All the World’s a Stage, but Oregon is Your Next Theatre Destination
Unless, like me, you are from Northern California, you are unlikely to have heard of Ashland, Oregon — a trove of art, cuisine and nature tucked away in a setting that recalls Shakespeare’s Forest of Arden. Dining on the patio of Greenleaf café with a canopy of leaves above and the sound of the rushing creek below, all that’s missing is for a man I’ve only known for a few days to appear and declare his love for me. Ashland is a mix of a bohemian and Renaissance paradise, with its thriving artistic community and numerous one-of-a-kind businesses. It is a relief to escape the Californian heat to relax in the shade and greenery, visit a few art galleries and see one of the shows put on by the Tony-award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF).
OSF is one of the oldest professional non-profit theatre companies in the United States. Founded by Angus L. Bowmer, a young teacher at what is now Southern Oregon University, OSF opened with a production of Twelfth Night in 1935. Today people flock to Ashland to experience the renowned theatre and the artistic milieu.
Perhaps it was fate that the first Shakespearean production I saw at OSF was Twelfth Night (2016), despite it being my least favourite of the bard’s plays. But even I couldn’t deny that the production was dazzling; OSF chose 1930s Hollywood for the setting, complete with plenty of glitz and glamour and an ambitious jazz musical number for the finale. A few years later I returned to Ashland to see a raw and bloody production of Macbeth (2019). This sublime rendition of ‘The Scottish Play’ was made excellent by actors who showed the intensity of the characters’ consuming ambitions as well as their torment in pursuing them.
OSF introduces their unique vision to shows outside of the Shakespeare cannon; they typically include a Broadway musical in their line up for the season — in recent years, they have put on shows such as Hairspray (2019) and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (2017) — in addition to some lesser-known selections. I have attended productions of The River Bride (2016), a play based on a story from Amazon folklore, as well as a striking adaptation of Alice in Wonderland (2019). In the latter, Alice’s quilted overalls and a croquet match with flashing lights and balloons flying everywhere were certainly original, but not at all unfaithful to the characters or the story.
Ashland’s theatre scene is inseparable from the town’s natural beauty; they blend to form a distinctive environment for thought and culture, rather like an outdoor literary salon. Lithia Park, which boasts a scenic hiking trail and a variety of flora and fauna, is steps away from the Allen Elizabethan and Angus Bowmer Theatres. The creek is also mere minutes by foot from the main OSF theatres, so these restaurants are obvious choices for a meal before a show or drinks after.
Greenleaf café is just one of several restaurants along Ashland creek, which all share a back terrace where theatre goers can enjoy food and cocktails complemented by a stunning view. The terrace overlooking the creek provides patrons with the sight of the waters disappearing into a trunnel of branches — it is easy to imagine that you are in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and faeries do live within the town. A few doors down is the Brickroom, which has a more experimental take on some old favourites. The many combinations on the menu will overwhelm you and you will be devastated that you cannot try everything! My personal recommendation is their filthy fries: thinly cut French fries decked with bacon lardons, banana peppers, and cheese fondue.
Ashland is also full of shops, galleries, and studios the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else. The crown jewel of the shopping scene is Paddington Station; this is not your average department store, selling a wide range of matchless home wears, fashion, and books. The Ashland Gallery Association is comprised of many local artists; art lovers may find themselves on a small tour of their own, darting from this gallery to that studio. It is also essential that travellers visit at least one bookshop, as Ashland’s second-hand bookstores are some of the best places for those hunting for rare finds. A friend of mine once stumbled across a collector’s edition of Grimm’s Fairy Tales at a store called the Book Exchange.
The theatre, shopping, nature, and everything else in Ashland complement each other and come together in a whimsical atmosphere of art and imagination. I’m very excited to be visiting Ashland again this summer — the main event this year being a production of The Tempest. I will also be seeing August Wilson’s autobiographical play How I Learned What I Learned and the acclaimed musical Once on this Island. I must also confess that I have been longing for the filthy fries at Brickroom and a walk in Lithia Park for the last three years. To discover the many restaurants, galleries, and shops that Ashland has to offer, have a look at the Bimble list I’ve compiled, with more additions to come this summer!
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