Tag: Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Summer Entertainment Is Back!
Although my husband and I did a little traveling last summer and felt more comfortable (post-vaccinations) dining out and going to special events, there were still some big holes in our usual summer schedule. This year, though, we really feel like so much of what was missing the past two years has returned. Within the span of just over a week recently, we were able to enjoy two activities which have marked nearly every summer of the 13 years we've lived in Southern Oregon.
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Explore Egypt on the Most Extraordinary Tour Ever
Picture this: You’re standing in front of the Great Pyramid, the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, in complete silence, with no crowds in sight. As you step inside, your guide leads you to hidden chambers inaccessible to other tourists. Here, you’re granted a rare chance to delve into the deepest mysteries of ancient Egypt.
Spring Awakening
Every Friday, our local newspaper features an entire section devoted to dining, the arts and entertainment. In addition to current-release movie and book reviews and a full-length restaurant review, one can scan listings of art gallery shows, local theatrical productions and live musical performances. Depending on the season and the weekend, you might find information about growers and crafters markets, garden and history tours and holiday bazaars.
Expanding Travel and the Arts
As we navigate these days in which our world gradually opens up and more individuals become vaccinated, I find myself still turning to opportunities to explore corners which aren't yet available or of which I hadn't previously been aware. Once again a silver lining appears from all the pain and trials of the past year-plus, and I believe some of the innovations, programs and initiatives that came out of this time will remain long after we can all travel and gather freely again.
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Remarkable Medellín
Visiting Medellín in Colombia: The Country of Beauty is like stepping into a fantastic story — literally, as the city in the Western Colombian Andes region inspired Disney’s Encanto. Here, valleys, the world’s tallest palms, vibrant communities, colorful houses, garden-like balconies and more prove reality is more picturesque than anything on film. And it’s especially more tempting following Medellín’s remarkable transformation, shedding its troubled past and reawakening as a city of innovation, art, cultural richness, modern infrastructure, thriving tourism and resiliency.
A Positive Sign
We got a positive indication this week of one aspect of life here coming back from the near standstill it's been this past year. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, a Tony-winning regional theater founded in 1935 which produces musicals, world premieres of new productions and commissioned new works as well as Shakespearean plays, announced its 2021 season after being forced to go dark just after the 2020 season opened last year. Located in the college town of Ashland (and conveniently close to my home), the Festival drew theater lovers from across the country and around the world who, along with all the professionals associated with the organization, pumped millions of dollars into the local economy. Restaurants, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, shops and tour operators relied heavily on a season that ran from February through October each year. You can imagine how deeply the shutdowns and travel bans resulting from the pandemic affected the entire community.