Cover photo by Chad Bowditch. This page (top) Titus and Natalie Himmelberger by Elizabeth Himmelberger; (middle) Rescued kittens Mr. Gibb, Hilary, and Edmund by Richard Graham; (bottom) Sophia and Aidan Gscheidle courtesy Silver Bullet Wellness.
By Lilace Mellin Guignard
Hamilton-Gibson
By Gayle Morrow
Corning
Linda Roller
mountainhomemag.com
E ditors & P ublish E rs
Teresa Banik Capuzzo
Michael Capuzzo
A ssoci A t E E ditor & P ublish E r
Lilace Mellin Guignard
A ssoci A t E P ublish E r
George Bochetto, Esq.
A rt d ir E ctor
Wade Spencer
M A n A ging E ditor
Gayle Morrow
s A l E s r EP r E s E nt A tiv E
Shelly Moore
c ircul A tion d ir E ctor
Michael Banik
A ccounting
Amy Packard
c ov E r d E sign
Wade Spencer
c ontributing W rit E rs
Maggie Barnes, Dave Nowacoski, Linda Roller, Karey Solomon
c ontributing P hotogr AP h E rs
Chad Bowditch, Jean Cummings, Audrey Graham, Richard Graham, Jillian Helmuth, Elizabeth Himmelberger, Linda Stager, Caleb Williams
d istribution t EAM
Dawn Litzelman, Grapevine Distribution, Linda Roller
AWARDS: Mountain Home has won over 100 international and statewide journalism awards from the International Regional Magazine Association and the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association for excellence in writing, photography, and design.
DISTRIBUTION: Mountain Home is available “Free as the Wind” at hundreds of locations in Tioga, Potter, Bradford, Lycoming, Union, and Clinton counties in PA and Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler, Yates, Seneca, Tioga, and Ontario counties in NY.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: For a one-year subscription (12 issues), send $24.95, payable to Beagle Media LLC, 39 Water Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901 or visit mountainhomemag.com..
Going Off Script
Wellsboro’s Hamilton-Gibson Productions Turns Actors into Spouses
By Lilace Mellin Guignard
Where Is Love?
For Titus and Natalie Himmelberger (also pictured on p. 3 after getting married) and others, it was on the HG stage.
On July 16, 2023, the audience at Straughn Auditorium at Commonwealth University—Mansfield watched the end of Hamilton-Gibson Productions’ summer musical, Mary Poppins, when George and Winifred Banks finally got a peaceful moment together.“I think you should come and dance with me,” said Mr. Banks. As a waltz rose from the pit, Mrs. Banks gave him her hand and gazed lovingly into his eyes. Was it all an act? As they danced, applause erupted. Matt Huels and Julie Martin, who’d met at the first rehearsal, knew this was the end of their scripted marriage, but, unbeknownst to the other, neither wanted their show to close. Matt was determined to see if he could write a happy ending for them.
Who says romance is dead? It can be as easy as 1-2-3:
1. Audition for community theater.
2. Talk to the castmate who piques your interest.
3. Find the nerve to stay connected once the curtain comes down. Many folks search for love online, and, when they do swipe right to choose a potential mate, they meet a stranger. It can take weeks before a new beau’s true colors pop. “It used to be the way to meet people was you went to church or joined a bowling league,” says Gabe Hakvaag, one of the directors at Hamilton-Gibson Productions in Wellsboro. “I tell people, ‘Come to HG and audition for plays.’” In the past decade, seven couples have met through Hamilton-Gibson and gotten married.
Thomas Putnam, HG artistic director who helped found the nonprofit in 1991, says the name is in honor of his grandmothers Alma Roxie Hamilton and Clara Louise Gibson, two creative women—educators, musicians, artists—and the mission is “to provide opportunities for people of all ages to enrich and empower their lives through community performing arts.” Nowhere does it say to arrange marriages, but Thomas admits, “we joked when we came up with the hyphenated name that the hyphen represented our desire to build connections in the community.” Little did he know they’d build families.
Becoming Mrs. Banks
Spoonful of HG
For Matt and Julie Huels (top), being married in Mary Poppins turned into being married for real; a felted Mr. and Mrs. Banks topped the wedding cake; Sarah Elswick as Mary Poppins poses with Julie as Mrs. Banks.
Julie Martin and Matthew Huels didn’t know each other before being cast in the 2023 summer musical Mary Poppins as George and Winifred Banks, the prim Victorian couple who need help raising their naughty children. Like their characters, they were reserved. But they noticed each other. Rehearsals had started in May, but it wasn’t till early June that they had a real conversation—something they both recall vividly. The cast had been asked for volunteers to mingle in costume at a children’s health fair and hand out flyers for upcoming HG shows. Matt, Julie, and Sarah Elswick (aka Mary Poppins) agreed. “All the kids wanted to get photos with Mary Poppins, not us,” Matt laughs, “so we hung back by the fountain and chatted.”
They discovered they were both pastor’s kids. After that, they found time to talk, but no one asked anyone out. “There was definitely a point when we were both crushing on each other and didn’t know the other was,” Julie says.
Thomas remembers glancing over while directing and seeing them talking. He thought, “Oh, wouldn’t that be nice.” But a plot twist came in the form of a prop engagement ring.
Matt had been with HG since joining the young men’s choir his senior year at Williamson High School. He was in summer musicals and several plays. From Lawrenceville, Matt has been assistant scoutmaster with Troop 2062 out of Tioga since 2018—he’d reached the rank of Eagle Scout in 2012. Working in Painted Post didn’t leave him a lot of time outside of rehearsals and Scouts to do anything but wonder about Mrs. Banks. He hadn’t expected to suddenly meet someone new and single and pretty.
Julie went to Liberty High School, then attended Cairn University in Philadelphia, where she started doing shows. She got involved with community theater in Bucks County and was in the ensemble for Mary Poppins. When she left to teach third grade in Indonesia at an international school, she helped direct school plays. She came back to the area during covid to become assistant site director for OneLife Institute that runs a Christian gap year program at Three Springs Ministries in Morris. Returning to the stage with the Community Theatre League in Williamsport, she’d just finished Beauty and the Beast when her mom pointed out the audition call for HG’s Mary Poppins.
Julie had a OneLife staff work retreat, so she missed a week of rehearsals. When she came back, Matt was gone, chaperoning at Boy Scouts camp. Julie started getting into the Mrs. Banks character. “I wore a fake engagement ring I had from another show. Apparently, it confused him,” she says.
