Canterbury House Bed and Breakfast

Okay, I know I have been remiss in my reviews of our season of shows at Weston Playhouse.  I do have a reason (okay, an excuse) though,  the weather has been so spectacular here in Woodstock, that we have been spending as much time as we can outside.  A little gardening, lots of walking around this lovely village…you get the picture.

Here we go,  my impressions on show #3, Damn Yankees, show # 4, The Marvelous Wonderettes, and last but not least, Death of a Salesman.   I will start with Damn Yankees.  This is the story of a man, Joe Boyd, who makes a deal with the devil in the summer of 1958, in Washington DC, about his beloved baseball team, The Washington Senators.  If they could just get a “long ball hitter” they could beat those “Damn Yankees”.  He laments that he would sell his soul for a long haul hitter. Enter…Mr Applegate, The Devil, and he is ready to make a deal with Joe.  He tells him he can give up his soul to become “Joe Hardy the slugger the team needs”.  If Joe Hardy is in the game for the duration, Mr Applegate gets him.  If by 9:00 pm on the last game day, he isn’t in for the duration, Joe gets his old life back.  I won’t give the whole story away, but Mr Applegate does everything he can to get  Joe.   There is lots of singing and dancing.  The show was good, albeit dated.  We thought the actor who played Mr Applegate was very good.  The rest of the cast was just okay.  Past musicals we have seen here had a more Broadway feel than this show. 

On to show # 4, The Marvelous Wonderettes….Quoting the Weston Playhouse PR …..”It is a cotton-candy-colored musical from the past”  This show was at one of their other stages–Weston Rod & Gun Club.  This venue is EXACTLY as its name says, a Rod & Gun Club.  By no means fancy, with terribly UNCOMFORTABLE chairs.  The show starts out in 1958, at the senior prom and the 4 Wonderettes tell their story through the classic songs of the 1950′s and 1960′s girl groups. The show raps up 10 years later at the reunion.  Lots of familiar tunes like Lollipop, Lipstick on Your Collar, Mr Sandman, just to name a few.  We enjoyed the old songs, but we did feel the performance lacked electricity.  Only back-up accompaniment was a piano.  Kind of  felt like community theatre, not that I don’t like community theatre, but for  professional performers, frankly community theatre members do a far better job.  As you can tell, we weren’t particularly happy with this show.

Now, or last show, Death of a Salesman, the Arthur Miller timeless Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning play.  The heartbreaking story of a traveling salesman fighting a changing times while struggling to capture the American Dream.  Christopher Lloyd plays Willy Loman. We found it was difficult to separate the Christopher Lloyd of Taxi and  Back to the Future roles.   It also appeared, at times, he had trouble remembering lines. The supporting cast was extremely good.  They were able to carry Christopher, when he stumbled.  He just didn’t seem a good fit for the role, which made the show a little long.

Well, that is my views on this season at Weston Playhouse.  Some very good, some just okay.  All in all, our first year with season tickets was fun.  We spent 5 Tuesday evenings losing ourselves in make believe.  We are looking forward to Spring 2011 when the new season is announced.  We definitely have the live theatre bug–stay tuned…Winter may have us going to the Flynn in Burlington and Northern Stage in White River Junction!

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We have seen our second in our series of 5 shows at the Weston Playhouse.  On Tuesday, July 20th  we saw Avenue Q.  What a show!  Very adult, a bit racy, funny and entertaining.  This show is the story of a young man who graduates college and moves to New York City.  He ends up in an apartment on Avenue Q.  Hence, the show title.  Kind of an adult Sesame Street, mixing puppets and people.

When the show opens, you aren’t sure whether you should watch the puppets, or their human “handlers”.  Eventually, they blend and  become one..  The actors in this show are amazing!  I was in awe of there coordination….they can work the puppets, dance around, and sing, all at once.  If it were me, well…I could barely walk across the stage without tripping!

Now, I don’t want to give the best parts of this show away, but we follow our main character, find true love and a direction for his life.  This is the most basic of descriptions, because I hope that you get to see this show, if the touring company comes to your area.  I will say these two words though—-Puppet Nudity.  The neighbors of our main character are funny and quirky.  You will laugh throughout the show.  It is always nice to have a “happily ever after” ending.  Oops, I gave away the ending!  I promise , it won’t ruin it for you, go see this show if you can.  (I guess my sister was right all those years ago…I can’t keep happy secrets!)

Many of the cast members have performed this show on Broadway and have been part of the touring company.  I know I have said it before, but it is worth saying again..How wonderful  for us to have The Weston Playhouse  to experience great, professional  theatre. 

Now, I know I told you on my last theatre blog that we wanted to do a picnic supper before the show, but good old mother nature threatened rain, so instead of the possibility of eating in the car, we went back to Sam’s Steakhouse.  We are two for two in having a nice dinner before the show.  Our picnic supper plans are again on the playbill for our next show….just need mother nature to cooperate. 

So, stay tuned…our next show is Damn Yankees.  Can’t wait to see it.  I will update you after the performance.

