Part of the Lakewood Theater history, and very much the present, is the Lakewood Inn Resturant. The atmosphere is beautiful, the food is amazing, the staff very friendly! A wonderful place to dine before an evening at the theater or for a weekend brunch.
And they open this weekend! Please call ahead for reservations at 858-4403 and visit thier website for a sample menu and other information. www.lakewoodinnrestaurant.com
A very special guest will be staying at the Sugar Tree Cottage for a few weeks this summer: we are delighted that MJ Clifford (and one of her cats, Willow) will be using the cottage while MJ is performing in the first two plays of the Lakewood Theater season!
MJ is very well known at Lakewood, as one of the founders of Curtain Up Enterprises and a member of the Cornville Players, taking the stage during more than thirty seasons! When she wasn't on the stage, she was quite often the one taking your tickets and welcoming you as you entered the theater.
She will be reprising her role in But Why Bump Off Barnaby? during an encore run of the 2020 production, and also appearing in Four Old Broads, and Who's in Bed with the Butler? at Lakewood Theater this season.
"Wee Willow" is the name under which MJ creates colorful cross stitch, and you'll find a selection available for sale in the Lakewood Theater lobby, through the Wee Willow facebook page and some will be gracing the walls of these cabins on Olive Street!
My current personal project is turning the little artist room into a temporary bedroom, and then the Sugar Tree Cottage will be able to say a Lakewood Theater legend "slept here!"
Available for purchase at Treasures in Madison, 270 Main Street. (207) 696-8440
Update November 18th, 2022 - I purchased this painting! Not sure where it will hang on Olive Street yet...
Robin's family has been steeped in Lakewood history, her father being born in one of the cabin's behind the theater, (lovingly indeed named "The Henderson House") and caretakers of the famous Lakewood Golf Course and Country Club. I had the wonderful good fortune to have been able to call Robin my friend as we were growing up together.
She is an incredible artist! I own others of her originals, as well as a numbered print of another of her Lakewood Theater paintings also hanging at the cottage.
Look her up at https://www.creativeground.org/profile/american-folk-artist-robin-davis
You should check out her etsy shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/StephIrwinCeramics
Blossoms are out, grass is greening, we've had rain so puddles abound... this all means that the ducks are very happy! Hayden Brook rushes by the Sugar Tree Cottage, antique dishes are being sorted at the Perkins House, and Swampy is being made less swampy... this is our springtime on Olive Street!
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
Related to the bees part of the project, there will now be a little donations jar at the Tower House. Vistors using the artists space, the kitchen, shower, or collecting from the community garden may choose to leave donations in the jar on the shelf in the kitchen. This money may be used by our bees if desired, just simply leave the store receipt in the jar so that the donations can be recorded. If there are any monies there at the end of season, they will go towards next season’s expenses! Cash is lovely, but if leaving a check, please remember to make it out to Dawnella Sutton* and I promise not to take off to the Bahamas with the money.
*The On Olive Street Project is a self-titled phrase, not a registered not-for-profit at this time.
Productions for the 2021 season have been annouced and the auditions scheduled, so we know we can put winter behind us now, as is the yearly tradition.
Please visit the theater's website to read more about the upcoming season, past seasons, actors, and a whole lot of it's amazing history.
We'll look forward to seeing you there in just a few months!
When getting down to task, or as a daily aspiration, it is helpful and often inspiring to reassess your goals. Every once in a while it is good to look back upon ones mission statement. Read it aloud. Ground yourself with it.
In case you haven't yet read our mission statement for this dream of mine on Olive Street, it is as follows:
Mission Statement for Olive Street: To gently support the historic Lakewood Theater & its people along with local artists & the community; and to be an ongoing self-sustaining project.
Reading it from this very blog's The Project page and then continuing down to the paragraphs which followed, there was this sentence (written by myself): "Artists and benefactors of all kinds are most warmly welcomed" which made me realize that although being very open about inviting artists to participate, the acquiring of benefactors is something that has not been focused on properly. Indeed, until we reach the planned "self-sustaining" part, it seems it will need to be done.
So, the question is out there now, would anyone be interested in coming right out and sponsoring an artist (for studio time or housing) for the 2021 season?
