City in Transition

Week 21: Dayton, OH

Dayton has seen some hard times. And the downtown area is another of those American urban centers that have become depressed due to the development of suburban areas that offer more of the conveniences that people want. Much of downtown Dayton has a sort of sad, worn out feeling. People work here, but there doesn't seem to be a life to this city. However, as I have mentioned before, one has to look for the beauty and for the fun. A short walk from my hotel down Fifth Street takes one to the Oregon Historic District. This is the "funky" part of town. Originally settled in the mid 19th century along the Miami River, this was Dayton's first affluent "suburb." And it still retains much of its charm, even having survived a flood in the early 20th century and the hard times Dayton saw in the 1960s. Flowering trees line the brick paved streets, and charming 19th century brick residences sport ornate porch railings and stained glass windows. The day I walked the streets of the Oregon (no one really knows why it was called that over a hundred and fifty years ago) the blossoms were blooming and the cardinals were chirping in the trees and the neighborhood gave me a real feeling of Americana. The Fifth Street strip is home to several restaurants offering diverse cuisine, and the funky shops and art galleries that bring the tattooed, the hip and the edgy of Dayton into the neighborhood. Again, it is a relief to find a bastion of "cool" in the heart of this rather lackluster downtown.





Bringing its own luster to Dayton is the Schuster Performing Arts Center, which is the home of "Spamalot" this week. This must be the newest venue I have performed in on the tour thus far. Only a few years old, this beautiful structure incorporates a 2300 seat theatre, a black box theatre space, a restaurant, and a six story glass enclosed atrium called the "Wintergarden" which has a palm tree grove in the middle of it and spiral staircases leading to the upper seating tiers. It reminds one of a modern and upscale cruise ship.
The theatre we are in gleams with light wood and warm colors and is topped by a deeply vaulted ceiling with a glittering fiber optic starscape meant to capture the sky as it might have appeared to the Wright Brothers the night of their famous first flight. Oh yes, did I mention that the Wright Brothers were the favorite sons of Dayton? Indeed they were. The Schuster Center is meant to revitalize the life of the downtown area of Dayton, and judging from our sold out houses this week, it may do just that. Operating in conjunction with the historic Victoria Theatre across the street, it is home to the Dayton Opera, the Philharmonic and the ballet. My only criticism of the venue is that the back stage area is so sprawling and confusing I literally got lost trying to get from the stage to my dressing room for my first costume change opening night! It is heartening that Dayton has these cultural institutions and a resident theatre company, The Human Race Theatre Company. Further proof that the arts create business and vitality in our cities. Support arts education in your schools! Let's ensure a future for music, dance and theatre in our communities. I would also urge the restaurant owners in the vicinity of the Schuster Center to alter their hours to cater to the workers and the patrons! On our first night a few of us went out around 7PM to grab a quick bite to eat before the show and the only food or drink options open were Subway and Uno Chicago Grill--and the latter was taking reservations! When a chain restaurant has a reservation list on performance nights it should be a clue that there is a need for dining options in the neighborhood. There were over two thousand people coming to the show and they were hard pressed to find a refreshment or a meal before the theatre in the area around the Schuster Center. Wake up folks! Participate in this beneficial new institution and the commerce it can bring--run an ad in the program and offer pre-theatre dinner specials!

Okay, I will get off my soapbox. Maybe. So here we are working at this lovely luxurious performing arts center while all around us is this strange crumbling city. And it is a freak show of humanity that wanders the streets of Dayton--toothless, chatty vagrants, aggressive panhandlers, every imaginable bizarre type. This is why the prevailing adjective used within the company to describe Dayton has been "ghetto." It is no wonder the well-heeled suburbanites who drive in for our performances make a mad dash to their cars after the show. Regardless, I have met some nice business owners here, some interesting and talented artists who are creating work, and have enjoyed some very good food at the diverse establishments in the Oregon District. This will seem like it comes out of left field, but speaking of food-- I am a vegetarian and, traveling from place to place, it can be a challenge to find satisfying and nutritious meal options. I manage just fine but I must get on the soap box one more time to just let restaurant owners know that when you offer a "veggie sandwich" or a "veggie pizza" or a "veggie omelette," you must put something more into it than peppers and onions!! Technically, yes, they are vegetables. However, I think a rule of thumb when putting together a "veggie" meal option should be to ask oneself--if I were to sit down to eat a portion of vegetables, would I eat a pile of onions and peppers?? Just remember, restaurateurs, that vegetarians eat lots of different vegetables for their nutrition and their flavor. So toss in some broccoli or spinach or something, okay?!


My dresser in Dayton this week is Sharleen (when she spelled it for me she blamed the oddness of the spelling on her mother). Sharleen has been working wardrobe for 43 years and is a seasoned pro. She told me her Dad was a stagehand and that her first steps as a child were taken across the lobby of a theatre. This lady has devoted her life to working back stage, as I have devoted mine to working on stage. I have great respect for her commitment and she has been a delight to work with.

We begin the Wisconsin leg of our journey next week in Milwaukee. By the way, my West Coast friends and family will be happy to know that we received word that the Las Vegas company of "Spamalot" will be closing in July. This means that the tour will be able to play cities in California, Nevada, and Arizona as early as summer '09. If I stay on for another year I may be doing the show in a theatre near you. I will keep you posted!