~ The Founder's Personal History in Theater ~

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Paul grew up in Southern California, Burbank to be specific, and from a very young age he took an interest in art and theater which became only his passion. In the first few weeks of the first grade Paul became ill and missed the remainder of the school year. By the time the next school year began he had recover and was quit active with his renewed mobility. However when the next school year began the elementary school he attended when ahead and put him in the second grade, without the foundation of the first grade he was far behind in his reading and writing abilities, he literally couldn’t recite the alphabet, let alone read a single word. He failed every spelling test that year and for many years after. His teachers weren’t much help either, a bigger hindrance than help in fact. Telling Paul that he would never amount to anything if he didn’t take school seriously. This created in Paul a number of negative core beliefs that has weighted heavy on him for the majority of his life, all the while believing that he was not able to learn, not worthy of being noticed, and that what he had to say had no credibility since he didn’t have a diploma hanging on his wall. So he hid away in his art knowing deep down in his soul that theater and the arts would be the driving force of his life and where he would thrive.

It wasn’t until he began jr. high school that he got his first words of encouragement. Taking an art class that first year was just the beginning; at the end of the first week his art teacher kept him after class asking him why he had taken the class, since it was apparent he was bored with the class. He explained that he loved art and had been drawing his whole life, he then asked his teacher if he could bring in his work the following week, Mrs. DeHaven agreed. The following Monday he brought in hundreds of sketches and drawings and left them on her deck, until his class period with her came around. Excited to hear what she had to say, Mrs. DeHaven got the class going on their assignment and then she spoke with Paul at her desk. She asked him about this sketch and that drawing, she asked where he had learned the different drawing principles and techniques, and by the end of class Mrs. DeHaven’s final words encouraged Paul and they have stuck with him his entire life. What she said was:  “Paul there is nothing I can teach you in this class, you’ve learned it all by yourself. Now you just have to find your own style and hone your skills”. That first year was also the year Paul began volunteering at a local community theater.

Jumping ahead three years and graduating from jr. high to move on to high school. ~ That summer Paul got the opportunity to work in the blueprint department of the engineering group at WED, now known as Walt Disney Imagineering. He did this each summer while in high school, in his finial school year he received a full four year scholarship to CalArts’ Theater Arts program. However, during the summer before beginning collage Paul had asked the head of engineering if he could do some mechanical drafting work and was given the opportunity, albeit it was only 3 hours a day, still with only about six weeks until he’d leave WED to attend collage he thrived at the technical drafting work. Then with only a week or so left he was offered a promotion from blueprint operator to full time mechanical draftsman. Accepting the offer Paul called the collage to see if he could put off his scholarship for a year. Paul now worked diligently at honing his drafting skills during the day and volunteering at a number of community theaters around Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena at night. It was there that he put his drafting skills to work designing and drawing up theatrical sets and props. Then just weeks before attending CalArts again, the head of engineering again offered Paul another promotion, from mechanical draftsman to mechanical systems designer. Again Paul put off his scholarship another year. 

Meanwhile, Paul took advantage of WED’s policy of allowing anyone to work in other departments for up to six weeks at a time, so over the next year Paul worked in a number of the fabrication shops, he learned welding, fine woodworking, plastic fabrication and fiber-glass layup, mold making and of course the assembly of Disney’s audio-animatronic figures, of which Paul’s father had developed and fabricated the prototype of Mr. Lincoln and other figures for the 1964/65 Worlds Fair.

By the time Paul’s collage education was about to begin again, he married his high school sweetheart and never attended CalArts. However, if you ask Paul, he will emphatically claims that his art, engineering and theater education came from the best of Disney’s best. 

With the exception of three layout periods that ranged from 9 to 18 months each, Paul worked for Walt Disney Imagineering full time from 1972 thru 1992 ~, designing, engineering and creating ride systems, show sets and animated props for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, EPCOT Center, Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disney.

Although Paul had a long time career with Walt Disney Imagineering, his association with the Walt Diseny Studios  began years earlier when his father would bring him to work during summer break. In the years between the ages of 10 to 13, Paul was allowed to wander the Disney Studios where his father worked, there he meet the artists and craftsmen who created the Disney films and the Disneyland Theme Park.

his artistic skills from Disney’s best. He also met a number of celebrities who were filming at the time. They were the ones who encourage Paul to make theater more than a pastime occurrence.

One of Paul’s favorite memories of those days comes from a time when he was about 10 maybe 11, his father had brought him to work for the 3rd or 4th time. 

On that day Paul wondered through the workshops and back lots, as Paul puts it,

“as if I own the place.”

While surveying the massive building before him a gentleman came and stood beside to him, without look at Paul, the gentleman slipped his hands behind his back and stood there with his gaze fixed on the structures before them. Then the gentleman simply said "impressive aren't they?" Without looking at the man Paul agreed and they stood there together for a long moment taking in the sight. 

Then the man leaned down looked Paul squarely in the face, "and who might you be?" he said.

When Paul looked back at the gentleman Paul eyes widen just like the cartoon characters created there.

"I'm ... Paul"  he said looking at Walt's face. "Paul who?.” Walt asked. Paul smiled "Oh, I'm sorry ~ Paul Nielsen". 

A big grin swept across Walt's face, "Your Viggo's son?" - "Yes, ... Yes I am, do you know my dad?" "Why yes I most certainly do" Walt replied.

