What To Do in Ada: Musical Theatre Edition

Last week in my social media class we were assigned a video project. We had to create and edit a video, upload it to YouTube and do it based off of a specific topic: Things to do in Ada, Ohio. Right off the bat I knew I was going to have to get creative with this project.

I wanted to make this video entertaining so I decided to turn to my friends, who are the most fun, entertaining people I know. I asked them, “What do you like to do in Ada?” or “What is there to do in Ada?” and I got their permission to film their answers. At first, most of what I got were hilarious reactions, which gave me an idea of how to open the video, but as you might be able to guess, the reactions weren’t very positive. I wanted to still be able to fulfill the assignment and give ideas about what fun things there are to do in Ada. I personally have fun here! But I couldn’t figure out how I could tie that idea in with the humor and have a consistent theme. Then I asked another one of my friends what they liked to do in Ada and without missing a beat he talked about fun things he liked to do at the Freed Center. Finally the lightbulb went off in my head: the Freed Center is where I’ve had most of my fun since coming to Ada! I realized if I interviewed  musical theatre majors and had them help me demonstrate and talk about what they liked to do in the Freed Center, I would have a solid answer for the topic and it would be entertaining as well. I continued to ask people what they liked to do in Ada to get some more funny reactions and began to ask people what they liked to do at the Freed Center. I also made a list of all the fun things I could think of to do in Freed, prioritized them to see what would make the cut into the video, and began gathering images and short videos to show those activities. I actually got really into the project and was excited as I was putting it together.

There is so much to do at the Freed Center. It is a beautiful building, but I think everything that is created inside of it is what really makes it beautiful. Ms. Darbus from the Disney Channel Original movie, “High School Musical” said it best: the theatre is “a precious cornucopia of creative energy” and “proximity to the arts is cleansing for the soul.” Despite how dramatic it might sound, I feel like it’s true about the Freed Center. If you take a lap through the building, there’s always something being created, rehearsed, performed, someone working individually on their own art or performance, someone learning or even just friends hanging out making connections and memories. The Freed Center is a place for endless possibilities; a colorful little gem placed in the heart of Ada.  

Attached to this blog post is the video I made! I was happy with how it turned out, and I hope you check it out. You might recognize someone you know, learn something about the Freed Center you didn’t before, or be inspired to spend some more time there. I’d love to read your feedback or reactions in the comments!