Courtesy Julie Huels
(2)
Jillian Helmuth
“It drove me nuts!” Matt chimes in. It had only been two weeks since he’d seen her, but, “at the next rehearsal she showed up with the ring.” Matt, forlorn, texted his buddy, “There’s a hitch…”
“Well, I didn’t want to just announce, ‘Everybody—the ring is fake, in case anyone is wondering,’” Julie laughs. “He wasn’t picking up on my cues.”
“She was inconsistent,” Matt grumbles. In his defense, castmate Sarah says, “I could see Matt showing an interest but didn’t pick up on anything from Julie. Which is funny because she thought she was being obvious.” They’d managed only to confirm that neither had a special someone coming to see the show.
Actors rely on scripts (perhaps too much), and this one called for two kisses. Matt asked Thomas, “What do you want from this kiss?” He wasn’t sure what answer he hoped for, but Thomas decided they’d be on the cheek. Sarah describes watching Matt and Julie work on the waltz from the very last scene. It was close to midnight, the intern was cutting sound clips, and they asked her to play the music so they could practice the timing. “They looked like two middle schoolers at a dance,” says Sarah.
No matter how afraid of embarrassment they were, neither was going to let the show close without finding out if there was a chance. After the Sunday matinee and the last waltz, when the cast had struck the set and returned costumes and props, Julie and Matt lingered, talking. “I kept working up my nerve,” Matt says, and finally blurted, “So I have to ask: is the ring real or not?”
“I pulled it off my finger and almost threw it across the room,” Julie says. Then when he asked her if she wanted to go out, she said, “Yes, I’d love that…except I’m going to be gone for the next two weeks.”
Their first date was at Los Agaves, Wellsboro’s Mexican restaurant, after which they walked to the Green. It was August, and three dates later they were an exclusive couple. “A lot of our dates were mostly walking around Wellsboro,” Matt says, often stopping at the bench by the fountain where they’d had their first real conversation. Freed from the Victorian constraints of their characters, the couple didn’t waste time. Soon they were talking about getting engaged.
On their first date when she got back from a trip to South Africa, she knew something was up—things were awkward again. He was silent in the car. Usually, they didn’t decide details ahead of time, but this dinner date was particularly planned. He’d arranged for a photographer to be at the Green near “their” bench at a certain time, but the server brought food sooner than expected. He contacted the photographer to show up earlier, but didn’t get a response. Julie thought it was unlike him to be checking his phone during dinner. Walking to the Green, he realized he didn’t want her leftovers in the pictures. “Give me those real quick,” he said, and ran over to the car.
At their bench, he got down on one knee, and Julie realized Matt was Mary Poppin’ the question. Except what came out of his mouth was, “I’m so nervous.” To which she answered, “You don’t need to be.” The photographer made it in time to catch the proposal.
On June 29, they gathered in the outdoor pavilion at Mountaintop Grace Community in Liberty. It had been pouring rain, and though Julie’s train got soaked, they agree the day was practically perfect. Matt’s mother and Julie’s father shared in leading the service. Inside the reception tent was a kite from the show and the
by Christopher M. Walsh
Script continued from page 9
dessert table had a painted decorative mirror calling for “A Spoonful of Sugar.” Atop the wedding cake stood Mr. and Mrs. Banks, felted figures Julie’s sister Amber made. They incorporated the waltz from the closing scene into their wedding dance. Neither of them sang, though the lyrics of Julie’s solo “Being Mrs. Banks” must have been going through her head: Being Mrs. Banks. Being kissed by you, a man of dreams who made me feel that wishes could come true.
As Long as He Needs Me
Not all HG matches have begun with a loving couple. The relationship between Titus and Natalie Himmelberger started with her killing him on stage. They met in the radio play Dracula: A Symphony of Terrors over Halloween 2015. In a radio play, actors stand at microphones and use only their voices to act, often playing multiple characters just like the old-time radio shows. Titus was cast as young Dracula, and Natalie
Beats Online Dating
Titus and Natalie Himmelberger recreate the scene in Oliver! when Bill Sikes kills Nancy.
(Hallead then) played the young woman who drives a stake through his heart.
In the first read-through, Gabe, who was directing, says Titus, “was at his most seductive.” Natalie made sure to sit near him. “Those blue eyes got me,” she recalls, “but his voice was so creepy.”
Titus didn’t plan on auditioning. He’d been in a few HG shows in 2013-14, but work didn’t leave time for evening rehearsals. He happened to be in town on a day when auditions were held and went on a whim.
Natalie grew up moving around in Kenya and Thailand with her brothers because her father, Glen Hallead, was doing missionary work. When he became pastor at First Presbyterian Church, she transferred to Mansfield University and moved to Wellsboro. She was in HG shows from 200912 before moving to Bangkok and then to St. Petersburg to teach at an international school. She’d just moved back to Wellsboro in late summer. After rehearsals started, she saw Titus at Wellsboro Bible Church. “I
really wanted to go say ‘Hi,’ but I couldn’t remember his name,” she says. “I couldn’t say, ‘Hey, Dracula!’”
“She was very standoffish to me,” Titus recalls.
“I was convinced he wasn’t single,” Natalie says. “A [single] guy like this in Tioga County? No way.”
They didn’t have conversations during rehearsals, but each one watched the other. So closely, in fact, that Titus saw a baby seat in her car and figured she was a single mom (she was babysitting). It wasn’t till February 2016, when the Dracula cast reunited to film it, that the two started messaging a little. “Are you auditioning for Once Upon a Wolf?” “I will if you will.”
During those rehearsals, Titus got up the nerve to ask if she wanted a ride home. He’d noticed she always walked. He didn’t want to seem stalk-y—after all, he was playing the Big Bad Wolf to her Little Red Riding Hood. “She said no,” he says and shakes his head.
Wade Spencer
Script continued from page 10
Natalie laughs and says, “I choked” when he asked her. Her inner monologue went: He finally asked! I can’t be too forward. Oh, I haven’t said anything. Oh, he’s looking at me…“Nah, I’m good.”
At least he could see her at church, which he’d been attending more regularly. One Sunday in March he was sitting in the pews with a friend when she came in and sat by him. His buddy whispered to Titus, “You’re done.”
Titus replied, “I know.”
