Bay Street Theatre – By Word of Beth

Thursdays with Emma Walton Hamilton — Interview Excerpts Part THREE

This continues the serialization of an oral interview I did with Emma Walton Hamilton, founder of the Children’s Book Hub, for the Hub on January 8, 2013. Today we’re learning about Emma’s background and training in the theatre. From the “Meet Emma” page on Emma’s website: Emma worked as an actress in theater, film and television for ten years before turning her attention towards directing, producing, educating and writing. She was a faculty member at the Ensemble Studio Theater Institute, and later became one of the founders of Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, New York. She served as Bay Street’s Co-Artistic Director for thirteen years, then chose to focus her energies on the Theatre’s educational and young audience outreach as Director of Education and Programming for Young Audiences until 2008. She has co-written lyrics for several songs, including “The Show Must Go On” recorded by Julie Andrews, and “On My Way” recorded by Laughing Pizza, and selections of her poetry are included in Julie Andrews’ Collection Of Poems, Songs And Lullabies. Emma and her mother also completed stage and symphonic adaptations of Simeon’s Gift, which was developed at Bay Street Theatre and went on symphonic tour to venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Atlanta Symphony and the O2 Arena in the UK under the banner of Julie Andrews’ Gift of Music. Emma is a member of the Author’s Guild, The Dramatists’ Guild, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the International Reading Association, SAG, AEA, AFTRA and ASCAP. She has served on the theater panel for the New York State Council on the Arts, as a National Ambassador for The Broadway League’s “Kids’ Night on Broadway”, and as a trustee for the Morriss Center School in Bridgehampton, NY, and the Center for Therapeutic Riding of the East End (CTREE). An accomplished public speaker, Emma addresses arts and literary conferences, schools, universities and other groups on a regular basis about the value of, and synergy between, the arts and literacy. And now to today’s excerpt from the interview:

Bay Street Theatre — “Men’s Lives” in the Spotlight

10 Comments / In The Spotlight / By Beth

Twenty years ago, Emma Walton Hamilton, her husband Steve Hamilton, and their friend and colleague Sybil Christopher realized a dream when they opened the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, New York. (Note: the article about Sybil Christopher, from 1994, is very long, but is fascinating, uplifting reading. Take the time to drink it in.) Bay Street Theatre stands at the conjunction of Bay Street and Main Street at the top of Long Wharf in the charming town of Sag Harbor, which is part of the Hamptons area on Long Island. It is a beautiful setting. The view from Long Wharf is the perfect mood-setter for the play I saw, Men’s Lives.