Celebrating 'Sconset's Legacy Of Theater, On The Isle Presents "The Threepenny Opera" This Weekend

In the village of Siasconset on Nantucket’s easternmost end, a unique chapter of American theatrical history continues to unfold. This enclave was once the quiet summer haven for some of the most prominent actors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, their legacy is preserved and celebrated by a dedicated community committed to keeping the spirit of the Actor's Colony through On The Isle – a ‘Sconset-based theater organization that calls the ‘Sconset Casino home.

“Picture Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and Lady Gaga walking around the streets of ‘Sconset,” Carl Schmehl, the artist director of On The Isle, says when recounting the significance of the Actor’s Colony. “That’s what it was like a hundred years ago.”

Harry Woodruff was amongst the most famous of his time who sought sanctuary on Nantucket, with him inspiring a group of actors to follow, creating a community out in 'Sconset that continues to this day. Woodruff built the first upside-down house on Nantucket, called “Aloha” in 'Sconset, after loving the concept and shipping the house in parts all the way from Hawaii – something that was unheard of at the time and speaks to his wealth and status. 'Sconset itself is embedded with theatrical heritage from the time, with street names including Broadway, Front, and Center, references to theater and the original population of actors.

To fill their time in the offseason for actors, which during the 1800s and 1900s was the summer due to a lack of air conditioning in theaters in cities like Boston and New York, those residing in ‘Sconset started a tradition of hosting plays and performances in their respective homes, some of which were built with stages for that purpose and still exist today. The original actors began performing at the train station in 'Sconset, but built the Casino when they outgrew the smaller venue.

“That spirit remains today, and that is really what we, On The Isle, work to preserve,” explains Kathi Loughlin, president of On The Isle. “That's really the connection that we continue to try to make – is that we are the living legacy of On The Isle.”

This summer marks the 125th anniversary of the 'Sconset Actor’s Colony, which On The Isle is dedicated to remembering and celebrating with this year’s production The Threepenny Opera, reimagined by Schmehl for the cast of island residents, both professional and amateur actors, who have come together to continue ‘Sconset’s acting legacy.

“We're a living history and we every year try to remind the community that we're still doing theater after 125 years, which in itself is pretty amazing, because there's very few theater organizations in the country that have gone on that long,” elaborates Schmehl.

Originally known as The Beggar’s Opera and written in the early 18th century as satire of Italian Opera of the day, the reimagined The Threepenny Opera remains a social commentary about today’s society but set in Victorian England, which is around the time that the original actors created their community in ‘Sconset. It’s a musical about thieves, robbers, murderers, and the likes, in contrast with the wealthy upper classes of the 1900s. Schmehl’s staging brings original fun and extravagant operatic dramatics into the modern era, delivering a message everyone should hear, while focusing on building community through the production.

Moving into the future, the leaders of On The Isle envision greater awareness and involvement from the island community as a whole. Beyond continuing to incorporate a cast that includes locals from all around the island, On The Isle hopes to get others interested in the history and community in 'Sconset – attending and participating in productions, exploring 'Sconset, and contributing to On the Isle to keep it running as a not-for-profit – while dreaming of an exhibit to memorialize the 'Sconset Actors Colony in island history.

“I think that's the most important thing – that we're constantly wanting to keep this knowledge going island-wide, so that we can keep it going into the future and keep it sustainable,” Loughlin says.

The Threepenny Opera will be performed July 26-28th at the 'Sconset Casino. To learn more about the history of the 'Sconset Actor’s Colony and On The Isle, and to buy tickets, visit On The Isle’s website here.