The solitary Black Butte dome is hard to miss as you drive up to Ashland. It rises like an Egyptian pyramid with its near perfect silhouette
Ashland is a small university town with a rich cultural life. It’s Main Street is a temptation of delights and treats with art galleries, restaurants, cafés, boutiques and bookshops that invite visitors to browse and linger. Lithia Park is a 100-acre oasis smack in the center of town.
Angus Bowmer, a teacher from Southern Oregon Normal School (now Southern Oregon University), had the idea to present Shakespearean works during the July 4th festivities of the city. With $400 from the Ashland City Council, he launched the first festival in July 1935 with the presentation of Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. But there was a catch. Bowmer had to allow daytime boxing matches onstage because the city fathers thought these matches would attract a big crowd and they could safeguard their $400 investment.
As it turned out, the Festival had to cover the losses incurred by the boxing matches. Today on its 68th year, the Tony award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) season runs from late February through October. Works by other playwrights are presented in repertory since 1960 along with selections from the Bard.
The three-theater venues for the festival are located on Pioneer Street. The Angus Bowmer Theater seats 600 people comfortably. The New Theater provides intimate indoor seating for 250-300 playgoers and a flexible staging area while the Allen Pavilion has outdoor seating for 1,200. The Elizabethan Stage in the Allen Pavilion is modeled after the Fortune Theater in London (which opened in 1600), lending an authentic backdrop for Shakespearean productions.
A theater tour is conducted daily (except Mondays) and is a fascinating way to go behind the scenes. A guide takes visitors backstage for an informative and fun look at how lighting, sound equipment, props and background scenery can transform the stage and enhance a play or how costume and make-up can change an actor and add depth to the character he is performing. You will have an opportunity to stand on the Elizabeth stage and if you’re not shy, deliver a line or two from your favorite play.
The 2003 season presents 11 plays to the stage. There are four Shakespearean plays, three world premieres of contemporary works and four classical dramas. We watched Romeo and Juliet and were caught in the timeless story of two young people whose feuding families would put their love to the ultimate test and lead them to a tragic end. The play is set in contemporary Verona and the actors are clad in black leather pants with Italian accessories. This is quite a novelty, one which I personally enjoyed.
At the end of the show the audience rose to its feet and applauded the performers amidst tears and sniffles from many who were moved by the outcome. As Juliet so poignantly tells Romeo in Act II, Scene II, “Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow”.
For a change of pace, the Cabaret Theater on First and Hargadine (one block from Pioneer Street), presents musicals, revues and comedies in an elegant, nightclub setting. You may choose to order dinner or simply come for the show. Their summer show, “Pageant”, is about a beauty contest where men will portray the role of female contestants. It promises to be a hoot!
If you prefer outdoor pursuits, there are many options to choose from including kayaking, whitewater rafting, fishing trips and jet boat excursions on the Rogue River or a wine tasting tour in the Rogue Valley. How about exploring the Oregon Caves or spending a day at Crater Lake, returning to Ashland in time for an evening play? You may also wish to pamper yourself with a spa treatment or perhaps splurge on a shopping jaunt. Whatever you decide to do, Ashland offers a diversity of activities. If I may quote Hamlet from The Tempest, “The play’s the thing”. And Ashland is center stage!
How to get there:
From San Francisco, take Highway 80 to 505 then connect with Highway 5 North. The drive will take approximately 6 1/2 hours. Alternatively, United Airlines flies from San Francisco to Medford, Oregon. Frequent shuttle buses connect Medford and Ashland.
Where to stay:
The Best Western Bard’s Inn is at 132 North Main Street and a short walk to the theaters and Main Street shops. There is free parking (a plus especially during the summer months when parking is at a premium). Continental breakfast is included. For more info check their website, bardsinn.com.
Where to eat:
Alex on the second floor at 35 N. Main Street has an inviting fireplace and a deck above Lithia Creek. They serve a delicious salmon with rice dish. Munchie’s on 59 N. Main Street (below street level) has tempting pies and cakes.
Tickets:
For Shakespeare plays: check the website of Oregon Shakespeare Festival at osfashland.org
For Cabaret Theater shows: oregoncabaret.com.
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*Image from Wikimedia Commons files under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author is Amy Richard.
**This article was published in the April 24-30, 2003 issue of the Manila Bulletin USA and recreated here from an old blog post.