<p>My D and I are looking forward to visiting JMU for her audition this coming weekend. We are driving seven hours to arrive on Friday by 4pm so will have missed all tours for the day. Any suggestions for what to do on a self-guided tour? We wil definitely be able to take one of the tours of the Forbes Center being offered on Saturday. Any suggestions for restaurants in the area? We will be staying for 2 nights. Are there any theater or other events for Friday or Saturday? Thanks!</p>
<p>I would suggest trying to get to know the overall campus–the Forbes Center is off on one edge, and the university’s layout is a little bit complicated. So if you arrive while it’s still light, you might want to set out on foot and explore. The old (“bluestone”) part of campus, right across Route 11 from the Forbes Center, is very pretty, and the ISAT and tech buildings are across the interstate, essentially on a separate campus. Might be worth getting oriented! I’m not well acquainted with good restaurants in H’burg (usually do Mexican, honestly) but if you have time and are interested in a non-JMU theater event, you cannot do better than a show at Blackfriars Theater (American Shakespeare Center), about half an hour down the road in Staunton. They just started a new season. Plenty of great places to eat and wander around in Staunton, too. Have a great trip and best of luck with her audition!</p>
<p>I believe that there is a self guided tour sheet you can pick up outside of Sonner Hall – [JMU</a> Campus Map - Sonner Hall](<a href=“http://www.jmu.edu/map/buildings/SONH.shtml]JMU”>http://www.jmu.edu/map/buildings/SONH.shtml)</p>
<p>As part of the audition day there is a tour of the Forbes and of the Arts Living Learning Community Dorm – Wayland Hall. </p>
<p>I recommend Clementines or Dave’s Taverna downtown. If you like Thai food Taste of Thai is one of the best Thai restaurants I have been to anywhere. It is on High Street. They also own a restaurant called Beyond downtown which is sort of asian fusion… tapas, etc… Those are my favorite places to go. Out by the mall there is also an Outback steak house and an Applebee’s. </p>
<p>This is only the end of the second week of classes, so no shows are up and running yet – a good chunk of the department has actually been away for most of this week at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Region 2 Festival presenting a full production of a play from last semester, as well as actors, directors, managers, designers, dramaturgs presenting work individually. </p>
<p>There is the Men’s Chorus Invitational on Friday evening… [James</a> Madison University - Experience the Arts at JMU - Men’s Chorus Invitationa](<a href=“http://www.jmu.edu/jmuarts/events/011813-mens-chorus-invitational.shtml]James”>http://www.jmu.edu/jmuarts/events/011813-mens-chorus-invitational.shtml). There is also a production at the Court Square Theatre Downtown presented by one of the local theatre groups and directed by a faculty member at JMU – [CALENDAR</a> - Arts Council of the Valley](<a href=“http://www.valleyarts.org/calendar/]CALENDAR”>http://www.valleyarts.org/calendar/)</p>
<p>See you Saturday!</p>
<p>Thanks so much to you both - all very helpful suggestions. I can’t believe I will actually see the famous “KatMT” in person in just a few days!</p>
<p>hahaha! Safe travels. ;-)</p>