As stage manager, Natalie made sure when Once Upon a Wolf was over and the set pieces were loaded in Titus’s truck to return to storage that she rode with him. Titus approved of that plan. He’d heard her say she liked ABBA and had a CD cued. They sang all the way there and back. After that, they chatted about pop culture, including Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, and Marvel v. DC Comics. Their first date was April 1, 2016, at Wellsboro’s Arcadia Theatre to see Batman v. Superman
“I swear, everyone in HG was wanting this to work,” says Titus. “We kept being cast with each other.” Gabe laughs but disagrees. He’d noticed the chemistry, but says, “I don’t stir the pot. Besides, I’m selfish when casting. I know what I need.”
They both auditioned for the summer musical, Oliver! and went to dinner after. They were cast as the ill-fated couple, Bill Sikes and Nancy. One of the most touching songs is Nancy’s solo, “As
Jean Cummings
Happy Endings
Nine months after getting married, Titus and Natalie get engaged onstage during the 2019 production of Boeing Boeing
Long as He Needs Me.” The way I feel inside, the love I have to hide. The Hell! I’ve got my pride as long as he needs me. This was the first show Natalie and Titus were in when they were officially dating, and he remembers watching from the wings as she sang the ballad reprise. “I had to stop myself and walk away because I’d get choked up. I had to be mean, because in the next scene I confront her, fight, and kill her.” That evened the score.
During the last week of rehearsals, Natalie tripped on her long skirt and slammed her head against a wall. “Titus was so caring,” she recalls. He took her home and stayed a while to be sure she was okay. “It was a totally different side of him than I’d seen.”
They dated for two years. Titus wanted to enjoy the dating process and get his circumstances in order. Natalie was living with her brother, Jacob, at the time. In June of 2017, before buying a house, Titus showed it to Natalie and asked if she could live there. She said, “I can live anywhere. I’m a mish kid [missionary’s kid].”
Titus clarified, “But could you live here with me?”
Natalie thought, “Well, that was promising.”
When they saw her parents in North Carolina over Thanksgiving, Titus told her father, “I’m planning to ask Natalie to marry me.” Not till April, though, since that’s when they started dating. Natalie, who didn’t know this, was getting antsy. Her brother had just gotten engaged, and she had to find a new place to live. She
Tuesday through Sunday 12-6PM Free Admission
134 Main Street, Wellsboro (570) 724-1917
104 Main Street Wellsboro 570-724-6220 Thursday February 27 Friday February 28 7pm-9pm • $30
Purr-ty Sweet
Sometimes Rich and Audrey Graham’s trap-neuter-return efforts turn into trap-neuter-keep.
And They Call It Kitty Love Corning Area Residents Find Help and Hope for Homeless Felines
By Gayle Morrow
Trapping them, feeding them, getting them to a vet for spaying, neutering, and vaccines, making the tough decision to euthanize, constructing safe and warm outdoor living spaces for them, worrying about them, keeping probably way too many of them—it’s all part of helping cats who may not have a home or anyone to care about them.
“We love what we do,” says Corning resident Rich Graham. The “we” includes his wife, Audrey, and Carmela “Carm” Bertron, who lives in nearby Hornby. Carm, as Rich explains, is his mentor in the business of TNR—trap, neuter, return—which means taking cats, sometimes feral, from outdoor colonies, having them spayed or neutered, then returning them to those colonies.
“People are worried about whose cats they are,” Carm says. “Probably no one’s.”
And that’s the problem.
Colonies of homeless and ownerless cats are everywhere—sometimes in really inappropriate and dangerous locations (kittens being born in a concrete cavity and
accidently cemented in, for instance)—and when the females aren’t spayed and the males aren’t neutered, animal numbers increase exponentially. Girl kitties can become sexually mature as early as four months old; cats can have as many as four litters per year, with anywhere from one to ten kittens per litter.
Go ahead—do the math.
The philosophy behind TNR is that spayed/neutered cats are healthier—sometimes even friendlier to people, there is less fighting amongst the colony members, and, since an established colony often will not readily accept new members, the numbers in existing colonies stay static because there aren’t kittens. Short of finding homes for all the cats in any given colony, keeping the population controlled and the cats as healthy as possible is the next best thing.
The alliance between Rich, Audrey, and Carm began in 2019 when Rich realized there were some cats living outdoors about a block away from his home.
“People were feeding them, but it was cold,” says the retired corporate pilot for
Corning Inc. He says he doesn’t remember exactly how he and Audrey met Carm, but they got some traps from her and proceeded to start helping the cats. It wasn’t long before they were involved with another location having thirty-five cats.
“The problem was huge,” he says. “It took a year, but we got it cleaned up.” He remembers one cat in particular “came up to me and begged for help. It was skin and bones.” That cat had to be euthanized.
“If you just feed them and don’t fix them…” Carm says, a little exasperated.
She is a retired elementary school teacher, and laughs that she “went from helping students to helping cats.” It was an October night in 2009 when she became aware of some homeless cats in an alley. She started trapping them in the spring of 2010, getting them spayed and neutered, and, fifteen years later, “I’m doing over 200 per year.”
“I pretty much fund myself,” Carm says, but does do some fundraising with other people and organizations. “People think I can get grants, but I can’t because I
Richard Graham
Audrey Graham
don’t have a shelter. [Anyway] I don’t have time to write grants. I’m too busy trapping, getting them to the vet.”
She also has seventeen of her own cats.
“Mine are all misfits,” she says. “That’s why they stay.”
Rich and Audrey have twenty. That’s maybe why Audrey uses the acronym TNK, which stands for trap, neuter, keep, to describe what they do.
One of the logistical problems of maintaining a successful TNR program is that there are no guarantees when you might be able to catch a cat. That makes it hard to make and keep vet appointments.
“When you’re trapping a colony, they get wise,” Rich says. He has resorted at times to a drop trap—Carm describes it as being “like Dennis the Menace with his box and string.”
“You wait until they’re hunched down over the food and eating,” Rich explains. He admits he has “the determination and patience to trap the most elusive feral cat, but she has the ‘know how’ to make it all come together on
She does. Carm works closely with the East Smithfield-based Animal Care Sanctu
ary—they offer spaying and neutering clinics four days a week. She has a vet friend from Cornell who helps by holding clinics through his non-profit, FARVets. Carm’s non profit, TLC TNR—find it on Facebook at TLCTNR or contact her at homesforpaws@yahoo.com—also schedules cats for spay and neuter with Humane Society of Schuyler County in their Shelter Outreach Services clinics, and with her personal vet office, Towne and Country. She mentions other organizations that offer spay and neuter clinics—Spay Neuter Save Network of Rome, PA, Finger Lakes SPCA in Bath, Barn Cat Outreach in Cohocton, Hornell SPCA, and Chemung County SPCA. The city of Corning provides some funding as well, to support Rich and Audrey’s Corning-based efforts. But cats don’t know political boundaries. Rich mentions a dozen kitties from the Addison area that were “on my radar.”
