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Heritage Center presents ‘Meet the Kinsmans’

WARREN — Stories of the Kinsman and Perkins families have been a part of Warren’s Ghost Walk since its inception.

As the Warren Heritage Center celebrates the 190th anniversary of the Kinsman House, the first majestic house on what became Warren’s “Millionaire’s Row,” the center is taking a deeper dive into the family’s lore and history.

On Saturday, the center will stage “Meet the Kinsmans,” a short play that will focus on the engagement of Olive Perkins to her first cousin, Frederick Kinsman, and the house that became their home.

Writer-director Barb Root, who has written the stories for Ghost Walk and directed that production, said, “Jim Valesky from the Kinsman House got in touch with me. He wanted a little play about the Kinsmans and the 190th anniversary of the house and wanted to do something leading up to the 200th anniversary.

“I said, why not start from the beginning and do something every year with the different incarnations of the house and the different people who lived there?”

Saturday’s production will set the stage for WHC’s Sept. 12 fundraiser, which will recreate Olive’s and Frederick’s wedding reception. Attendees will be the wedding guests and interact with the wedding party. Think of it as a 19th century version of the popular interactive theater show “Tony & Tina’s Wedding.”

Root previously had researched the Kinsman and Perkins families for Ghost Walk, and she also drew upon information at the center on one of Warren’s founding families to create the story.

Weather permitting, “Meet the Kinsmans” will be performed outdoors in a tent on the Kinsman House grounds, and attendees will be able to tour the house afterward and talk to the actors in character.

“They’ve been doing their own research and really going above and beyond to learn about the people they play,” Root said.

The cast features Clint Elston as Frederick Kinsman, CJ Jenyk as Olive Perkins Kinsman, Donald Novorsky as Gen. Simon Perkins, Georgia Smith as Nancy Perkins, Stephanie Young as Rebecca Perkins Kinsman, Tom Calhoun as John Kinsman Jr. and Ron Schoch as Isaac Ladd.

“With ‘Meet the Kinsmans,’ we show exactly why and how this house was built,” Root said. “It starts with Olive Perkins and Frederick Kinsman and takes place on a field around their father’s land before they get married. The house was built as a wedding present to them.

“This is the very beginning of Millionaire’s Row, the first house of any stature (on Mahoning Avenue NW). It’s been home to Dana School of music and other things. It’s quite an interesting story. Stick with us for the next few years, and you’ll see what happens to Freddy and Olive and take them through their whole story.”

Refreshments will be available after the performance.

If you go …

WHAT: “Meet the Kinsmans”

WHEN: 3 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Kinsman House grounds, 303 Mahoning Ave. NW, Warren

HOW MUCH: Free but donations will be accepted.

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