Operations Manager, Bennington Performing Arts Center
Company Manager, Oldcastle Theatre Company
This week it is my turn to introduce, or re-introduce myself, to our fantastic patrons, whose support has been vital in these challenging times.
I am a true blue Vermonter, going back to the Revolutionary War on my mom’s side, and Georgia on my Dad’s side. For the first twelve years of my life, I grew up five minutes outside of town, in the house my grandfather built for my grandmother. In the summer at that house, I did fun things like visiting the fish hatchery, and swimming in the brook. These activities were mixed in with trips to New York City, plus a pretty awesome trip to Hawaii when I was ten. From quiet Bennington, I moved with my mom to Columbia, MD, which is smack dab in between Washington, DC and Baltimore—which was a definite change. I was there for four years.
My love for the arts started at age four with my first piano lesson at Sonatina Piano school. I still play a mean “Hot Cross Buns.” I also started my dance life at that age, which I continued until I was twelve. I studied pointe, ballet, tap and jazz. I also played the clarinet and baritone around then, too. Plus choir. Okay, I admit it, I was an Art Geek forever.
I studied Opera for a few years, then switched to singing jazz, and show tunes. Had my one and only concert, so far, in 2001 (wow, that was a while ago). I sort of hung up my vocal chords for a while, then I happened to meet the wonderful Cailin Marcel Manson, which began my re-involvement with the Bennington County Choral Society. I started as a member, then a board member, and then a stint as the President. Even now, in time of COVID, we continue on with online lessons, and practice for a one day concert.
My two big loves are my daughter Matana and writing. Matana will be nine on the 27th of February. I love her with everything I am. She has changed my life a thousand times for the better. She can be a handful, but she is my handful. My other love is writing. I breathe so I write, I write so I can breathe. The idea of writing started from dissatisfaction with TV shows and movies, when I was young. This idea of “that is not how I would do it.” Soon, I started putting things on paper. At 19, I had a literary agent, and a book on the fast track to being a TV movie, but I walked away from that, because I was 19 and didn’t like the book I had written enough. Now, I am in the process of publishing my first book of poetry with Northshire Bookstore.
I know how truly lucky I am to have the job I have. I get to create and be a part of magic—real magic. The kind of magic that lives briefly, but its’ memory lasts. Something special shared between the artist and the audience. I can’t wait to see everyone in person again.