Clovis, New Mexico

Population: 37,775

We arrived at the Days Inn in Clovis, New Mexico, after driving for hours past nothing but open space, farmland, and cows. The Days Inn looked like it was probably a hot spot in the 70s, and no one had bothered to change the décor since. Everything was bright yellow, and there was a pool with a steamy film atop it in the indoor lobby. We befriended the hotel manager, who also bartended at the lobby bar. There was a pool table, and plenty of tequila and Dos Equis to go around. We ate dinner at a local Mexican restaurant (when in Rome!) and felt like true celebrities. There were posters and advertisements for the National Players all over town! Mom, Dad, I’ve finally made it!

Clovis Community College sponsored our performance of Around the World in 80 Days, and we performed in a giant auditorium at Marshall Middle School. We chatted with some of the locals while unloading our truck, and they talked about how the open space of New Mexico is unlike anywhere else they have ever been. We had a crisis with our projector while setting up for the show, and 80 Days is a show that is completely built around the use of media, cameras, and projections. Two of our company members went on a wild goose chase through rural New Mexico, looking for components that the Wal-Mart employees have never heard of. The nearest Best Buy was an hour and a half away. Mark, the spry, charming old Technical Director saved the day by bringing us a new projector. New Mexicans know that the show must go on!

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Clovis was welcoming and had a wonderfully small town vibe. It felt like we had traveled back in time. My only regret is that I didn’t get to spend more time in this state.

Cut to—driving back to Texas, where we got caught in (not one) but TWO Texas speed traps. Screw you, Texas cops. Get a life. And stop racial profiling. #thisisAmerica

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Austin, TX

Population: 950,715

CIVILIZATION! I never knew how much I appreciated buildings until I was surrounded by nothing by flat farmland for days. I cannot believe I never got the chance to visit this incredible city while my badass cousin Morgan lived there. Luckily, she texted me some awesome local recommendations. We finally had a well-earned day off in Austin, TX. Time really expands on the road. Our days are so long that it felt like we had been on the road for a month, not merely a week! I was finally feeling healthy again, thanks to steroids and antibiotics, so I was ready to explore a new city.

The night we arrived we got small plates and delicious gin ice ball cocktails at a restaurant called Swift’s Attic. Exposed brick and hipster beards abounded. The quail was to die for. We walked the “Dirty 6^th” which is basically a street lined with bars and clubs. If I hadn’t been in the car all day, I totally would have boogied.

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The next day was the greatest day off. A bunch of us ate at a modern diner called Magnolia Café on South Congress St for brunch in the morning. We did some local shopping, where I bought a “Support Local Female Orgasms” shirt (Austin was definitely targeting my aesthetic). If I had any room at all in my already stuffed suitcase, I would have bought so many unnecessary tchotchkes. We found an incredible bookstore that had a rare $1,000 first edition of Vonnegut’s Player Piano and a Playbill signed by Ingrid Bergman. I could have died and gone straight to Book Heaven.

After bumming around South Congress for a bit, we were “those assholes” who rented a bunch of scooters and scooted across town for some beers at Easy Tiger (thanks, Morgan!). It was a gorgeous day outside. We sipped beer and played Ping-Pong in the Texas breeze.

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For dinner, we went on a quest for ramen. Apparently Austin is obsessed with ramen, because EVERYWHERE we went had a line going out the door! We finally found this tiny little place (it could only fit 15 people at most) and ate handmade tapioca noodles in the best ramen I have ever had. I know it’s sinful to eat ramen instead of tacos in Texas, but I do what I want.

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Crockett, TX

Population: 6,526

Everything is all fun and games until everyone catches the plague, and you have three performances in two days. So, I’m back to being sick again. I’m convinced the company caught something nasty from the kids hugging everyone after our performance in New Mexico, because this is way worse than the cold I had previously. My head is throbbing, and it feels like someone is sitting on my chest. My back is in unbearable pain every time I cough. I have a fever that comes and goes, and my skin is doing that weird thing where it’s hot and chilly and just plain sore. And I’m not the only one. Pretty much everyone but Deidre is sick to some degree, and morale is low.

Crockett is one of the poorest cities in the country. This is a place that really fulfills the National Players’ mission of bringing theatre to people without access. It was important that we were here. I only wish that we had had the health and strength to give them the energetic performances they deserved. I had several emotional breakdowns. This is a hard job, y’all. Some days (like in Austin), it feels like a vacation. Other days, it feels like you are running on absolute fumes and your body is betraying you when all you want to do is bring quality theatre to a community severely lacking in artistic opportunities.

Not only was the company severely sick and exhausted, but we were also encountering racism and sexual harassment, making our jobs even harder to accomplish. Hailing from a small Southern town myself, I am always rooting for Southerners to defy the stereotypes attached to them. There are so many good, kind, and smart people in the South. However, there also exists ignorance and fear. I won’t go into detail, so as not to publicize experiences that my company members also had, but suffice it to say that the women and people of color on our tour were not treated with the respect they deserve.

