Our last day at the OSF and two wonderful shows. First up was August Wilson's Fences one of a series of ten plays Wilson wrote about the African Americn experience in the 20th century. We have thoroughly enjoyed 5 of his plays having seen them in various locals and mediums over the years. We saw one of them in Seattle, another in NYC, another on TV. Regardless, the productions have all been fabulously staged and acted and this production was no different. Starring Charles Robinson, famous for his roles in Night Court and Home Improvement, he was stunning in his portrayal of Troy Maxson, a man embittered by the disappointments of life--the lost opportunity to play professional baseball and making poor decisions that send him to prison for a time and of course those opportunities not available due to his race. He, nevertheless, loves his family and does the best he can to take care of them, flawed as he is. The cast was superb and the story so moving. We can't wait until the next time an August Wilson play crosses our path.We had dinner at the New Sammy Cowboy Bistro in Talent, a restaurant we had read about in Gourmet Magazine. Located along the old highway 99 between Ashland and Medford, New Sammy's owners grow much of their own produce and herbs in an adjacent garden fun to wander through before your reservation time. A funky, eclectic decor, the bistro 
has a knowledgable, friendly staff lead by co-owner Vernon Rollins--his wife Charlene is the chef and runs the kitchen end.
has a knowledgable, friendly staff lead by co-owner Vernon Rollins--his wife Charlene is the chef and runs the kitchen end.Several mini-courses surprised us along our culinary journey including an egg cup filled with a wonderful concoction of flying fish roe marinated in wasabi and a cheese bruschetta. My main was freshly flown in sashimi-grade Ahi Tuna perfectly seared. Leslie had ravioli stuffed with 3 different cheeses. Our dessert was a homemade strawberry ice cream in a warm puff pastry floating in strawberry-rhubarb coulis. Sweet and sour, hot and cold, it was delicious!
Sammy's is a place you want to make reservations for well in advance, but it is the best restaurant anywhere in the area for a special night out. Our bill with apperif, 2 glasses of wine, salad, main, a shared dessert and coffee came to $150 with tip.
Our final evening at the OSF was a performance of Our Town by Thornton Wilder. It was wonderfu
l to see this old chestnut of a play brought to life again. I performed as a part of the cast in a college production in 1972, but I never realized the power of Wilder's words. Many in this cast do a wonderful job. Most noteable the part of the stage manager and Emily's father. What bothers me most about this show was the way it was cast. In the Playbill notes from the director, she mentions the racial overtones within the play as an issue (a point I whole-heartedly disagree with. Yet she has gone ahead and cast the show with mixed race married couples and set them down in an early 1900's small New England town where just such a thing could never have happened. Key members of the cast are weak and unimpressive, especially the actresses playing Emily, a critical role and the actress playing George Gibb's mother. Yet despite the shortcomings of this production, we found ourselves moved by the sheer power of Wilder's message and by some of the staging decisions made by the director. In the final scene, the entire cast is seated in the cemetary. The stage manager walks over, takes his seat among the dead and you hear a collective sigh from them all as the stage goes to black. Oh, my! Brilliant! Despite its faults and there were many, the brilliance of Wilder's message shines through and we were moved to tears. A great end to our time here at the OSF. We look forward to returning next year.
l to see this old chestnut of a play brought to life again. I performed as a part of the cast in a college production in 1972, but I never realized the power of Wilder's words. Many in this cast do a wonderful job. Most noteable the part of the stage manager and Emily's father. What bothers me most about this show was the way it was cast. In the Playbill notes from the director, she mentions the racial overtones within the play as an issue (a point I whole-heartedly disagree with. Yet she has gone ahead and cast the show with mixed race married couples and set them down in an early 1900's small New England town where just such a thing could never have happened. Key members of the cast are weak and unimpressive, especially the actresses playing Emily, a critical role and the actress playing George Gibb's mother. Yet despite the shortcomings of this production, we found ourselves moved by the sheer power of Wilder's message and by some of the staging decisions made by the director. In the final scene, the entire cast is seated in the cemetary. The stage manager walks over, takes his seat among the dead and you hear a collective sigh from them all as the stage goes to black. Oh, my! Brilliant! Despite its faults and there were many, the brilliance of Wilder's message shines through and we were moved to tears. A great end to our time here at the OSF. We look forward to returning next year.
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