Jeannine in The Women of Lockerbie

Not all of our volunteers appear on stage – some are building sets, sewing costumes, organizing props, or even ushering you to your seats! One such volunteer is Jeannine Hedberg, who will be working the lights, specifically spotlights, for The Naples Players (TNP) production of Mary Poppins.

After vacationing in Naples for twenty years, Jeannine finally moved here sixteen years ago from Michigan.  She works full time in property management but in her spare time, she volunteers to work the spotlights! “Doing the spotlights is just a fun break from the day.  My days get really involved at work.  What I love with doing spots (or the light board) is the details – you’re watching something and you get a cue.  I won’t say it’s meditative but it’s really focused and I enjoy that.” 

Jeannine enjoyed coming to The Naples Players long before relocating to the area and says, “On vacation I would always get tickets for what TNP was doing and I just absolutely loved it. I love theatre – I’ve been involved since high school when I was in The Taming of the Shrew and volunteered for theatre in college.”

Although her day job now keeps her very busy and unable to volunteer as much as she would like, early on, Jeannine was on stage with The Naples Players in The Women of Lockerbie. The Women of Lockerbie follows a mother from New Jersey as she roams the hills of Lockerbie, Scotland, looking for her son’s remains that were lost in the crash of Pan Am 103. “I absolutely loved it – it was just wonderful. I love telling the story in the style of a Greek Tragedy – it’s a tough story but it’s told very beautifully.  Making that connection with a live audience is what I love about live theatre.” 

Jeannine in The Women of Lockerbie

For Jeannine, it doesn’t end with working lights or being on stage – she has also used her strengths gained from her day job to help out at the theater.  “I was an ASM (Assistant Stage Manager) for the KidzAct production of The Sound of Music.  I really enjoyed that because my management job (by day) is operations and how things work, how they get fixed.  For my schedule, volunteering backstage is much better for me right now.  I’ve taken Cole’s (Butcher, Production Stage Manager/Internship Director) Stage Management class and a lot of acting classes.”

Jeannine was blown away by the professionalism of the young actors in KidzAct.  “The kids were divine – so positive and upbeat.  They really came together as a group.  From the KidzAct productions of Mamma Mia! to The Sound of Music,  I really enjoyed watching them grow.  They come in timid and then three years later they’re the lead! The development of the children’s program is a wonderful thing that The Naples Players does.” 

In the future and when time permits, Jeannine would like to get more involved in other departments of TNP.  “I would love to do something with building sets.  I also learned to sew in high school so I would absolutely get involved with costumes when my schedule is more free!  I have worked with props as well – during Mamma Mia! I had to get the hairbrush from the lead after she sang into it and it was my job to take it to the other side of the stage.” 

Jeannine in The Women of Lockerbie

Jeannine has been involved with multiple departments, volunteers, and staff at The Naples Players and her glowing feedback means the world to all of us at the theater! “The professionalism of the staff is just wonderful.  I have enjoyed the musicals so much – working on them has always been fun.  I love how well TNP takes care of its ticket holders – the bar set up in the special season ticket area.  There have been wonderful improvements and the plans for renovation makes me think that the future will be wonderful and I’m happy to be a volunteer.” 

Interested in volunteering? There are abundant opportunities at The Naples Players!  Volunteers have options to commit to time frames ranging from 2.5 to 5.5 weeks.  For more information, please contact Pamela Larkin Caruso at [email protected] or 239 434 7340 ext. 104.