“Carm has such great connections it appears she will be able to find spay and neuter clinic slots for all twelve over the next month. Also, winter is not a great time for recovery, so she has the ability to board them post-surgery easier than we [can] right
now, as our home is off limits to unvaccinated cats because of the kittens who had distemper being here in November. My role may include a bit of trapping if the owner needs assistance and maybe some transport.”
And those kittens born in the concrete cavity? Four were rescued from it—one died suddenly at ten months. Missy, the mother, lives at the cat shelter Rich put up for her and others.
“We tried to keep her at home but she wanted no part of indoor living. Water is very important to her in this freezing weather, and she goes to drink as soon as I put in fresh water twice a day.
“Please remember that I am only one small part of TNR operations,” Rich continues. “We work together and support each other. Carm is demanding in what she expects and rightfully so, it brings results. It reminds me of the precision planning and coordination so important in my military and civilian flying. Carm, especially, then my wife and myself are just part of a giant challenge being tackled by shelters everywhere.”
Field Notes
Smooch
By David Nowacoski
So I went for a walk with the missus the other day. That’s not a new thing for us, we actually try to get a walk in most every day. This day we were up at Fillmore Glen State Park—first time we had been there (it’s just south of Moravia, in Cayuga County, in case you want to go).
We got there early and there was still a bit of frost on the ground. We passed a couple who were on their way out, and they warned us that the bridges were a bit icy yet. Other than those two, we didn’t see a single person out in front of us. Perfect.
The first thing you come to is a bridge, a massive stone bridge that connects the north and south trails. There was an inviting side trail we wanted to take before we began the main hike, so we crossed over and found our way to this little path. It wove its way along the creek until it opened up into a huge grotto. Way above our heads a waterfall leapt off an overhanging rock into a pool cut deep by years of erosion. Great way to start this adventure.
We made our way back to the main trail and had to cross that massive stone
bridge again. I’m not sure why—maybe it was to warm up on this cold morning, maybe it was because we had the trail to ourselves, maybe it was just because…but I pulled my wife close and told her that every time we crossed a bridge we had to kiss.
I should point out that my wife and I have been doing the boyfriend/girlfriend thing for forty-eight years. By now she is pretty used to my shenanigans. She grinned and, with a bit of twinkle in those beautiful eyes, upped the ante and informed me that it had to be a good kiss, too.
And so we did. Now remember, we had never been on this trail. I honestly had no idea that there were a dozen bridges on this trail each way. We were at the farthest point away from the parking lot, almost three miles of trail behind us, when we met our first fellow hikers. They were a bit older than us, taking a breather on—you guessed it—a bridge.
As we approached I wasn’t sure how to handle this situation. I certainly did not want to make anyone uncomfortable. We stepped onto the bridge and exchanged the
customary, “Beautiful morning for a hike” greeting. They smiled warmly at us, and it was that moment of acceptance that tilted the scales in favor of a smooch. “Excuse us,” I said, “but we are playing a bit of a game where we kiss on each bridge.” And with that I planted a big loud one on my wife’s lips. They both laughed and gave us the “awww, that’s sweet” signal that no one was offended. We continued on but could hear them laughing, “We are so not playing that game.”
Shame—it made for an amazing hike.
David Nowacoski grew up on a farm in East Smithfield and lives just down the road a bit from it still, where he runs WindStone Landing Farms and Delivered Fresh (deliveredfresh. store) with his wife (and high school sweetheart), Marla. He made his kids pick rocks from the garden and believes that sometimes a simple life is a more wise way to go.
Join Wellsboro in celebrating winter. Each weekend in February enjoy a variety of activities and entertainment for all ages. From artisans to ice carvings, live music to live theater, every weekend brings exciting and new adventures. Wakeup your winter with Winter Weekends in Wellsboro. See you in February!
Kick off the month with an evening of elegance at the Deane Center. The “Love Boat to Monaco” event will transport you to the glitz and glamour of a European casino night. Enjoy a delectable dinner and try your luck at casino games. Whether you’re looking for romance or a night out with friends, this event sets the tone for an exciting February.
Feel the chill and turn up the heat during Ice & Spice weekend! Main Street will be bustling with mesmerizing ice carving demonstrations, a chili cook-off to warm your taste buds, and an ice bar at the historic Penn Wells Hotel for a unique winter experience. Plus, groove to the music with a dance class and enjoy a concert of cheesy 80s tunes by Velveeta at the Deane Center, ensuring a full day of entertainment for all ages.
Celebrate love and friendship during Cupid’s Weekend! Take a romantic or family-friendly horse-drawn wagon ride, glide across the ice at the skating rink, and immerse yourself in live music with the House of Hamill concert at the Deane Center or live theater with the Hamilton-Gibson Productions play Miss Holmes Returns. Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or simply enjoying the season, this weekend is full of charm.
End the month with a creative and culinary extravaganza during Crafts and Cuisine! Explore the talent of local artisans showcasing their handmade goods, discover new flavors with a culinary passport to local restaurants, and witness the artistry of live glass blowing demonstrations. This is the perfect event for art lovers and food enthusiasts alike.
For more information contact:
Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce
114 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901
www.WellsboroPA.com
570-724-1926
Office Hours: M-F: 8:30-4:30
This advertising page brought to you by:
Luxe Locks
Olinda Sapp has everything for hair and now.
Stylin’ in Downtown Elmira Annies Has Your Crowning Glory in Every Color
By Maggie Barnes
“Girl, you are going to be stylin’!”
Olinda Sapp beams at the young lady who leaves the store at 224 W. Water Street with a hat, furry and brilliant red.
Annies beauty supply store has sent a lot of folks out “stylin’” in thirty years of service to the Elmira community. Known primarily for wigs, Annies carries an impressive collection of hair products and supplies, accessories, make-up, handbags, shoes, socks, and the occasional red hat. She carries items for men, for kids, and for those facing the loss of hair due to illness.
“We’ve cried a lot of tears in here,” Olinda says. “We try to make it an upbeat process. And if a wig doesn’t look good, we will tell you. We want you to look your best.”
The original owner, a woman named Gail Wantuck, passed away from cancer eight
years ago. (Annie was her grandmother.) Olinda was helping out at the store as Gail’s condition worsened. When Gail’s will was processed, Olinda was stunned to hear that Gail wanted her, and only her, to take over the store. If she didn’t want it, it was to be closed.
