intern opportunities at Lakewood Theater

Happy to help announce that Lakewood Theater will be offering summer intern positions for 2024!

This is a wonderful opportunity for those interested in learning theater craft in the costume shop, box office/marketing, and of course, backstage. 

All internships include a weekly stipend, a ticket to each of the season's shows, and housing right here on Olive Street.

In addition to the intern possibilities there are two hourly wage positions open at Lakewood Theater this year; Technical Director and Theater Technician/Carpenter. Each of these also include tickets, housing, and a few other perks.

Applications can be found here.

bunk beds

The new design for the bunk beds not only makes the most of the space that we have, but uses less materials! 

Each sleeps four, and there will be two of these units built at the Cabin!

Wifi arrives at the Lodge

Now that the Lodge (formerly known as the Brook House) is finally ready to be used for Lakewood Community Housing, we've also made a big leap and have installed wireless internet service there!  

With the ability to sleep eight folks at a time it is a community within itself, but which winter projects get completed will tell if it might just be home to the new LCH community kitchen space, or if that will be next door at the Gardener's cottage as currently planned.  An answer to this question will come in time for the 2024 auditions. For now, we still have two more shows, a prom and an awards banquet left to this season; so if you need a LCH place to stay, let us know!

All LCH stays on Olive Street at the Lodge, Cabbage, or Corner are by donation for the rest of the 2023 season  - reservations required.

a futon for the Cabbage!

There are moments when things just suddenly work out. Our little Cabbage now has a futon! A bit of coziness and comfort donated by a friend, and two other Olive Street community members volunteered to carry it up that steep steep hill!  

The final piece of the puzzle, now once again the Cabbage is made available according to the 'old rules'... and if you don't know what this means, just ask!  All are welcome here!
 

cabinets

Often I seem obsessed with cups and bowls and plates and dishes of all kinds. How lucky that there are a handful of kitchens here to stock and then re-stock with these lovelies. There is a shifting and sharing this time of year, and such fun in creating new groupings.

So if you arrive at a community kitchen or are staying at one of the cabins and you seem to be missing your favorite tea cup, don't worry, it is still somewhere here On Olive Street. It's just having a visit and being a part of a new adventure in another residence's cabinet.

This very often happens with furniture too, as you might notice.

Simply without the cabinets, of course

space available

Cast notices for the 2023 Lakewood Theater Season went out today! There will soon be a bustle of folks picking up thier scripts and getting ready for rehearsals! 

Just like you, I'll be waiting to hear who is in what, but know I am excited to be welcoming back MJ Clifford, Tucker & Autumn Atwood, and Colton Bagley here on Olive Street [Jakob Sutton, of course, is already here... and it is confirmed that he will be appearing on the Lakewood stage as well]

We still have space available for theater & restaurant folk (read more about that on the LCH page) and artists in residence (please see the Art Residencies page for that)  

sneak peak

While the remodel on the Brook House is still undergoing, a sneak peek at the kitchen's double ovens. And the awesome country boards. Such cool custom work. 

updated logo

Keeping the pennyfarthing, of course, and adding a little bird and some wildflowers. New tag line "art : gardens : tea" is a throwback to the original plans for the Cottage on Olive Street (formerly known as the Sugar Tree Cottage), and elements that we hope will continue to be found at every cabin in our project. 
 

cats, dogs, lizards, fish

The indomitable MJ Clifford took these photos of my Peach & her Willow enjoying some sun upon the porch of the Sugar Tree cottage last September. Peach is a permanent year round resident at the cottage now, and Willow has her run of the place for as many weeks as she desires each summer. [She is Queen and was there first]

In 2021 we fostered a litter of wee kittens and their mum at the cottage, and are open to foster another furry family again this year. Indeed I'm a 'cat lady' and simply can't imagine a home without a cat or two.

