skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Immediately following our Skokie shows, we braved the elements and started our long, wet, snowy drive back to America’s Dairyland, to the city of La Crosse, WI. Seated on the banks of the Mississippi River, La Crosse was settled in the late 17th century by French fur traders travelling the river. The city’s name originated in 1805, when a lieutenant on an expedition up the Mississippi River saw the Native Americans playing a game with sticks that resembled a bishop’s crozier or “la crosse” in French. La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin’s western border and has served as a center for the lumber industry, the brewing industry and education. There are three regional universities in La Crosse: the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse; Western Technical College; and the Roman Catholic Viterbo University.
Viterbo University housed our performance venue - an 1100-seat, three-tier theatre. We performed one show to a half-full, appreciative audience. Although our performance was strong, I am still recovering from my cold and have started to lose my voice. Thank goodness we have a few days off before our next performance! Following the show, I spent the evening at the hotel, trying to catch up on rest, while the majority of the cast went out to enjoy the assorted watering holes and nightlife of this college town.
We now have a two-day journey ahead of us before we arrive at our next destination of Traverse City, Michigan.
Next stop – the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Traverse City, MI. Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
From the warm weather in Wisconsin, we journeyed back to Cook County, Illinois, to the village of Skokie. With a population of around 67,000, this Chicago suburb is located 16 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. Its name is derived from variant Algonquin words for “fire” as the Skokie marshlands were burned over by the Native Americans to flush out game. In 2003, Skokie was named by Money magazine as being one of the 80 fastest growing suburbs in the US. It is the home of Rand McNally, and several films have been photographed in Skokie including: Risky Business, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science and The Blues Brothers.
Our performance venue in Skokie was located at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. Established in 1996, this center has three resident companies and houses two state-of-the-art theatres: the 867-seat Centre East (our theatre) and the 342-seat Northlight Theatre. During our Skokie stay, several of us were fortunate enough to get industry tickets to see the play that was showing in our neighboring Northlight Theatre, A Life by Hugh Leonard. Featuring John Mahoney, a Steppenwolf ensemble member who is best known for his role as the father on the sitcom Frasier, A Life is an evocative and bittersweet memory play about the evolution of friendships in a small Irish town. The production was wonderful and endearing, and it was exciting to see two generations of actors play each of the show’s four characters. As the show had just commenced previews, there was an audience talkback following the performance to determine what the audience liked and didn’t like so that the production could be refined. It was refreshing to hear the actors discuss how they approached the play and their characters – what a fun evening!
Our performance day in Skokie - the first day of Spring - was a very snowy and wet day. We wondered if anyone would come out to see our show, given the weather conditions. Yet, despite the bad weather, we had two fairly full audiences with filled orchestra sections, and we performed two solid shows. The staff at the North Shore Center is one of the nicest crews that we have encountered. They treated us like royalty and were exceptionally vocal in their praise of our production. It is always such a pleasure to perform at a venue where they go out of their way to make us feel appreciated.
In the audience of our first Skokie performance were two friends from my University of Nevada, Reno days – my dear friend, Tyler Dean, who I had visited earlier on our Chicago break, and another Chicago transplant from Nevada Rep, Lucinda Alipio. It was so nice to have two familiar, supportive faces in the audience! Tyler is one of my dearest, best friends - in addition to performing together in Reno, Tyler and I also lived in the same apartment complex and worked for the same company. He now resides with his husband Mike in Chicago, where he acts, performs sketch improv at Second City and writes plays. Check out this picture from when Tyler and I performed in Return to the Forbidden Planet with Nevada Repertory Company:
Next stop – Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI. Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
After a lovely three days off in Chicago, we returned back to the tour, with a little more than two weeks left in this final leg. We were headed to the great state of Wisconsin - the Badger State, America’s Dairyland and land of cheese. Having never been to Wisconsin, I was excited to experience this state and all that it had to offer.
Rather than to create separate blogs for each of our three Wisconsin stops from this week, I have decided to combine them all into one blog. While each destination of our Wisconsin tour was unique in its own way, the overall visit ultimately was not very eventful or exciting – pretty much our same routine of travel, loading in, performing two shows, loading out and driving to our next venue.
Stop # 1 – 3/16/10: Hartford, WI. The first city in our Wisconsin week was Hartford. Located 40 miles northwest of Milwaukee, in southeast Wisconsin, Hartford has a population of 11,000 people and was an early car manufacturing center. Two of the first things I noticed upon entering Wisconsin were the generous spirit of the locals and their delightful accents. The people from Wisconsin are extremely approachable and hospitable. This area seems to be very community- and family-oriented, and it is apparent in the Wisconsinites’ pleasant, helpful demeanors. And then there is that wonderful, almost lyrical accent…how could one not smile after hearing conversations peppered with “you betcha” and “don’tcha know”?