“This is a multicultural business. We support all races,” Olinda says with pride. “The community needs this place.”
Annies has wigs of all materials, both human and synthetic, and every style and color imaginable from chestnut brown to hot pink. “If you don’t see it, we can order it,” says Olinda. Customers come from a 100-mile radius, and the store does virtually no advertising, depending on word of mouth from a fan base that spans the generations.
Olinda’s daughter is ready to step in at Annies when her mom retires. And there is
a granddaughter in the wings, so the future of the shop is secure.
Olinda still misses Gail, but she knows her friend’s spirit is close by. “I wanted to sell handbags, and she didn’t. After she passed, I ordered some and hung them on that wall over there. The next morning, they were all on the floor. Neat piles of them. Not another thing was disturbed, and I said, ‘Darn it, Gail, you put me in charge of this place, and we’re selling handbags!’”
Annies beauty supply is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Follow them on Facebook or call (607) 426-0075.
Maggie Barnes has won several IRMA and Keystone Press awards. She lives in Waverly, NY.
Wade Spencer
Sweet Spot
Sophia and Aidan Gscheidle offer self-care at several Lock Haven locations.
Get Special Treatment in Lock Haven
Silver Bullet Wellness Offers Massage and More
By Linda Roller
Silver Bullet Wellness sounds like a place that is pushing the latest fix-it pill for your body and your life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Aidan and Sophia Gscheidle believe in a silver bullet for people, especially people in pain, but it’s not a quick fix. It’s called “taking care of yourself,” and in their primary Lock Haven studio at 132 E. Main Street, Suite 7, you can get the help you need to feel better, to gain mobility, and feel your greatest. For Aidan and Sophia, it is a common goal, but they reached it by different paths. Their tagline says it all: “Life twists you in knots. We help untwist them.”
For Sophia, bodywork was in her blood. “Both Mom and Dad were massage therapists, and I grew up in the spa [Emerge Healing Arts & Spa] in Wellsboro, worked the reception desk, and saw the benefits of bodywork and natural skin care.” She grad-
uated from Integrative Bodywork School of Massage Therapy in State College and earned her massage license in December 2022. She is also a licensed esthetician with a passion for skin care and uses her mother’s line of natural skin care products, Emerge Botanicals, in her practice.
For Aidan, the road was through the hard work of food service, the joy of trail running, and the chronic pain that developed doing those things. When covid closed restaurants, he went to school at IBSMT earning his massage license in October 2022, and shortly after earned his breath coach certification through YOGABODY. Perhaps as importantly, IBSMT was where Aidan and Sophia met and fell in love.
At first, the Gscheidles worked at the Spa in Wellsboro with Sophia’s parents. But it wasn’t long before they looked for a town to start their own business. Their choice
was, perhaps, a bit surprising. Lock Haven isn’t a resort or a trendy city. “But it was the sweet spot,” Aidan explained—within an easy drive to Sophia’s parents and to State College and their connections there. Plus, it was close to Aidan’s parents, who live in Woolrich. More than that, it was the energy they found in this small city. “We were welcomed by Lock Haven right away—both by people and by other business owners.”
The couple became part of the new generation of merchants and professionals who have made the town their home and, along with Downtown Lock Haven Inc., have made the center of the city more vibrant.
Silver Bullet has re-imagined itself and grown quickly in a couple of years. When they opened in 2023 shortly after covid, Aidan and Sophia thought the market was right for a service that went to people’s
houses, providing massage in a private setting. They developed a clientele, but as Aidan explained, “People called and were flummoxed that they couldn’t come to us at an office.” Not everyone wanted to have a massage in their home, surrounded by family clutter or activities. Many needed the serenity of a location that took them out of the daily routine.
Suddenly, they were looking for a space, and it needed to be inexpensive, where the landlord could work with them. Aidan says, “So, an out-of-state friend sent me a link for a space in the Simon building. Dana and Sean Krieger worked with us to get started. But it was a leap of faith. We were sitting in our apartment counting dollar bills” to make the rent payment. The new studio opened a year ago on the third floor and was exactly what the new business needed to make it.
If that wasn’t enough, by late spring, the couple knew that they could use another spa room. Out of the blue, Dr. Leah Charney from Advanced Family Chiropractic called with a room for a massage therapist to complement the practice. Would Sophia and Aidan be interested? Less than six months after opening the first studio, they opened a second location. The Simon building studio is wonderfully secluded and quiet, on the top floor of an old brick building. But that’s two flights of stairs that some clients can’t manage. The Advanced Family Chiropractic office is on the first floor, with easy access. With two rooms, both Sophia and Aidan can work on clients at the same time, not possible in the first office. One year after making the decision to expand the direction of Silver Bullet Wellness, both locations are busy.
The original mobile service is still available and is often booked as couples massage. “People who rent a local Airbnb will contact us to do massage at that location,” turning a getaway into a relaxing spa. Silver Bullet Wellness is the only place in the area that does couples massage, which can be a couple, or simply two friends that want to get a massage at the same time. Clients can call (570) 209-8655 for appointment at any location, or book online at silverbulletwellness.com.
Beyond massage, Sophia and Aidan offer breath coaching, facials, cupping, aromatherapy, hot stones, functional fascial tape, and two new offerings—Thai massage (acupressure, deep tissue massage, and stretching) and craniosacral therapy, which focuses on the bones of the skull and spine for headache, TMJ, and migraine relief.
For Valentine’s Day, Silver Bullet Wellness is partnering with Jackass Brewing Company in Williamsport for Brews & Bliss. It’s their second annual Valentine’s partner massage workshop teaching favorite moves and techniques for couples. Combined with tasty food, drinks, and a stunning view from the third floor of Jackass’s state-of-the-art facility.
It’s more than you expect from a small town. The Gscheidles offer world-class care, enriching Lock Haven by eliminating one hurt body at a time.
Mountain Home contributor Linda Roller is a bookseller and writer in Avis, Pennsylvania.
Power Mobility - Oxygen
Medical Equipment
Braces - Diabetic Shoes
• Hospital Beds
• Oxygen
• CPAP/Bipap Machines and Supplies
• Incontinence Supplies
• Power Mobility
• Compression Hosiery
• Braces - Knee, Ankle, Arm
• Mobility Equipment
• Ostomy Supplies
• Bathroom and Home Safety Equipment
• Wound Care Supplies
Peace like a Rasa
Everyone wants to get hot stoned.
