Theatre Lovers Stay Connected at Library Performances Throughout the County

Live theatre provides an intimacy that your TV set or the local movie screen cannot. At the John C. Hart Library, that type of interaction is readily available, and set in the community room, the closeness on hand would be hard to match anywhere, according Melinda O'Brien of M&M Productions Acting Company.

"The actors can see the audience members and the audience members can really see the actors," she said.

She added the ensuing connection is profound.

Putting out 60 or 70 chairs, upcoming productions like Neil Simon's Jake's Women, usually have four or fewer players. Additionally, the sets are very portable – thus making M&M's mission of bringing their plays to libraries around Westchester very doable.

On the other hand, a schedule in which shows run on the Westchester circuit for a few months means a unique challenge for the actors. You have to know your lines for about three months, she said, as opposed to being immersed in a single production for a two-week stretch. Conversely, acting in an M&M production gives the players a lot of flexibility around their regular schedules.

Still, M&M draws heavily on the actors from the Yorktown Community, and has a core of about 25 regulars.

"I really look for the veteran actors to round out playbills," said O'Brien, who is also the director of adult programs at the library.

The initiative began as an offshoot of the YCC to get more locals trained in the art of theatre. Producing a two-person play called, Love Letters, she said, "was very popular," and doing plays at the library got its start.

With an MBA from Pace that led to 20 years in the corporate world, she put her MFA from Parsons to good use in officially kicking off M&M with her husband Michael Muldoon.

"I do the PR, create the programs, schedule the programs, ready the sets and help the directors choose the actors," she said.

From there, she lets the directors take over.

"As for the plays, it's a mixed menu," O'Brien added. "We do contemporary and classic."

At the same time, giving local writers a break is part of the mission.

"We recently did the reading series specifically to help authors develop their work" she said.

But they still have to be discerning about putting new material on stage. She said they are very picky because they know their audience and couldn't put on just anything.

Albi Gorn of Hastings didn't let anyone down with her work. Comedies at Work, won Hudson Valley Magazine's critic's choice for M&M a few years back.

With accolades for numerous productions over the years, seeing something like David Rambo's, The Lady with the Answers, will not only be a unique offering in November but also somewhat exclusive.

"The only other place it's playing is in the West Village," she said of the play based on the life of Ann Landers.

But getting a return on an investment, that doesn't bring in anything financially, is easy for these two. 

"We love going to the theatre, we love making theatre and the people who come to plays and are involved in theatre, tend to be the nicest people," she concluded.  

For more information, please visit www.mmpaci.com. 

The first free performance of Jake's Women by Neil Simon is at the Orangeburg Public Library, on September 12.  The John C. Hart Library sponsored performance will take place on Sunday, October 16 at 2 p.m. 

The first free performance of The Lady with all the Answers by David Rambo will take place at the Hendrick Hudson Free Library, in Montrose, on Sunday, September 19. People can see the performance at the Hart Library on Sunday, November 21 at 2 p.m. 

For a full schedule of performances, click here.