Category: Theater

Theater

Legend of Rock, Paper, and Scissors- Oregon Children’s Theater

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Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!  Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!  The classic game that has solved many a childhood problem, and perhaps some adulthood ones too, has become a musical!

Our trip to the theater this weekend was extra fun because we brought along one of Nugget’s friends from Kindergarten.  It was the second time this little had been to the theater (the first being a field trip earlier this school year), and it was fun to see the magic fresh through his eyes.

Both boys had been on a daily countdown for their theater date for a couple of weeks.  At home, we read the book again to get ready.  We ate dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets.  We wondered how the battles would go.  We were ready!  So, it turns out, was our little friend.  When his mom sent a picture that morning of our friend sitting on a chair staring out the window waiting for us to arrive, we kicked into high gear and got there early so we could all go for hot chocolate.

So into the car we all piled, with Chicken taking on the role of caregiver and theater expert for both boys.  She explained to our friend how it all works, asked if he would like to participate in the pre-show activities, and wondered if he would like to get his program signed after the show.  Chicken and Nugget were both thrilled when he said yes to all of the above.

Getting there so early meant we got a prime parking spot.  Yay!  We walked around the corner to the closest Starbucks and chit chatted as we enjoyed our drinks.  Then we made sure not to step on any lines on our way back to the theater- wouldn’t want to get electrocuted so close to show time!

The preshow activity for this play was a coloring and writing activity.  There were coloring sheets and fresh crayons (fresh crayons are a big deal in kid land) for each Rock, Paper, and Scissors.  There was also writing prompt paper kids could use to create their own stories.  All of the kiddos did a great job coloring and we smartly carried our papers into the theater with us. Once seated, they of course had play the Rock, Paper, Scissors game, complete with a referee for any questionable calls.  When the lights went down, the kids were so ready!

The play has a set up reminiscent of a wrestling match.  There is a narrator who introduces our heros- and frequently gets interrupted by Rock.  The narrator provides us with background information and builds the excitement for the various battles in a way that reminded me of a circus ringleader- in a good way.  The audience was encouraged to cheer for the characters and those in the front row got running high fives from some of the cast.  The boys decided to wave their papers for their favorite characters, just like waving a fan sign at a sporting event.  We were in the back row of the orchestra, so it was a great way for them to get engaged without blocking anyone else’s view.

Each main character has a battle or two with opponents from their realm, only to find themselves insufficiently challenged.  At the end, they all battle each other and find they win some and lose some, and that is okay!  It’s definitely a play with a good message.

The songs were long and a bit repetitive and the set was not at the same level of amazingness I have come to appreciate at Oregon Children’s Theater.  But I did love the incorporation of a variety of styles of music.  Each character had a style associated with them.   Rock (guess who that was for), jazzy/bluesy music for Paper, and a bit of salsa flair for Scissors.  The boys were bopping along to the rock and jazz, while Chicken was swaying in her seat to the salsa.  Scissors also incorporated a bit of Spanish, and all of the kids I had with me speak Spanish to varying degrees.  The actor playing the narrator was fun and fantastic.  Although the peach was only on stage for a few minutes, he was hilarious and full of sass- definitely one of our favorite characters.

What it it: Kid friendly, funny, including of a variety of music, engaging of the audience, based on a fun children’s book and true to that story, nonviolent despite the concept of the battles

What it is not: the best set we’ve seen at this theater

Do we recommend it:  Yes!  Especially with hot chocolate and extra especially if your child is a fan of the book

 

Spring and Summer Activities, Theater

Aladdin- the Broadway Musical- updated April 8, 2019

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Aladdin is coming to town!!  Yay!!  Aladdin the Broadway musical is on a national tour for at least the second you in a row.  If your kiddos are fans of the movie, it is a must see.

The show was in Seattle last year, and we took a day trip up there just in case it wasn’t going to make it to our area.  And this year we will be seeing it here as well!