From Stress to Spa-rkle
Give Yourself Some Love at Ithaca’s Rasa Spa
By Karey Solomon
The best reason to schedule a massage or a facial? It’s been too long since the last one. “Everyone comes for different reasons,” says Rasa Spa owner Rachel Hogancamp. A client in physical pain or struggling with stress might seek a massage to untangle some of it. Anticipation of a life milestone like a birthday, a wedding, or childbirth might inspire the gift of a spa session, or an exploration of self-care.
“It feels like a safe and comfortable place,” says esthetician Leana Love-Fabian, who’s worked at Rasa for a dozen years. “And in the world, there’s not a lot of safe and comfortable [places]. People need that more than they know! You get so used to being in chaos, you don’t know what calm feels like.”
The comfortable feeling here is enhanced by ambiance, design, and philosophy. In the low light, the walls’ golds, terracottas, and dark reds are soothing. The scents are herbal and clean, a balance of pleasant, calming aromas—nothing aller-
genic. Rachel, a licensed massage therapist who also taught for many years at the nowclosed Finger Lakes School of Massage, had a long-held dream of opening a spa. When the Cayuga Health System opened a wellness center at 310 Taughannock Boulevard in 2006, gathering physicians’ offices, physical therapy, health, and rehabilitative services under one roof, they reached out to Rachel with the opportunity to open a day spa on the building’s second floor. Rachel named the enterprise Rasa, a multi-faceted Sanskrit word which means, among other things, essence.
Although the second floor is rectangular, most of the treatment rooms are irregular, organic shapes whose angles “drove the contractors crazy,” Rachel notes with a smile. The handcrafted furniture, the custom tiles, and the handmade pottery sinks in the changing areas were commissioned from local artists. Space was also reserved for a “duet” room where a couple or a pair of friends might enjoy a treatment togeth-
er. There’s a sauna, a “community room” sometimes used for yoga classes or quiet relaxation, and a “tranquility room” where clients may enjoy the simple pleasures of a post-massage nap, meditate in a shadowed alcove, or relax with a cup of tea while looking below at the flowing waters of Cayuga Lake’s inlet.
“I’ve worked at other spas, and none of them had the same warm and inviting feel,” says Dex White, a licensed massage therapist who’s worked at Rasa from its opening. The welcome is apparent when a client arrives for a regularly scheduled appointment and mentions having had a minor car accident. She’s offered a cup of tea and other relaxation options before her session, and it’s clear the caring is real.
Rasa offers a mix of massage modalities, including Swedish, deep-tissue, myofascial (working with connective tissue), athletic, oncology, Thai, hot stones, pregnancy/post pregnancy, lymphatic drainage, and energy work. Skin care includes facials,
microdermabrasion, chemical peels, scrubs, waxing, and special hand and foot treatments. A second Ithaca location at the Library Place complex downtown offers nail care along with the other services. Treatments are customized based on clients’ wishes and goals.
“The idea is, when you’re in the room with your therapist, the two of you will talk and decide what will meet your needs,” says Dex. Most sessions last sixty to ninety minutes and may be booked at rasaspa.com or (607) 273-1740.
The body-mind connection may become clear to client and therapist during massage or other treatments. Dex recalls a client with severe mid-back pain. The client had seen a physician who found a herniated disk but couldn’t tie this to a specific injury nor completely correlate the finding with the unusual area of pain. “Odd,” Dex remembers telling the client, noticing the pain was at the level of the client’s heart. The client suddenly made the connection between the physical pain and the emotional pain of a relationship in upheaval. Once the relationship issues reached a happy resolution, the back pain did too, affirming Dex’s long-held belief in a strong mind/body correlation.
“I have clients who maybe came the first time because someone bought them a gift certificate. They say, ‘Wow, that was really great!’ And maybe six months later they come back.”
One who did was Jasmine Hill, who came with a friend to get a massage. “As soon as I came in, I thought I’d love to work in a place like this, it’s such a lovely environment,” she says. Within a few months she returned—to work in guest services. She’s one of about sixty employees, and says, “Everyone I work with is genuinely sweet.”
“A lot of clients have come to realize that by scheduling regular massages they feel better in their bodies overall,” Dex says. “That nagging issue doesn’t become so bad when it’s regularly addressed. There’s something about the way massage invites you into your body that allows you to experience your body in a different way.” In fact, it’s not unusual for a client to remark after a treatment, “I feel like I’m in a different body.”
Long-time client Wren Anjali visits about once a month because “I want to stay as young as I can. Massage helps me be more healthy in mind and body. It lifts me up emotionally and it really helps my immune system and outlook on life.” Wren has also brought visiting friends to Rasa because, “I always think it’s a good thing to share!”
Rasa has expanded its footprint with additional treatment rooms, and last year took over and upgraded the building’s café. This year Rachel hopes to open a school to train more massage therapists.
“She really pours a lot of love into Rasa and has affected thousands upon thousands of people in a positive way,” Leana says.
“I love this community,” Rachel says. “It’s nice to offer something positive, to see clients come in and then feel a whole lot better when they leave. It’s good to find a little bit of peace in a world that can be unsettling.”
Karey Solomon is the author of a poetry chapbook, Voices Like the Sound of Water, a book on frugal living (now out of print), and more than thirty-six needlework books. Her work has also appeared in several fiction and nonfiction anthologies.
welcome to NEW YORK
Join us for these great events at the Arnot Mall, Horseheads, NY Wedding Expo Saturday, February 15, 10am-3pm
Valentine’s Craft Fair Saturday, February 8, 10am-4pm
Crystal/Psychic/Whimsical Crafts Saturday, February 22, 10am-4pm
Youth Craft Fair Sunday, February 23, 10am-4pm
Healthy Lifestyle/Outdoor Expo Saturday, March 22 & Sunday, March 23
Before Mike and I moved from Philadelphia back to my hometown of Wellsboro, we befriended our pups’ veterinarian, Ruthie, and her husband Philip, who is from Scotland. (And he has the authentic claymore to prove it—one of those awe-inspiring two-handed great swords.) Ruthie has on her shelf a wee cookbook called Favourite Scottish Recipes, by Johanna Mathie, which lists one of the simplest—and most savory—chicken soup recipes I have ever tasted. Its secret is leeks, which add uncommon sweetness to everything. The recipe calls for a whole chicken, but I use whatever combination of chicken pieces I have available. If I’m using a whole chicken I hack it in half before adding it to the pot. (Where’s that claymore gotten to?) And beware: if leeks came with an ingredients list the second item would be sand. So rinse those leek chunks well, taking the outer layers apart if you have a particularly gritty bunch. (You can use the pale white-fading-into-green part, but discard the fibrous tops.) I have never made the soup with our native leeks, but if you do let me know how many you used.
