Peter Pan

I have mentioned on here before my desire to have my kids appreciate the arts. It is hard to have opportunities to expose kids to art and music because most of these events are aimed at adults and are not even tolerant of children. I was so excited to take my kids to "Peter Pan" at an outdoor ampitheater. If you want to take your kids to a play, this is a good option. Little voices that don't know how to whisper yet don't carry as far. I didn't even notice the other kids and there were a lot of them.

It was also fun for the kids to get to run down to the orchestra pit before the show and during intermissions and see what is going on down there and where the music is coming from.

Hunter BELIEVED this play with his whole heart. He fell in love with Wendy, clapped his heart out when he thought of a world with no fairies, and was deathly afraid of the evil Captain Hook. I was in heaven talking to him about everything and hearing his reactions (another reason I am grateful for the ampitheater).

Josh is such a good sport to go along with all of my schemes. Honestly it was a late night and he still had a smile on his face.

Best we could do at a family photo (my part in the "family photos" is photographer...).

The cast was fabulous and you could tell worked very hard.

These two were my favorites of the play. The Peter Pan couldn't have been any more perfect. The kids at first were completely disgusted that Peter was played by a girl (we have read Peter Pan twice and are currently reading it for the third time, so they "know" Peter, and he definitely isn't a girl), but by the end of the play they were sold. She had a great voice (FYI In the musical of Peter Pan is usually played by a woman, I wondered why and looked it up- "The reason a female was originally chosen is because in 1904 English laws didn't allow minors onstage after 9pm, and moving the curtain time sooner would make it very inconvienent for the high-society theatre patrons buying tickets. Casting a female was out of necessity and nothing else. Ever since it's debut the idea that a female could somehow play a fourteen-year old boy better than a 14 year-old boy has prevailed." JM Barrie, who is the author of Peter Pan was the first to choose a female to play Peter Pan).

Another cool thing they did is that Peter Pan and her shadow were TWINS! At the end when Peter was fighting Captain Hook one would go off on one side of the stage and the other one would come on the other side of the stage. It totally messed with our minds because we couldn't figure out which one was the real Peter. I finally figured out they were twins. It was like that movie "The Prestige." Pretty crazy.

Peter was amazing!

Each of the actors was great.

I LOVED that each time I looked over at the boys I saw these kind of dreamy looks on their faces. It actually made me tear up a few times. I just know as they are watching the play it has become real and they aren't watching Peter Pan, they are imagining that they are Peter. I LOVED being a kid, I have amazing memories of it all. 

Here's another one of those great looks. I didn't get a picture of Hunter's, but when I get to heaven I will replay his commentary over and over because it was priceless (we can do that in heaven right?). I know there was one of these on his face. He LOVED the play.

.

Captain Hook was hilarious. He was a little weak and cowering, which was so funny.

                           
Here was another highlight of the play. This was "Puddles". He actually was the 4 year old son of Wendy. He knew every dance move and song in the play. He was hilarious and everyone there was watching him when he was on the stage.

After the kids wanted some pictures with the cast (or their mom did, I forget). They were too afraid of the pirates so we settled for some nice Indians.

I was in heaven all night watching my kids. They sat for 3 hours watching this play without moving a muscle. There were 3 intermissions and each time the boys would get worried and say "is it over?" They were always relieved to find out that it wasn't

After everything Hunter HAD to get a picture with Wendy. We couldn't find her anywhere and it was so late. I kept saying Hunter can't we just get one with Peter Pan (who was right at the exit). He wouldn't have it. He HAD to have one with Wendy. I have to say I was indulging it a little because it was so funny!

We finally found her and he got really shy. She was so great with Hunter. She talked to him in her cute English accent and really I think sealed the deal. She is officially his first love. As we are reading Peter Pan and it has some pictures every time I even say the name Wendy he has to see her picture. He is smitten.

The other two boys wanted to meet Peter Pan. Peter's line had died down, but someone wanted to talk to her right when we got up there. I just wanted to go, but the kids insisted that we wait until she came back. I am glad we did, because she was also wonderful with the kids and even gave them "fairy dust."

They held onto their fairy dust so tightly. Even when they fell asleep in the van they didn't relax their hands. When we got home they put it in baggies. Palmer told me he was going to start a "fairy dust collection." 

This was one of my favorite experiences that I have ever had with my kids. I think we will look for more opportunities to take them to plays. They did great!