the risk of dating myself, I saw the original Oklahoma, Carousel, Annie Get Your Gun (with Ethel Merman!), South Pacific (with Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza!). Before we went, our parents would play us a recording of the songs. To this day I know, by heart, the lyrics to every classical musical you can name. The theater habit has stuck with me my whole life. Is it any wonder I ended up as Board President of a Playhouse that does mainly musicals?”
Rodney Christensen, Managing Director, The Sharon Playhouse
“Without a doubt, the first time I attended a live theater production made a huge and positive impact on me as a person and later led me to pursue my professional career as an arts administrator/educator. As a budding trumpet player, I was asked to play in the pit orchestra in my hometown's community theater production of The Music Man. I was in 10th grade at the time, and this was actually my first time experiencing live theater. That first experience instilled in me the belief that theater is transformative; it builds inclusive, collaborative, creative places & spaces for us all to joyfully create community together!”
Michael Kevin Baldwin, Associate Artistic Director/Director of Education, The Sharon Playhouse
“My first time attending a live theatrical performance was a production of Barnum at Tri-State Center for the Arts (now the organization that is The Sharon Playhouse) under a tent in Pine Plains, New York. I remember being absolutely transported by the magic and theatricality of the production. The performances were exquisite. The world that was created under the big top was vibrant and awe-inspiring. I also remember the many children performers in the production, which inspired me to get involved in theater at a young age. It also didn't hurt that they had elephant rides as part of the preshow. I am so grateful to my parents for bringing me at a young age to see live local theater. It taught me about the power of storytelling and the magic of live performance.”
Sarah Combs, Vice President, Board of Directors, The Sharon Playhouse
“My father used to take our family to see plays and musicals at Western Michigan University where he was a professor. We attended touring shows that played the 3000-seat theatre, or the drama department's season of Shakespeare, smaller musicals, and contemporary plays in the University's more intimate performance spaces. Of course, I loved the costumes, scenery, and choreography, but what charmed me more than anything else, was the storytelling that transported me to the misty Scottish Highlands, the woods inhabited by fairies, or the exploits of characters in a French drawing room comedy. From a young age, I wanted to be a part of telling those stories.”
Gretchen Hachmeister, Executive Director, The Hotchkiss Library of Sharon
"When I was five, my mother took me to see the Nutcracker at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh. The holiday decorations and ornate architecture astounded me, but then the curtain went up and I was hooked. Decades later, and on the other side of a pandemic, that feeling is still there. And there is nothing better than a great live performance in your own town!"
Lee A. Davies, Member, Board of Directors, The Sharon Playhouse
“I grew up in south Queens and going into “the city” was considered a big deal. Our home was filled with Original Cast Albums and we would sing along with them. My earliest experiences of attending theater go back to my adolescent years, with the original productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Funny Girl, Barefoot in the Park among the first. That was when I became a theater nerd. I was not beyond seeing anything, even shows that were considered “flops” (Sherry!, the musical version of The Man Who Came to Dinner; How Now Dow Jones; Ilya Darling, the musical of Never on Sunday; Goodtime Charley, with Joel Grey and Ann Reinking). My love of live theater continues to this day. I love creativity and will seek out plays and musicals that have engaging, well-developed characters and provocative themes that challenge and entertain.”
TAPPING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT: JUSTIN BOCCITTO'S JOURNEY IN THEATER AND DANCE
Justin Boccitto, an integral member of The Sharon Playhouse community, shares his unique and vibrant journey into the world of theater and tap dancing with Curtain Up!
Justin's path to the stage was unconventional, sparked by a childhood experience that initially didn't appeal to him. “I came home crying because I didn't like it,” Justin recalls about his first foray into theater, a sentiment that soon transformed into a profound love for the arts.
Growing up in a small town in northwest New Jersey, Justin's initial exposure to theater was through a young performer’s workshop. Despite an early resistance, this experience ignited a passion that has defined his career. “I fell in love and was basically involved in the theater from that moment forward in my life,” he recalls.
Justin's dedication to the arts led him to New York City, where he studied at Circle in the Square Theater School. He embraced a practical education that honed his skills in dancing and acting. “Tap dance was definitely a huge part of that,” he says, reflecting on how this art form became his strength and focus.
His journey through the arts wasn't always smooth, yet filled with diverse experiences that enriched his career. From performing as a stuntman at The Metropolitan Opera to teaching at prestigious dance centers, Justin's versatility shined through and “I found myself in a lot of different pockets.”
Justin's connection with The Sharon Playhouse began somewhat unexpectedly. Initially he was hesitant to dive into regional theater as he wanted to focus on more NYC-based projects. However, an invitation to choreograph Anything Goes changed that. “I almost resisted it,” he admits. He's glad that he didn't as this opportunity led to a fulfilling and ongoing relationship with The Playhouse, where he has since become a key part of its evolution and success.
After Anything Goes, Justin returned to choreograph and perform in Crazy for You, a work he is very proud of. When The Playhouse needed him most, he agreed to step in as Interim Artistic Director before Carl Andress was hired.
Justin transformed Guys and Dolls and Something Rotten with creative, crowd-pleasing tap additions. Although he passed on the Artistic Director baton, he is still very involved on both the creative and marketing sides of The Playhouse.
ENCORE CORNER
All of us are excited about the upcoming season. As you may know, we provide lodging for our staff as close to the theater as possible and can still use your help with some donations to make our company feel at home.
Aren't you pleased when you can recycle anything in your house or garage for a good cause? We can currently use:
· Old dressers or chests approximately 36” wide.
· Towel sets, or towels of all sizes that you don't like or need for housing actors and crew.
· Office supplies such as packs of printing paper, pads, pens & pencils, pen/pencil holders, pencil sharpeners, paper clips of all kinds, manila folders, etc.
· Any used car that you would like to donate – a great tax benefit!
Please think of us when you want to get rid of home items and office supplies you no longer need and then call Wendy, our Business Manager at 860-364-7469 X100 or write to her at business@sharonplayhouse.org. You can make arrangements to drop off your donations at our offices or we can schedule a pick-up at your place.
Remember – The Sharon Playhouse is a non-profit 501(c)(3) arts organization. Your donation is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. We will provide you with an acknowledgement of your gift for tax purposes along with the statement that no goods or services were provided to you in exchange.
Thank you in advance!
MEET THE TEAM BEHIND CURTAIN UP!
Publisher: The Sharon Playhouse Editor-in-Chief: Emily Soell, President of the Board of Directors*
Editor/Reporter: Jacqueline Markham-Priaulx*
Managing Editor: Rod Christensen
Design Director: Justin Boccitto
Reporters: Lee Davies,* John Christian Lange*
Advisors: Carl Andress, Artistic Director; Michael Kevin Baldwin, Associate Artistic Director/Director of Education; Sarah Cuoco, Education & Company Manager & Wendy Prause, Business Manager
*Members of the Board of Directors
All of us at Curtain Up! thank you for reading our newsletter.
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