MOUNT VERNON — I’m going to miss it here. So many memories.
This is one of the first lines in “This Place,” a play written by Mount Vernon resident Carrie Haver.
The story focuses on a century-old home and its various residents. The memories, both heartwarming and destructive, soaked into the walls and wooden floorboards of the historic home.
In the 35-minute runtime, the story takes inspiration from true-life experiences when Haver discovered historical documents and photos in a cabinet in her former Columbus home.
“This Place” mirrors Haver’s happenstance discovery by having a blue book stashed away in a hidden cabinet found in plain sight.
“When I was given the opportunity to read ‘This Place’ for the first time, I knew Orange Barrel would want to perform this amazing short story! Knowing that it was created from a real-life experience made it even richer in content,” Director Michele Bayko said in a press release.
“Emotions of all sorts find their way into this story as it reflects small slices of life we can each relate to. The closing of one door may lead you to open another. Enjoy the gift of life and let your light shine!”
When Haver discovered the documents hidden away, she was filled with fascination, she said.
“I was first of all surprised. I was appreciative that someone had taken some time to gather them and put that information together,” Haver said.
“Over the years, of course, there had been various families that lived in my house. It was about 120 years old. Then I felt the obligation to put down information about when I lived there too.
“I was only there for eight years, but did a lot of upgrades to the house. So I made sure I took pictures and put those in the notebook as well.”
How Haver found the right order for “This Place”
Finding the order to tell the stories in “This Place” was a “long process,” Haver said, figuring out what would make the most sense to an audience.
“I actually had the stories in a different order at first,” Haver said. “It was a lot harder to make sense of it.
“I ended up starting with the more modern story and then going way, way back in time, moving forward from there and then coming back to modern day.”
Haver initially had the idea for the story years ago when she still lived in the house. Later, in 2020, Haver found time to put more effort into the play, she said.
Haver’s history began when the author was a cast member and graphic artist for Orange Barrel in previous productions, Bayko said.
“She first contacted me and asked if I could take a look at a script she was writing for stage,” the director said. “I read it and said, ‘That’s absolutely beautiful.'”
Filmed in a local historic home, “This Place” features the following Knox County actors: Cate Blair-Wilhelm, Nora Gotschall, Tony Mongomery, Jared Pierce, Antonio Rojas, John Wareham, Emily White and Christine Wing, according to the release.
The film was showcased at the Woodward Opera House on Sept. 22 to a packed house.
How “This Place” was finished for the stage, then the big screen
During 2020, due to COVID-19, Orange Barrel lost the use of its performance space at the Mount Vernon Developmental Center.
Bayko explained that while Orange Barrel is still dedicated to the education and cultural enrichment of young and old, OBPC has transitioned to achieving this through the medium of film rather than traditional theatrical performances.
Putting a play onto the big screen was an astronomical learning experience for Bayko, she said.
“Oftentimes you hear, it’s not a better camera that you need, it’s you need to learn how to use the camera that you have. So now starts our education period.”
Now, Bayko says it’s about getting out into the field and practicing what we’ve learned.
With “This Place” meant for the stage, the film takes place largely in the living room, played by a small selection of actors.
What Haver hopes audiences take away from “This Place”
Once the credits rolled at the Woodward Opera House, guests continued to walk out onto the red carpet, shaking the creators’ and actors’ hands, and thanking them for their dedication to making a local film in their community.
“I did have a lady come up to me after the show, and she has always lived in her house,” Haver said. “She said, ‘Our house has always been in our family, but in the future, she didn’t know what would happen to their home.’
“So she wanted to make sure that she started writing some things down about their house and how it had come to be and how it had been passed down through their family.
“If that can inspire somebody to do that, then that’s pretty neat.”