Hello again, friends!
I guess I haven't looked at a calendar enough, because I can't believe it's nearing the end of January- and that means it's about a month of regularly keeping up with this blog! That's one New Year's resolution that I've kept up with so far, and I'd like to keep it that way!
It's clear that the whole first month of 2017 has flown by, and in particular, so did last week. I got to spend some time in St. Louis, Missouri!
I feel like my experience with the Midwest so far has been a lot of empty, bleak, cornfields and wide open spaces, so it was refreshing to get to a city. Besides the giant arch, I didn't know what the city had to offer, and I was pleasantly surprised! A lovely friend of mine spent some time in St. Louis and had some great advice about the city. A little insight was very helpful, but honestly, the most enjoyable parts of my week here were things that I stumbled upon.
We arrived last week Monday after a very long travel day. Though I was half-asleep and desperately ready for bed when we got to the hotel, the views made it all worth it- the hotel was literally right next to the famed Gateway Arch! I could easily look out my window and have a spectacular view! Seriously, my company management did a stellar job with this one (besides our hotel in Daytona Beach which was literally RIGHT ALONG THE BEACH...this was a close second!).
Since this was a sit-down week (meaning that we only were playing one city that week and only had shows on the weekend), I had some time to explore- three whole days off! Unfortunately, my roommate was sick and unable to explore the city with me (I know we'll make up for lost time!), but I enjoyed having some time to myself. I was able to get some even more close up views of the arch and nearby museum (which was formerly an important courthouse), and take advantage of my free Starbucks beverage. It was a damp, cold week, but just brisk enough that a venti drink warmed me up perfectly. I had no exact plan and didn't really look at a map while I wandered around- it was a nice change of pace!
Being on the road all of the time involves a very crazy schedule, that sometimes I feel like I go on auto-pilot to get through the day. And while I love being able to explore so much of the country, some places definitely lack in things to do or inspiration. Especially as a performer, I don't want things to feel mundane or tedious- I love what I do, and I want to bring forth as much passion and energy to Show #100+ as I did to Show #1. But I am not a flawless human being, and these things sometimes get lost along the journey. I didn't expect it, but St. Louis was a refreshing city that gave me so much to appreciate.
On my first exploration day, I unexpectedly came across the National Blues Museum. I arrived with just enough time to visit, and the admission was totally worth it. I basically had the entire place to myself, and it was so nice to get lost in the music and the stories. I don't know a lot about the Blues, but many of my favorite artists are inspired some of the greats. It was so neat to really look at the foundation of the Blues, and the museum was a perfectly guided timeline up to the present day. There were even interactive stations that allowed you to create your own track! It's safe to say I learned a lot, and not just historical, factual things. Of course music is something I'm passionate about, but I felt like I learned so much through exploring other musicians' passions and stories. On the outside, a Blues song can seem so simple, but there's so much more that goes into it. So much heart and soul is poured out into the songs and all of the layers of music- I couldn't help but feel inspired when I left. I know I don't "speak the Blues" with the best of them, but music is truly a universal language. I'm so happy I stumbled across this museum!
The following day was just as good- I got a private voice lesson! As a singer, vocal lessons are highly important, but can easily get expensive or tricky to find a teacher you really click with. However, I was extremely lucky, because none of those things were an issue! The company was able to organize a wonderful instructor from the area. In addition to being extremely knowledgeable musically, she is also a yoga teacher. So much of your singing quality can be affected by your placement or stature, and it was very eye-opening and helpful to see things from her perspective. Her training with yoga had many positive correlations with singing. It's been awhile since I've been able to really look at the music of our show and have someone give me some pointers and constructive criticism. An opportunity like that is something I'm so grateful for!
The national tour of
An American In Paris was also playing St. Louis in the time I was visiting, and there's no better source of inspiration than seeing a live show. I saw the show twice on Broadway and fell in love- I've always been a fan of Gershwin music, the film is a classic, and I'm typically a sucker for song-and-dance shows of the Golden Era. I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed! The production was just as beautiful and clean as I remembered it, and the cast was stellar. I know how difficult it can be to do so many shows a week, especially in one that features heavy choreography. But if the cast was tired or feeling lazy, I never would have guessed it. They brought forth such a forceful energy and passion behind their dancing- while watching them, THOSE are the things you strive for, and everything else should melt away. A performance like theirs was truly captivating! With all of the song and dance, and rhythm and music, I really couldn't ask for anything more!
Most of my adventures in St. Louis were somehow arts related, but I also got to explore the City Museum. If you ever stop in St. Louis, this place is a must-see. It isn't so much of a museum as it is an adult playground! A giant warehouse is filled with jungle gyms constructed of different metals, woods, and odds-and-end pieces- it's really an experience you have to see for yourself. All of the pictures in the world can't capture how diverse and creative this entire space is!
In all, this was a very packed week, not to mention we had seven shows last weekend! Seven shows in three days can be absolutely exhausting- most of my evenings were spent with some Netflix, a bag of ice, and my body rollers! Challenging as it is, I wouldn't trade it for the world, and I'm so happy that I got to spend some time in St. Louis. Being surrounded by so much art and music in this city left me feeling refreshed and inspired- I'd say it's in my Top Ten favorite places I've visited so far!
But all good things must come to an end, and it's on to the next- La Crosse, Wisconsin, here I come!
Signing off from the Street,
Shelby
City #35- St. Louis, Missouri
#shelbyseesthestates
The Museum/ Courthouse across from the Gateway Arch.
The Gateway Arch!
The rotunda of the museum- absolutely gorgeous!
Our sign outside of the Peabody Opera House, another beautiful venue!
A Tim Hortons in Missouri?! I've never seen one outside of Buffalo and New York!
Inside the National Blues Museum!
A wall of over 900 harmonicas played by Jim McClaren.
The gift shop featured this giant pillar which visitors were able to sign!
Inside the City Museum- this place was huge!
Multiple staircases led you to many stories of fun and exploring!
A giant slide covered with a rainbow!
There was an entire outdoors section of the museum too- one part featured a giant ball pit!
There were so many areas to explore, and all were constructed from salvaged metals and buildings!
Pretending I was Rapunzel in her tower!
The lobby of the Fabulous Fox Theatre. were AAIP was playing. I wish the lighting was better because this theatre was gorgeous!
The house of the Fox Theatre, another exquisite view!