Our Hartford performance venue was in the Knoll Theatre at the Schauer Arts Center. Originally a canning factory from 1918, the center was renovated in 2001. Our theatre had 571 seats and was very cute and rustic, complete with wooden beams. As we were all well-rested, our two sold-out performances in Hartford were solid and strong.
Stop # 2 – 3/17/10: Eau Claire, WI. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The next point in our Wisconsin journey was Eau Claire. The city, whose French name means “clear water”, was named for the Eau Claire River. According to local legend, early French explorers who had been journeying down the rain-muddied Chippewa River exclaimed, “Voici l’eau claire!” [‘Here is clear water!’] when they arrived upon the Eau Claire River. Nestled in the west central part of Wisconsin, 90 miles east of Minneapolis/St. Paul, the city’s growth was driven for many years by the lumber industry. Its recent economy, however, has been shaped by the opening of a number of plants that manufacture computer hardware. Two famous Eau Claire residents were the advice columnists/twin sisters Abigail van Buren (of Dear Abby fame) and Ann Landers.
We performed two fairly full shows at the State Theatre, an 1117-seat theatre that originally was a vaudeville stage and then a movie house. Built in 1926, the theatre was closed and renovated in 1982, and finally reopened in 1986. Although the State Theatre has a great local crew, this theatre is currently run down and in a dismal state internally. This venue was so sad, dirty and dilapidated that it was very difficult to enjoy my brief time there. Plus, I am sure that the fact that I have now caught another cold and that my bedbug bites have still not healed did not help to improve my Eau Claire encounter. On a brighter note, I was able to savor some great Wisconsin cheese in Eau Claire. Hooray for yummy, fried cheese curds!
Stop # 3 – 3/18/10: Wausau, WI. There are only 13 shows left and 13 days left on tour! The last stop in our Wisconsin week was Wausau, located in the central portion of the state and divided by the Wisconsin River. Settlers were drawn to the area in the mid-1800s and the city derived its name from the Ojibwe language, meaning “a faraway place” or “a place which can be seen from faraway”. As with many Wisconsin cities, Wausau was built around the lumber industry, but is now known for its ginseng cultivation and red granite.
Our performance venue in Wausau was the best of our Wisconsin venues: the Grand Theater, a building of architectural grandeur, elegant surroundings, massive arches and fluted columns accented with gold. Built in 1927, this 1214-seat, three-tier venue features state-of-the-art technology and wonderful acoustics. We ended our Wisconsin whirlwind with two great, filled-to-capacity performances. Following our shows, several of us started to prepare for our return home after six months on the road and shipped some belongings home so as not to be over the airline maximums. Throughout our Wisconsin sojourn, we were fortunate enough to have nice, Spring-like weather and temperatures. Sadly, it looks like this weather trend was short-lived as more snow and rain are in the forecast for the Midwest.
Next stop – Centre East at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, IL. Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
As the famous song goes, Chicago is my kind of town. The third largest city in the United States, this Windy City is the home to many wonderful theatres, cultural and sporting events, neighborhoods, eateries and attractions. We spent three lovely, carefree days in Chicago. While most of my tourmates were M.I.A., opting to spend their time off with friends/family or in their comfy hotel rooms or at the swanky movie theatre across the street from the hotel, I decided to spend as much of my time as possible absorbing and experiencing the wonderful Chicagoan ambience.
Here is a brief recap of my Chicago adventures:
- I enjoyed some yummy Chicago deep dish pizza.
- I saw the St. Patrick’s Day parade revelers as they wandered intoxicated about the city and in Millennium Park. In typical St. Patty’s Day fashion, the Chicago River was dyed green.
- I spent one rainy afternoon inside at The Art Institute of Chicago, viewing many Impressionist works (e.g. Seurat, Monet, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, van Gogh), Surrealist pieces (e.g. Picasso, Dali, Lam, Miro) and Modernist installations (e.g. Pollack, Mondrian). If you are an avid art enthusiast, this museum is the perfect place to pass the time.
- Over the course of three days, I saw five shows. The Brother/Sister Plays, a three-play cycle at the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre; Killer Joe at Profiles Theatre; and an improv showcase at Second City.
