An Erstwhile Summer: Reminescing About Life in Dayton

More often than not, I'm happiest about money when I'm not only able to balance my checking account at the end of each month, with all of my (granted, minute) bills paid, but with enough left over to kick back at the end of a hard day's work with friends at a local bar, enjoy a few beverages, and then depart safely for home with a moderately filled tank of gas.

This summer seems to have been stretching my ability to do all of that while balancing my back accounts. Not so much because of my income, which is understandably lessened, but more so because of my desire to hang out at the Trolley Stop in downtown Dayton with my growing litany of friends and acquaintances that I've made during my summer stay here.

Last night, at a going-away party for my dear friend Chris Shea (also my boss, technically, though only for one more week), someone remarked that a mutual friend of ours probably met me at Trolley because "[I'm] always there." I will state right off the back that this is one of those things that might sound like a derogatory statement, but is something I chose to take as a compliment. The arts scene in Dayton, while relatively small compared to the confines of the Windy City, is vibrant and strong, and more often than not localized in the free-styling Oregon District on 5th Street. As the featured director of the summer offering of a (very) popular theatre company, I felt at the start of the summer that it would behoove me to make a strong impression in the artistic community of Dayton, if for nothing else than to "Spread the Words" (the company's motto) about As You Like It. In addition, it's always nice to make new friends, and the opportunity to forge new relationships in my second home away from home (Chicago-strong, although I'll get to that in a second) is too good to pass up.

Especially when there's beer involved.

I didn't count on making quite so many friends and acquaintances this summer as I ended up doing, something that greatly surprised me. My prior experience with Free Shakespeare! was exciting, though my social circle from that summer barely extended beyond my cast mates and a few other individuals on the fringes of the company. This year, it's become impossible for me to walk into, say, Trolley Stop, without recognizing multiple people loitering in the bar area or on the patio.

(A brief side note here: The Patio at Trolley Stop is my favorite bar setting in the world, hands down. I've been to English pubs, a Mexican cantina, numerous bars in Chicago (including places like Hopleaf, which are amazing), New York City, and all across the country. Nowhere has the same relaxed atmosphere that the patio of Trolley does. The drinks are nothing that you can't get anywhere else, but nothing tastes quite so good as a pint of Bell's Oberon, downed on a breezy summer evening under an umbrella, the small rock fountain trickling gently against the mason-wrought façade, electric Christmas lights trickling down the walls like currents of light. There's a convivial sense of comradeship that happens on this patio, and more often than not, you're not alone in this setting; what makes this patio work is that it's still enjoyable even if you are drinking alone, waiting for friends to show up. No other bar has provided the same sense of relaxation as that which I've felt at Trolley. I realize that this is an ode to a bar that serves cheap beer and cheaper eats, but I'm allowed to wax poetic on whatever I want. Sue me. Coming up next, an ode to bacon. Take that,  motha-fuckas!)

Needless to say, the opportunity to jump back into the theatre world - as a paid director, no less! - has been incredible. To be able to pinpoint and carry out my artistic vision, as represented by an incredibly talented cast, has rejuvenated my artistic sensibilities that were being dogged down by a mixture of life's demands, fate, and happenstance. I'm proud of the work that I've done, of the growth that the cast has shown, and by the audience's response to it (which has been overwhelmingly favorable).

Alas, all good things must come to an end...the show ends this Sunday at 7:00 Eastern Standard Time, and with it, my time in Dayton (for the summer, but I'll get to that, too) draws to a close, as the Windy City beckons. Already, I'm turning my attentions towards the fall, with submissions for companies wheeling around again. I've long wanted to take classes to improve my array of talents (lesser though they may be) and am looking strongly at early registration for Second City improv classes, with the hope being to broaden my ability to work quickly and confidently on my feet with world class training. In addition, I have a writing project that I've been rolling around in my brain for the last several months that I'm hoping to start penning around September/October, once I'm back in the swing of things in the city. Look for more information on that in about two month's time. I'll drop a hint that it's a break from the Atlantea series that I've already been working on, though my budding fantasy series remains dear to my heart. Expect good things!

And now, I would like to disclose a brief comment about my future plans, which have been slightly....well, turbulent, for the last month or so. Given that Chris Shea is moving to Seattle, and taking the Free Shakespeare! brand with him (rightfully so, that baby's a GOLD MINE, Shea! You hold onto that shit!), there is an opening for Shakespeare in Dayton. More to the point, it is an opening that hundreds (literally, hundreds) of people are asking to be filled by professional artists in the area. I can't say too much at this time, but I will say that while I'm moving back to Chicago for the foreseeable future (with somewhat broader plans beyond that), I'm somewhat involved with creating a home for freelancing artists such as myself to create work in Dayton and still be compensated for their efforts. Every stop I've made on my bizarre journey of a life has told me of the importance of keeping your artistic options open and numerous, and this new-fangled endeavor (if there is one! *wave of mystery washes over all) would be such a chance to bring outside artists (like me!) to Dayton.

If that wasn't redundant/confusing/irrelevant, then know this: if I've learned nothing else this summer, it's that I'm good at what I do, that I like to be good at what I do, and I'd like to keep doing good work when I can do it.

As You Like It closes this Sunday at the Antioch College Amphitheatre in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Bring your friends and Spread the Words!