Stony Creek Puppet House Gets A New Lease On Life

Greg Nobile, an 18-year-old entrepreneur, has a dream — -a dream that centers on reopening an historic Puppet House in Stony Creek by raising the funds to help save the aging theater. He also hopes to create a Puppet House franchise along the way.

His is not a pipe dream. He ventured into business at age 6, selling lemonade for 75 cents a glass to raise money for medical research to help an ill friend. He not only hopes to succeed with the Puppet House, but he hopes one day to turn his franchise into a Fortune 500 business.

Meanwhile, Nobile enters his senior year at Branford High School Sept. 1. 

Nobile is asking Branford residents to share their visions for the Puppet House as he puts together a business plan that has won the approval of the Stony Creek Association and First Selectman Anthony ​“Unk” DaRos, who lives in Stony Creek. 

“The passion and love I have for the arts, and for business and for this community, are what’s driving this project,” Nobile said as he gazed around the dilapidated landmark at 128 Thimble Island Rd.

Nobile spent the summer meeting in Boston with attorneys for the Puppet House and with town officials and prospective contractors. He sometimes just stops by the theater when there isn’t a meeting. ​“That’s when I know how much it means to me, when I just stop by for no reason.”

After months of negotiating with Weil’s attorneys, Nobile has secured a lease with several options. The building is rent-free for the first year while funds are being raised, with Nobile responsible for the insurance, taxes and utilities. After that, there are a series of three-year options for the site.

Despite his young age, he has a track record for getting things done. He is a founding member of the Lemonade Gang, whose performances have garnered thousands of dollars for medical research. A year ago, he created Greg Nobile Presents LLC, a production company that brings New York City entertainment to Branford.

In the coming weeks, he will schedule a series of focus groups aimed at everyone from school-age children to senior citizens. ​“I know what I want to see here, but I want to find out what other people want,” he said. ​“We’re bringing it back to Branford.”

Nobile is working with a team of experts who have volunteered their services. The chair of the fundraising campaign is Branford resident Darice Gall, who works in marketing for Neilson Company in New York City. A New Haven-based grant-writer has offered to help with grant applications. Click here for additional information about the puppet house. 

Critically acclaimed Stony Creek architects Glenn Arbonies and Sandra Vlock have volunteered to do the architectural drawings. When complete, the drawings will be submitted to town officials and to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Arbonies said most of the work has to do with bringing the building up to code. Vlock said the goal is to make is safe and functioning. ​“Initially, that’s what we’ve offered to help with,” she said.

Vlock said the historical aspect of the theater is of great concern. ​“From our point of view, we value these unique aspects of our community,” she said. ​“And we’re very impressed with Greg.”

Nobile seems to have a natural talent for business and marketing. ​“I’m really in the school of hard-knocks,” he said. ​“I’ve been fortunate to have good days, but some days flop. I love doing this, and I absolutely love being in the theatre.”

Nobile envisions the Puppet House as an art, music and theatrical venue for all ages. ​“We’re looking to make it a multi-arts facility,” he said. Offerings could include summer art camps for children, dinner theater, jazz bands, and regional and national touring productions.

“We want it buzzing with creativity,” said Nobile, the son of Maureen and Brian Nobile of Pine Orchard. 

He estimates it will take $300,000 to upgrade the theater’s electrical and plumbing systems, install a new roof and bathrooms, and put in new sound and lighting systems. And he wants to open next spring.

Nobile has already addressed the Stony Creek Association, where he was peppered with questions. Many people offered positive comments, but some were negative as they questioned parking, noise and security issues. Nobile outlined his plans to address those issues, and in the end, the association gave their blessing.

Dan Bullard, president of the Stony Creek Association, said the group was impressed with Nobile’s presentation. In fact, Bullard has already booked the venue for his 70th birthday party in May 2011, if it’s open by then.

“He has to raise $300,000, which seems like a lot of money, but Mr. Nobile seems like a remarkable young man,” Bullard said, adding that he impressed those present. ​“He stood up there, no notes, and didn’t seem to be intimidated by the project.”

Bullard said problems with noise and rowdiness arose in recent years when the theater was used for teen-age rock concerts. The building has been idle since it was shut down in 2008 for safety code violations.

“For the overall community, a new theater would be an improvement over an abandoned building,” Bullard said.

