How many times do we hear kids complain there’s nothing to do, and that they’re bored? We get on their cases about finding something to do, or some make the investments in video game equipment just so we won’t have to listen to them complain about the lack of entertainment in their lives.

In our “empty nest” setting which we’ve found ourselves in since all of our grown children have set up their lives, one in Tennessee, one in Virginia, and one in Dewittville, Sally and I sometimes, more-so in the “Cabin Fever” months, say the same thing, that at times there’s nothing to do.

One of the ways we’ve solved that problem, is to try, at those times of the year, to get out at least once a week, maybe to a different place to eat, or find some form of entertainment in this area, or close proximity to Jamestown, that’s available to us, helping us solve the “there’s nothing to do” dilemma.

Maybe others feel the same at times, so we’d like to share some things we’ve found to fill up some of that empty time.

One of the things we enjoy is go to stage performances. We’ve seen wonderful performances around Jamestown at local high schools, the Willow Bay Theater, Jamestown Community College and the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, as well.

We’ve also seen some great stage plays in Buffalo, at Shea’s Theater, where we’ve seen Cats, Fiddler on the Roof, Jersey Boys, Wicked, and Phantom of the Opera.

A short while ago, we wanted to get away for a weekend, but for fear of winter weather getting in the way, we thought of driving to Erie, and trying to find something to do there. We got there in the early evening on a Friday, and went out to have a nice dinner together. On Saturday morning, we got up, had breakfast, then went out to do some shopping (we were there just before Thanksgiving, so we thought while we were there, we’d try to cross off some names on out Christmas list.) Went back to our hotel around noon, I watched some College Football before getting ready to go to a wonderful performance of a small acting troupe who presented, A Canterbury Feast, in a small dinner theater, The Station Dinner Theater and Tavern, in Erie. The performance was set in medieval times, as was the dinner we ate. The play began and the cast performed Act I. Then cast members then took the roles of knaves and wenches and served us Soup, Salad, and Bread, but we got no utensils with which to eat. After this course, the cast resumed their performance roles and presented Act II, and when that was complete, they became servants again and served Course II, which consisted of a whole, 2.5 pound, stuffed chicken each, which we also had to eat literally, by hand. Following that, we were entertained with Act III, before being served a dessert consisting of Zuppa Inglese, sliced apples and cheese, and again, no spoons or forks.

Following dessert, the cast performed the epilogue, and allowed the audience to join in the singing of one of the final songs, before the cast took their bows and thanked the audience Great show, fun evening at a cost of $35.00 per person, which included both, dinner and the play.

This dinner theater runs throughout the year with different plays performed each month or so, on weekends. How did we find this place? I did a Google Search on “What to do in Erie?” It’s definitely one you should add to your list.

Some plays and concerts we’ve seen, especially ones out of town are a little pricey, but entertainment around the Jamestown area, and the one we saw in Erie (and will most definitely be visited again by us) were very inexpensive, yet very entertaining.

Add to this list many school, church, community, Chautauqua Institution concerts performed in our area, the entertainment offered by the National Comedy Center, the Reg Lenna, and all other venues, arenas, and theaters in the area, and you may find fewer occasions when “There’s nothing to do.”