A moment later Walt gestured for Paul to follow him and they made their way into one of the film studios. There Paul was introduced to most of the staff members as Walt said to them

"This is Viggo's son Paul, teach him anything and everything he wants to learn, he's the future of the company." 

Paul’s love of theater truly began when he was in the 3rd grade and was given the opportunity to paint the sets for the school's 3rd grade production of

"Alice in Wonderland."

While all the other kids were gathered together ~ rehearsing lines and learning musical numbers, Paul was on stage painting away by himself.

It was three years later, Paul was now in the 6thgrade, when his older sister took him to the Glendale Center Theater, there he met the Tech Crew and before he knew it, there he was paintbrush in hand, painting sets pieces for an actual theater production.

Over the next 5 or 6 years Paul volunteered at a number of community theater throughout Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena.

It was in these years that Paul determined that Theater would be his career path. By the time Paul got into high school he had already gained hundreds, if not thousands, of hour in community theater productions. Now the high school Paul attended was Burbank High, one of two High schools in the Burbank school district.

Burbank High being noted for having a number of celebrity alumni, including Debbie Reynolds, Don Grady, Anson Williams and Drama teacher Miss Deanne Wolfson, a published author of many theater production books. 

Between the two schools, Burbank High and John Burroughs High one of the schools would produce a major Broadway play each years. Paul was lucky to begin attending the year Burbank High was doing their “Broadway” production. Allowing Paul to be able to be  part of two such productions.

These “Broadway” style productions were sought throughout Southern California and both years that Paul attended, they toured and did between 13 and 18 shows on the road. Paul being the Show Producer and Tech Crew Supervisor in the second production year.

Throughout the years of Paul’s professional career, he continued to be involved in community theater as well as staging many church productions. While at Walt Disney Imagineering Paul and one of his colleagues wrote and performed a one man show for the Disney Talent show. Paul’s colleague Chris Brown, performed the play, while Paul took care of all the technical aspects.

The play was overwhelmingly received. And Paul and Chris were asked to take the show on the road and preform it at Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s talent shows.

Paul met his first wife while attending Burbank High, although they met for the first time in a Home Economics class, (but that’s a story for another time).

There relationship grew through their mutual love of theater and just two years after graduating high school they were married. Together they supported a number of community theaters, having season tickets at, at least, three theaters each year.

Unfortunately Paul’s wife passed away after just 5 years of marriage.

Over the next six years Paul’s focus was on his career at Walt Disney. However, theater and especially set design and fabrication were never far from Paul’s mind. So he volunteered to design the sets for Walt Disney Imagineering’s Christmas party.

Now you may be thinking that’s no big deal, however you have to understand that over 3,000 employees would be attending. 

Beyond designing the sets Paul took on the responsibility of fabrications, paint and installation. Of course the theme was “A Christmas Carol” and turning a 15,000 sq ft warehouse into 1843 London during the Victorian era was no small tack, the process that took four months. 

There were four separate sets, each with a stage, room for tables where guests could dine, and Caroler’s would stroll the streets from one set to another. There was an ice skating lake with six couples of ice skaters greeting guests as they arived to the party.

The upper management of Walt Disney Imagineering were so impressed that Paul was offered a position as “Show Set Specialist” for EPCOT Center’s renovationrenovation of the Imagineering Pavillion.

By this time Paul married his second wife and again community and church theater were back in full swing, with Paul producing a full on musical of production of 

“How Great thou Art”

with ten sold out performances.

After the opening of Euro Disneyland lay-off at Disney began and Paul was laid-off in later October. Paul took on a contract position to help create the sinking pirate ship at the Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas.

In 1992 Paul, his wife and two daughters moved to Colorado, where Paul become a member of a fledgling Museum Exhibit Construction company. Paul’s agreement with the company was that after 18 months he would become a full partner. However, after just 13 months Paul and the other two partners couldn’t agree on the direction of the company should take, so Paul walked away.

With time on his hands and no real prospects for work, Paul, his wife and daughters, Jessica Marie and Abbagail Elizabeth, open Miss Abbagail’s Playhouse. and young Miss Abbagail truly thought it was her personal playhouse.

However after 14 years of marriage their personal differences continued to grow until the marriage was dissolved. 

After a somewhat long grieving period Paul moved to Greeley and brought Miss Abbagail’s Playhouse with him in 1999. However, as stated before, the events of September 11th, 2001 force the closure of the production company.

In the 24 years since closing Miss Abbagail’s Playhouse Paul has not slowed down, having form two separate Architectural Art companies, creating fountains and other artwork for Hotels, Business Parks, Office Buildings and such. But once again the covid years were not kind to any of us.

Paul being the resilient person he is, took everything in stride, while being cooped up he began studying Biblical Hebrew and Greek. then in 2023 Paul left Denver and moved to his current home in Empire, Colorado in hopes of become a moving force in the county’s upstart Arts and Education endeavor.

However moving at the speed of government wasn’t conducive to Paul’s hopes and vision, so he ventured out and rediscovered Greeley. In a heartbeat he knew Miss Abbagail’s Playhouse would rise up again.

So when we look at Paul’s early educational history and the obstacles he has over come, is it any wonder that his focus for Miss Abbagail’s Playhouse is to be a learning center where young adults can discover their own passions and talents?