The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Well, the Cambridge audience was amazing. They were with us from the very beginning and never let us down. My dresser was Melanie, a sweet lady who chatted with me about this and that, and confided that she would love to move to Cincinnati, that hotbed of society. Everyone's attitude was touched by the beautiful Hampton Inn we stayed in that night. A lovely staff, pillow top mattresses, a whirlpool with moving jets and the most expansive breakfast I've seen anywhere will do that to a person.

While I was on the treadmill there, I found an adorable television program called Martha Speaks on PBS. It's about a dog who eats some alphabet soup and gains the ability to speak, although she doesn't know all the words. So, it's a show that combines imagination with subtle vocabulary lessons. I love it!

We took a day drive to Newberry, SC, which was just gorgeous. The weather was perfect, and the houses had an antebellum feel. The little town itself was cute as a button. We performed at the Newberry Opera House, renovated 11 seasons ago and the pride of the town. I stopped into a quaint store called Books On Main that smelled like my grandparents' attic (that's good!). Turns out the downtown is pretty much only open Tuesday-Friday and Saturdays until 3. Most of the shops are owned by ladies who need Monday to take care of their household chores. Did I mention it's mostly antique shops and cake stores? So precious! The matinee crowd was drowsy as usual, but appreciative (thanks, First Baptist Church of Spartanburg!), but the evening audience was fully awake and offered us a back to front stander! (That's where you get a standing ovation, but not because the people up front stood up and the ones behind stood up so they could still see.) The venue fed us a nice picnic lunch and dinner, complete with sweet tea and some nice apples. My dresser was Betty Boozer. Lovely woman, and sporting a shiny gold tooth up front as well!

An overnight drive took us back up north to Glasgow, KY, outside of Bowling Green. A bit chillier! I started out in shorts and had to switch to jeans and a coat! I was well rested, so I hit the grocery store and the Family Dollar for supplies. One sure way to make sure no one eats your food? Buy sardines! I prefer them in mustard sauce on Triscuits, FYI. Did a bit of Singers Forum work, and it was off to the theater. The Plaza Theater in Glasgow may have once been a movie theater. The steep grade down to the stage was in no way wheelchair accessible! But the house was decorated with faux balconies on the side walls as if Romeo and Juliet were on the bill next. It was unique and grand. Then we were served dinner. Pam from the venue had cooked (all homemade) pot roast, mashed potatoes, corn and carrots, as well as chocolate cake and peach cobbler. The tables had lit candles and they served us as if it were a wedding. Salads, rolls, and silverware! It was so nice, and made us all feel so welcome and appreciative. No wonder we were able to deliver a standing ovation performance, even with the technical limitations of the space!

Another overnight drive and we're arriving a bit late to Toccoa, GA and the Georgia Southern Baptist Convention Center. Despite some warnings about redneck attitudes, I am anticipating a warm welcome and a positive energy from the crew (I have to... I get what I expect, right??). There's some trepidation among the cast, but we are all there to keep each other strong. Apparently, they aren't feeding us, either, which makes Glasgow seem all the sweeter! I am looking forward to what will be some primo accomodations, though. Plus, I got all them groceries yesterday, so I'm set.

Let's see what the devil (aka musical theater actors) can stir up in Georgia today!