If the heart be right, it matters not which way the head lies.
--Sir Walter Raleigh
Raleigh is of course named for Walter Raleigh, and is also known as "The City of Oaks." There are some gorgeous neighborhoods with grand houses and magnificent grounds. The downtown area is a hodge podge of different things and doesn't really speak to me. I couldn't tell you really what the essence of Raleigh is, the way I could with Greenville. I did get to explore the area known as City Market, which is an old market area that now houses some nice restaurants and art galleries. And I had a splendid meal in a grand old nineteenth century house which is home to Second Empire, a fine and elegant restaurant. But my hotel is five miles out from the downtown area and most of my spare time has been spent shopping at the mall across the street! Gap has some very nice things this season...
I had a real surprise this week when I received roses back stage at the show along with a card from a woman who I had been at school with from kindergarten to high school and who I had done high school plays with etc. I was always very active in theatrical pursuits back then even though life for me in public school was not happy. I actually left high school two years early and entered an early entry college. Anyway, Meg was a childhood friend. And she lives here now and planned to see "Spamalot" only to discover that I was in the cast. She wrote that she was really proud of me and she included a photocopy of a note I wrote in her yearbook back in 1981 (now I am dating myself). This was what I wrote:
Meg,
I've been struggling through the Beverly school system with you since Mrs. Alexander's (kindergarten)! It's unfortunate that I won't be able to graduate with you and the rest of my friends. Thanks for the great times in the shows (including "Our Town"-BLECH!) and at lunch tables and in Keany's class! I'll never forget ya and I'll see you (hopefully!) at my BROADWAY debut!
Love Always,
Jamie Beaman
I can't say that I never forgot you, Meg. But I am so touched that you didn't forget me! And so glad you got to see the show.
My dresser this week is Anne. Anne is actually a talented costume designer who works with the ballet here. It turns out that she studied costume design under a teacher who worked with my Dad for many years during his tenure as associate professor in the theatre program at Boston University. Anne also grew up in a theatre family so we had some things in common.
One of my new friends in the show, Bree, a talented dancer, is a Raleigh native. We spent an enjoyable afternoon walking around and shopping. We posed for a picture at Marbles! which is a children's discovery type museum.
And this week, I have to say goodbye to my very first friend in the company, Jonathan Brody . During those early days around Christmas in D.C., Jonathan reached out to the 'newbie' and has always lent a sympathetic ear and been a really great person to hang around with. He is a talented actor in his own right, and in addition to being one of our ensemble "knights" he was a very able understudy for both Bedevere and Lancelot. I am really going to miss Jonathan.
So people continue to come and go and some appear magically out of the woodwork. It's a real journey, this touring thing.
More from Dayton next week.
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