At first I was disappointed.

by Jayda I was delighted to receive a message asking if I wanted to attend the opening show of Beauty and the Beast. Um ya! Eight pm start, yikes a bit late for my kiddos, but worth the late night right? DH was not up for a night at the theatre due to a case of shingles. Great so DS4 can stay home with DH and I will take DS6 and a friend to the show. Perfect. A Mommy and older kid date night. I love it. A quick text and our night was planned.

One small hitch, DS6 doesn’t want to go.

What?

Nope, not at all.

At this point I am pretty disappointed.

Me: Jack, we are going to go watch Beauty and the Beast with E and S!!

DS6: I don’t want to go?

Me: Why?

DS6: I just don’t. Besides I need to get some rest for Halloween.

(Who’s the parent here?)

Me: That’s ok. This is a special opportunity so we can make an exception.

DS6: I don’t want to go. I know what happens. A girl falls in the love with a beast. The end!

Plan foiled. No big deal, my friend can bring her 5 year old daughter, who was devastated that she couldn’t come, according to the initial plan.

Hours before we are scheduled to depart for the National Arts Centre I get a phone call. Another change of plans! My friend’s daughters are no longer able to attend the show. Initially, I have to admit I was a little upset. But my friend had a back up proposal; GIRLS NIGHT OUT! Three (adult) friends and one friend’s 12 year old daughter threw themselves together in record time and hit Beauty and the Beast.

When we arrived at the NAC I was relived to see that there were very few children attending the show. Of course, I was still disappointed that DS6 didn’t want to come.  I was really looking forward to sharing this experience with him.

We weren’t 10 minutes into the show and I was relived DS6 was peacefully snuggled up in bed sound asleep. He is a very sensory sensitive child. The sights and sounds coupled with tiredness would’ve been a one-way ticket home. At this point, I was able to relax and thoroughly enjoy the rest of show.  In the end, despite my disappointment, it turned out to be a fantastic Girl’s Night Out.

Beauty and the Beast was fantastic! Everything, the set design, the music, the costumes, the special effects, everything exceeded my expectations. My inner child has been satisfied.

I look forward to being able to share the theater with my children...when they are ready.

Jayda Siggers is a Mom of 2 ( JWS, 6 and LLS, 4), a nutritionist, a coach at Clean Plate Cleanse, a master mediator living under a co-dictatorship, whole food advocate, trying to live a little greener everyday.

A night at the National Arts Centre

by Ali One of the most fascinating things for me as a mom is experiencing the world through my daughters’ eyes. I remember the first time they met princess “Belle” in Disney World. They were literally speechless. But that was quite a few years ago, so when I won tickets to see the Broadway touring company’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, I was a bit hesitant to suggest that we all go together.  But, since it was a Broadway musical, I did suggest it and despite a few eye rolls, I think both girls were pretty excited to go.

While both my daughters have been to the National Arts Centre before, it’s always quite an experience. From getting dressed-up, to taking the escalator up from the parking garage to the bustle of movement in the lobby pre-show, it always seems a bit like an otherworld occurrence. Walking through the lobby, watching all the different types of people coming together to see this show, I could sense the anticipation building as we entered the buzzing theatre to find our seats.

I love that moment when the lights dim and the curtains go up. No matter what show you’re seeing, the excitement of possibility is palpable in the air. From the moment the music started, I think I spent more time watching my girls faces than I did the stage. Based on the 1991 Disney animated film, Beauty and the Beast has been adapted from a movie fairy tale to stage production that is a mix of color, music and song. From the opening stanzas until the last strains of music ended, both my 10 and 12 year old were mesmerized by the whirl of color, the flurry of dancing and the captivating music.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a small town, and the Beast, who is really a prince spellbound by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved by another, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. The play is pretty much the same as the movie, which was a staple in our household about 6 years ago.

Despite the fact that we have all seen the movie over and over again, it was so different seeing on stage. One of the best parts for me was seeing my daughters’ astonishment at the confetti falling on the stage during the “Be Our Guest” scene. My eldest called it a “fireworks of confetti.”  My younger daughter’s face light up every time Lumiere’s hands did. We all loved watching the performers on stage in right front of us. They thought it was pretty cool that one of the performers was even a kid. Thanks so much to Kids in the Capital for giving me and my girls this incredible opportunity. It’s something that we will all cherish for a long time to come.

Have you taken your kids to see any full length shows at a theatre? 

Ali is a psychotherapist, blogger, social media enthusiast and chocoholic. She is also a Dance Mom to two awesome girls. She is the owner of Second Act Consignment Dancewear and creator  of Therapy Stew. She blogs at AliGoldfield.