Crockett is a town with basically 3 or 4 restaurants (most of them Tex-Mex) and a Wal-Mart. They put us up at a Knights Inn, where many of the people staying there were actual residents. Most everything closes before the sun goes down. I hate that I’m leaving this town feeling sick, exhausted, and disappointed. I hope next year’s tour has a healthier and safer experience than we had.

Things I Am Thankful For That Are Keeping Me Going:

-I woke up this afternoon without a fever, and that is excellent.

-My company is full of caring, delightful humans, who let me lean on them (even when I am covered in germs).

-Nurse Hugh has taken great care of me and bought me bouillon when I couldn’t leave the bed.

-Ron and Dorothea Staples are the greatest audience members an actor could ask for. (Also their daughter is the best human I know).

-We are headed to Asheville, NC, which is one of my very favorite places in the world!

-On the way, we are stopping in Tuscaloosa, AL, where my amazing friend and company member CJ Riggs is from.

-I get to see my family in just a little over a week!

Your Dear Lady Disdain,

Jamie

Howdy, y’all!

After spending two weeks at Camp Olney (Olney Theatre Center in MD), we hit the road for the spring leg of tour! Our three new company members are absolute gems. Adanna, Emily, and Katie learned three shows and their lights/sound duties in three weeks—what the rest of us had 3-4 months to learn! They are intensely hard working, inspiring, and collaborative artists. Their first truck pack of tour was in the snow, and they didn’t bat an eye at grabbing shovels and salt. Needless to say, I think they are invaluable additions to our team. So much love to the newbies!

First stop: San Angelo, TX.

It was a three-day drive to get from Olney to San Angelo. After stopping for a night in Smyrna, TN, I got to take the Twelfth Night twins (Emily & Hugh) to Memphis for some homemade challah French toast and some re-charging with my family. Watching Emily and Hugh see the Mississippi River for the first time was an absolute joy.

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As the three of us crossed the state line from Arkansas into Texas (my first time in Texas!), I looked out the window and declared, “Now this is what I signed up for.” We drove west, straight into one of the most breathtaking sunsets I’ve ever seen. I seriously felt like a cowgirl riding off into the sunset (on my trusty steed, the Honda Civic, of course).

We stopped for the night in Sulphur Springs, TX, where this terrifying unibrowed statue welcomed us to the Deep South.

We went to an old Texas diner and adorned ourselves with temporary Texas tats, so we could impress the locals with our toughness. That evening, we watched the lunar eclipse from the parking lot of our rusty old hotel, contemplating space and how very lucky we are.

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On the way to San Angelo, we stopped by the greatest truck stop restaurant for lunch and bought some chic cowboy hats. On the road, we passed tumbleweeds, sleepy cows, and wind turbines. We laughed at over-zealous religious billboards (i.e. “Do you know where you’re going after you die? Call this 1-800 number to find out!”).

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The government has been shut down now for the longest time in American history. Our president continues to hold us hostage over a wall on our Southern border. It felt strange to be in a place that is so influenced by Mexican culture (and to be the closest I have ever been to Mexico) while this is going on. Getting to see for myself how much American and Mexican cultures intertwine in Texas, I am even more outraged at the thought of building a wall between our nations than I was before. How could we even think of trying to shut out a people who have given us so much? A people who have been part of us for so long already? The relationship between Texas and Mexico is strong, and no amount of steel fencing could ever change that.

In San Angelo, the people I met shattered my preconceived notions about those living in George W. Bush’s home state. After our student matinee of Around the World in 80 Days, I looked out into the audience to see a diverse group of eager, thoughtful young people. In the third row, a young woman wore a bright yellow t-shirt that asked, “Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you could just be quiet?” During our talkback, in response to a question about the influence of technology on human relationships, another young woman shared that she met her current girlfriend online, and she feels that technology allows her the opportunity to meet people like herself from other areas of the world. The students cheered for her. A young man in the audience shared that the vastness of the Internet often makes him feel more alone. The students again clapped for him, showing their support of his vulnerable confession. One young woman asked the cast if we had Dairy Queen’s where we came from (a true Texan concern). I’m ashamed of myself for assuming that these young people might not be kind to certain communities because of the politics of the state where they were raised. But let me tell you: these kids were absolutely woke.

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On a personal note, I have been pretty sick as of late. It’s my second sinus infection of tour (thanks, global warming). I got some steroids and antibiotics, so hopefully I’ll be back to myself again soon. It’s hard to be sick when you’re away from home, but luckily I have a surrogate family on the road that took care of me with tea, medicine, and hugs. The show must go on!

I write this as we drive to Clovis, New Mexico, (another state I have never been to!). I am excited to explore the ghost town that I suspect Clovis may be. Wish me luck, y’all.