We've never been asked before - though if we had been the answer most likely would have been yes - but as we figure out lodging in the other camps and cottages for the 2023 season, we invite guests to inquire about bringing their cats, dogs and other friendly creatures along. We ask for a little information about how well your friend gets along with others and such, and we will need to limit the number of those we do allow, but here is the general announcement that we welcome your companions!.

Of course we will also be sure that at least one of the shared residences remain pet free for allergy and other reasons!  

challenge for the bees

 

We've said it before... we love bees. We very much want to invite lots of happy bees to pollinate and buzz around our plants and gardens on Olive Street! And wouldn't it be cool to make our own honey...someday?

Personally, I am allergic to certain bees and wasps (doesn't prevent me from being friendly with them and housing Mason Bees et cetera though!) Well MOFGA is offering a three part webinar on beekeping for beginers starting in January... so here's the dealio: if you apply and are accepted for the 2023 Gardeners Cottage position, an artists residency, or Lakewood housing, and you take this course, we will reimburse you (at the $40 level) for it. If you commit to be a volunteer and complete a minimum of 100 hours by the end of the season, and you take this course, we will reimburse you for it.

Helps our project, helps the bees, helps the planet. A worthy investment for sure!

Read more about the course here

The Cabbage

There is a new member to the family of cabins & cottages that make up the housing part of the On Olive Street project! She is and will forever be known as "The Cabbage" and sits up on the hilly side of Olive Street, tucked into the woods, overlooking the brook. A very special place indeed.

The Cabbage consists of one main room, a small kitchen, and a bathroom - and we will be adding a sleeping loft over the winter.

Olive Street blues

Taking a moment to share the beautiful blue hydrangeas at the neighbor's across from the Perkins House & beside the Hayden Brook camp. Naturally, not wanting to be outdone, our own nearby clusters of blueberries stepped up and started their transition to blue as well. Furthermore, this morning there were six Bluejays asking for seed around the feeder at 29 Olive. So it's the color of the day, and a good color to be indeed.

treat yourself to some tea

A follow up thought to yesterday's post: if you are one of the folks dropping off someone for Lakewood Theater's Young Performers Camp, why not take a few moments afterward for a calming cup of tea at the Tower House Community Kitchen?  Or fix yourself a snack! The Community Kitchen pantry is stocked (thanks to our "bees") with the essentials and is there for YOU as a member of the Lakewood Theater family!

Need a little extra TLC? Give me a heads up and I'll have a pot of tea ready for you at the Sugar Tree cottage to enjoy beside the brook
 

the how of making it work

The mission statement goes like this: to gently support the historic Lakewood Theater & its people along with local artists & the community; and to be an ongoing self-sustaining project.

So how is that done? The hope is that by giving folks the space to create, that they will give back. The goal is that there will be no rent, but through personal revenue generated by individual artists [actual art, gigs, and/or lessons] things such as electric bills, taxes, insurance, and water association fees will be paid. Through individuals donating their time and skill, gardens will be tended, buildings will be painted, grass will be mowed. [and all residences will have things like beautiful pottery, wooden tables, stunning paintings... all by local artists and a few friendly bees]

It has been put before me that I may be a little too optimistic, and I should also look into crowdfunding

remodeling the Hayden Brook Camp in my mind

What the place needs is a giant porch/sunroom across the front facing the brook. And a kitchen remodel. And skylights upstairs.

These are the things I think about to occupy my mind some times. Other times it's moving furniture around. Also in my mind.

That piano we were gifted a few weeks ago has now found it's home here...instead of in the Dance Hall at the Tower House as planned. Pianos, you see, are very heavy and the logistics of moving one into particular spaces may make for changes in plans. Just go with the flow.

the Hayden Brook camp

Because it is right upon the brook, we are presently calling it "the Hayden Brook camp" but eventually maybe we'll find it another name. 

At number 18 Olive, this camp sits across from the beautiful land at the Perkins House and is backed along Hayden Brook. So far we have noticed a very abundant supply of blueberries growing along the shed, and, of course, that the neighbor's incredible flowers' fragrance carries right in the door!

This will be another "artist in residence" cottage.