In 2007, I had to interview someone in the community and write a profile on them for my Applied Journalism class in high school. I chose Jack Halpin, assistant director and stage manager of Art House Productions.
Just Jack
“Sometimes, you just have to do it.” – Jack Halpin
Jack Halpin of Art House Productions poses in front of an art exhibit at 1 McWilliams Pl., Jersey City, in 2007.
In Ventnor, a town just south of the Atlantic City boardwalk, in a house with an ocean view, little Jack collected hats. A bowler hat, a fireman’s hat, a top hat, a collapsible top hat (that would later break from overuse), and more. Eventually, all the hats slowly disappeared. They were borrowed and never returned, given away, or lost. But little Jack never really lost them – Jack Halpin would grow up to spend his life wearing many different hats.
Jack was originally a History major at Rutgers University planning to go into education, but one day during senior year, Jack and one of his old friends discussed acting, which they had done in high school. “‘We were good at that,’ we said, so we decided, ‘We should finish our degrees, go to California, and be actors.’”
It was a tough decision, and Jack made a list of pros and cons to help him decide. There were many more cons, but one of the few pros was that, “this felt good, and this felt right. While I was driving across the country, I realized this is what I wanted to do since I was a kid.” That convinced him.
So off he went, acting for anybody. Jack appeared on television and in film, including “Breaking Vegas” for The History Channel. But his true love was the theatre.
As Art House Productions’ stage manager, Jack Halpin does something he really loves. He deals with space and personal issues. He acts quickly to fix the temperamental elevator when it traps people or refuses to let them in, makes sure everyone is safe, and redirects visitor traffic – all on top of overseeing that day’s visual art show, Accumulation Project. He isn’t overwhelmed at all. “It’s all towards making a show happen,” says Jack. He picks up the guitar beside him and plays intermittently while he talks. “And sometimes, I make a living at it.”
He is also Art House’s assistant director, and his directing skills are backed by nineteen years of acting experience. Marvelous Shrine at the New York International Fringe Festival 2007, a dramatic bildungsroman about an eccentric boy with a disintegrating family features Jack as the strict, overbearing, Marine father. He once advised, “The only way to act is to get behind what you’re saying [and] the behavior.” Unfortunately, in Marvelous Shrine, this meant that he had to be a “real jerk.” The play challenged Jack, a primarily comedic actor, forcing him to “get behind the language” to fully understand his character and portray him convincingly.
Even if Jack can triumph over the challenges of acting, it seems that its safety hazards are a different issue. Once, Jack was removing an extremely stubborn speaker – he forced it, pulling it up. Pop! The speaker loosened and slammed into Jack’s mouth. “I used to have a perfect smile,” lamented Jack. He also almost broke his thumb when it was lodged in the armor of one of the soldiers in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar. How blessed Jack Halpin has been.
Even with all the obstacles Jack faces daily, he’s always easy-going. Art handler, actor, director, stage manager, man-who-also-can-make-whistling-wind-noises – everything he does is done with grace. Hopefully, he can continue “going with the flow.”
His ability to adapt is more important than ever; his life is changing. Jack is now cast in more dramatic roles. “After I turned forty, people said, ‘Oh, he can do drama.’” Also, seven-year-old Art House is growing with open mics, spoken word, and new theatre productions. “Sometimes, you just have to do it,” he says. Success takes big leaps and bravery, which is what Art House is clearly aiming for. There are definitely big changes and evolution up ahead. But Jack’s not worried. He simply strums his guitar and says, “[I learned that] if it feels scary, that might be a good thing.” He smiles, puts on a hat, and gets ready for his good thing.
