How a Quincy nursing home's resident thespians are enjoying a dramatic role reversal

QUINCY − Since he took up acting this past year, Michael Sutnick has thrived on "getting to express myself. Practicing my craft."

He pauses for dramatic effect. Then the former music teacher, who graduated from The Boston Conservatory in 1976, adds, "And they're smiling."

By "they," he not only means the audience but also his fellow thespians.

Sutnick, who is 70 and formerly of Whitman, lives at Alliance Health at Marina Bay, where he is one of a dozen residents who have joined a new theater group.

It's not unusual to have entertainers come into nursing homes, especially to sing. This is a refreshing case of rehearsal reversal: people come in from outside to assist in and watch the in-house performances.

"It's heart-warming," director of activities Erika Troup says.

Over the past year, as many as 40 to 50 family members, friends and staff have attended each of the four short plays, with refreshments and a chance to mingle afterward.

When the play "The Shadow of Peter Pan" was staged Aug. 10, a resident who had been discharged came back to play her part.

The Freeze Queen will be back

"It meant a lot to me and to the community," Carol Wilson, 76, of Milton, said. Wilson portrayed Morgesterna the Freeze Queen, who kidnaps Peter Pan, central to the action. Her grandson Ahmari Dickerson helped her get her wheelchair up and down the stairs of her apartment building so she could take the RIDE to the performance.

The residents smile when they describe their experiences as senior thespians.

"I never thought I could act," Marian Van Stone, 69, says. She laughs and adds, "It's easy. When everybody encourages you, it's not hard at all."

Van Stone, who once lived in Stoughton, used to entertain in nursing homes as an active community volunteer.

"Now I'm giving it back," she says. "Just go on with it and have fun."

A little pizzazz

Raymond Scanlon, 73, chuckles at his recollection of playing one of the "moops," or sidekicks, in "The Shadow of Peter Pan." He adds with a touch of pride that he also played Robin Hood in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights."

"It gives us something to do, plus we end up laughing at each other, and that's the whole thing," he says.

Whatever part she plays, Elizabeth Mulcahy, 62, sets her sights on "just having to say your lines and put a little pizzazz in it." She portrayed Morgesterna's sidekick, Silhoueta.

When the Marina Bay Theater started a year ago, Eric Flashner, 59, was happy to keep busy and not sit by himself in his room. He also thought "the idea of a play sounds kind of cool."

He was the narrator in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," which he called "a parody on a parody" and played his role in Mel Brooks style, using a biblical-style scroll.

Sandra Morrison sported a stick-on mustache to portray a detective, Cloak Dagger, in "The Shadow of Peter Pan." She said she appreciates the chance to interact with other residents.

"You just manage to have a good laugh," she says. "I like all of it. I like the practices, I like the rehearsing, I love learning what is going to be on."

"Robin Hood: Men in Tights" was her favorite because "I was Maid Marian, and besides it was so much fun."

The Marina Bay players have performed parodies of "Cinderella," "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "A Christmas Carol," the movie "Scrooge" and "The Shadow of Peter Pan." In October, there will be a talent show with the residents performing, and in December, a Christmas show.

Troup, who lives in Stoughton, selects plays that she thinks will be fun and humorous and have scripts that can be adapted. Some have had messages that are relevant for residents of long-term care centers. "The Shadow of Peter Pan" explores the meaning of compassion and solidarity.

As former resident Carol Wilson noted, "The plays have to be ones where we (the residents) can speak the words and understand the concept. And it is good for your brain."

The theater group has helped strengthen the sense of community among the staff.

"I just like it when I'm walking around the building and I run into staff who tell me how excited the residents are about the play," Troup said. "It brings the whole building together, from housekeeping to kitchen staff to the nursing aides and the nurses."

As activities director, she is always looking for new things to do, and one day thought, "Maybe we could put on a play." She went online, Googled "plays taught" and looked for plays that were fairly short, had enough characters and were humorous and entertaining.

She and her staff have fun making small changes in the lines to reflect life in a nursing center. In "Cinderella," the evil stepsister stole not the slipper but the bingo money.

"Sometimes I change it up. I add our own spin on it," she said.

The residents rehearse their lines once a week for about two months. The performances have been in the front entrance lobby.

Troup thinks about each character and which resident might fit the role. If someone has hesitancy speaking, their character might have just a few lines. If someone cannot hear, she will type up their lines and number them, so that during the play, she can hold up a number from offstage and the actor will know which card to read.

The actors do not memorize their lines but read them from cards they hold.

For Marian Van Stone, the plays have provided the chance to slowly improve her ability to speak spontaneously since having a series of strokes. Her sister Patricia Vanston, of Milton, has attended three of the plays and saw Marian progress from "just staying in the background, to having a minor role, to getting off a number of lines."

"This shows how art can heal people," Vanston said. "In the rehearsals, you repeat things, you say the lines over and over, the staff can adapt it to what they need. It has been a real confidence builder, allowing someone to do their best and to feel they can participate."

She said some residents have no visitors, and she feels the theater group "helps create a feeling of community. They are always enjoying it. You can read it on the faces."

His fairy godfather had a Marlon Brando touch

For the abridged version of "Cinderella," there was no fairy godmother but a fairy godfather brandishing a cigar styled after Marlon Brando.

For "A Christmas Carol," Troup hired a group of Victorian carolers to come in, dressed in costume, to sing.

For "The Shadow of Peter Pan," resident John Healy had his aha moment singing the national anthem before the play began, to a big ovation.

Troup works with four activity assistants: Eva Monteiro, of Brockton; Paulette Johnson, of Randolph; Rim Kawaf, of Winthrop; and Michael Nevero, of Braintree. They put together the scenery, props and costumes, ordering some online, and making some pieces as well.

"Whatever we have, we make it work," Troup said.

She said she is considering trying to arrange a tour of the new Marina Bay Studios nearby for her theater group so they can see where the Whitney Houston biopic will be made.

It's uplifting to find such a positive, inventive approach to activities in a nursing home, where staff work hard to engage the residents.

What if community groups or school volunteers could contribute − with costumes, props, stage sets or even coaching? Troup can be reached by calling 781-664-3698 or email Etroup@marinabaynursing.org.

Reach Sue Scheible at sscheible@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Not your usual nursing home activity − drama club in Quincy