Steppenwolf Theatre is a world class, Tony-award winning ensemble theatre company based in Chicago. Founded in 1974 by Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry in the basement of a church in Highland Park, IL, this company takes its name from the novel by Herman Hesse. Many of Steppenwolf’s shows often travel to New York City, including a pivotal True West production starring Gary Sinise and John Malkovich, and the recent dramatic success by Tracy Letts, August: Osage County. Steppenwolf has launched the careers of a number of well-known American actors such as Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, Joan Allen, John Mahoney, Martha Plimpton, Gary Cole and Laurie Metcalf.
The Brother/Sister Plays, written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and directed by Tina Landau, is a series of three plays: In the Red and Brown Water, The Brothers Size, and Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet. This play cycle is one of the best theatrical productions that I have ever experienced, incorporating narrative storytelling, music, movement and African tradition. Steppenwolf is truly one of the best ensembles in the theatre world and I hope that perhaps, with work and persistence, I, too, can be one of their members. Truly amazing!
Killer Joe, written by Tracy Letts and directed by Rick Snyder (both Steppenwolf ensemble members), was a wonderfully dark and disturbing production. This tale is about one of the most dysfunctional families you will ever see and Profiles Theatre’s intimate setting suits the play well. The production features a talented cast of five actors. The show has been so well received that not only has the play been extended, but it will also move to another venue following its extension.
Second City is a top comedy club and training center that has cultivated many of the nation’s finest and best known comics, such as Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris and Jon Favreau, among others. Located in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, Second City opened in 1959 and now has branches in Los Angeles and Toronto. This long-running improve comedy enterprise is known for its format of semi-improvised, scripted scenes that are created based on audience suggestions. The improv showcase that I attended on my last night in Chicago was fun and wildly witty, and featured a performer that I knew personally – my friend from Reno and college, Tyler Dean.
- Not only did I get the chance to see my friend perform, but I also had the opportunity to visit with Tyler and his husband, Mike, two of my dear friends from my Reno days. It was so nice to be able to reconnect with them. One of these days, I hope to return and visit them again as our time together was way too short-lived.
I had so much fun during my three days in Chicago that I almost forgot about the change to Daylight Savings Time. My time in Chicago was just what I needed: three days to rest, recharge and renew my exhausted road-weary self.
Next stop –the Schauer Center in Hartford, WI. Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
Back to Eastern Standard Time and Ohio, we go! We rolled out from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and headed to the little village of Ada, OH. This tiny town in northwest Ohio is the site of the Wilson Sporting Goods NFL football manufacturing facility (the only such facility in the US) and is also the home of Ohio Northern University. Ada has a population of 6,000 people, 3,500 of which are students at the university and 2,500 of which are full-time residents.
Although we were performing in Ada, we actually stayed in the neighboring Lima, OH. Lima (pronounced LI-mah or LEYE-mah, like the bean) is the setting for the popular musical comedy TV show, Glee, although none of the show is filmed there. If only I could cross paths with that wacky Sue Sylvester…
Our performance venue, the Freed Center for the Performing Arts, was located on the Ohio Northern University campus. This 550-seat theatre is decorated with large, retractable chandeliers that resemble ice cream cones. We played two full shows at the Freed Center, but both performances felt weird and off to me. I am so tired - physically and mentally exhausted – that I am finding it increasingly difficult to stay focused on stage. I simply do not have the energy to channel into my concentration or performance, regardless of how much I rest or sleep. Hopefully, a few days off in Chicago will help to remedy this issue.
I am noticing another disturbing trend that is emerging among the cast – irritability and snippiness. We can barely seem to tolerate each other’s presence and everyone is on each other’s last nerves: the smallest, most picayune things seem to set each other off, like specks of dust on an anxious Venus flytrap plant. I think that perhaps it is time for us all to go our separate ways – we are ready to break free from each other. After spending almost every moment together, 24/7 for the past six months, this outcome was inevitable after such oversaturation.
So now we are headed to Chicago for a few days off – time to rest and relax, time to spend some much needed time apart from the group, time to enjoy some great Chicago theatre and time to see another dear, old college friend.
Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
We fondly waved goodbye to East Lansing, savoring our return in the near future, and galloped to Glen Ellyn, IL and Central Standard Time. How odd it is, not to be living on Eastern Standard Time, when that has been the norm for two solid months! With a population of around 27,000, Glen Ellyn is an affluent village suburb of Chicago, nestled 20 miles west of the city on Lake Ellyn. The city was established in 1834, and has been used as the setting for many movies, including the Winona Ryder and Corey Haim movie, Lucas. Prominent residents of Glen Ellyn include playwright Larry Shue (The Nerd, The Foreigner), performance artist and musician Laurie Anderson, and actor Sean Hayes (‘Jack’ of TV’s Will and Grace).
