Oregon
A Feast for the Senses: Ashland and the Art of Theater
Program No. 19886RJ
See what Ashland is famous for by attending local theater performances, and discover the city’s thriving art, food and wine scenes through the eyes of local artisans.
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6 days
5 nights
12 meals
5B 4L 3D
3
Theatre Class, Free Time, OSF Performance
Ashland, OR
4
Theatre Class, Free Time, OSF Performance
Ashland, OR
6
Theatre Class, Program Concludes
Ashland, OR
At a Glance
Enjoy award-winning theater from downtown Ashland, Oregon, a charming college town with a generous helping of big-city sophistication. Now a hotspot for fine food and wonderful wine, Ashland is the home of cutting-edge theater where classics are reinterpreted and new plays are brought to life. From your home at a restored historic hotel, engage in compelling lectures and view three performances at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Explore Ashland's culture and cuisine with a visit to a local winery.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking up to two miles a day over hilly and uneven terrain; standing for up to one hour as well as stairs.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Attend three performances at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
- Learn about an aspect of theatrical production ranging from costume or scene design to stage management and beyond.
- Feast on local cuisine as you learn about the production of Rogue Valley wines.
General Notes
The 2024 Oregon Shakespeare Festival playbill features ten main stage shows, including three by William Shakespeare ("Macbeth", "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Coriolanus") and a variety of new and contemporary works. Performances seen will vary by program date; please see date-specific itinerary for additional information.
Suggested Reading List
(7 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
A Feast for the Senses: Ashland and the Art of Theater
Program Number: 19886
Hidden History of Ashland, Oregon
Local historian and Ashland resident for over 23 years, Joe Peterson, provides information about the city of Ashland that go beyond the stage. Aside from the famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, there is a deep history and intriguing stories about this town.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Images of America)
Angus Bowmer, an instructor from Southern Oregon University, and his friends believed in the value of Shakespeare performed on an Elizabethan Stage. He began with a dream and the rest is history. Set in a community dedicated to arts and culture lies his dream and one of the largest and most influential professional regional theaters in North America, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Much Ado About Nothing
Hero and Claudio fall in love, but Don John disrupts their happiness. Beatrice and Benedict are tricked into believing one is in love with the other.
Macbeth
Macbeth's display of power and ambition lead to a tragic consequence.
52 Things To Do In Southern Oregon
Fun activities in Ashland, Brookings, Cave Junction, Coos Bay, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, and Medford, Oregon.
As I Remember, Adam: An Autobiography of a Festival
The inspiring story of one man's vision and how it transpires into the monumental festival that it is today.
Ashland (Images of America)
Learn about this history of Ashland, Oregon including over two hundred images.
Program No.
19886
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
Ashland, OR
Program Concludes
Ashland, OR
Group Type
Small Group
Activity Level
At a Glance
Enjoy award-winning theater from downtown Ashland, Oregon, a charming college town with a generous helping of big-city sophistication. Now a hotspot for fine food and wonderful wine, Ashland is the home of cutting-edge theater where classics are reinterpreted and new plays are brought to life. From your home at a restored historic hotel, engage in compelling lectures and view three performances at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Explore Ashland's culture and cuisine with a visit to a local winery.
Best of all, you'll...
- Attend three performances at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
- Learn about an aspect of theatrical production ranging from costume or scene design to stage management and beyond.
- Feast on local cuisine as you learn about the production of Rogue Valley wines.
General Notes
The 2024 Oregon Shakespeare Festival playbill features ten main stage shows, including three by William Shakespeare ("Macbeth", "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Coriolanus") and a variety of new and contemporary works. Performances seen will vary by program date; please see date-specific itinerary for additional information.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking up to two miles a day over hilly and uneven terrain; standing for up to one hour as well as stairs.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List: 7 Books
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Tour Length
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
12 meals
5 Breakfasts
4 Lunches
3 Dinners
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Activity Note
Hotel check in available from 4:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
Program Registration: After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any up-updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Lecture topics vary according to schedules and availability at the time of the program. Possible topics include costume design, stage management, Shakespearean language and literary history, the life of an actor, or sound design and engineering. Most mornings will begin with two (2) lectures. Our second morning class — Theatre Reflections — will be taught by an Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor, who will meet with us daily to provide context for the theater experience and performances we’ll attend, lead review discussions, and introduce us to more theater professionals. This program includes tickets to three Oregon Shakespeare Festival performances. If you would like to attend additional Oregon Shakespeare Festival shows on your own, we recommend advance reservations. Call OSF’s box office directly at (800) 219-8161. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
In our private dining room at the hotel.