The musical follows the story of the Disney movie pretty closely.  All your favorite songs are included, complete with bright, glittering sets.  Aladdin is a bit more angsty, and has a couple solos about how he hopes his parents are proud of him.  Um, he’s a thief.  But a sweet and adorable thief.

And Disney must not have been able to find incredibly well trained animals who they could guarantee wouldn’t “let it go” on the middle of the stage.  Abu is turned into two of Aladdin’s human friends who provide quite a bit of levity.  Raja becomes Jasmine’s girlfriends, and honestly I didn’t feel like they added much.  Iago also becomes a man- although somehow Nugget walked away with the impression he was Jafar’s wife.  His mind must have taken some interesting detours.

We saw the show when Adam Jacobs was in the title role- he originated Aladdin on Broadway.  It was pretty cool to see the original actor and recognize the voice from the soundtrack we had been listening to.  He is no longer playing Aladdin, but I’m sure the new actor will be fantastic, too.

The costumes in this show are gorgeous and colorful.  There is so much to look at and be amazed by.  The cave of wonders is very well done, and the stage is covered in golden treasure.  The dancing is fantastic and the whole show is so high energy.  It’s kind of like a multicolored singing glitter bomb going off on stage for 2 plus hours.  In a good way.

The kids both loved it. Although Nugget was very concerned that we saw so much of Jasmine’s belly button.  He didn’t feel like that was appropriate.  Or the kissing.  Chicken reveled in following him around saying “belly button, belly button, kiss, kiss, kiss” for several week.  Actually, she still does it sometimes and he still curls up into the fetal position.  So there’s that.  But he was entranced by the flying carpet.  He knows there should be ropes holding it up, but since we couldn’t see them he is sure there must be some actual magic involved.  Chicken still occasionally bursts into “High Adventure”- one of the new songs that was one of our favorite parts of the play.

I wouldn’t say this is one of the meatier or best acted Broadway tours.  But it sure is fun.  If you are looking for an afternoon of color, dance, humor, and Disney joy, this show is definitely for you.  Run and get your tickets now!

If you are interested in going to Aladdin while it is in town this March and April, you can find them at https://portland.broadway.com/

And yes- Frozen is coming!  Eek!

 

UPDATE:  We saw this show in Portland for the second time on April 6, 2019.  It was even better than last time!  Even accounting for the fact that we didn’t have to drive three hours each way, we enjoyed the show even more.  Three actors are now portraying Genie, and we lucked out by seeing Major Attaway in the role, who has previously played Genie on Broadway.  He was out of this world!  We also preferred this year’s Aladdin and Jasmine- they had better chemistry and Jasmine was just a touch sassier in a way we loved.  I think Aladdin’s three friends were perhaps a bit stronger last year, but these actors were also fantastic.

We had slightly better seats this time and it really made a difference in how much we noticed the sparkle that is all over the stage and costumes, as well as all the small details that are part of the set.  Chicken and Nugget both giggled more this time and overall we had a fantastic time.

So, my assertion still stands- if Aladdin comes on tour to your area and you have little fans at home, it it totally worth a family date night!

Theater

Nunsense- Broadway Rose Theatre

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Ok.  First off- this play isn’t really for kids.  Chicken was too sick to go, but Nugget and I went off to the the show as it is a sold out run and we couldn’t change our tickets.  We were actually approached as we entered and were warned that some material was not suitable for children- like the scene when the nun accidentally sniffs glue and starts acting “silly.”  But I thought- “judgement be darned.  We are here and we are going in.”  And I am so glad we did.

Most of the adult  humor went right over Nugget’s head.  The parts that were not appropriate for him made absolutely no sense to him.  And there were still parts that had him laughing out loud.  He giggled and giggled as we used our hands to quietly mimic some of the onset choreography.

For those of you not familiar with the story, a chef makes a bad batch of soup and the majority of the nuns in the convent die.  As mother superior chooses to use some of their funds to buy a 70 inch flat screen TV, they run out of money for the remaining burials and have to begin fundraising.  And therein begins the hilarity.