Cocky Leeky Soup
1 small chicken and giblets (2½–3 lbs.)
1 onion, chopped
Tess’s Table
Soup’s On!
By Teresa Banik Capuzzo
6 leeks, cut into inch-long pieces
2 oz. long grain rice
1 small carrot, grated
1 tsp. salt
3 pints water [I always double this]
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Place the chicken, giblets, and onion in a large saucepan. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours until the chicken is tender. Remove from the heat and skim off any white scum. Take out the giblets and discard (or chop them into little snack bites for the pup, making sure not to give Rover any dangerous neck bones). Take out the chicken and strip the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Return the meat to the stock. Add the leeks, rice, and grated carrot. Bring back to the boil, cover, and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the parsley before serving. Serves 4-6.
• While we’re in Scotland, you might as well whip up a loaf of Scottish buttermilk bread to go with that soup. Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads is a fascinating 748-page historic and cultural tour of the world and of bread, and this one he compares to Irish soda bread without the raisins or currants. I keep
buttermilk on hand just so I can pull this bread hot out of the oven—start to finish—in less than an hour.
Scottish Buttermilk Bread
2 c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ rsp. cream of tartar
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
¾ c. buttermilk (or 3 Tbsp. buttermilk powder in ¾ c. water), room temperature
Preheat oven to 375°. (If using a convection oven, reduce heat 50°.) Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal or flour (I use parchment paper instead).
Measure the flour into a medium bowl and add the baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and sugar. With your fingers or a mixer flat beater work the butter into the flour until it resembles rice or small peas. Slowly add the buttermilk. If the dough is too moist to handle without sticking, dust with additional flour. There is no kneading, only mixing to thoroughly blend the ingredients.
Pat into a round loaf about 8” across and flatten slightly. With a razor, cut an X about ½”
deep in the top. Transfer to the prepared sheet.
Place on the middle shelf of the hot oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the loaf is a lovely golden brown. To test for doneness, turn the loaf on its side and tap the bottom crust with a forefinger. If it has a hard, hollow sound it is done.
Place on a rack to cool before cutting.
•
The recipes in the Silver Palate Cookbook, first published in 1979, have withstood the test of time. Authors Shella Lukins and Julee Rosso bill this bisque as one of their most popular soups, and a good one for the holidays. But it’s a perfect soup for every day of the year, for occasions grand or humble. It is not billed as a soup to serve chilled, but I have it on cold evidence that it is delicious even then. If you can, buy organic oranges, since you will be zesting as well as squeezing them—and who wants to eat bug spray?
Carrot and Orange Soup
4 Tbsp. sweet butter
2 c. finely chopped yellow onions
12 large carrots, 1½ to 2 lbs., peeled and
chopped
4 c. chicken stock
1 c. fresh orange juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Grated fresh orange zest to taste
Melt the butter in a pot. Add the onions, cover, and cook over low heat until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes. Add carrots and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes.
Pour the soup through a strainer and transfer the solids to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade or use a food mill fitted with a medium disc. Add 1 cup of the cooking stock and process until smooth. Return purée to the pot and add the orange juice and additional stock, 2 to 3 cups, until soup is of desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper; add orange zest. Simmer until heated through. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 portions.
•
I had thawed a block of wild caught Icelandic haddock (I usually have it stashed in the
freezer from Pag-Omar Farm Market on 287 outside Wellsboro), but it turned into a bitter day that needed comfort food, so I stirred up this gem from food blogger Elizabeth Lindemann (who writes Bowl of Delicious). The next time I cooked it, since the recipe recommends it as the ideal, I picked up some beautiful fresh cod at Maine Harvest Seafood on Pennsylvania Avenue in Elmira. I won’t make that mistake again. Save that perfect cod for broiling. Yes, the cod held up better in the cooking (and much, much better in the reheated leftovers), but the haddock, even as you work to keep it from disintegrating, has such sweetness and fine texture—and it lends all of that delicacy to the chowder.
Creamy New England Fish Chowder (aka Dad’s New England Fish Chowder)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large yellow onions: 2 chopped (for approximately 2 c.); one quartered and the layers flaked apart
• Stuffed Chicken Breast with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans - $25
*All dinners include rolls, soup, and salad bar*
• Dessert - Strawberry Brownie Cheesecake Parfaits - $5 323 S. Williamson Rd., Blossburg, PA
2 bay leaves
1 pinch dried thyme leaves or ¼ tsp. fresh
1 tsp. kosher salt more if needed
¼ tsp. black pepper, more if needed
1½–2 lbs. cod or other fish (see notes)
8 oz. clam juice [I just used water]
2 lbs. potatoes scrubbed clean or peeled if you want, diced into ½- to 1-inch pieces
1 c. whole milk
Small pinch ground nutmeg
½ Tbsp. minced chives
1 c. heavy cream
More chives, fresh ground black pepper, extra butter, and nutmeg for garnish (optional)
In a large heavy pot such as a Dutch oven, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the 2 chopped onions, stir to coat in the oil and butter, and sauté until translucent and softened, but not browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. (If the onions are browning, turn heat down to medium-low and add a little water, or cover to keep the steam in.)
Add 2 cups of water to the pot, as well as the pinch of thyme, two bay leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the cod to the pot. Place the pieces so they are flat and in one layer (or if your filets are very thin, stacking them is fine). The water should come up to the top of the pieces but not submerge them. If the water seems too low, you can add ½ cup to 1 cup more. Bring it up to a low simmer, cover, and cook on low for 4-5 minutes until the fish flakes apart (if your burner is hot, you can just turn off the heat and cover).
Using a fish spatula or slotted spoon, remove the fish to a large plate or rimmed baking sheet (I used a quarter sheet pan). Place the plate in the fridge or freezer, if you have room, for a couple of minutes so it cools faster and doesn’t continue to cook. When the fish is cool enough to handle, gently flake it apart with your hands. You want the flakes to remain intact—don’t over-flake it! Add the clam juice to the pot, as well as the cubed potatoes. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked (pierce one with the tines of a fork to check if it’s soft enough).
While the potatoes are cooking, scald the milk. Place the milk and the quartered onion layers into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes. Watch it carefully, as boiling milk will bubble up and might boil over!