Evening:
We'll close the evening with an illuminating lecture by a local theatre expert that will expand on the program theme.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 40 miles, approximately 1 hours total riding time. Walking up to several blocks at a time on sidewalks, gradual hills, sometimes uneven terrain; some steps; standing for up to 1 hour at a time during field trips.
Breakfast:
In the hotel’s Palm Room, we’ll have a breakfast buffet with items including pastries, cereal, hard-boiled eggs, fruit, and yogurt plus milk, juice, organic coffee, tea, water.
Morning:
We'll set out on foot and make our way to the Thomas Theatre where we'll meet an OSF company member. From there, we'll enjoy an informative “walk and talk” created by OSF especially for Road Scholar. We’ll explore OSF’s three theatres: the indoor Angus Bowmer and Thomas theatres, and the outdoor Elizabethan theatre. We'll have a chance to engage with the hands-on exhibits of props, costumes, scenic design and more.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Next, we’ll board our private motorcoach and travel to Oregon’s oldest grape-growing region. We’ll stop at a local winery to explore. As we walk among the vineyards, we’ll learn from winery staff about how the unique terrain of the Rogue Valley produces the conditions for a wide range of popular grape varietals. We’ll conclude with a wine tasting. After our tasting, we will board the motorcoach and return to the hotel where a local theatre expert will give an illuminating lecture that will expand on the program theme. We’ll have independent time to explore the city before dinner.
Dinner:
At a local favorite restaurant.
Evening:
Returning to our hotel meeting room, a local theatre expert will provide an illuminating lecture that will expand on the program theme.
Activity Note
Walking several blocks up to 1/2 mile; city sidewalks; some inclines/steps.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet.
Morning:
In our hotel meeting room, a local theatre expert will provide an illuminating lecture that will expand on the program theme. We’ll continue the conversation and catch any announcements from our Group Leader during a brief break. We’ll resume with our Theatre Reflections class. Our OSF instructor will lead an in-depth discussion of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival plays. Today, we’ll also hear from a special guest.
Lunch:
In one of Ashland’s popular meeting spots, we’ll have a boxed lunch.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. If you would like to attend other Oregon Shakespeare Festival shows on your own, we recommend advance reservations. Call OSF’s box office directly at (800)-219-8161.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
We will meet in the hotel lobby to board the motorcoach and drive to the OSF theatres where we will see an evening performance. NOTE: Our program was planned far in advance when details of performances were not available. When confirmed, the information will be posted on the Road Scholar website under this program number.
Activity Note
Walking several blocks up to 1/2 mile; city sidewalks; some inclines/steps.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet.
Morning:
Back in our meeting room, we’ll learn more about theater from company members, instructors from Southern Oregon University, or visiting and local experts. Subjects vary according to schedules and availability at the time of the program. We’ll have a brief mid-morning break then resume with our Theatre Reflections class. Our OSF instructor will lead another in-depth discussion of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival plays. Today, we’ll also hear from a special guest.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. If you would like to attend other Oregon Shakespeare Festival shows on your own, we recommend advance reservations. Call OSF’s box office directly at (800)-219-8161.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
We will meet in the hotel lobby to board the motorcoach and drive to the OSF theatres where we will see an evening performance. NOTE: Our program was planned far in advance when details of performances were not available. When confirmed, the information will be posted on the Road Scholar website under this program number.
Activity Note
Walking several blocks up to 1/2 mile; city sidewalks; some inclines/steps.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet.
Morning:
Back in our meeting room, we’ll learn more about theater from company members, instructors from Southern Oregon University, or visiting and local experts. Subjects vary according to schedules and availability at the time of the program. We’ll have a brief mid-morning break then resume with our Theatre Reflections class. Our OSF instructor will lead another illuminating lecture that will expand on the program theme. Today, we’ll also hear from a special guest.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. If you would like to attend other Oregon Shakespeare Festival shows on your own, we recommend advance reservations. Call OSF’s box office directly at (800)-219-8161.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
We will meet in the hotel lobby to board the motorcoach and drive to the OSF theatres where we will see an evening performance. NOTE: Our program was planned far in advance when details of performances were not available. When confirmed, the information will be posted on the Road Scholar website under this program number.
Activity Note
Hotel Check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
Hotel buffet.
Morning:
We’ll gather for our final Theatre Reflections class to review the week's performances and meet another special guest. Our OSF actor instructor will also provide a glimpse of the festival’s upcoming season. Before we head home, we’ll share our favorite moments from the program with our instructor, Group Leader, and each other. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
