Nostalgia
Ross and I took a whirlwind trip to Stevens Point last night. We had talked about seeing this show months earlier, but time passed, schedules changed and we were left with only enough time to drive out, eat at a favorite restaurant of my college days, see the show produced by a very talented crop of student, catch some sleep and drive back in the morning.
No exploring of Clark and Main Street. No Sunday morning drinks with old faculty and staff. No random cruising on a Sunday afternoon to take in how much has change, and how much is still the same.
But despite our short time, Ross and I truly enjoyed the trip. Hilltop Pub is still as it has been. Crowded on a Saturday night but with a quick turn around. Bloody marys are still spicy and served with a chaser of beer in the adorable 2 oz steins we Pointers use to pilfer. The tenderloin and shrimp still comes with three enormous and delicately breaded shrimp. The salads are still ice berg lettuce. The servers still a fresh batch of college students...
And ghosts haunt every corner. Well, in our case I suppose their were fewer ghosts and more flesh and blood friends. Half way into our salads I swore I spotted a familiar parental face walk in to door. And behind the him was Andrew. Of all the faces and all the years to past...both of us attending the same restaurant and the same show with our respective spouse/significant other. Even with years, miles and multiple and diverse experiences separating us, we gravitate to the same places.
The show was good. Full of the inexperience and naive freshness of students pouring their heart and soul into the group effort with still developing the skills to truly polish the end result. I've been spoiled with the finesse, polish and professionalism of working at a world class theatre. And the flaws, inconsistencies and novice choices shown through. But I was there a mere seven years ago. They can only grow. Sitting in that space, removed by years...it was humbling.
All the experiences, frustrations and joys we faced as students working on these shows that seemed insurmountable when first plopped in front of us. Coaxed, coerced, praised and sometimes scrutinized by faculty and staff to get that extra bit of effort to come out. I certainly have no desire to relive though years, but oh how fondly I look back upon them...
The new FAC is beautiful. The students are truly blessed to be able to work in much more update shops and labs. And some much more space...all under the same roof instead of spread over the entire campus.
I would have loved to spend a little more time...talked to a few more familiar faces. But it was no homecoming. The university and the program continues to move on and grow without us. We were just a brief four year speck in her progress. But we were a part of that progress nonetheless...
And that is such a good feeling...
No exploring of Clark and Main Street. No Sunday morning drinks with old faculty and staff. No random cruising on a Sunday afternoon to take in how much has change, and how much is still the same.
But despite our short time, Ross and I truly enjoyed the trip. Hilltop Pub is still as it has been. Crowded on a Saturday night but with a quick turn around. Bloody marys are still spicy and served with a chaser of beer in the adorable 2 oz steins we Pointers use to pilfer. The tenderloin and shrimp still comes with three enormous and delicately breaded shrimp. The salads are still ice berg lettuce. The servers still a fresh batch of college students...
And ghosts haunt every corner. Well, in our case I suppose their were fewer ghosts and more flesh and blood friends. Half way into our salads I swore I spotted a familiar parental face walk in to door. And behind the him was Andrew. Of all the faces and all the years to past...both of us attending the same restaurant and the same show with our respective spouse/significant other. Even with years, miles and multiple and diverse experiences separating us, we gravitate to the same places.
The show was good. Full of the inexperience and naive freshness of students pouring their heart and soul into the group effort with still developing the skills to truly polish the end result. I've been spoiled with the finesse, polish and professionalism of working at a world class theatre. And the flaws, inconsistencies and novice choices shown through. But I was there a mere seven years ago. They can only grow. Sitting in that space, removed by years...it was humbling.
All the experiences, frustrations and joys we faced as students working on these shows that seemed insurmountable when first plopped in front of us. Coaxed, coerced, praised and sometimes scrutinized by faculty and staff to get that extra bit of effort to come out. I certainly have no desire to relive though years, but oh how fondly I look back upon them...
The new FAC is beautiful. The students are truly blessed to be able to work in much more update shops and labs. And some much more space...all under the same roof instead of spread over the entire campus.
I would have loved to spend a little more time...talked to a few more familiar faces. But it was no homecoming. The university and the program continues to move on and grow without us. We were just a brief four year speck in her progress. But we were a part of that progress nonetheless...
And that is such a good feeling...
posted by Unknown at
12:48 PM
3 Comments:
Hilltop really does have the best Bloody Maries I've ever had.
What is that line from "Sunday?" "I'm changing, you're changing...I'll draw us now before we fade..."
"Oh Georgie, how I long for the old view."
Sigh.
How appropriate that the show we saw was in fact, Sundays in the Park with George.
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