First Selectman DaRos, a Stony Creek native, also attended the association meeting. ​“That young man is so mature,” DaRos said. ​“The other night, there were a lot of people who did not believe he was 18 years old. They thought he was more like in his 30s.”

DaRos is no stranger to the project. Nobile became interested in the Puppet House last winter when he was searching for a larger facility for his Greg Nobile Presents productions. In April, he approached DaRos, who advised him whom to contact.

“I support this kid 100 percent,” DaRos said. ​“The naysayers out there can holler all they want about kids today, but here’s some kids who want to do something right, and I believe we should be behind them…. Whether or not I was in this office I would be helping those kids.”

The historic site has undergone several reincarnations since it was built in 1903 as the Lyric Theater, a popular site for silent movies. In the 1920’s, it was renamed the Stony Creek Community Theater after it was purchased by a local group known as the Parish Players.

It reached its pinnacle in the 1930’s when it became a professional summer stock theater featuring performances by Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten. When World War II began, it was turned into a parachute factory, and was later used as a ladies’ undergarment factory.

The Puppet House was born in 1960 when Grace Weil, mother of current owner Jim Weil, purchased the property to open a puppet museum. She filled the theater with about 200 puppets and marionettes she had collected during her world travels.

The most famous are 52 Sicilian puppets that were handcrafted by Sebastiano Zappala more than 100 years ago. Sicilian puppeteer Salvatore Macri taught Jim Weil how to manipulate the wooden and steel puppets and the two performed locally and nationally until Macri retired in 1999. Jim Weil continued the performances until health problems intervened. The puppets, which weigh up to 80 pounds, must be manipulated by steel rods from above the stage.

Over the years, the building fell into disrepair. In an interview four years ago, Jim Weil, now 66, said he was looking for ideas to save the theater.

“Seeing this place in this shape is a catastrophe,” Nobile said. ​“The history of this place is amazing. It was phenomenal.” He is hoping to have it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ​“I’m meeting with historians and Creekers now.”

He is also meeting with Weil, who is introducing him to the puppets. Each one has a unique personality, like Luigi Sulfuro and Rinaldo. It took Weil two years to learn how to manipulate the puppets for productions. The puppets typically re-enact medieval battles with scripts based on epic poems. Weil refers to the puppets like family, and has been concerned about their care.

Weil stopped by the Puppet House on a recent day to chat with Nobile. When asked about his reaction to the possibility of the theater re-opening, he replied, ​“I can’t wait.”

Nobile envisions an annual puppet weekend with puppeteers from across the region. But in the meantime, he says the puppets ​“will have to go on a little vacation” until renovations are complete.

Nobile hopes to register the Puppet House as a 501C3 non-profit organization. He has plans for a three-phased fund-raising campaign. A founder’s reception is planned for late September at the Owenego Beach Club, where the Lemonade Gang stages its annual summer production. Then there will be a direct mail campaign, and later a benefit performance in New Haven. He is also meeting privately with prospective donors.

“There’s a lot of sponsorship opportunities available,” Nobile said. ​“We have to get the fundraising, which I know we’re going to meet. The community response so far has been overwhelming.”

After high school graduation, he hopes to take college courses locally so he can continue as managing director of the Puppet House. A friend from the Lemonade Gang, Emmett Cassidy, will serve as operations manager.

His business acumen may come naturally, his father owns Nobile Construction Inc. in Branford, a company founded by Greg’s grandfather.

Nobile and friend Ryan Bloomquist are co-founders of the Lemonade Gang, which has raised more than $80,000 for charity since the two started selling lemonade when they were 6‑years-old. It all began when the youngsters wanted to help their friend Brian Kelley, who had been diagnosed with adrenoleukodystorphy ALD). The condition destroys the myelin nerve coverings and affects the central nervous system.

“We came up pretty dry that first day, just a couple dollars,” Nobile recalls of the lemonade stand. ​“I don’t think anyone could have ever predicted what would happen when Ryan and I began the Lemonade Gang. 

“We saw a problem and we knew we wanted to help,” Nobile said in regard to the Lemonade Gang. ​“And it’s the same here.”

The Lemonade Gang was honored last year by the American Red Cross with the Young Good Samaritan Award during the annual Heroes of South Central Connecticut awards ceremony.

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