The Haunting of Hill House: Meet cast member Kathy Ohlhaber!

What do you find appealing about your character and this show?

I love the complexity of Theo; she is strong and bold yet sweet and kind. She’s the one you think won’t be scared but ends up showing raw pieces of her humanity in those terrifying moments. I also like that this show is much more than a classic horror story. Dr. Montague has the best line about the house “catching at you” and our director asked that we identify what that means to each of us. That one question opens a whole vortex of thoughts and emotions. The house becomes a representation of everyone’s unique fears. It forces you to look at what catches at you to make you lose yourself. That is more terrifying than any jump scare. 

What have you learned about yourself in playing the role of “___”?

I grew up on a healthy diet of Nine Inch Nails and Disney, which morphed me into this strong, bold, sweet girl next door. A little odd, I know! Theo and I are similar in that regard. She is edgy and sassy yet maternal and kind. I had to find the balance between us both and I saw that she is much more brazen than I am in many regards. She’s a rulebreaker whereas I only break rules with art and fashion. She speaks her mind whereas I think through what I’m going to say, often worrying if it may upset someone else. I’m probably more of a goody-two-shoes than I want to admit!

What do you want the audience to experience/take away from this show?

I want them to honestly examine what the house represents to them – to look beyond the spooky top layer and dig into the guts of their own fears and anxieties. What catches at them? What truly frightens them? As Theo asks Dr. Montague “What’s here?”

How does this show differ from other shows you have worked on?

I’ve been lucky to work with talented, wonderful people in the past. The cast and crew at LTA ups the ante by making this a truly professional production. This will also be the first show with a more intense performance schedule with Wednesday through Sunday, which I’m so excited about! The more time on stage, the better.

How long have you been acting and what made you get involved in theatre? How did you get involved with LTA?

I’ve been acting since middle school and have done community theater for the last 15 years or so. I’ve wanted to work with LTA for a long time and have auditioned multiple times. It was a classic “never give up” scenario and when I got the acceptance call I was literally in tears I was so happy and excited.

What advice would you give others who are interested in working in theatre?

If you are an actor, auditions suck. That’s just the nature of the beast and you have to keep trying until you find the right show at the right time with the right director. There are so many factors at play and not being cast isn’t a reflection on your ability as an actor. To be part of theater, you have to be tenacious and ready not only to survive auditions, but dedicate yourself to the production and treat it as a full time job. The payoff of being on stage is great, but there is a lot of hard work that goes into the months of pre-production, from memorizing lines and blocking to researching and building your character. I happen to love the entire process!