Mon - April 18, 2005

Home at Last

Photo of 27th Street taken this morning while observing alternate-side parking rules

NEW YORK, NY - My latest journey brought me back to where this all started more than three months ago: home. When I drove up to the front of our apartment building, Katie and Simon were standing outside to welcome me. After driving 800 miles from Evanston in just over 12 hours, I couldn't have been happier to see them.

Posted at 10:16 AM     Read More  

Sat - April 16, 2005

Last Show

Mural section at the Downtown School in Des Moines, IA

EVANSTON, IL - Yesterday was the last day of the tour. Our final stop on what amounted to a greater-than 7,000-mile journey was the Downtown School in Des Moines. It was a good place for us to have our last hurrah.

Posted at 11:55 AM     Read More  

Mon - April 11, 2005

Good Night, Indianola

Cup-A Joe, my primary access point to the internet in Indianola

INDIANOLA, IA - I write this on the eve of our final week of the tour. Because we'll be in hotels all week, tonight will be my final night spent in my apartment on South J Street in Indianola. It has become difficult to tell if this week snuck up on us or if it's been late to arrive. We're all pretty tired, but the excitement of finishing the tour should give us a nice energy boost to get through these final shows.

Posted at 12:49 AM     Read More  

Fri - April 8, 2005

Another Sign of Spring

The author rounding third base at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, IA, on March 2

INDIANOLA, IA - Even if the grass is green, the sun is out, and the flowers are beginning to bloom, there's really only one true sign of spring's arrival: a 9th-inning collapse by the Chicago Cubs. Today I had the unfortunate chance to catch the end of the Cubs' home opener on television at a local Indianola watering hole.

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Thu - April 7, 2005

70 and Sunny

The music room at Western Hills Elementary School in West Des Moines

INDIANOLA, IA - Thanks to our schedule, we're back in Indianola for the last couple days of this week, working in schools in Des Moines through tomorrow. Upon our return home on Wednesday afternoon, we were greeted by torrential rain. Today, however, was a different story. By afternoon, the early morning clouds gave way to a glorious 70-degree spring day.

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Wed - April 6, 2005

Keokuk

Our names in lights at the stately Grand Theater in Keokuk, IA

KEOKUK, IA - The town of Keokuk sits at the southeastern tip of the state, separated from Illinois and Missouri by the Mississippi River. We performed Pigs for a large group of schoolchildren on Tuesday morning, then had a performance of Così in the evening. In between, I had a rare opportunity to see the area through the eyes of locals.

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Sun - April 3, 2005

Spring Awakening

DES MOINES, IA - Today is a beautifully sunny and warm Sunday, and I am spending the afternoon at Gray's Lake Park in Des Moines. From where I sit, I have a full view of Des Moines' humble skyline and of Iowa's gold-domed capitol building. Folks of all ages have flocked to the park on this pleasant early spring day. Some walk by on foot, some on ride on bicycles, and I even saw a couple guys on matching unicycles. Kayaks glide along the surface of the lake, and young families are out with their strollers and dogs. With the warmth of the sun wriggling through the fabric of my t-shirt, I realize that, nearly four months after the day I got here, the picturesque view I now enjoy is a world away from the snowy chaos that greeted my arrival.

Posted at 05:04 PM     Read More  

Thu - March 31, 2005

Local Flavor

LAMONI, IA - I'm writing from the Linden Street Coffee House (above) in the town of Lamoni (pronounced li-MO-nye), a community of about 1,500 residents and the home of Graceland University. The town sits just a few miles north of the Iowa/Missouri border on Interstate 35. This evening we will be performing Così Fan Tutte at the University.

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Tue - March 22, 2005

Welcome to Dane Country

ELK HORN, IA - The combined communities of Elk Horn and Kimballton constitute America's largest rural Danish settlement. Visitors to this rural outpost see the word "Velkommen" at nearly every turn, and Danish flags of all sizes line Main Street. The town's greatest attraction, however, is its authentic Danish windmill.

Posted at 08:59 PM     Read More  

Tue - March 15, 2005

View From the Top

NEW YORK, NY - Living in New York, I rarely partake of the standard tourist attractions. I seldom see Broadway shows, try to avoid Times Square at all times, and have never been to Ellis Island. Today, however, Katie and I happily joined the international assortment of visitors on the elevator to the observation deck of the Empire State Building.

Posted at 09:34 PM     Read More  

Sun - March 13, 2005

Lazy Sunday at Home

NEW YORK, NY - After more than two months away, a lazy Sunday at home - complete with an afternoon nap - was exactly what I needed.

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Sat - March 12, 2005

Intermission

INDIANOLA - It's official. We made it through the first half of our tour. After two performances on Friday morning at another rural Missouri elementary school, the troupe embarked on a leisurely 420-mile journey back to the safety of Iowa. Today my personal journey continues, as I will return to New York this week for a much-needed visit with my wife, dog, family, and friends.

Posted at 12:18 PM     Read More  

Wed - March 9, 2005

Out of Iowa

FARMINGTON, MO - We left Davenport on Tuesday and headed south to the Show-Me State for the remainder of the week. In places where you might see corn and grain in Iowa, you find grass and trees in Missouri. I soon learned, however, that the differences between Iowa, my temporarily adopted home, and Missouri transcend the appearance of the landscape.

Posted at 09:56 PM     Read More  

Sun - March 6, 2005

Saturday in the Park

Gray's Lake Park in Des Moines

Saturday in Des Moines was a sightseeing day. A family friend who is a native Iowan was in town for the weekend, and we took an opportunity to enjoy some of Des Moines' delightful historical and cultural institutions.

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Sat - March 5, 2005

Super Bowl

When people ask me about my experience in Iowa, I will tell them about the singing, the people, and the food. When they ask me what I learned while I was here, it appears that I will be able to tell them that I learned how to bowl. I have always enjoyed bowling in passing, but now I actually find myself craving it and thinking about how I can improve.

Posted at 01:02 AM     Read More