Open Book Players

Our second author & illustrator whose children’s book will be performed by Open Book Players will be featured in our next post by August 10th…look for it!

Meet our first author whose book, “Sparrow Being Sparrow” will be performed in part by Open Book Players for the Reading Rumpus event on September 22nd, 2:00 p.m. at Johnson Hall Opera House in Gardiner…GAIL DONOVAN
Gail Donovan was fired from her first job in an ice cream shop for making the sundaes too big. She now works in a library and writes middle grade novels, including Sparrow Being Sparrow, a Junior Library Guild Selection; Finchosaurus, a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award winner; and In Memory of Gorfman T. Frog, named to the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing list. She has also written for the Rainbow Fish & Friends picture book series based on the bestselling work of Marcus Pfister. Donovan lives on the coast of Maine, where she jumps in the ocean all year round. She has shared her home with a dozen birds, a few dogs, a rat, and a cat named Cookie. Visit her at GailDonovan.com.

And Illustrator…ELYSIA CASE
Elysia Case is an illustrator from the Finger Lakes region of New York. When she’s not making things, she can be found spoiling her pets with too many treats and annoying them with too many kisses.

COMING SOON…MEET THE AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATORS AND THEIR WORKS BEING FEATURED IN OUR READING RUMPUS EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 22ND AT 2:00 P.M., Johnson Hall Opera House, GARDINER, ME.

OUR FIRST AUTHOR WILL BE INTRODUCED ON AUGUST 4TH!

Just a head’s up…more Reading Rumpus performance information coming within the next 10 days…stay tuned!!!

Jocelyn (Josie) Davis has been passionate about theatre as long as she can remember. She has been involved with several Open Book Players productions and is looking forward to many more. She is excited and honored to be the new student ambassador for Open Book Players!

Lianne Davis is just a wicked proud mum! She has been helping her children live their best life and is proud to support Josie in all her theatre experiences. She has started to get more involved with Open Book Players as a performer as well, getting ready for her debut performance in Something Wicked This Way Comes in the Fall.

The winner of our Open Book Players scholarship is…SARAH ROSSIGNOL! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sarah is planning on heading to the University of New England to get her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Applied Nutrition. She plans to work with cancer patients in the Oncology field as an Oncology Dietitian. 

We will finally be back performing at Johnson Hall Opera House this fall! More information and performance details will be posted very soon. WE ARE TRULY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING BACK TO OUR HOME BASE!

I have been asked to write about my experiences with Readers Theatre and the Open Book Players.  Where do I start?  I have always loved everything about theater but never had the opportunity to experience being part of it other than as a patron due to work commitments.  When I retired I always thought I would love to be part of the theater community but never had the confidence that I could do it.  Then I saw an announcement for a readers theatre workshop.  Having no idea what readers’ theater was (do they just read out of a book???), I thought I’d go and observe.  Several groups performed short plays and I was wow’d that they could portray a character with just their voices, facial expressions and hand motions.  I’ve been hooked ever since and am now on the board of directors of Open Book Players.  Whenever there is a show, I always want to audition for what I know will be an amazing experience.   Readers Theatre and the Open Book Players have given me the opportunity to express my creativity and to be part of a community that is welcoming, fun to be with and to make lifelong friends.   It has also given me the confidence to expand into other acting opportunities with local theaters. Whether you attend a performance (please do!!!) or act in one, you will be glad you did!

Andy Tolman spent his first fifty theater years in the audience, enjoying both amateur and professional performances. He was encouraged to audition for Laughter on the 23 rd floor by his daughter at the turn of the century. That experience motivated him to continue to seek auditions, including one for Lucy for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. After working with Monmouth Community Players for a couple of
years, Lucy encouraged him to try Open Book Players. He’s been in dozens of their productions, most notably, the touring version of World’s Afire and several summer tours to libraries and schools.
He’s been on the OBP board since 2003 and was recently promoted to President. He particularly enjoys the biannual Reading Rumpus, where we stage Maine Author’s children’s books. The reactions of the audience and authors to seeing their stories performed is always gratifying. Our presentation of Memorial was another excellent experience.