Of all the things that make Hoboken special, Silly on Sixth plays a unique role. For the last 12 years, this program of the Hudson Theatre Ensemble (HTE) has been introducing the magic of theater to our very youngest children, from 3 to 9 years old. “We’re often their first experience,” says Florence Pape, HTE’s director of development. “We want to set them up with a love of theater for life.” For hundreds of kids every year, that experience is a raucous, fun-filled show featuring singing ducks and princesses, evil but wacky witches, and bumbling fairy godmothers.
Drama Dreams
The Hudson Theater Ensemble began as a group of parents and teachers at the Hudson School who enjoyed doing play readings. By 2001, the group was performing plays such as Twelve Angry Men and Steel Magnolias. When the Hudson School moved to their new building at 601 Park Ave., they generously offered the use of their theater space as part of their mission to serve the community. Not long after, HTE added the Silly on Sixth series.
“We saw that Hoboken was evolving to a much more family-friendly town, and we wanted to provide high-quality children’s shows, without the schlep and expense of going into the city,” says Producer Diana London. “The beauty of live theater is the way it stretches the imagination and grows a child’s empathy in a way that is so different than TV or film.”
Both London and Pape have been with the group since its inception, as have many of the actors, their Production Stage Manager Donna Gearhart Healy, Webmaster Susan Newman Design, and photographer John Crittenden. Adults volunteer their time and expertise and have fun doing it in a true community effort. Some even met while working on the program, married, and had babies themselves.
London and Pape team up to find plays that emphasize the magic and idealism of youth. “There is a certain cynicism today, a snarkiness that we try to avoid,” says London. “Of course, we want the shows to be enjoyable for the parents, too, so the plays have to have some sophistication.” The group licenses some of the plays and has produced original works by ensemble members like director Kathy Menino. London adapted The Ugly Duckling and The Little Engine That Could. “We look for plays that emphasize kindness and goodness, but are not saccharine,” says Pape.
Kid Critics
At the beginning of each performance, London explains what to expect, reassuring parents not to stress about their toddler’s reactions. “I’ve seen kids climb up on stage, and the actor led them back to their seat, staying fully in character!” laughs Pape. Longtime member Howard Richman usually directs, provides musical direction, and as narrator, guides the audience through the fun, which is often interactive but always engaging. Audiences have responded enthusiastically, and a recent Broadway World review raved, “Kids’ theater with a positive message is amazing. In the hands of the incredible Hudson Theatre Ensemble’s Silly on Sixth, children’s theater is a passionate alchemy of creativity and craftiness to be treasured.”
For a city of only one square mile, we’re lucky to have so much terrific live theater. (See 07030’s Fall 2015 issue for our story about Mile Square Theatre’s merge with Hoboken Children’s Theatre and their new home uptown.) Hudson Theatre Ensemble’s Silly on Sixth is the perfect introduction to this world and has been a gift to our community. As often happens, it has brought joy to the givers as well. Says Pape, “For us, there’s the pleasure of acting, the pleasure of seeing the kids experience theater for the first time, and the pleasure of watching the parents and grandparents enjoying their kids. It’s been a fulfilling experience. It’s a privilege. As I tell each family when I take their reservation, ‘Thank you for being our audience.’”—07030