102 Dalmations

102? That's the original 101 Dalmations, plus Kayla.
Today we went to see the 101 Dalmations play at McMorran put on by the Port Huron Civic Theatre. Aaron was going to be away on business so I thought it might be a fun thing for Kayla and I to do together, and Sunday was the last day of the 3-day performance schedule. I didn't know anything about the play so I wasn't sure what to expect, and I wasn't sure how Kayla would do sitting through a whole play. Attending a live show is not something she has done before, but I thought we had nothing to lose and if anything, it would be a fun opportunity for the two of us to be together trying something new.

Experience it was!! To say that Kayla loved the show is the biggest understatement of the year. I think its pretty accurate to say that this show is by far the highlight of her entire 3.5 years of life. Sitting in our seats - second row! - waiting for the show to start she kept asking "When does the movie start?" I had to explain to her how these were going to be real kids on stage singing and dancing acting out her movie and book. When it finally started, she was riveted, eyes glued to the stage.

She did not stop talking the entire show. And by entire, I mean the entire 60 minute production. One right after the other, she asked questions about what was going to happen, what just happened and what was about to happen next. She wanted details about everything! It also bothered her when the stage went dark for the approximate 10 seconds between sets; each time she said, "They need to turn on the lights, I can't see!" concerned that it might be over. It was probably one of the most intense 60 minutes of my (and maybe hers, too) life. And in the blink of an eye, what felt like 15 minutes, the show was over.

And that's when the tears started. As the cast came out to take their bows, tears began to well up in her eyes and silently started to fall. She kept saying "Is it over? I want to watch more! I don't want it to be over! I want to watch it again!" All the while wiping her tears away. It took all I had not to cry just watching her and explaining how and why plays have to end. We collected ourselves in our seats for the next 20 minutes after the show ended, discussing all the characters and costumes to great lenghts, which character I should dress up as and Daddy and her, that we should use Tikky's carrier as a cage to put her stuffed Dalmation puppies in, that we would come back to the very next show we could, and that when she gets big one day she wants to be on the stage performing.

So yes, it was money and time together well spent!!!

So, just who has a Dalmations cape lying around their closet ready for this sort of moment? Kayla. This cape was purchased probably 2 years ago by Grandma A and has been in her closet for that long, untouched. Partly because she needed to grow into it still and partly because, when is it the right time to pull out and wear a Dalmations cape? The right time is when you're going to see 101 Dalmations on stage, of course! She almost didn't wear it because, when something hangs in the closet in front of your eyes for two years, you forget its there. At the last moment of getting dressed it caught the corner of my eye. It couldn't have been more perfect, which did not go unnoticed at the show either! I'm so glad the perfect opportunity came along to wear it!
It was a very cute stage show! This musical was put on by kids for kids and they did a great job. We will definately be going back to see more of these shows!