The next Clydes destination was Raleigh, NC to see the home of Andrew Johnson. During a potty break, George screamed and ran. He'd seen this:
It looks like a locust, but we looked it up in George's book and a locust has black on it. Anyone know?
On the way to Raleigh, we stopped at my high school North Carolina School of the Arts.
Unfortunately it was a Sunday and the buildings were closed, but we walked around the main quad – the “elephants” sculpture (very abstract), the main hill we took trays and sled down in the winter, the volleyball court, the location of the jello wrestling during Beaux Arts.
The school has grown with the addition of the film department. When I was there there were less than 200 high school students and 500 university students. Agnes de Mille’s theater, where my mind was blown when I saw my first modern dance performance, has become a recital hall. I don’t think she’d like that much. There’s a new school of music and a street mimicking a Hollywood studio.
The tree which once had 1000 white origami birds still stood to the side of the coffee house and the Pickle field where our pathetic volunteer tag football team once “played” was now a film warehouse on Pickle Drive. Zuri was the Pickle mascot with red high tops.
It was too hot to linger too long. My time there was an amazing experience for me. I was away from home and thrown into the thick of vocal study and competition. I came alive as an artist there thanks to the dance and music and theater. The Moscow Arts Theatre had an exchange with our actors. They brought their version of Chekov’s The Seagull to our campus. Four hours of Russian and the single most influential piece of theater I have seen. It was acting at its best and most beautiful. I have been in love with Chekov ever since!
Mostly, I think I was most influenced by the people, all artists, of different disciplines, and cultures from around the world in such a small place. It was quite a change from my Catholic high school in Charleston, South Carolina (with no music program). I will always be grateful to my parent for sending me there (I had to beg)!
We spent the night in Raleigh, NC. George was not feeling well (he was still fine when he found the 3D glasses and tried out different emotions while wearing them) and a fever had developed.
Loved the pictures and the stories. I would guess you are looking forward to being home in the near future. ABK will be waiting for Cole when you get there. How wonderful. Love
Posted by: Babu | August 01, 2009 at 07:26 PM