When the potatoes are finished cooking, strain the scalded milk through a mesh sieve into the pot. Add the flaked fish, as well as the chives and the small pinch of nutmeg (we used fresh nutmeg; just a couple of grates on a microplane zester will do it). Bring the chowder back to a simmer. Turn off the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, being careful to stir very gently so as not to break apart the fish too much. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. If you like, garnish each bowl with a small pat of butter, some more nutmeg and chives, and fresh grated black pepper.
A Public Display of Affections
Caleb Williams’ Portraits of Enduring Love on Exhibit in Wellsboro
By Gayle Morrow
We photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing, and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth can make them come back again..
~Henri Cartier-Bresson
When Caleb Williams was just starting out in the portrait business, he came across a picture of his grandmother, one clearly taken by a professional at her home on Waln Street. She was standing at the end of her dining room table, a table all set for a dinner party.
“She was famous in Wellsboro for her dinner parties,” Caleb says. “This photo had a particular impact on me, as it was her, in her home environment, the way I remembered her.”
Fast forward to 2010, when Caleb began running an “anniversary couple of the week” contest in the Wellsboro Gazette
“The idea was to honor every week the longest married couple,” he says. Information about the couples came in via a website. He’d choose a couple, go to their home to take their portrait, ask questions about their life together, write up the article, and provide it with the photo to the paper. The contest, which included prizes from local sponsors, ran for four years.
“It was a gift I wanted to give to these couples and their families, a gift I wanted to give to my clients,” Caleb says.
Now, over ten years later, coinciding with Valentine’s Day and commemorating his own retirement from the portrait business, a selection of about forty framed portraits from the over 200 he took for the Gazette column will hang at the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center at 134 Main Street in Wellsboro for most of February.
“This is my swan song,” he says.
Caleb’s questions and answers for each couple pictured, including the big “how did you make this last?” question, will be part of the show.
“The final question was always ‘What advice would you give a young couple starting out to stay married a long time?’,” Caleb says. “People need to come to the exhibit to find out.”
The show will be called Wisdom
“We are hoping that people will come in to see family members featured in the photographs and celebrate their enduring love,” says Gmeiner Director Carrie Heath.
For most of the couples he talked with, Caleb says, the “giddy love of newlyweds had been transformed to a deep, abiding love, full of self-knowledge and knowledge of the other, and of forgiveness for themselves and their spouse for the personality foibles.”
Marriage Wisdom urday, February 1, with a reception from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
“The lovely ladies in the Friday Club will be providing refreshments at the recep tion, which is free and open to the public,” Car rie says. The exhibit will remain open until Sunday, February 23. Gallery hours are 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission to the gallery is al ways free. Get more information at (570) 724-1917.
As for what Ca leb, himself married nearly forty-eight years, plans to do after retire ment: “Clean the attic,” he says with a smile.
Now there’s some marriage wisdom.
Long Live Love
Caleb Williams holds his portrait of Larry and Lela Calvario of Elkland whom he photographed in January 2011 for their fifty-fifth anniversary.
Caleb Williams
Ages 16+ with an adult 25 years of age. Call for reservations Closed toe shoes only.
Open Friday, February 14 until 9pm and Saturday February 15 until 10pm
Ages 12+ with an adult 25 years of age. Call for reservations Closed toe shoes only.
Script continued from page 13
asked Titus if she should start looking at apartments. He said, “I guess so.”
April 1, 2018, was Easter, April Fool’s Day, and their anniversary. They were going to see Ready Player One at the Arcadia, and Titus was unusually agitated. He’d forgotten the ring, so told her he had to go back for his phone. She wondered why he couldn’t leave his phone at home. Once in the Arcadia lobby, he dallied, talking to people, wanting her to go in first. He had a friend ready to film and a little surprise on the screen. The manager had let him put up a slide—it was a picture of them kissing in front of a KISS band banner.
Titus recalls, “We go in and she says, ‘They used to have interesting stuff. Now it’s just a black screen.’ Right then the picture comes up and I say, ‘Well, there’s that.’”
“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, someone hacked his Facebook!’ Then I looked back, and he was kneeling, and I started Emma Thompsoning it,” Natalie says, referring to a famous proposal scene from Sense and Sensibility. The lone guy two rows back slinked down in his seat.
They got married July 28, 2018, in North Carolina with her father presiding and her grandfather singing. They snuck the wedding in between performance weekends. Natalie, when waiting to walk down the aisle, felt a wave a panic: “I don’t know my lines!” A great metaphor for marriage. And parenthood. Titus and Natalie welcomed baby Amber in November 2023.
Not Our Job
Thomas and Gabe refuse to play matchmaker (unless directing Fiddler on the Roof, of course), but they are not surprised romances bloom. “Being on stage requires a vulnerability,” Thomas says. “If you’re on stage with someone, I think it makes a safe place for deeper connections.”
Gabe agrees. “When you’re creating a role and acting together, you’re trusting each other to make each other not look bad, being gracious with each other’s mistakes, and supporting each other. And if it leads to a romantic relationship, Huzzah!”
Even if you don’t find your special someone via HG, Thomas and Gabe promise you’ll meet great people and make new friends if you audition or volunteer backstage. Instead of matchmaker.com, why not go to
book Shop
BAC K OF TH E MOUNTAIN
The Light Always Comes
By Linda Stager
On this February morning, I headed to a spot near the intersection of Gee and Ridge Roads between Holliday and Tioga. High on the ridge it was cold and blustery. At 7:33 a.m. Saturday morning, there was a single car’s track in the road ahead. In the quietness of the morning, I thought about many things. One of my best friends was dying (and did die later that day). He loved this area. Next to me lived another friend, folks who’d farmed this land for six generations. Would there be a seventh? I hoped so, but farming is hard. I knew Heidi and her dad were already caring for the livestock in the barn next to me that morning. These are hearty folks. I know because my great-great-grandpa is buried in the cemetery just a mile away on Farmington Hill. Country life is a hard life, but it makes good people. As I thought this, the sun broke over the treetops behind the barn and lit up the gnarled tree. Everything about the scene comforted me—that old tree, the snow-covered road curving toward the farm ahead, those fence lines, and, of course, the golden tones of the sun.
UPMC provides a robust network of care in north central Pennsylvania, including ambulatory care locations, home health and hospice, Senior Communities facilities, mobile integrated health, 24/7 nurse triage, and more. Our hub at UPMC Williamsport offers access to tertiary care and a Level II Trauma, heart and vascular services, neurological and stroke care, primary care and pediatrics including a Level II NICU, and orthopaedic and comprehensive women’s health services. Together, we deliver life-changing care to our communities. For more information, visit UPMC.com/NorthCentralPa.
