IGNORANCE: BLISS

IGNORANCE IS BLISS. IT HAS ENABLED ME TO ESCAPE THE NARCISSISTIC WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY ON A TRIP TO ST. REGIS ASPEN WHERE I COULD VISIT THE REMEDE SPA TO EXPERIENCE A SOOTHING MASSAGE FOLLOWED BY REST ON A COUCH IN A DARKENED, SERENE OXYGEN LOUNGE. MY GOD - AND HE TOO WOULD BE APPALLED - HAVE WE REACHED THE NADIR OF HUMAN POSSIBILITIES?

IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN UNAWARE OF THE FACT THAT 40 OUTDOOR DRAMAS ARE PERFORMED AROUND THIS COUNTRY EACH SUMMER. LOCALLY I'VE KNOWN OF TWO, "BLUE JACKET" (WHICH I HAVE WITNESSED) AND "TECUMSEH," BUT THEY ARE MERELY E PLURIBUS DUO. THE FIRST STAGED PRODUCTION WAS "THE "LOST COLONY," WHICH HAS BEEN PERFORMED IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR 70 YEARS IN AN AMPHITHEATER IN THE PARK ON THE SITE OF THE ORIGINAL ROANOKE COLONY. COULD YOUR MIND MASSAGE HISTORY IN A FITTER, AMERICAN SETTING? RESPLENDENT PAGEANTRY, SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS, CHORAL SINGING, PERIOD COSTUMES - WHO COULD ASK TO BREATHE IN ANYTHING MORE REFRESHING ON A WARM, POSSIBLY BREEZY, STARRY EVENING?

PATRONS INHALING THE FAUX FANTASY OF BOTTLED OXYGEN PERHAPS?