PS.  We had guests see Avenue Q last night and they thought it was great too.  I used GREAT restraint,  and didn’t give anything away.  (It was hard though!)

Well, the Jimmy Cliff concert last night was a great success AND  fun was had by all.  Suicide Six was THE PLACE to be.   If you didn’t get to see Jimmy Cliff, there is another chance for the summer fun at Suicide Six in August.

Natalie MacMaster is performing on Saturday, August 21st.  The fun starts at 5:30 pm.  There is a barbecue again, just like at the Jimmy Cliff concert.  Now, if you don’t know Natalie MacMaster, she is the Cape Breton fiddler, who is one of the most versatile and exciting young musicians on both the Folk music and Celtic music scenes.  MacMaster’s many projects have seen her collaborate and perform with Alison Krauss, the Chieftains, Paul Simon, and Pavarotti.

August is a great time to be in Woodstock, summer is slowly winding down, with warm (not to warm) days, evenings cool down,  you can sleep with the window open  (might even need to cover up with that light blanket).  The perfect time to come and enjoy an outdoor concert and barbecue.  We have rooms available for that week-end.  Why not call and have an end of summer great time.

Oh, I forgot…also performing with Natalie is Great Big Sea,  the St. John’s based, Juno nominated band that fuses Newfoundland traditional music with modern pop in a crowd-pleasing formula.  How can you miss all this fun?

Check out Pentangle Arts Council website  for all the information.

                    http://www.pentanglearts.org/events/event.cfm?EventID=191

The summer season of the Weston Playhouse is in full swing.  What a wonderful place to see live theatre.  Over the past few years we have seen some first rate performances there.  We have seen Les Miserables and Hair Spray. These productions are as close to Broadway as you can get, without going to New York city.  The seasons’ schedule is quite diverse, year after year.  You can choose from a drama, comedy, or a musical.  They also have something for children.  The theatre itself, is terrific.  There isn’t a bad seat in the house AND you can’t believe the leg room!  For those of us who like to stretch our legs out a bit and not feel like a pretzel, this place is tops!  All of this, in Weston Vermont, just a 40 minute drive from Woodstock.

Every March, when the playhouse posts their  summer schedule, we look it over and pick a show to see.  This year we were so impressed with the choices of shows, we decided, along with some friends to become season ticket holders.  We have tickets for 5 performances.  We saw our first show, The 39 Steps, on this past Tuesday. (more on this show later)  The others we will be seeing are…Avenue Q,  Damn Yankees,  Death of a Salesman and The Marvelous Wondrettes.  Quite a diverse playbill.  Along with our decision to become season ticket holders, we thought it would be fun to “do the pre-theatre dinner”.

So, here we go, “Dinner and a Show”.  We started the evening out at Sam’s Steakhouse, on Route 103, in Ludlow.  It was our first time there, and although we have heard over the years that lots of skiers go there for a steak, frankly, it was off of our radar, so we went in not knowing much about it.  We were pleasantly surprised.  We arrived around 5:30….show starts at 7:30….need 15 minutes for the drive to the theatre, so plenty of time for dinner.  We were unaware of the fact that they had early bird specials that night for $11.95 per person.  I think there were 5 entree choices, with a potato, vegetable and their salad bar.  Two of us ordered london broil, two ordered salmon.  Nicely prepared, beef was moist and tender, salmon flaky and also moist.  The salad bar was fresh and had a nice variety of items.  Portion sizes were not huge, but more than enough food.  Service was attentive and quick.  (nice when you have a show to see!)  All in all,very nice.  It certainly wasn’t fancy, but it suited our needs for theatre night.

Now, on to the Show!  This play is based on the Alfred Hitchcock movie of the same name.  If you have seen the movie, you know it is a murder mystery, with some esponiage thrown in, certainly not a comedy.  The play is “sort of”  like the movie……NOT!   First off, only 4 actors  play ALL the roles.  It is funny, physical and clever.There is a train chase, plane crash and some romance thrown in.  Bottom line fun and entertaining.   We were amazed at the casts’ ability to jump from character to character.  The set design and staging for this smaller stage was ingenious. 

It was a fun night out. We are already looking forward to the next show in two weeks (Avenue Q).  Dinner plans are being formulated as I type.  We are thinking it might be fun to do a picnic supper on the Weston Green,  weather permitting .  In the coming weeks, I will give you my “reviews” of the shows and our dining escapades. 

We think the Weston Playhouse is another Vermont gem.  If you want an evening of theatre in a beautiful setting come visit.  Check out their website, you don’t have to get a season ticket,  check out the schedule and order YOUR tickets.    www.westonplayhouse.org

Last week I told you about our guests who were here with their Miata Club, touring Vermont.  Yesterday, we had two couples arrive for the 4th of July, on their Harley’s. Dave and Deb, and Brian and Christina are from the Essex Junction area of Vermont.  They own Green  Mountain Harley-Davidson,  in Essex Junction, VT.  So, it is only natural that they would come on their bikes.  They travelled down to Woodstock on Route 100.  This is a great route by any mode of transportation, car, bicycle or motorcycle.  We had one of those beautiful Vermont days that we treasure, so it was a great ride.

