Dear Families,
June is fast approaching and for
those who are interested in The Ashland Shakespeare Festival, we wanted to
share with you why we love this summer experience so much. Before I get started though I am
placing the link for registering first so you won't miss it by the time you
read to the bottom of my heart-felt endorsement. To register for the festival
go to this link: http://www.smartsunlimited.com/ashland.shtml
Jim, Erin, and I have attended
this festival nearly every summer for the last 20 years and we still love it.
- First of all – a 4 day summer trip to
Ashland is money well spent. It is an investment in your heart,
mind, soul, and education.
The fantastic productions that you watch in Ashland are among the
best this world has to offer, and they stay with you for life. The
beautiful and original set designs, the use of fabric, the costumes,
acting and directing are always top notch and a new treat for the eyes and
ears every summer. When you
think about it, we are so lucky to be able to have this wonderful venue
within driving distance. By
driving to Ashland we save money on travel. As I mentioned, it is money well spent. Every nickel of
your money is spent either on a quality production, a lovely eating
experience (no fast food anything there), the best coffees, and tea
houses, and a place to sleep that is economical and right down town. The theater, the restaurants, the shops
are all within walking distance.
- The town of Ashland provides you with a sense
of escape to somewhere else. The lovely and charming shops are
always full of original designs in art, jewelry, and fashion by the local
designers who also work for the productions. There are novel and interesting gifts to be found
there. The restaurants
feature recipes based on what is grown within the local environment. They only sell what they grow
locally. Thereby enriching
the lives of the people who live there and also providing tourists with
tasty treats that they won't find anywhere else. The town is also very safe and easy to move around
in. Students may shop in
groups and know they are safe.
- The parks are beautiful and also within walking
distance. Lithia Park offers a swan pond,
playground, an accessible creek, jogging and biking path, and an open
arena for picnics and Frisbee throwing. The park is lush and shaded by mature trees on two
sides providing a cool respite from a hot day.
- Within a brief drive you can white water raft,
go to the Bat caves, fish, hike, and bike. The air in Oregon is so clean and fresh that it's exhilarating
to be in.
- There are back stage tours of the productions and Ashland boast three
stunning theaters. A new
Black Box, the Angus Bowmer, and the outdoor Elizabethan.
- Can you imagine yourself sitting under a starry
canopy on a summer's evening with your favorite beverage and snack and
watching a phenomenal production of the world's best playwrights? I
have never walked out of the Elizabethan on a summer night, and not been
intoxicated by the beauty of the gardens and landscaping, the flowers, and
the loveliness. And if you
want more fun after the show, there are late night cabarets, and Karaoke
singing to found within a brief two block walk. Ashland doesn't just offer Shakespeare alone. Although when it does, it isn't
necessarily performed in a classical style. I still remember the Merchant of Venice was done in a
mafia style, and Comedy of Errors was done like a country and western
saloon brawl, while the musical a Tale of Two Cities was done in a Las Vegas
style. We have never laughed
so hard in our lives. At the
intermission of Midsummer's Night Dreams, the students were so enthralled
and euphoric that they asked if they could come back the following
week! The Artistic Director
of Ashland has a commitment to diversity. He chooses plays from diverse cultures including India,
Asia, Israel, Europe, and Africa.
The set designs are so lavish sometimes that I wonder – "gee
how much did this cost to produce". I feverishly write down concepts and ideas hoping
to bring some of that artistic brilliance back to Livermore and our
students.
- All of these wonderful experiences build fond
memories, and isn't that what
life is about; treasured memories with those you love? These plays put us in touch with
our humanity and our relationships with each other. They penetrate our thoughts, and
get us thinking about things in new ways.
- Ashland has always reminded me of Livermore, but in different stages of comparison. Like Livermore, Ashland is a
wholesome, all American, family orientated town, but with sophisticated
content. This combination
allows for a casual, but sophisticated feel in the town. It's not TOO trendy, it's not TOO
upscale, and it doesn't take itself TOO seriously. People in Ashland and the tourists
are welcoming, friendly, and down-to-earth. Livermore is on its way to becoming a little Ashland
with its Shakespeare group, The Bankhead Theater, the Bothwell for Black
Box, and The Regional Center on the way. Another neat thing about Ashland is that it is a
college town. Southern Oregon
University plays a strong role in its relationship with the fetival, and I
have known several families that have chosen to send their children to
this University.
- As you can tell by reading this, I am smitten
with Ashland and always have
been. My daughter has been attending productions since she was six years
old. Erin will have seen the
complete Shakespeare cannon of plays by the time she finishes high school,
and have been exposed to the works of many of the world's finest
playwrights. How did this
happen? Simple. We just went every summer for four
days! It was our sojourn, our
Mecca for the arts. We have
bought our tickets and are waiting for our friends to join us. Why not try
something different this summer for yourself, your family, or just your
children. Have you ever been
to Ashland?
Productions within our tour
timelines are:
Wednesday, June 23rd (probably a
driving day but I am including it)
2PM Hamlet
8:30PM Pride and Prejudice
8:30PM The Merchant of Venice
Thursday, June 24th
2PM She
Loves Me
8:30PM Hamlet
8:30PM Twelfth Night
Friday, June 25th
2PM Pride
and Prejudice
8:30PM Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
8:30PM Henry IV, Part One
Saturday, June 26th
2PM Hamlet
8:30PM Pride and Prejudice
8:30PM The Merchant of Venice
Sunday, June 27th (I think this is the day we drive home but including it
anyway)
2PM She
Loves Me
2PM Ruined
8:30PM Hamlet
8:30PM Twelfth Night
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