Be A Tourist In Your Town

Do you love art? I love art, ALL forms! How often do you hear about something really cool happening in your town, only one or two days before it's going to kick off? Too often, right. But, don't let that stop you. Be adventurous. Do more than sit on the couch watching Netflix. And if your friends, OR TEENAGE DAUGHTER (sideeye) won't roll with you, then roll solo. Do it, enjoy your life!

Yesterday I was clued into #GrandCenterTheatreCrawl by a TLT Productions founder, and tonight I experienced a great night of theater as a tourist in my own town. From 7pm to 10pm there was a theater performance every 30 miniutes by more than 30 companies. Theater goers ate, drank and watched vignettes and one acts of original and well known plays. 

My first act of tourism in my town was not driving myself, but taking a LYFT to Strauss Park, then walking to the different venues hosting the theater companies and their performances. From KDHX through the alley to the Centenne, across the parking lot to Washington Tabernacle, across the street to the Bronson house, the multiple blocks hike to the Kranzberg, more blocks to the Sun Theater and ending my night at the Dark Room grooving to the jazz sounds of Anita Jackson and that baaaaad band!

The 1st performance I saw, Voices, was by TLT Productions, who has on deck Friday Night Live every Friday in July at .ZACK on Locust. Guess where we'll be Friday, July 13 celebrating my B'Earthday. The 2nd performance, When Oprah Says Goodbye, by C2C, A Call to Conscious Interactive Theater for Social Change, was on the fourth floor of the Centenne Building. 

The 3rd performance was The Meeting, performed by JPEK Creative Works Theatre at Washington Tabernacle Church. Malcolm and Martin had the crowd enthralled and completely caught up.

The 4th performance, at the Bronson house, was by Bread & Roses and highlighted the importance of the labor movement, past and present, with performers who are workers turned actors.

The 5th performance in the Kranzberg Art Center Black Box included two vignettes by because why not? theatre company. The first was about abuse and obesity and the second about human trafficking, two heart wrenching stories. After that, a Sister needed some comedy in her life.

For the 6th and final performance of the night, I walked to the Sun Theater and watched The Statue of Bolivar by the Stray Dog Theater. It did not disappoint.

And since I was across the street from the Dark Room, well, why not... A glass of wine, paprika hummus, good music and great people. What a night?! #beatouristinyourowntown