NORTH CANAAN — Jazz concert tours in Europe, singing backup on Top 40 hits, performing at the Kremlin and on the same bill as James Brown, creating children’s theater. It’s been a rich performance background for Laurie Ellington.
That’s all a far cry from what she is doing these days: teaching basic drama to children.
Or is it?
Her newly opened Greenhouse Performance Studio in North Canaan offers a cozy space where imaginations can soar. And whether or not it’s on a big, lighted stage, it’s the sense of self and others, and learning to express oneself in voice and movement, that make theater.
“No regrets. I had a great run,� Ellington said. “I’ve already done what I could be aspiring to. Now I’m on to a new stage in life.�
But thanks to all that experience, Ellington brings a worldliness that makes her studio seem much bigger than a tiny space over the garage at her Church Terrace home. (The studio is named for her house, which is green). Children romp on a pretend stage, learning how not to be upstaged, learning to act out obscure concepts thought up by their peers.
“Walk like your walking on bubble wrap,“ a 7-year-old, playing the role of director, tells the students.
“Pretend you’re moving between planets,� instructs another.
Imaginations are put into gear without hesitation.
Young kids are all about energy and so is Ellington, who is playing at the work of learning drama and improvisation right alongside them.
The idea for the studio came up when Ellington looked, and found nothing here in the way of theater classes for her 5-year-old son, Jacob.
She is starting slowly, first with a Thursday afternoon class for 5, 6 and 7 year olds (which filled immediately). Knowing economics would play a role, she decided to allow parents to enroll their children on a monthly basis, at $40 for the month.
Next on her agenda are voice lessons for all ages.
“I know it’s going to be a tough sell in this particular economy, but it will be very flexible scheduling. Some people will only need two or three classes. But there are so many ways they can benefit from developing as healthy a voice as possible, whether it’s for speaking, singing or acting, for their job, or simply to gain confidence. People don’t even realize it, but they are often damaging their voices.�
Ellington’s professional singing and acting career began at Harvard, where she earned a degree in, umm, biological anthropology. She did well, accepting an offer right out of college from a “big name in the field.� She went to Costa Rica to research howler monkeys.
“It didn’t last long. It wasn’t my real passion. I’d wanted to be an actress since I was 5 years old. I was meant to be a performer. The monkeys didn’t care if I could do a time step or not.�
Harvard and the Boston area had presented plenty of song and dance opportunities where Ellington could hone her skills. After performing around Europe, she landed a job as entertainment director at an Army base in Germany. There, she met her husband, Michael Ellington, now a 20-year Air Force veteran.
She started two family theater groups, that are still running there. But as the only paid staffer, the hours were long, and not conducive to family life. Three years ago, the family moved to North Canaan. Ellington returned to her alma mater, The Hotchkiss School, where she teaches choral music and voice. Michael accepted an IT position there, continuing the work he did in the military.
Classes will continue during the summer. Individual voice training is always available. For more information or to enroll, call 860-435-0802.
