I can’t believe it’s been a year (as of March 3, that is) since I got the offer to leave my home, job, cat, and family to drive across the country with 9 strangers. When I got the call from Jenna, I didn’t think twice about taking the offer, even though it meant leaving so many people and things I love behind. You want me to play Olivia in Twelfth Night and work for my dream company? Say less! One thing I was incredibly worried about was my health. I even called Jenna early on after accepting the offer to confess my fears about travelling with an autoimmune disease. I am immensely grateful to my bosses for believing in me, despite my own fears and self-doubt. However, the past few weeks have been a true testament to the wonders of self-care, i.e. naps, Gatorade, more naps, hot baths, even more naps, yoga, and (you guessed it) NAPS. Working with a chronic illness is always a challenge, but I’m lucky to be surrounded by great humans who help me get through it.

Louisville, KY

Population: 616,261

            The last time I was in Louisville was two years ago for an audition and to see a show at the Actors Theatre. We were in town for a bit for a few days off, so I stopped by one of my favorite bookstores, Carmichael’s, to hunt down a new read. A few of us ate dinner at the Under the Bridge Pub and took a walk by the extremely flooded and sewage-smelling Ohio River.

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Frankfort, KY

Population: 27,621

            On the way to Kentucky’s capital, I drove our 16’ box truck for the first time—I never thought I would be able to add “DOT-certified truck driver” to my list of special skills one day! It was empowering in a way I didn’t expect. We arrived in Frankfort’s quaint, historic downtown to perform at the Grand Theatre. The Grand was originally a vaudeville house, built in 1911. It later became a movie theatre in 1941, and, now, it still features films and small touring performances and concerts. There are original stencils on the worn walls, and exposed bricks peek out among the faded paint. There is currently an ongoing campaign to save the Grand from financial ruin; the people who care for this aging house seemed somber during our visit. Sadly, there was an air of finality about this year’s National Players’ performance. Lots of “we hope we see you all next year.”

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            We performed The Crucible and Around the World in 80 Days at this venue. Our performance for The Crucible was for an audience of 10. It was a challenge to summon the energy to perform for such a small group after our load-in took a painstaking 8 hours the previous day. However, our talkback after the performance made the performance feel particularly meaningful. There were 7 middle-school students at the performance. They had studied the play in class and were there with their teacher. The students sat in the front row of the talkback, diligently taking notes. They were articulate and thoughtful.

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            One young boy said, “When I was reading the play, I really hated Abigail. How do you play such a hateful person?” I asked the group if they felt any more sympathy for the character watching the play than they did while reading it. The boy said, “Nope! I hated her still!” One shy little girl vigorously shook her head in disagreement. She said, “I felt bad for her.” Another young girl said, “Abby is my favorite character! I love stories with strong female leads, and I think Abby is that.” Students tend to focus on John Proctor, so it was fun to get to chat with them about their thoughts on the girls. These students discussed the symbolism of the dresses and clothes hung on our set, as well as shared their thoughts on our added prologue at the top of the show. It was clear that we had impacted this community by engaging these students in a thoughtful discussion about Miller’s text vs. our production.

Cincinnati, OH

Population: 301,301

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            After Frankfort, we spent a few days off in Cincinnati, where I mostly rested and recuperated in preparation for our upcoming work in St. Meinrad, IN.  I got the chance to go downtown a few times and thought this city had an incredibly cool vibe. I wish I had been feeling more up to exploring, but the rest was much needed.

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We now head to St. Meinrad, IN, which I hear is one of the coolest spots on tour. The monks there brew their own beer!! I’m excited for a relaxing retreat in a place where the players have performed for almost 70 years.

Your Dear Lady Disdain,

Jamie