Who says you can’t go home again?
Hey! How’s everyone doing?
Here at Emerson Stage, we’re gearing up for two more shows in the next month — Brian Friel’s lovely, touching Dancing at Lughnasa, and Kander and Ebb’s razzle-dazzle The World Goes ‘Round. But, before we jump into that, we wanted to share with you a few final thoughts from Middletown, which EmStage presented at the start of October.
If you saw the show, you probably noticed that we had a pretty interactive lobby display set up, where we asked members of the audience to tell us about their hometown. Here are some of the responses we got to the questions we posted:
The Bakery: What’s your favorite home-cooked meal?
Lasagna by Vanessa! • My Mom’s soup! • TACOS • PHO (Vietnamese soup) • Daddy-o’s chicken wings with hot sauce • My mom’s broccoli pasta • Margaret’s chicken korma – thanks Ma • My mom’s CHOCOLATE cake • Steak & potatoes • Holly Comfort Grusendorf always made a great meatloaf • Grandma’s Apple Pie • Salt-rubbed roast chicken with potatoes • Lego • Mom’s lasagna! • Enchiladas • take out • My Dad’s Lemon Chicken • fresh lake fish caught by my dad • MOM’S CHICKEN SOUP! • Mashed Potatoes! • cheese enchiladas • Mom’s cookies! • Going out for dinner all the time in the winter because it’s the only thing to do!
Theatre: What was the first play you ever saw?
Lion King! • The local Catholic high school’s version of Grease • Beauty and the Beast (I think) • The Wiz on Broadway • On Broadway: Lion King, don’t know the actual first play play • Peter Pan on Broadway! • Rent • TIN PAN ALLEY – it was a school field trip • Don’t remember but my first Broadway show was Hairspray! • Beauty and the Beast • Cinderella (?) • I don’t remember. • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (the Lion’s mane fell off and he kept going like a champ)
Monument: What is your town’s claim to fame / tidbit of history?
Jennifer Lawrence • Island Beach • My hometown is famous for the birth of the TollHouse cookie • Home of Mark “the Bird” Fidrych • My hometown, Easton, MA, invented the shovel! • Soccer player Christine Lilly was born in my town – Wilton, CT • HMS Ajax Battleship • Caught Marathon Bombers in my town. Woo-hoo! • San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, Alcatraz, Nob Hill, 1906 EARTHQUAKE • Jay and Silent Bob • Great Barrington voted #1 small town in America • YAY FRAMINGHAM • Taylor Schilling, who plays Piper on “Orange is the New Black” is from West Roxbury • “Where’s Flossy?” a famous(ish) case where the town crone (mean old lady) vanished into thin air with groceries still in the car – Angelica, NY • El Paso was almost Hollywood except Pancho Villa kept invading. So yeah. • Flint auto city • Music city USA! • Martha Stewart grew up in my hometown • My family and friends – small town living is amazing! Everyone knows who you are.
Museum: If you could put one item from your childhood into a museum, what would it be?
My childhood sketchbook • My back yard • My brother • My favorite Nancy Drew book! • The talking watermelon I got for Christmas • My Blankie • My graphic novel collection • Lights on a brick wall • Illegal Technologies. Like Gameboys. • My imaginary friend • my orange Frisbee that I “cooked” in • My Dog • Teddy Bears • My stuffed squirrel, Phoebe! • An American Girl doll!
Library: What was your favorite book when you were little?
• The Birth of Autumn • The Rainbowfish • Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse (someone else commented: BEST BOOK OMG!) • The Giving Tree • The Hobbit • A Wrinkle in Time • Something from Nothing • Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus • Brave Irene • The Little Ballerina • The Wizard of Id • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom • Harry Potter • Goodnight Moon • Storm on the Island • Harry Potter! And a book about a mad scientist lady and her cat • Black Beauty • Little Women • I LOVE YOU FOREVER • Troll in Central Park
Hospital: What is the story behind your name?
^This is the hospital I was born at! • Autumn (born in Sept.) Comfort (for my mother) Lee (for my mother’s sister) – could have been Aubrey Rainn…what if!? • My name is Corey…My parents liked it I guess? • Emily was the only name my parents could agree on… • ELINOR – It’s from Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austin. My mom was an English major. • My mom wanted to name me Alexis or Sydney, with the middle name Irene, after her and my grandma. But birth was tough, my dad named me while she was sedated; after a playwright and because he liked the iambs of my name together. • My parents just liked it. My middle name is my grandmother’s maiden name though. • My father wanted to name me Aloysius – my mother said no! She was reading Medea – gave me the name Jason. • Morgan: Mom’s name is Melissa à last name was Horgan M+ organ = Morgan • My mom is from country Clare Ireland • I’m named after my great-grandmother! Everyone in my family is named after someone else. • I was almost named after my dad…that was vetoed by my mom • I am not named for anyone. My dad just liked the name. • I WAS NAMED AFTER A PLUMBING COMPANY…Thanks Mom & Dad. • First: picked from a baby name book. Middle: from song of artist from concert parent went to when pregnant. • It means dew! When I was little, I thought it meant “doo” as in “doo-doo,” as in poop. • My great grandfather’s name. • Besson means “the twins” in Medieval French.
Do you have any additions to any of the above? Share them in the comments!
And, congrats to the Middletown team on a fantastic production. Great job, guys!