Broadway Rose made the bold choice to give the role of Mother Superior to their male co-founder, Dan Murphy.  And he was perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  Poor Mother Superior tries in vain to keep her nuns in check and get on with the show.  So what if one dreams of being a ballerina and another has amnesia?  So what if one has issues with authority?  So what if her second in command questions her judgement at every turn?  So what if Mother Superior herself dreams of being a tightrope walker in the circus?  It’s all part of the fun.  The cast is fantastic and each plays their part incredibly well.

There is a nun puppet, a trivia quiz for the audience (you get prizes!), cheesy jokes, celebrity impressions, and plenty of singing and dancing.  The puppet had Nugget hiding his head under my arm as he was laughing so much he thought he would get in trouble.  I myself had tears of laughter several times.

There are lots of moments that poke fun at religion.  Not in a malicious way at all, but if that is something you are sensitive to, the show might not be for you.  None of the jokes are mean spirited, but some are a tad irreverent and I can see where seeing Mother Superior high on glue could be offensive to some.

So…

The good: hilarious show, laugh til you cry moments, fantastic acting, audience involvement

The not great: can’t really think of any.  Perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea if religion is not something you think a comedy should be based on

Do we recommend it?  Not for young kids.  It’s not a kids play nor is it billed as such.  Nugget enjoyed it and I am confident he is not traumatized and will not turn into a juvenile delinquent- at least not because of this play.  But for an evening out with your teen?  Totally.  For a night out of giggling with the girls or your partner?  Even better!  All moms deserve that, right?  That is what Nunsense is perfect for.  I adored it and I bet many of you would, too.

This show has been very popular and tickets are hard to come by.  If you want to try, they are available at https://www.broadwayrose.org/.  They have some other fun shows coming up this year, so maybe you will find some inspiration!

Theater

The Starlings Present Dinosaurs! (Northwest Children’s Theater)

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This weekend I braced myself and took the kids downtown to see puppets teach us about dinosaurs.  It wouldn’t be fair to say I was dreading it, but I wasn’t as excited as I often am about shows.  So I bribed myself with meeting some of our favorite people there and planning lunch afterwards.  That’s allowed, right?

So, the Starlings.  NWCT got a grant to study puppetry and develop a “flock” of bird puppets.  They have now starred in 3 shows- Sleeping Beauty (we didn’t see that one), Amelia Earhart, and now Dinosaurs.  The two Starlings shows we have seen were written by NWCT with original songs and choreography.  They focus on teaching kids about a topic in fun and creative ways.

One thing I do love about the Starlings shows is the level of interaction with the audience.  They bring the puppets (in character) into the lobby before the show and interact with the kids.  They also go into the seating area before the show and take pictures with kids, talk to kids, and generally wreak havoc.  And I will say that all of that is really fun.  It creates a high energy, fun atmosphere and gets the kids ready to go.  The kids love getting to touch the puppets and talk to the birds as if they were real.  Nugget, of course, had to take another path.  He told one that it wasn’t a real bird because it was too colorful and birds are black. Clearly we need to go somewhere tropical!  He recognized a puppeteer as the person who had played his favorite pirate, and spent quite a bit of time calling him Smee and trying to get the person to admit he wasn’t really a bird.

The show itself is fast moving, creative, silly, and educational.  A couple of the songs are pretty catchy.  And there are tap dancing t-rexes, so there’s that.  The show teaches how dinosaurs are named and then gives the audience a chance to name their own dinosaurs.  They even come into the audience and let some kiddos announce their dinosaur names.  My littles eat that stuff up. The Starlings shows tend to target a younger audience, and the 75 minute run time is just about right for the age range that tends to go.

The good: it’s a short, fun, fast paced, interactive, colorful show

The not great: the shows always seem a bit chaotic to me.  But I think it’s a reflection of the inner workings of the little kid brain- which is who they are trying to entertain

 

Do we recommend it?  They are not my favorite shows and I find them a bit overwhelming.  But Chicken and Nugget cannot get enough and the kids in the audience seem enthralled as well.  And since it is a children’s theater, I would say they hit their mark.

