A Theatrical Day and Exploring Ashland

Friday July 4th, Ashland, Oregon

We awoke to the sounds of the start of a 10K race along the Main Street as John sat down on the our balcony to write today’s entry.  The voice was the shrill sound of what we assume was a first grade teacher.  Very affirmative in her directions.   We will go to the Parade about 10 AM after the Winchester Inn’s huge breakfast to find places to watch for 90 minutes or so.  The actual parade may begin with a jet fighter overfly, but the Air Force may have to cut that due to Congressional budget cuts.

Yesterday was a day for theater.   We had two productions.  We spent part of the morning after breakfast exploring the town, buying a couple of post cards and stamps and finding the appropriate coffee from a local hole-in-the-wall on Main Street.   The barrista kept Ben happy, though John did not see the art on top.

Sign of the Festival

We began the theatrical day with “The Tempest.”  We had not seen a production of this, Shakespeare’s last play since Anne, our daughter, had produced an award-winning 30-minute production for the Folger’s High School Shakespeare Contest in 1994.  This production was superb,  probably the best Tempest we have ever seen, with agreement from our hosts Peter and Jane.  Set on a bare stage with dancers moving in Japanese style movements,  acting as assistants to Prospero on his island to an intense, but lovable Ariel and a yellow-dusted Calaban who moved as a beaten down slave, only twice rising to stand from a posture so low that you had the feeling he was slithering across the floor, it was a great success.   The director had somewhat changed the play’s emphasis, the setting and movements, the actual feeling in the play, to one of redemption (as opposed to revenge) as Prospero forgives all his enemies.  A post-production question and answer session with one of the young actors/dancers playing Prospero's assistants explained some of the director's goals and decisions.  

Memorial to the Pioneers

Our second production last night was “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” by Lorraine Hansberry, written in 1964.   We both agreed that it was slow to get off the ground, but by the second act had developed a ferocity over issues that resonate today—racism, sexism, and anti-gay sentiments.   Ben would have liked a slightly different ending, but the acting and the production were outstanding.   We had the pleasure of meeting with some of the cast OSF staff and the directors, including Bill Rauch, OSF's Artistic Director after the show at a small “closing” party.

A Red Dragon

Ashland Street Sculpture

Hunky Fabric?

 We dined at a new  restaurant, somewhat off Main Street, La Coquina, with an eclectic menu and a half local wine list.   John had a pea shoot and hazelnut salad as a starter and a huge bowl of gnocchi with a sauce made of Kobe beef and chopped pork bolognesi.  He coupled this with an Italian chianti.  Ben had a gilled brussell sprout salad followed by lovely piece of pistachio encrusted halibut with a local Rogue Valley pinot grigio and a glass of Evesham pinot noir.   The service was a bit slow, so we did not have time for dessert, though the portions were so large no one would have wanted to order them.   The restaurant is lovely, done in a contemporary style in what appeared to be an old store front.