A Trip to the Theater

Yesterday I took the kids to the theater (PPAC) to see Scooby-Doo Live. (Thank you Kristin from Mama Luvs Books) I didn’t tell them where we were going until we could see the marquee. I did not want to endure all the questions. 

So I got them their clothes and told them to get dressed because after lunch we were going out. They couldn’t dress in their usual flair because of the wintery mess that Mother Nature dumped on us Saturday night (but they still had flair). We ended up with door to door service because Ted dropped us off and picked us up. This was the first time I took all three kids to “an event” by myself; I’ve taken one or two but never all three. They were given ample warning on how to behave.

They love going to PPAC

We get there and Teddy kept saying he was nervous. I had no idea why, we’ve been to PPAC several times before. We pick up the tickets and head up to the kids’ favorite spot, the balcony overlooking the lobby. They love to watch the people below.

Keeping an eye on all the people below

Now that the crowd downstairs has dissipated, it’s time to find our seats. We sit down and it starts, “Is it time yet?” This happens every minute until the lights go out. While we are sitting there, Teddy tells me why he’s nervous. The show is about a haunted theater. After reassuring him that he had been to this theater before and nothing happened, he started to relax. Let the show begin.

Someday Maizie will smile for me

At the beginning of the show they have the audience sing along and I swear the parents were singing along more than the kids. I know I remembered every single word to the song, my kids knew some but not all. When it came to a musical number, it was true to the Scooby genre, it also reminded me of the Silver Platters performance or Sunshine Day. (Kudos to you if you remember those performances). Teddy was very relieved when he saw the ghost (not scary at all) and whenever the ghost appeared; the audience had to yell “GHOST!!!” Maizie was not a participant in that, while Teddy had to be reined in.

I think one of the worst things they do is have intermission. Everything is going smoothly, and then they take a break. As soon as the lights come on, Stella announces she has to go to the bathroom. Taking one kids to the bathroom is a chore, let alone three. We were able to navigate the ladies room in a matter of minutes and all three followed the given directions. I kept telling them that whoever didn’t follow directions would be victim to a HUGE scene. Once the break is over, all hell breaks loose in the audience. It is constant chatter and wiggling.

The show ends and our driver (Ted) is right outside the theater waiting with the car running. Thank goodness because it was cold and windy out there. We get home and two out of three play outside and then a trifecta nap. I call that a good day.