Getting a little culture in...

Tonight I took the two oldest kids to see Annie at the new CenterPoint Theatre. It was fun to share something that was such a large part of my childhood with them. The show was well done and both my kids seemed to really enjoy it. Jake kept noticing little things and pointing them out to me, like if a set piece didn't make it back to exactly the same spot in a different scene (Seriously, reminded me a lot of my brother...) and wanting me to explain all the political subtext of the Great Depression. I should have explained more before the show I guess. Evie was just entranced. The first act was a little difficult for her, when Miss Hannigan was being so mean to the little girls and when Annie was singing about wanting her parents to come back and get her. Evie clung to my arm like she expected to be hauled off to an orphanage at any moment. It was interesting to me to see how differently each of my children reacted to the play, even while they both really enjoyed it. On the way home I told the kids how Mima and Pa Dave took me to plays when I was a little girl and how much I always loved going to the theater, and how I hoped the performing arts was something they would learn to love and appreciate as they grow up too. Jake thought about it for a moment and then said, "You know what I would like to see, The Nutcracker." I told him it's a date!