Your Dear Lady Disdain,

Jamie

I am mad or else this is a dream

-Twelfth night

As 2019 begins and we prepare to start a fresh new year, I can’t help but reflect upon my past 5 months working as a National Player. The National Players have been a dream company of mine for the past few years; I have to give myself pinches now and again to remind myself that, to my 17-year-old self, Future Jamie has MADE. IT.  Joining a company that has been a living and actively evolving organism for 70 years now is daunting, to say the least.

As the ever-on-my-toes-and-hoping-no-one-dies Company Manager of this year’s tour, I try to collect stories and form friendships with the communities we pass through (sometimes for less than 24 hours). Hailing from the South (if you haven’t seen me rocking my “Memphis as F*@!” tank, I don’t know what I’ve done to make this mistake), this was my first extended amount of time spent in the Northeast. And, yes. Olney, Maryland, is considered “The North” and is filled with granola-loving Yankees. #gogrizzlies #gritngrind #choose901 Okay, I promise I’m done with Memphis pride (for now).

One of my resolutions for this new year is to share some of my observations, discoveries, and embarrassments for the next few months of tour with you virtual friends.

So far, many of my observations have been about time and place, particularly in America’s present political landscape.

Here are a few unorganized thoughts, as I try to wrap my brain around the last few months:

How to Create a National Tour: For Dummies!

• Step 1: Carefully select 10 eager misfits who like to dress up in silly hats and play at being real humans in front of strangers.

• Step 2: Thrust them into the wild terrain of Trump’s America, all whilst waving and whispering, “God, I hope none of them die.”

Sidenote about how to ACTUALLY form a tour: The humans I have met and learned from at OTC so far (Jenna Duncan, Jason King Jones, and Rebecca Dzida, just to name a few) really deserve giant trophies for how hard they work for their communities.

10 Things I Have Learned about America in my Very Brief Encounters with Some Americans in the Northeast this Fall:

1. Fall in Vermont is really the only way to do this thing we call seasons. It’s called “leaf-peeping,” and it is unreal.
2. Salem, MA, is quiet and beautiful. It is also a haunted house amusement park ride through an American tragedy. I like it for both of these reasons.
3. Racism is alive and well in New Bedford, MA. (As well as in the rest of New England, where we witnessed Confederate flags, Blue Lives Matter signs, and other hateful propaganda).
4. Some of the best tacos in this country can be found in Ohio, at a place called Barrio. The create-your-own tacos with friendly Midwestern service (ope!) is a recipe for a great time.
5. Prison is as upsetting as you think it is. I know you might hate me for saying it, but Orange is the New Black is really not that far off in terms of the atmosphere. Additionally, inmates make the best audience members for Shakespeare. They listen intently and hear things other audiences don’t hear. This is partly because they are being forced to listen. And also they have no phones.
6. Sometimes people you meet along the way will be kind, and other times they will take advantage of your open, trusting nature. Try not to be discouraged, because good encounters on the road far outweigh the bad. Don’t let this reinforce hatred or stereotyping.
7. Many Americans find discussions about gender very confusing, and often enraging.
8. Jersey state troopers pulled over two of our company members (both people of color) driving the truck the day after midterm elections.  This was not a coincidence. I repeat: this was not a coincidence.
9. Mass shootings happen too often to keep count. Thankfully, people haven’t relinquished their humanity. Memorials of the size outside the Tree of Life Synagogue will take your breath away.
10. Always stop for lunch at family-owned restaurants in the middle of nowhere, preferably off the side of a highway. The pie will be to-die-for. I can’t think of anything more American than eating delicious pie to the sound of 18-wheelers chugging by.

While hatred is alive and well in America, so is love, theatre, and really delicious food. [It sounds like the rest of this piece is about to be an ode to Eat, Pray, Love, so hold onto your popcorn, folks.] Theatre artists, teachers, students, and advocates are working their tails off to keep this country sane and entertained. I have met community college professors and technical crews that rival those I’ve met at equity houses. I’ve watched a sophisticated middle school production of Twelfth Night set in the devastated post-hurricane Puerto Rico. I’ve chatted with the superintendent of a prison who believes that the arts are vital to a person’s humanity. And, I’ve met former National Players who went on to change the lives of children in local schools. Though I am continuously stressed out by the America I see in the papers, I am encouraged by the Americans I’ve met so far in the theatres: from the gorgeous old vaudeville houses, to the prison gymnasiums, to the middle school auditoriums…

As we return to Olney and prepare for the next leg of our tour in a few weeks, I anticipate all of the  work we will be doing to prepare–especially our three incredibly brave new company members! I am excited for the fresh energy and welcome the changes this new dynamic will bring. We will all be working even harder than before, doing our best to meet the challenge of becoming a new company before hitting the road again January 19. 

Hey, no one said this job would be easy.  

I am giddy with excitement.

Until next time,

Your Dear Lady Disdain

more snapshots.

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