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Resident Artist Marilynn Fowler Lives a Creatively Colorful Life or most people theater involves sitting in a darkened audience watching the actors perform on stage. Theatergoers attend a play and find the actors either remarkably brilliant or somewhat dull. They remark on the amazing or not so amazing plot and the characterization. They excitedly relive or cautiously criticize the action. And more often than not, they forget about the world of theater that takes place behind the scenes. Spectators are often unaware of the technical craft going on before, during, and after a performance. Granted, when Dracula flies out over the audience and flips upside down with his billowing cape before heading off for his next victim; or when Oz’s wicked witch points her glowing green face and broom at spectators while rising into the sky with her black dress filling the whole stage, they tend to admire what the technicians were able to accomplish. But typically, the behind-the-scene technicians are unremarkable, and perhaps that’s a good thing. It means that those technicians are doing
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their job well, creating a seamless, plausible atmosphere, appropriate and believable for the action taking place and for the viewing audience.
Discovering Talents One Shell Point resident knows the interesting, creative behind-the-scenes of it all. Marilynn Fowler (Turban) was active in performing arts as a teen. Participating in musicals, playing piano, and being an active member of the debate team, Marilynn knew what it was like to be on stage in front of an audience. It wasn’t until later in life that Marilynn experienced a hands-on discovery of the world behind the scenes. In college she pursued interior architecture. In preparing for that degree, candidates were trained in building scale models, producing watercolor renderings, drafting and producing blueprints, and giving an overall impression of a building’s interior. As Marilynn remembers, “Those were the talents in my tool kit, and those prepared me for becoming an assistant to set and scenic design-
Marilynn Fowler has dedicated her life to the arts — from working in the theater arts to creating a fabric folk art phenomenon — and continues to express her creativity through painting here at Shell Point.
While she was in high school, Marilynn met David Lloyd, a famous American tenor and founder of the Lake George Opera Festival. Lloyd was passionate about presenting opera to Portrait artist, Larry LipAmerican audiences, and sky, captured this photohe spent time educating graph of Marilynn in the young performers and summer of 1969. technicians at the college level. While in college, Marilynn remained in contact with the Lloyd family. After she graduated, she took her portfolio and set off for New York City, seeking the advice and expertise of Mr. Lloyd. Marilynn was able to interview and show her portfolio to the designer for the Lake George Opera Festival, and she was immediately hired for that summer (the summer of Woodstock in ’69) as a design assistant. It was during that summer that Marilynn “cut her teeth” on stagecraft.
designer. The Lake George Opera Festival ran a repertory schedule, which meant that for four consecutive weeks a new show was built and opened. In the fifth week, the shows would alternate with two performances each day. Marilynn remembers, “It could be Don Giovanni in the afternoon and then The Marriage of Figaro at night. Each production called for ‘putting the set in’ and ‘striking the set down’ before we would be ‘putting’ and ‘striking’ all over again!” With the helpful advice she acquired from David Lloyd and Clarke Dunham, Marilynn moved to New York that fall. Her portfolio had developed over years, and Marilynn began seeking work as an illustrator. Landing accounts with W.J. Sloane and Barneys Mens Store, she illustrated during the day, took classes at night, and put her name out as a theater technician.
Spilled Paint
Working On Set Marilynn quickly learned that the hectic schedule of a repertory performer meant just as frenetic a schedule for the technician. Hired as scenic design assistant, Marilynn had the bonus opportunity of working for Clarke Dunham, wellknown New York lighting and stage
“I’ve so loved the business because of the people behind-the-scenes — it’s all
smoke and mirrors, and that’s entertainment.”
Marilynn sits in front of a canvas she painted when she first got into the business. The canvas has traveled through her family, and now hangs in her home as a reminder of the history of her craft.