Glen Ellyn is also the location of the community College of DuPage, whose most famous alumni are John Belushi and Jim Belushi. Parked on the campus is the McAninch Arts Center, a state-of-the-art facility which opened in 1986 and houses an art gallery and three performance spaces – a studio theatre, Theatre 2 and our performance space, the Mainstage. The McAninch Mainstage has 793 seats and no seat is more than 16 rows or 75 feet from stage.
As with most of our venues, we played two good shows to packed, appreciative houses. I am noticing, however, a common trend among the cast now that we only have around twenty performances remaining in our tour. Everyone is restless, eager to move on to new projects, places and faces. It seems that most have grown tired of the show and the touring lifestyle, and a faint air of apathy is present in many castmembers. During one of our Glen Ellyn performances, a set piece was placed facing the wrong direction, and no one seemed to notice or care, for that matter, except for the one person who had to interact with the piece – me. Let me remind you, blog reader, that we have performed this show 125 times…mistakes like this should not be happening. While I, too, am weary from touring and ready to move on to new adventures, I have not stopped caring about the show. My commitment to the integrity of this show or any show is unwavering, regardless of how ready I am for a show to be over. I can only hope that this attitude of apathy does not continue to grow among the cast and skew their perspective.
On a completely different note, I have cultivated several ways, both old and new, to pass my free time on the road: working out, reading books that are not theatre-related, ordering room service, and watching crime shows on TV and DVDs on my laptop. Nothing beats a great hour-and-a-half workout followed by a nice, quiet meal in the comfort of your room while watching a Criminal Minds marathon on A&E. Or relaxing under the covers of your comfy bed while reading a chapter or two from Price and Prejudice and Zombies or watching The Hurt Locker. Again, some of the comforts of home away from home – it makes life on the road much more easy and enjoyable.
Next stop –the Freed Center in Ada, OH. Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
We proceeded from the land of the Fighting Irish to the land of the Spartans and Michigan State University - East Lansing, Michigan. Situated east of Lansing, the state capital of Michigan, East Lansing was settled in 1847, formally established in 1907, and celebrated its centennial in 2007. The city was a “dry” city from 1907 through 1968 due to a city charter that prohibited the possession, sale and consumption of alcohol.
The downtown area of East Lansing surrounds Grand River Avenue, a wide tree-lined boulevard that serves as a dividing line between Michigan State University and the rest of the city. One impressive structure of the downtown area is the “Habitrail” or “Hamster Cage”, a large multi-colored parking structure near the MSU campus that resembles a Habitrail pet rodent home. This controversial building was designed as a result of a request to create a building that was both “festive” and non-brick. Famous residents of East Lansing include actor Timothy Busfield, Malcolm X and Larry Page, president and co-founder of Google and the 11th richest person in the US, according to Forbes Magazine.
Seated on the campus of MSU is the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts, a gorgeous facility with a striking four-story glass and brick façade. Built in 1982 and expanded and renovated in 2008, the Wharton Center houses four theatres, including the Pasant Theatre, where we performed. The Pasant Theatre is a modified thrust theatre that seats 600 people. Although we played two great public performances that were filled to capacity, performing at the Pasant was difficult due to the odd configuration of the stage. At least we will be prepared for the next time we return to Wharton Center at the end of March.
Our accommodations in East Lansing were the best that we have experienced in our time on the road – two bedroom suites complete with kitchenettes. It was so nice to be able to enjoy home-style cooking and not have to eat out at restaurants. One evening, two of my castmates, Jimmy and Kevin, set off the smoke alarm in their room from their cooking and caused quite a stir in the building, drawing out all of the curious second floor inhabitants from their apartments into the hallway. On another night, four of us created a wonderfully sumptuous meal and watched the Oscars…a small little taste of home away from home. And the best thing is, we will be returning back to this hotel in a couple of weeks – I can’t wait!
Next stop – the McAninch Center in Glen Ellyn, IL. Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
From the land of the trees, we ventured to the land of the Fighting Irish – South Bend, Indiana. The fourth largest city in Indiana, South Bend is also the economic and social hub of the region known as ‘Michiana’, an area that includes northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. Located on the St. Joseph River, at the southernmost bend of the river, the area was settled in the early 19th century by fur traders and established as a city in 1865. Early development of South Bend focused on industrial factories and manufacturing. Among the many important events/individuals in South Bend history: 1) in 1934, South Bend’s Merchant’s National Bank was the last bank to be robbed by the notorious Dillinger gang before they were hunted down and killed by the FBI; and 2) the South Bend Blue Sox (1943-1954) were one of the major and longest-playing teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was famously depicted in the movie, A League of Their Own.
