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Jeannine Haas

Artistic Director of Pauline Productions

Jeannine graduated with honors from Smith College as an Ada Comstock Scholar in January 1988.  She earned an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1996 and has been teaching, acting, and directing theatre professionally in the Valley for the past 22 years.  Before that, her theatre credits were in NYC.
 
KELSEY FLYNN'S blog inteview with JEANNINE:
 
Who is Pauline?
Pauline is my deceased mother's name. She was an incredible woman and I wanted to honor her with this company. She had a lot of staying power, was generous and joyous despite a really tough life.  I want those qualities for the company...and besides, it doesn't hurt to have some help from the other side! 

Why create your own theater company?Why not?  I have put in my time sweeping countless stage floors,--paying my dues, as it were. Theatre, as you know Kelsey, is an incredibly time consuming and labor intensive venture.  So, I figure( over and over again) I should be doing the kind of theatre I believe in. 

It has been a dream of mine forever to have my own company.  Getting long in the tooth now, I realize now is the time!  And, I feel ready to be a producer now. I know what kind of material I want to bring alive--that will challenge, delight, disturb, affirm, or inspire audiences. 

I've been a publicist, an actor, a director, a designer, a playwright, a techie.  I've lived in the Valley for over twenty years and know the theatre practitioners. I've got the tools to do this job (except the money.  And there are plenty of people who have plenty of that to help).

Women are vastly under represented in professional theatre.  Martha Richards posts excellent statistics on her Fund for Women Artisits website.  Pauline has as its mission:
 
1) fostering strong roles for women in theatre----as producers, directors, designers, and actors
2) supporting local causes.  Many of our productions will raise funds for local causes I want to support. 
 
Theatre is one thing I feel I really do well.  I think it is a calling and the call has been coming loud and clear since age 13. 

You're an AEA member.  What are the pros and cons of that when living in Western Mass?
I have been instrumental in getting theatres here to hire Actors' Equity members.  I was the first AEA actor hired at The Theater Project at the Majestic Theatre and Enchanted Circle Theatre.

Pros:  If people want your talent in a project, they have to pay you. 

Cons: Even as a member of the Actor's union, pay is so low.  It is part of the nature of the beast. There are so many costs to put on theatre.  Here in the valley, ticket prices are relatively low. The math has to work for viablity. 

Why choose Western Mass as your home when typically "the biz!" is in New York and Boston?
I started out in NYC.  I spent my twenties there and am glad I did. I did some really stimulating theatre there.  (This Spring I am going to in  act in a re-mounting of Jean Claude Van Itallie's Tibetann Book of the Dead to be performed in NYC at LaMama ETC. LaMama is the theatre where I got my professional start. This is a kind of coming full circle for me.)
 
I came to Northampton to be an Ada Comstock Scholar at Smith College and I really loved this community.  I decided I wanted to lIve here because of the people, the landscape and other elements that compel many of us to live here. And I have now lived here for 22 years.  I don't want to have to uproot myself to do my work.  I believe in "buying local."  So, I want to provide a good local product that people will want to consume...that is grown right here...fresh, supporting those who grow it (the artists) and those who consume it (audience that lives here).  

What has been your most rewarding role to date?
Vivian Bearing in 'WIT' by Margaret Edson (who is also a Smith graduate). I experienced such a powerful connection with the audience when performing that.  I've often thought it would be great fun to call a meeting of all the actresses who have played Vivian...have coffee together somewhere.

What roles are still out there that you hope to take on?
I will be playing Sister Aloyisius in J. Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize Winning play DOUBT.  Pauline Productions is producing it here in Northampton and in Ashfield (I live in Goshen) February 29 thru March 9. The rights were just recently released and this will be the Pioneer Valley's premiere production.