Tickets can be found at:  https://nwcts.org/

 

 

Theater

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed- Oregon Children’s Theater

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“We are naked!  Naked mole rats!”  This song has been stuck in my head since we saw this play.  Twice.

The current production at Oregon Children’s Theater is based on a book by the same name- Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed.  Only theirs is a “rock experience.”  There were many things we enjoyed about this play….  the music, the band being on stage, the lighting, the sets, and socks magically falling from the sky.  It moved quickly and had a nice message- it’s ok to be yourself and do what you want as long as you aren’t hurting anyone else.

The story follows Wilbur, a naked mole rat who loves fashion and a good accessory.  The other mole rats aren’t sure what to make of him, and some are openly against.  They eventually seek guidance from the great Grandpa, who decides, “why not?” when it comes to getting dressed.

The script was funny- although some of the humor was a bit forced at times.  There were several jokes aimed at the grownups in the audience, which was nice and a bit different from most of the plays there.  There were jokes about the Gap, H&M, ‘fake news,’ and other topics not necessarily familiar to the younger audience members.  There is a dance party at the end, which always makes for a good time.  The word naked is used A LOT, and bottoms are scratched and shaken, making it a hit with the little boys in the audience.

Chicken, Nugget, and I saw it over the weekend, and I got to go again during the week with Nugget’s Kindergarten class.  I heard Chicken laugh several times, but after it was over she indicated it was not her favorite.  Nugget loved it and has been singing songs from the show ever since.  He’s even been wearing his hooded sweatshirts backwards to try and mimic the shape of the mole rat costumes.

The first time we saw it, the show lost its audience a little over half way through.  Kids got squirrly and the noise level increased.  When we saw it on the field trip, the kids were very into it.  Lots of laughs, comments being shouted out to the characters, and lots of cheers.

Our reviews?  Chicken- “I didn’t like it” (but I saw her smiling and laughing).  Nugget- “Can we go see it again when it comes back to town?” (after seeing it twice).

What it is: a cute show with a good message, well produced, high energy, a fun book tie-in, catchy music

What it’s not: our favorite show ever

Would we recommend it?  If it’s going to be the one and only play you take your kids to, we might suggest another.  If you are looking for a fun afternoon with your children and not looking for a defining theatrical moment, it’s a great time!

The show is running through February 17th, and tickets can be purchased at:

https://www.octc.org/naked-mole-rat/

Adventure Box, Holiday, Theater

Wizard of Oz- Portland Panto Players

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Portland Panto Players. Oh my! This was one of the first “tickets” the kiddos found in their new Christmas Mailbox. Portland Panto Players is a group that formed in 2017 to perform panto plays around the holidays. If you are new to pantos, like me, here is the scoop. (Thank you, Google!) Apparently Brits have developed this style of theater and it is a typical holiday family outing. A traditional panto takes a well known story, in this case Wizard of Oz, and tweaks it. Like, a lot. Every panto has a villian, a dame (an older female character played by a man), and incorporates modern music, pop culture references, adds new characters, and takes liberties with the story line.

In this case, Auntie was played by a man with a beard parted into pigtails. Beardtails? I don’t know. The flying monkeys rapped Ice, Ice, Baby. For reals. Glenda sang Popular (yay!), and Dorothy’s sister Hannah sang a line from Book of Mormon when knocking on the Wicked Witch’s door. We Are Family and The Lion Sleeps Tonight also made enthusiastic appearances. The Tin Man was still in search of his heart, but had been gifted a pair of silver balls on a string that he was told was his dingaling. Which resulted in the cast singing about how they want to play with My Dingaling. Yes, you read that right.

