Ten things about Going to Winona

Post date: Jul 7, 2017 5:43:15 PM

Ten things about our Jaunt to see Shakespeare in Winona, Minnesota

1. Librarians know how to have fun! Mike and Roy met through their shared connections as librarians and have been friends for years. The four of us went to see a Shakespeare play at Winona's Great River Shakespeare Festival last year and had so much fun we decided to do it again. So, they arrived Friday night and we tried out a local restaurant in Waterloo—Rodney’s Kitchen and enjoyed it. Afterwards, we took a drive to see the sights.

2. We got up Saturday and drove to Winona, which is a great town – it’s not even a three hour drive from Cedar Falls, but it’s far away enough to feel like you’ve gotten out of Dodge! It was a lovely drive up and back – we saw lots of lush green fields and trees, lots of rolling hills and lots of farms and a few small towns.

3. Lanesboro is a nice diversion not even 45 minutes away from Winona. On our way home on Sunday, we stopped for coffee and pastries, walked around the little downtown, and admired the many Bed and Breakfast places we saw, including one where Mike and I stayed 18 or 19 years ago!

4. Winona has some great places to eat: we had lunch at one place and supper at another. The first place had very much a college town feel with lots of places to sit and converse and a wonderful menu. The second was more of a college pub with pizza and wonderful side salads. We also discovered the restorative benefits of drinking expresso: Mike was noticeably more talkative after his first shot!

5. The theater on campus at Winona State University is very accessible for those of us with some mobility issues. We were able to park by the back door and get in without a great deal of walking.

6. The quality of acting, stage sets, and technical is top notch: this was either our third or fourth trip or we have been pleased every time we came. Theater ushers were friendly and helpful, the audience was excited to be there, and when the lights went down, we were all primed for a great performance. We had the misfortune of sitting in front of a man who snored off and on, to the horror of his family and friends; however, after giggling, we tried to refocus on the play!

7. Richard III was intense with the kind of bad guy you love to hate; the actor used Canadian canes in such a clever way that he resembled a spider at times, scuttling around stage. The character had a hump back and supposedly his physical imperfections affected his personality and very soul. It was a terrible time to be a woman in those days—whether his mother, his unlucky bride, or any other woman, for that matter. They used an interesting visual in the background to represent all of those characters who lost their lives (and heads) due to Richard’s schemes: they looked like spears with masks or heads on them. When Richard dreamed before his big battle, the heads spoke to him: it was creepy and very effective!

8. The Comedy of Errors was a refreshing contrast with two sets of twins who were long lost to each other and their parents due to an unfortunate accident at sea. I wasn’t sure that setting the play in the 1920s would work, but they pulled it off and I loved the costumes, witty dialogue, campy humor and music.

9. We have been amazed at the versatility of the actors: many have come back for most of the 14 seasons. We have seen comedies, romances, and tragedies/histories and they are all done in a professional manner. Each summer, we look forward to seeing how some of our favorites will transform themselves yet again!

10. We found a great hotel: the Days Inn has truly accessible rooms, with a roll in shower, if you need it. It offered comfortable beds, was close to campus, was also close to places to eat, and provided a nice breakfast. Not only that, if you get a craving for pizza, they can make it onsite and deliver it to your room.

BONUS – we managed to time it just right so that we came back through New Hampton to hit Klunders Kafe for lunch! If you haven’t been there and been welcomed by the giant chicken sculpture, you haven’t had their delicious food and wonderful homemade pies and desserts.

Last Updated July 7, 2017