Back Home Again In Indiana

In last year's schedule, we played one Indiana town: Wabash. It was a one nighter, and I purposely did not advertise the fact that we would be there. On this year's schedule we play in 4 Indiana towns, and the first one was Fort Wayne. I have driven through Fort Wayne a couple of times and we had a lunch stop at the mall in Fort Wayne last year. Nothing that I saw on those trips would have led me to believe that there is a very cool old theatre sitting in the middle of boring Fort Wayne.

It is so boring in fact, that this is the only other interesting picture that I took Downtown, and I only like it because the scaffolding looks cool from a distance.

I have to say that I was not prepared for what I saw when I first walked into the pit at the Embassy. I guess it is just another lesson to not have preconceived ideas of what a theatre or town is going to be like.


Sadly the theatre was pretty dark so most of my pictures are not great.

The decoration of the Embassy is a bit unlike anything that I have ever seen before, and I like it! The lobby was pretty nice too.

The Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana...who knew?!

Lexington

I knew nothing about Lexington when we drove in, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Though not on the same level as Bloomington or Madison, Lexington turns out to be a fun college town. We played at the Lexington Opera House which is in the Downtown area. The Opera House is one of the smallest venues that we will most likely end up playing this year, but that meant we had full houses for the weekend.

My favorite part of the Opera House was the room downstairs in which they fed us between shows. Hanging on the walls were a bunch of posters from shows which have played there over the years. Unlike most theatres though, some of these posters date back quite a few years. My favorite one is below.

On The Twentieth Century is on my list of shows I really want to play at some point in my career.

This chandelier hung in the lobby. The reason that I took a picture of it is that I felt it could be better served hanging elsewhere...

like from the ceiling of the theatre where there is just a big empty hole!

I did like the theatre though. I may be a little bit plain, but I really enjoy these European style Opera Houses.

U.K.

Feeling the need to get out and get some exercise, I decided to walk around a bit on Saturday morning. As is normally the case, I ended up at a college campus. Little did I know that Lexington is home to University of Kentucky. In fact I really do not know much about University of Kentucky as a school except that it seems to be mentioned a bunch in regards to sports. Regardless I walked around campus a bit. I did have the misfortune to walk into the middle of Saturday football nonsense around the football stadium. Just my luck! Apparently one of their school colors is bright cobalt blue as I have never seen to many people walking around looking like Smurfs in my life.

Get Me The Hell Out Of Danville

If there is one lesson which life keeps trying to teach me, it is to not complain about my current situation because something worse is always just around the corner. Thus it was with Peoria. I complained about the lack of anything to do or eat in Peoria only to end up next in Danville, KY.

Now I think that I've given you a bit of a false impression. There were plenty of places to eat around our hotel. There was a Kmart (in which I saw Elvis working the electronics counter), Kroger, and several other places to shop. Our hotel had laundry machines which I took advantage of. The problem was the people. I try not to be to judgemental about people, but after witnessing the redneck version of Three Men and a Baby during breakfast I just couldn't help it. I knew that places like this existed in our country, but I guess that I never really wanted to admit that they did. We are talking redneck hicks in all of their bible thumping, gun toting, dirty children, WalMart shopping glory. We knew that it would not be a good scene when management went out of their way to warn us that Danville is in a "moist" county (meaning alcohol is only sold in restaurants)! I have never been so glad to be playing a one nighter in my life!

As for the theatre, the Norton Center is my third Frank Lloyd Wright designed theatre, and it is by far the most bizarre yet. It has the typical Frank Lloyd Wright touches: simple unadorned decoration of the house with ugly colors, interesting angles, etc. What it also has is the most inconvenient seating arrangement I have ever seen! What would be considered the orchestra level consisted of six rows of seats. The rest of the theatre was an elevated level that resembles a balcony, but not really. I wish this came through better in my pictures. I also wish that there had not been schmutz on my lens. What happened to my camera between Peoria and Danville I have no idea, but I only discovered the problem after we left the theatre. Oh well!

The next day we loaded up the bus, and got the hell out of Danville.

But Will It Play In Peoria?

Having finished up our week in Hershey, we not only said goodbye to Hershey but also to our good schedule. Starting with the beginning of November we entered a pretty crazy phase of our schedule. From that point on our next week long sit is the week before Christmas, and everything until then is a one night, two night or split week. So what more fitting way to kick off this portion of the schedule than to go to Peoria, IL.

What is there to say about Peoria that most people do not already know? Well Downtown Peoria is a ghost town with very few food options. There was nothing to do except go to the gym, and that was part gym and part senior citizens center. I was excited to find a Chase Bank (sometimes it is the little things on tour like being able to go to the bank!). And the venue? Well the term Civic Center usually sends up a red flag, and sadly The Peoria Civic Center met my expectations.

The Civic Center looks promising from the outside, but then you get inside the theatre...

Well, at least the theater had a spacious pit.

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As these things happen, I discovered that just over the river (about a mile and 1/2 walk from Downtown) is a collection of just about every restaurant one could hope for along with some shopping options. It figures! Oh well, I will remember for when I return in February with Beauty and The Beast.

Nighttime at the Hershey Theatre

The Hershey Theatre

By far the highlight of my week in Hershey was the Hershey Theatre. There is something special about being in a very cool theatre, and the Hershey is one of my favorite that I have played so far.

It's The Milk Chocolate

All Things Hershey

After a week, I can safely say that the one thing you will never forget about Hershey, PA is the town's namesake. Hershey's Chocolate is everywhere!

Yes the streetlights are shaped like Hershey's Kisses.

Yes there is an intersection of Chocolate Avenue and Cocoa Avenue.

You can actually smell chocolate in the air (especially when you are right by the factory).

There is a Hershey's Chocolate Museum. (I did not go)

Sadly the "factory tour" is not at the factory at all. It is really an EPCOTesque ride with singing cows and really fake looking factory machines. At least you get a sample at the end of the ride.

Only the best theme park ride picture EVER!

Originally I assumed that we would be unable to visit Hershey Park due to our schedule and their last season schedule. What I did not realize is that Hershey Park is right in the middle of Hershey and walkable from our hotel. Since it opened at 4pm on Friday, we were able to ride just about everything we wanted to before leaving for the theatre.

I particularly enjoyed this ride.