There is a lot more audience interaction than is typical of theater, which was a lot of fun. Characters spoke directly to audience members and incorporated the comments little kids couldn’t keep inside. You are encouraged to boo the villain (which Nugget did with gusto) and shout out warnings to the cast when the bad guys are approaching. Humor was over the top and very heavy on the puns. The set was simple but effective, and a video screen with prerecorded pieces was used when certain staging couldn’t be accomplished. The cast was clearly having fun and were decent singers and actors, although not necessarily professional caliber. Most of it was family friendly even if the humor went over the kids’ heads a lot of the time. There was plenty of funny in there for them, too. Depending on your sense of humor and propriety, the whole Dingaling song could have crossed a line for some. Chicken and Nugget knew they were missing out on something critical and spent a good bit of time this afternoon discussing what exactly it could be referring to.

I can honestly say I have never been to anything quite like it. Did I like it? I have no idea. I want to say no, but I laughed out loud multiple times so I must have, right?

Chicken loved it and said she would go to every single one they ever do. Nugget was a bit gobsmacked. I’m not sure he knows what just happened to him. I am pretty much in his camp.

Portland Panto Players indicated they are aiming to make this a yearly tradition and they are planning on putting on a 2019 show. Will we be there? Maybe. We will see how the mood strikes us and what else we have going on.

Tickets ran $8 to $12. More information on their shows and panto in general can be found here: https://portlandpantoplayers.com/

Camps and Classes, Holiday, Theater

Mary Poppins at North West Children’s Theater

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This weekend we had the pleasure of meeting some friends at Northwest Children’s Theater for their holiday show- Mary Poppins! The day was fantastic for many reasons.

Chicken participated in their Girl Scouts workshop before the show. It was such a fun experience for her! There were four teachers, some of whom she recognized from other shows we have gone to. I mean, she got to hang out with Donkey from Shrek the Musical! That alone made her day. They played acting games, saw backstage, and explored the costume area. They even learned one of the songs and a bit of the choreography. She had so many things to share with us when it was over.

While she did that, Nugget and I headed to Starbucks to meet some special people in our lives and play Uno. A win for all! Well, me. I crushed him. No mercy, mamas! Then it was time to wander back over to the theater.

The look on his face when he saw his little buddy and the hug they gave each other made my eyes fill with tears. They were so excited to see each other and to see the play!

The opening set was beautiful. Light was used to portray smoke rising from chimneys, which fascinated both boys. All of the sets were beautiful and changed frequently. The kid actors were adorable and Mary Poppins herself was spot on. All of classic songs are there, along with some not found in the movie. Mary Poppins did her flying with an umbrella thing, which was a huge highlight for all the kids. Choreography seemed like it was in slow motion, but the kids seemed to like it because it made it easier for them to mimic later. Actors frequently used the aisle, and Nugget did not ask even once if they were there to eat him.

As we left the show, our little 5-year-old buddy said “that was awesome!” as Nugget proudly sached down the aisle singing Let’s Go Fly a Kite. The girls were a little deeper in their thoughts and had lots of good things to say.

As always, the kids had fun getting their programs signed and their pictures taken. As usual, Nugget refused to go near any of the girls. He is so weird.

Once we got home, they played the soundtrack on our Alexa and Nugget even put on a penguin costume to act out the penguin scene from the movie (the song is in the play but is sadly penguin free).

So….

What it is: a fun family holiday show, full of music and beautiful sets, engaging, perfectly time for those dying to see the upcoming Mary Poppins Returns movie (me! me!), a great date afternoon for the family.

What it is not: Short! It ran about 3 hours with the intermission so may not be the best choice for very young children who aren’t used to theater

Would we recommend it? Yes! Completely! It is running through January 6th and tickets, or what is left of them, can be found here:

https://nwcts.org/

Theater

Ella Enchanted (Oregon Children’s Theater)

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So this weekend was Ella Enchanted at OCT.  Nugget was in a cranky mood and said he in no way wanted to go watch a show about princesses.  I told him this was an un-princess story and to get his little tushy in the car (and be nice about it).  With a frown on his face, he got in the car and buckled up.  He even found a pair of headphones in the car and put them on so he wouldn’t have to be tortured with all the princessness.  I ignored him and acted as if everything was fine.  So it was one of those mornings.  Yay.