Marilynn began working alongside other technicians and actors during the day and socialized with them after theater hours. She was young and working through her career options and met a slew of other people doing the same thing, like Stacey and Jim Keach, Judy Collins, Tom Hanks, and F. Murray Abraham. “It was an exciting time as you made yourself available for whatever the stage and performance needed,” Marilynn explained. “Work as a stage technician gets in your blood and under your fingernails.” She was ready for almost anything. When called about work for Israel Horowitz’s three one-act plays, directed by Jamie Hammerstein, Marilynn was asked, “Can you paint tonight?” Reporting enthusiastically for the work, Marilynn found herself surrounded by a bare 16’ by 20’ stage with a
five-gallon can of paint, a ladder, a six-inch brush, and a roller. “I guessed I was to paint the whole stage by myself, so I just got started,” Marilynn remembered. “Soon I heard a door open, and in walked, not another painter, but an actor. When he asked, ‘Do you mind if I come up on stage and rehearse my lines?’ I replied from atop the ladder, ‘We’ll work around one another.’” “Working around one another” wasn’t quite what happened. Unfortunately, the actor hit the edge of Marilynn’s ladder, and her five gallons of paint spilled all over him and the stage floor. An improvisational skit seemed to take shape as Marilynn and the actor each speedily addressed the problem. Marilynn quickly rolled out all the paint, taking care of her mess and getting the Marilynn, in her home studio, works on a self portrait. In the portrait she is seen painting a canvas job done. The actor, a young Richard stretched across the floor, a technique used to paint large canvases segmented into grids. Dreyfuss, stuck his head in the sink, stripped to his “skivvies,” and took care of his own mess! We’ll assume Combining Art success when people began purchasing he learned his lines well. Coincidentally, and with Business entire herds. Upon special request Marilynn rather humorous to Marilynn and Richard, When someone asked Marilynn to sew created a life-sized dog for one of her custhe name of the one act plays was Acrobats a teddy bear for a gift, she took it as a mes- tomers. Marilynn played with the leftover and Line! Marilynn didn’t let a little paint spill sage from God and went to work with just artificial animal fur for months, waiting for stop her or dull her fascination with what $50 and a borrowed sewing machine. it to speak to her. And then it came to her was behind it all. She would continue to do Remarkably, at her first home show, the a rabbit’s tail. Once again, her creations were an summer work in Lake George, build crafty creations brought in $300. Marilynn reinvested the money and tried her hand at instant success. She started hiring help and Broadway shows, and create industrial shows for IBM, GE, 7 Up, and Avon conventions. making sheep. The project was deemed a eventually employed 27 women. After hiring a professional photographer to capture As a freelancer, Marilynn developed and the life of her rabbits and running an trucked three sets all over the country for advertisement in a craft publication, Up with People. The multi-media producMarilynn’s business boomed. While tions for industrial shows simultaneously most of the autobiographical rabbit displayed graphics on a full-stage screen characters were based on individuals with fifty projectors behind the screen. Marilynn had met throughout her life, Other projects included putting light-catchsome of the rabbits were custom creing jewels on backdrops for Disney’s Show ations commissioned by her loyal fans. on Ice, researching for designers, and conThe rabbit collections were sold tinuing her freelance work. around the country at “mom and pop shops” as well as at high-end retailers. Looking Back She even shipped her rabbits all the Although her talents were often subtle way to Germany. However, in 1992 and hidden behind those that took the spotMarilynn began to recognize a shift in light, Marilynn had a real love for what she the marketplace. So after eight years did behind the scenes. And there were cerof building her million dollar business, tainly a lot of people who experienced perMarilynn decided to thank God for formances enhanced by her craft. the rewarding experience and move Today looking back at all of her accomon to other art forms. Today she plishments, Marilynn still says, “I’ve so reflects on her business with joy and loved the business because of the people A business product sheet shows “Hilda and Henry gratitude as she looks forward to her behind the scenes. It’s all smoke and mirHarrington” and other popular rabbits from Marilynn next project. rors, and that’s entertainment!” Fowler’s successful Fabric Folk Art line.
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