- The Lewisohn Sisters
A plaque is on display at the Henry Street Settlement building showing where the Neighborhood Playhouse had its start. Founding Neighborhood Playhouse directors and producers, Alice Lewisohn (1883-1972) and her sister Irene Lewisohn (1886-1944), began classes and club work at the Henry Street Settlement House, now the Abrons Arts Center, in New York City in 1905. In 1915 The Neighborhood Playhouse, became one of the first "Little Theatres" when it moved to the corner of Grand & Pitt Streets. They offered drama training and dance to children and teens and put on many successful productions. In 1928, The Neighborhood Playhouse moved to West 46th Street and in 1935 the Lewisohn sisters had the foresight to hire Sanford Meisner as head the acting department for the adult conservatory program. In 1947 the Lewisohns' purchased, renovated, and designed the NP on a quiet block on East 54th Street, its current location. The Neighborhood Playhouse, since 1905, has always welcomed and taught children. It's a legacy that continues today.
Doris Blum Gorelick
Junior School Director for 33 years
Junior School Director for 33 years
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Doris Blum Gorelick, pictured above at the 2012 Holiday Party and at left celebrating the Neighborhood Playhouse.
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The school had its early beginnings as an acting training ground for youths and teens; and that tradition holds strong today in the Junior School for ages 7-17. There is also a strong connection between the "Saturday School" and the Adult Conservatory. This was strengthened with the arrival of Doris Blum Gorelick as the Junior School Director. Doris has been a force in shaping young actors and personalities that have come through the Junior program including Scarlett Johansson, Daisy Eagan, Frances Conroy, Ally Sheedy, and Anderson Cooper.
Doris was no stranger to the Playhouse when she took over as Junior School Director. For 65 years the spirit and passion of Doris has been felt all through the halls and classrooms at the Neighborhood Playhouse. She attended school at the NP in 1949, graduating two years later, was the right-hand assistant to board member Robert Whitehead, and assistant to Paul Morrison while he worked on Broadway shows and later as NP Executive Director. Doris has been a part of the Neighborhood Playhouse family for decades.
Doris was raised in Santa Rosa California and her interest in acting and the theatre started early. "The family would get together for Sunday night dinner and I would put on little skits and performances for the family when I was a child," Doris says. Doris attended University of the Pacific, studying drama and it is there where she first learned about The Neighborhood Playhouse. "We had a marvelous department run by Demarcus Brown...[He] had encouraged us to keep studying and told us that The Playhouse with Sandy Meisner offered the best training for the theatre that one could get." Doris arrived in the fall of 1949.
It was Doris' work in production that led her back to the Neighborhood Playhouse after graduation in 1951. She worked with Paul Morrison, a set and costume designer, who during his prolific career, worked on over 60 Broadway productions. Doris met Paul when he worked on "Insect Comedy." Mr. Morrison would later take over as the director of the Neighborhood Playhouse where he was the director for 33 years. Much of the work that Doris did with Morrison was for a producer named Robert Whitehead. Eventually Doris became Mr. Whitehead's right hand woman for 36 years. When Mr. Whitehead became president of the Board of Directors at the Neighborhood Playhouse (a position he held for 30 years), Doris often assisted him in his duties. Paul Morrison then asked Doris to take over the Junior School, which trained youth actors on Saturdays. For 33 years Doris never missed a Saturday while working for Mr. Whitehead during the week.
"Because I was a student and because of my relationship with Paul and Mr. Whitehead, and being the Director of the Junior School, I was eventually asked to become a member of the Neighborhood Playhouse Board." After all these years, Doris states, "I am one of the oldest people around there and know every nook and cranny of the place. I just adore the building, the institution and want it strengthened." Over the years, Doris has seen changes come. "I think they brought new things into the program which are right for today. The Alexander technique and now film studies are important additions and appropriate and right for the school...I still believe strongly in the core program."
Doris believes her training at The Playhouse gave her the ability to be creative in her daily life, which expanded from acting to stage managing and producing. The Meisner Technique grounded her. Watching the students of today going through the same experiences she did, is a powerful thing. Doris feels for each student and she is very protective of them. To Doris, every one who attends The Playhouse is part of a special family. "Being connected and supporting our students is still so important. I feel alumnae are of vital importance to The Playhouse...I'm still a product of the school, I have never really been away from it." Doris' passion and years of service is why she will always be known around The Neighborhood Playhouse as Alum Number One, and the longest, committed Junior School Director to date.