Now, Bob and I know nothing about motorcycles or have had experience riding one.  Listening to Deb, Dave, Brian and Christina talk about what it is like riding their Harley’s is fun.  Not only do they ride in the United States, they have done rides in other parts of the world, namely South America!  How cool is that!  Just like Dave about his Miata, our Harley enthusiasts consider their bikes as their babies.  I marvel at their skill in packing the “saddle bags”  (I apologize to all the motorcycle enthusiasts if I don’t have the right name for the bags! Remember, my knowledge level is zero!)  I couldn’t do it!  Where does the hair dryer go?  I could NEVER fit my clothes in such a small space.

I guess my point to all of this is…why not bring YOUR “baby” and visit Woodstock and The Canterbury House. We really enjoy hearing about your experiences exploring this area.

Also, if you are in the Essex Junction Vt area stop in and visit Dave, Debby, Christina and Brian at    Green Mountain Harley Davidson maybe you will find YOUR “baby”.  Check out their website too!   www.greenmtnharley.com

Happy Trails!

This week-end we had a lovely couple (Dave and Rosemary) from Rhode Island staying with us.  They were here because Dave’s Miata sports car club decided to do week-end ride in Vermont.  Now, of course, this car is Dave’s baby.  For Rosemary, well let’s just say….it isn’t HER baby.  Normally, Dave goes on these rides by himself, but as Rosemary says “I do one ride a year”, so lucky for us she did this Woodstock/Vermont ride.

The group came up on Friday, arriving early afternoon.  The group didn’t have any organized dinner plans on Friday, so Dave and Rosemary went to Prince and the Pauper.  They had a lovely  meal.  The next morning after breakfast, they were off with the club for a day of driving.  They were gone most of the day.  Back home to the Canterbury House briefly, then out to dinner with the club at Firestones.  No chance to give the innkeepers an update on their day until breakfast this morning.

A fun day was had by all, never had to put the top up on the car for rain.  So,  they were really able to enjoy the sites.  They were telling us and our other guests about one interesting stop they made…It was the Hope Cemetery in Barre Vermont.Barre Vermont is the “Granite Capital of the World“.  Hope cemetery presents a distinguished history of memorial art in stone.  This cemetry has had a profound influence on the memorial art of other cemteries throughout the country.

What makes this cemetery unique, is the way that families have memorialized and honored loved ones.  For example, there is  a  personalized memorial in the form of a favorite chair of the person being memorialized.  There are others as unique as this, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise when YOU go to visit this cemetery.

Bob and I had heard previously about the Hope  Cemetery several times, but frankly, we quickly filed it away in the back of our brains.  Hearing Dave and Rosemary talk about it makes us want to go.  I see a trip to Barre Vermont in our very near future.

The thing that we love most about being innkeepers is that Canterbury House guests love to share their experiences with other guests and us.  Whether it is about places around the world they have been or frankly, right in our own backyard,  there are always new things to do and see.  As Dave and Rosemary made the Canterbury House there “home base” why don’t you?  You don’t have to have a car club to visit Hope Cemetery, or any other great location, just come for a visit.  Bob and I would love to help you plan your trip.

If you want more information on the Hope Cemetery, certainly you can call us or check out the following website….

www.roadsideamerica.com

So, are you looking for something to do on the week-end of July 16th?  I have the absolute perfect idea for you…. Come to Woodstock and go to the concert at Suicide Six Ski area.  It is an outdoor concert under the beautiful Vermont stars.  There is a barbecue tent, so its dinner and a concert!

The featured performer for this concert is Jimmy Cliff, who was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of  Fame (March 2010). Jimmy Cliff is a legend of Jamaican reggae music and is, after Bob Marley, probably the best-known Jamaican musician of all time.  Known for his easy, pop-friendly reggae style and earnest voice, Jimmy Cliff has put his signature sound on numerous international hits.  Rising star Trevor Hall and electrifying live performers Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars join Jimmy Cliff for this summer’s ultimate reggae bash.

Doesn’t that sound like something you want to do?  Your room awaits, so give us a call and reserve your room for the week-end.  You can also book online using our secure reservation form.  What are you waiting for?

For more information on the concert and barbecue, here is the link to Pentangle Arts Council  site.

          www.pentanglearts.org/events/event.cfm?EventID=190

Happy first day of summer!  Well, so far so good, the first day of summer in Woodstock is shaping up beautifully.  Highs in the low to mid eighties,  low humidity and spectacular sunshine.  It can’t be said enough, Vermont is beautiful in the summer, so what is stopping you from making plans to visit?

Long range forecasting calls for terrific weather and tons of fun.  Give us a call to book your room and let us help with making your plans for a great summer visit to the Canterbury House and Woodstock.

We are looking forward to meeting you.

Sue

PS  The patio furniture is out!