3/10/10 – 3/11/10 – Why Did I Ever Leave Ohio?…Ada, OH

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