Doris was no stranger to the Playhouse when she took over as Junior School Director. For 65 years the spirit and passion of Doris has been felt all through the halls and classrooms at the Neighborhood Playhouse. She attended school at the NP in 1949, graduating two years later, was the right-hand assistant to board member Robert Whitehead, and assistant to Paul Morrison while he worked on Broadway shows and later as NP Executive Director. Doris has been a part of the Neighborhood Playhouse family for decades.
Doris was raised in Santa Rosa California and her interest in acting and the theatre started early. "The family would get together for Sunday night dinner and I would put on little skits and performances for the family when I was a child," Doris says. Doris attended University of the Pacific, studying drama and it is there where she first learned about The Neighborhood Playhouse. "We had a marvelous department run by Demarcus Brown...[He] had encouraged us to keep studying and told us that The Playhouse with Sandy Meisner offered the best training for the theatre that one could get." Doris arrived in the fall of 1949.
It was Doris' work in production that led her back to the Neighborhood Playhouse after graduation in 1951. She worked with Paul Morrison, a set and costume designer, who during his prolific career, worked on over 60 Broadway productions. Doris met Paul when he worked on "Insect Comedy." Mr. Morrison would later take over as the director of the Neighborhood Playhouse where he was the director for 33 years. Much of the work that Doris did with Morrison was for a producer named Robert Whitehead. Eventually Doris became Mr. Whitehead's right hand woman for 36 years. When Mr. Whitehead became president of the Board of Directors at the Neighborhood Playhouse (a position he held for 30 years), Doris often assisted him in his duties. Paul Morrison then asked Doris to take over the Junior School, which trained youth actors on Saturdays. For 33 years Doris never missed a Saturday while working for Mr. Whitehead during the week.
"Because I was a student and because of my relationship with Paul and Mr. Whitehead, and being the Director of the Junior School, I was eventually asked to become a member of the Neighborhood Playhouse Board." After all these years, Doris states, "I am one of the oldest people around there and know every nook and cranny of the place. I just adore the building, the institution and want it strengthened." Over the years, Doris has seen changes come. "I think they brought new things into the program which are right for today. The Alexander technique and now film studies are important additions and appropriate and right for the school...I still believe strongly in the core program."
Doris believes her training at The Playhouse gave her the ability to be creative in her daily life, which expanded from acting to stage managing and producing. The Meisner Technique grounded her. Watching the students of today going through the same experiences she did, is a powerful thing. Doris feels for each student and she is very protective of them. To Doris, every one who attends The Playhouse is part of a special family. "Being connected and supporting our students is still so important. I feel alumnae are of vital importance to The Playhouse...I'm still a product of the school, I have never really been away from it." Doris' passion and years of service is why she will always be known around The Neighborhood Playhouse as Alum Number One, and the longest, committed Junior School Director to date.
Kat Drinane Davis
Junior School Director from 1999-2014
Junior School Director from 1999-2014
Kat Drinane Davis - Junior School Director from 1999-2014, was personally asked by Doris to take over the Junior Program on Saturdays. She is a theatre arts educator and teacher. For 15 years she created a nurturing and caring environment for children. Kat's convictions of what an acting program for children should be is clear in an interview with Catherine Castellani for Backstage in 2001. The Junior School is "a place to learn, not a place to land an agent. While some children's acting schools focus on landing professional bookings for their students, Davis' philosophy is non-competitive and takes into account the whole child."
- Carmen Lamar Daehler
- Junior School Director from 2014-2022
Carmen Lamar (Gonzalez) Daehler - TV, film, & theatre actor, children's theatre director and teacher - took over as Junior School Director in 2014 and for eight years through 2022, was proud to give children a place to discover their creativity and talent. Carmen's focus was making sure students build confidence, work collaboratively, nurture thoughtfulness and continue to grow as people and artists. Young actors pursuing the business of show business in this competitive market need a place to hone their skills and to keep their dreams alive.