South Bend is also the home of the University of Notre Dame, a private Catholic university founded in 1842. The mascot of Notre Dame is the Fighting Irish, as seen below:
Our performance venue was the Decio Mainstage Theater, located on campus at the DeBartolo Center for the Arts. Built in 2004, the center has 177 rooms and 384 doors, and houses six theatres, including the Regis Philbin Studio Theater and the Decio Mainstage Theater. We performed two sold out shows in the Decio, a beautiful two-tier, 360-seat theatre. Our performances were solid and it certainly seemed like everyone was back in the performing groove. The local crew at the DeBartolo Center are some of the friendliest, most hospitable individuals that we have encountered in our touring and I would welcome the opportunity to return there in the future and perform again.
Unfortunately, my Notre Dame stop was not perfect, as I discovered small red bumps on my arms and shoulders after my first night there, and more itchy bumps on my chest and neck after my second night there. After doing some internet research and asking around, it appears that I may have been bitten by bedbugs. It was bound to happen to one of us eventually, given that we have spent the night in so many hotels and motels. I was just surprised that it happened at this hotel and not one of the lower quality motels that we have visited.
Next stop –the Wharton Center in East Lansing, MI. Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
Welcome back, blog readers, and welcome to the final leg of the ‘Strega Nona’ National Tour! To recap: when I last left you, I was preparing to go on a short break after having been on the road for 48 days. My five-day break in the Bay Area was short, but productive nonetheless. I desperately needed to assuage the physical and mental exhaustion that had set in from the tour, and to recharge myself for the final phase of my adventure. In my time off, I rested, relaxed, spent quality time with loved ones, ate great food, and even attended an audition for Shakespeare Santa Cruz. All in all, an eventful, though abbreviated, respite from an actor’s life on the road and all that it entails.
I also gained some perspective into the dilemma that I had presented in my last blog: how does one keep a performance fresh after 118 performances while remaining true to the integrity of the character and script? As one of my astute readers pointed out to me in my previous blog, Henry Fonda played the role of ‘Mister Roberts’ on Broadway for 1157 performances. Yes, you read that correctly - 1157 performances. And here I am, worrying after 118 shows, when Mr. Fonda’s run was 10 times as long as mine! In doing a bit of research, I learned that Mr. Fonda’s run on Broadway as ‘Mister Roberts’ spanned a period of eight years. Wow…I am in complete awe – how did he do it, performance after performance, year after year? I imagine that it is probably much easier to do a long run of a show when you are in only one location and not constantly moving from city to city. However, fixed location or not, you have to admit that Mr. Fonda’s accomplishment is truly impressive. I can only surmise that a complete and total love for his craft and this character are what enabled him to persevere through so many shows. I will definitely need to read his autobiography when I get the chance.
So here we are now, back on the road again – only four weeks and 27 performances left. From the Bay Area, we rambled to Sylvania, OH. The city’s name means “abounding in woods, groves and trees”, and as a result, Sylvania is aptly nicknamed ‘Tree City USA’. Founded in 1835, this scenic suburb of Toledo, OH, has a population of around 19,000. One of its most famous past residents is actress Katie Holmes.
Our Sylvania performances were at the 850-seat Franciscan Center at Lourdes College. The institute was established in 1918 to educate the sisters of the Franciscan community, but now also schools laypeople. We performed for two packed and vocal audiences at the Franciscan Center. While it felt uncomfortable to perform at such a deeply entrenched religious institution, it felt even odder to return to the show after having almost a week break. All of our performances were a bit off, and for the duration of the shows, I felt as if an alien had taken over my body and was robotically maneuvering me about the stage. Everything about ‘Strega Nona’ and the show seemed so strange and foreign to me, as if I had never even performed it before. What a bizarre feeling to experience after having already performed the show 118 times!
One of the highlights of our Sylvania visit was the wonderfully peculiar woman we met in the lobby of our hotel, who entertained us for over half an hour with tales of rearing rabbits and trimming their teeth with toenail clippers. What a kooky and colorful individual – far more interesting than some programs I have seen on TV!
Next stop – the Decio Mainstage Theater at the DeBartolo Center in Notre Dame, IN. Until the next adventure…
Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine
