Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurie Grinnell
Hi Laurie , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I stepped into the world of performing arts at the age of six. I loved singing on Sunday mornings, participating in church musicals, and singing in my school choir. These collective experiences provided little seeds of inspiration.
When I was a bit older, my sister connected me with a community theatre in Florence, South Carolina. I officially auditioned for my first production and was hooked! I soaked up every musical theatre, choral, and performance opportunity that I was aware of. While I didn’t have the option of consistent private lessons, I was fortunate to encounter people who would pour into my love for music.
My family moved away from Florence when I was in high school, and I was absolutely devastated. It seemed like a tremendous loss of the performing arts experiences that I had come to love. Little did I know that God, in His providence, had already instilled great teachers ahead of my path.
In Johnson City, Tennessee, I worked under the direction of Randy Adams. He equipped me with the knowledge to eventually pursue a performance degree. He had high expectations for me and would never accept less than my best effort. As an adult, I am so thankful that he not only saw potential in me, but ensured that it was maximized. I vividly remember an instance when I conveyed my growing disinterest in college to Mr. Adams. I will never forget his response. Mr. Adams let me know, on no uncertain terms, that I would audition, apply for scholarships, and finish. I did! I graduated from East Tennessee State University with a BM in Vocal Performance under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Jenerette, Dr. Maryann Kyle. I then pursued a MEd through the University of Dayton in Ohio. Upon completion, I moved back to South Carolia, but this time to Charleston.
I met my husband, Mark, and had plans to further my education. However, a bit of a surprise happened! Not quite two months into our marriage, we learned we were expecting our first child. I had hoped to be a mother someday, but was told in my early twenties that having children was not an option for me. Needless to say, our lives took a detour. I became a stay-at-home mom and eventually a homeschooling mom. The Lord has blessed Mark and I with five beautiful, spunky, and joy filled children.
The love for music and performance has never left me. In fact, it is something my family and I share in. It is not uncommon to hear a mixture of singing voices, two or three pianos, guitars, ukuleles, and harmonicas in our house at the same time. Our house can be loud, but it is indeed filled with lots of love.
As my oldest grew, and we were able to navigate music opportunities for her, the Lord laid the concept of House on my heart. Our homeschoolers needed a wholesome environment for sharpening their skills and providing high caliber performance opportunities. They also needed moments to work alongside seasoned performers and stretch their abilities. Whole families needed a place bond through their joint adventures and young adults needed a place of respite and encouragement.
Simply put, House is the result of a calling, and someone who said, “yes”. It is a quilted fabric of the people who poured into me, the experiences they provided, and an interwoven desire to follow whatever plans the Lord has ahead.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Obstacles and challenges are inevitable, because they are a product of living. Bigger risks will demand bigger challenges. If that were not true, everyone would be pursuing outlandish dreams.
Therefore, the question becomes, not if or how often problems will ensue (those answers are yes and daily), but how should I approach likely hurdles to keep moving forward.
Skill and knowledge can be intimidating obstacles. Early on, I had to fill gaps in areas where I felt poorly equipped. I asked lots of questions and learned enough to get by, but that approach is not sustainable and was never my long-term goal. I now attempt to tackle each obstacle with the wisdom to seek help, the discernment to recognize good help, and the humility to ask for help. Patience to wait for the right solution is essential. Once that resource becomes evident, then I must have the obedience to step aside so that stronger individuals can succeed, while I become their biggest supporter.
Additionally, I must approach each challenge with perspective, perseverance, and purpose. The perspective to differentiate between actual problems and temporal inconveniences helps me understand where I should place my energy. The ability to discern between reliable truth and man’s opinions aids me in navigating appropriate solutions and responses. Perseverance allows me to admit that challenges are hard and at times crushing but commit to the finish line anyway.
Perspective allows me to see a purpose beyond my feelings of success and hold tightly to the reason why I keep moving forward. Should I win, should I fail, or should my efforts bring little worldly success, perspective provides the boldness to try.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
House Theatre engages the Lowcountry through offering performing arts experiences in a wholesome, encouraging, and ministry focused environment. We aim to provide an enriching source for community appreciation, participation, and enjoyment.
Throughout each season, we provide focused educational opportunities, which cover a wide variety of skills under our performing arts umbrella. Currently, we reach over five hundred homeschooling students on a weekly basis through vocal, instrumental, dramatic, and technological studies.
We host community wide summer camps and musical theatre productions for students in elementary, junior, and high school grade levels. Through House, students receive a robust education coupled with opportunities to work alongside seasoned performers in multigenerational productions.
Programs such as “Summertime House” and “House for the Holidays” foster an environment where all ages can grow in skill, experience, and community. Currently these events welcome hundreds of local performers and volunteers. House has become a creative outlet for adults of all stages. Often, we see alumni return, young professionals form lifelong friendships, and whole families participate in productions together.
Performance art can be lifegiving or debilitating. We break the mold by encouraging excellence in workmanship through personal growth and learning that promotes the enjoyment of creative art rather than competitive perfection. People gravitate towards House because they can discover an environment that is wholesome, encouraging, and people minded.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Our long-term goal is to access and utilize a dedicated venue for serving. House needs a home. My ultimate hope is that House Theatre Inc. becomes a permanent and fruitful establishment in the Lowcountry. I would love to know that this endeavor is equipped to outnumber my years of investment and able to impact generations.
Currently we are well supported by many area churches through the supply of space and storage. However, our productions and educational programs continue to encounter massive waitlists. This suggests that there is much more work to be done.
In the next five to ten years, we will continue to establish a stable foundation for House. Our team is consistently refining structural and administrative goals so that we can provide the best experience possible. We will seek opportunities to extend partnerships with local venues and meet the demand for more opportunities. With the utmost missional focus, we will steadily design, stabilize, grow, and repeat. To the best of our capabilities, we hope to prepare for the future so that our team is ready for fitting opportunities that lie ahead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.housetheatre.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/housetheatre
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/housetheatreinc
