Have you seen Matilda, the Musical? I’ll take any excuse to see a musical. Our local performing arts league, IPAL, does a musical every summer with kids under the age of 18. I am always impressed with the skills of these young people and their directors. Matilda was no exception.
Last summer I took Leo to Beauty and the Beast. We weren’t sure how he would like it, but he sat in his seat mesmerized for the whole play. We took a picture with Gaston.
This year Leo is 6, which means he’s all grown up and knows about musicals.
Sister Stella is four. So it was a long shot to try to take her to the show. My daughter decided to go with us because two kids are harder than one.
Stella was not as mesmerized as Leo. She asked a lot of questions.
“Why is Miss Trunchbull a boy?!”
I explained the beauty of theater is that boys can be girls and girls can be boys.
Stella also had a little trouble suspending belief.
“Her father is so mean!”
“He’s just pretending, remember?”
Leo and Stella both enjoyed the time called “Intermission” when they could get treats.
While Stella lost her patience about a half hour before the play was over, “Is it over yet?”, she can’t wait to go to another musical.
Reflections on the Teche 
The best! I love musicals. My first was Peter Pan on Broadway, and I will never forget it. I wish real life was like musicals – with a song in our hearts. Thanks for sharing.
Start ’em early and make the memories! We didn’t have access to live theater in my small town, but I sure remember seeing 101 Dalmatians at a movie theater in Denver when it first came out!
Margaret, how fun! I love that Leo is now a musical expert. In our small town in Iowa, we used to have a traveling group come to town each summer for a week. They brought the set and leadership and the local kids would be the actors. My daughter used to participate. I had good memories of that while reading your post. I wonder if Stella and Leo will be acting in one soon.
How exciting – the first experience of musical theatre! These photos are magnificent. My husband and I took our three-and-a-half year old to her first movie at the cinema. Like your Stella, she got impatient (and wiggly) toward the end, but she clearly seemed to enjoy it for the most part. For the record: I once performed as Robin Hood myself 🙂
I know my daughter is hopeful she will perform one day, but at this point, she is tone deaf. She knows all the words to Frozen and sings without worrying about how it sounds, but it’s usually all one note. Maybe she can be taught.
Happy to have the time and focus to return to your posts. And how appropriate this one is: my husband and I loved musicals (particularly the classics from 50s and 60s), sung together at the top of our lungs. In my current brand-new widowhood, this brought me joyful memories, and hopes for taking my little granddaughter to musicals in the near future!
Such a wonderful opportunity to embrace musicals from an early age.
I hope this will become a tradition.
What fun to take little ones to plays and musicals! Always fun to see a story come to life!
I love your line about that thing called “intermission!” And love the photos with the actors. I was relieved to see that Stella didnt end up terrified of Ms. Trunchbull!
Margaret,
This is so precious. I can’t wait to take my grandson to the theater. At three he’s not quite ready. Love the dialogue, and the photos are all wonderful. I’m grinning thinking about the joy this outing must have brought you in a summer of loss. *hugs*
Your post makes me remember summer plays at the University of Houston when my kids were little. The best part was watching them reenact the play for days after. Last summer our library programming did The Wizard of Oz. It was so fun! I like the pics you got of the kids with the actors. Great way to remember an experience.
Margaret, these photos tell the story, and I’m so glad you posted so we can enjoy the experience of seeing Stella’s wonder and enjoyment. I love that you took her to the theater and got to see her starting to acquire the love of performing arts. Plus, the Skittles are the best, you know!
I have memories of attending local high school musicals with my mom. I love these special moments for the grands and you! So sweet. Love the pictures.
We are all musical fans in our household and I loved reading about how you’re taking Leo and Stella to shows (Yes!) and how they responded in their own unique ways.