Ella Enchanted is the story of a princess who is given the gift/curse of obedience.  She has to do anything anyone tells her to, which has some obvious down sides.  Ella is a likeable young girl who strives to find her independence. She has a an endearing mother, a wicked step family, and a clueless step father who make her plight all the more difficult.  All the trappings of a classic fairy tale.

We got there and found our seats to be in the first balcony.  We had never had seats there before and they were pretty good!  Nugget kept on his cranky pants- and the headphones.  But he did subtly lift them up during the good parts and had a list of things he liked once the play was over.

Chicken did a lot of giggling and smiling.  The evil step sisters were a hit, and she loved the concept of the play.  She was able to draw parallels between Ella and other well known fairy tales.  She was even pleased to find the word “obey” on a vocabulary test at school a few days later!  Who says theater isn’t educational?

Overall, the talent was fantastic and the staging was beautiful.  There were a few parts that could have been cut out and I don’t think any of us would have missed them.  But even those parts were pleasant enough.

What it is: sweet, funny, with a positive female lead, and un-princess fairy tale, well produced,  and enjoyable.

What it is not: super fast paced, Nugget’s favorite

Would we recommend it:  Chicken and I would, Nugget not so much

 

Theater, Upcoming

Beaverton Civic Theater 2019 Season

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BCT just announced it’s upcoming season and it sounds like a fun season for families!

They have two mainstage productions that have the potential to be family friendly depending on the age of your children- Diary of Anne Frank and Clue: the Musical.  These productions are typically $15 for adults and $5 for children.

They are also having a few productions targeting children and families through their Young Audiences program.  These productions are typically $5.

They are doing Knuffle Bunny again this year.  We saw it at least twice when they did it a couple of years ago and it is worth the $5.  Be prepared for a lot of dramatic wailing on the part of Trixie, but that’s kind of what she does for the whole book, too.

Another show we are excited about is Charlotte’s Web!  We haven’t gotten to see this production as a family and we are all looking forward to it!  They are also doing a concert version of Beauty and the Beast.  I’m a little disappointed it isn’t a fully staged production because it is one of our absolute favorites, but it makes sense given their space limitations.  And since we are all suckers for all things Beauty and the Beast, we will be there with Belles (hee hee) on.

BCT also announced a new program we are excited about.  It is called Troupe BCT.  Children ages 8 and up will be able to audition to be part of the training intensive program, which will culminate in a public production of Seussical the Musical.  Another family favorite!  Chicken will be auditioning, but we will be at the show regardless of whether or not she is lucky enough to be selected.  I love that BCT is increasing their theater outreach for youth.  Yay BCT!

Camps and Classes, Theater

Beaverton Civic Theater Children’s Classes

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Chicken took her first class through Beaverton Civic Theater this week.  It was the third in a series of 3 (the first two didn’t fit in our schedule).  One two-hour class cost $15, and I believe you could take all three for $30.

Chicken’s class focused on ‘acting a scene.’  While I did not stay for the whole class, Chicken and the teacher both indicated they did acting warm ups, played games, and practiced two short skits.  The first involved the kids acting as a box of crayons that did not get along, but in the end they learned that working together can create something beautiful.  The theme of their crayon color included working together to make a drawing that was incorporated into the skit.  The second skit was Halloween themed and adorable.

I did arrive a few minutes early to watch their final practice and to watch them ‘perform.’  The teacher was positive and encouraging.  The girls (they all happened to be girls, much to Nugget’s chagrin), were clearly having fun and proud of what they did.

In speaking to the teacher and other BCT staff after the class, it appears more classes will likely be held in January.

What it is: Reasonably priced, fun intro to theater skills, developmentally appropriate, positive

What it is not: targeted to students with a lot of theater experience

Would we recommend it:  Yes!  Chicken had a great time, walked away feeling proud of herself and connected to a fun group of girls, and it is a manageable time commitment