Shakespeare and Bleu Cheese

Ashland, OR
Wed, Aug 24

We like to consult a little book that we'd received as a gift, "1,000 Places to See Before You Die", when planning our day trips. That's how we found the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, which is also the home of Southern Oregon University.

We went into Ashland for the Backstage Tour, and learned about connections to Western New York in the history of this theater. The Chautauqua movement brought culture and entertainment to rural areas around the country in the late 1800's, including establishing a theater in Ashland in 1893. This cement wall became the backbone of the structure that is now the Elizabethan Theater here, begun with a production  of Twelfth Night on July 2, 1905.

Along the tour, we visited 3 of the four theaters now in this complex next to beautiful Lithia Park. We went through cast areas, prop rooms and stages, learning about the way things are done to make these productions so interesting to see.

We explored a few of the downtown shops, ate lunch at an outdoor cafe and cruised through the historic railroad section of artisans.

In the afternoon, we found wonderful handmade cheese at Rogue Creamery, including their award winning Crate Lake and Smoky Blues and Chocolate Stout Cheddar! They sent us to a local burger joint, Jasper's, where we tried their famous milk shakes but passed on the bison, elk and boar burgers.

Last stop on our tour of the area was the Butte Creek Grist Mill, the last surviving water-powered mill still operating in the West. Here I purchased "bring back" gifts for some foodie friends.