We made our way from Valdosta to Hazard on Monday and all along the way several of us had little reunions. We stopped for lunch in Atlanta where Robin had the chance to spend a little more time with his wife Kelly. Then as we headed north Ashley and Sean got a chance to see several of their family members during a brief stop in Ringgold, Georgia.
Ashley's dad, Butch Oliver, and our driver Scott Holmes
Ashley and Sean's roadside reunion in Ringgold
Then when we reached Hazard, I was happy to find my wife, Bunny, waiting for us at the hotel. This tour has been a wonderful experience but it does have the drawback of being away from family and friends, so having the chance to see some familiar faces means a lot.
With my lovely wife Bunny at the motel (thanks for the photo, Mike O!)
Our stage manager Holley housewright also had a reunion in Hazard with her fiance, Josh.
We did a student matinee to a full house at The Forum in Hazard on Tuesday morning. Later that afternoon I also got a chance to share dinner with my dear friends David and Patty Browning who had driven two-and-a-half hours from Bristol to see the show. We had a good performance that evening and after giving David and Patty a tour of our bus we bid them goodnight and went back to the hotel for a rest before heading out for Charlottesville, Virginia on Wednesday.
The Forum in Hazard, Kentucky
Getting ready for the evening show in Hazard
I was sorry to see Bunny head off that morning for her drive back to Bristol but shortly after she left we all loaded the bus in hopes that we'd soon be on the road ourselves. But unfortunately the bus had some engine problems. A couple of sensors were malfunctioning and by the time they were repaired we ended up being six hours behind schedule. Fortunately we didn't have a show on Wednesday but unfortunately we still had to make the seven hour trip from Hazard to Charlottesville.
Actually, the burden on us wasn't nearly as great as it was on our incomparable driver Scott Holmes. Scott is such a great guy and he remained calm and imperturbable throughout the ordeal even though his glasses got broken during the repairs. Yet even with a long repair session, broken glasses and a long drive in rain (and a little snow!) Scott always maintained his good humor through Kentucky and West Virginia right to our hotel in Charlottesville.
We got to the hotel around 11:30 so we immediately checked in and headed to our rooms for a night's rest. Thursday morning we were up and making the fifteen minute ride downtown to the beautifully-restored Paramount Theater.
Getting ready for fight call at the Paramount In Charlottesville.
Pre-show sound check at the Paramount
One of the Paramount's chandeliers
A wall mural in the Paramount. The theater was built in 1931 and restored in 2004.
Our reunion sessions continued in Charlottesville. Sherry Pilcher, a Barter alum who lives near Charlottesville, stopped in for a visit and our Company Manager Rebecca Reinhardt also had a reunion with her beau, Damon while we're here.
The student matinee this morning was electric. It seems that student audiences always provide us a thrill, maybe because students rarely hold back the way they feel and the feedback that an actor gets from an audience can be such an energizing factor. These kids were certainly with us today.
We go back to the Paramount tonight for a public performance. Tomorrow we'll pack up and head south once more for a show in Morganton, North Carolina.
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