Sunthing Special

I just found out that AAA members get to buy their Playhouse Square tix before the general public! So you can get tickets for the Cleveland shows of Mamma Mia (November) and Wicked (November/December), starting TODAY, August 3 (they go on sale to the general public on August 21)! Just go to www.playhousesquare.org/groups and type “AAA” for the code. $10 Smart Seats are available for Mamma Mia but not Wicked, though you can still get those for as low as $26.55 each (+ $1 handling charge). So if you’re at all interested, hurry and order those tickets!!

$10 Smart Seats at Playhouse Square was another hit for us! Yesterday on a whim, I bought five tickets for our family to see the Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy for this afternoon. It was SOOOOOOO good!!! Really mesmerizing!!! And only $10 a ticket!!! My husband and I really enjoyed it, and although it’s geared for all ages, our young children didn’t quite “get it.” And who could blame them? It’s hard to understand the incredible athleticism and talent of the performers, from the contortionists to the man who plays drums with juggling balls to the woman who swings from a ring by her hair. Then there was the violinist playing on stage throughout the show, the clever and colorful costumes and scenery, the entertaining prologue … a show that just came off a run on Broadway … all for just $10 a ticket!! That’s what I call a bargain!!

Author Demi signed copies of "The Empty Pot", the book which was performed as a ballet at the Akron Civic Theatre.

Don’t let the “youth” in the troupe’s name fool you — the “kids” who perform in the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet (CVYB) are good — really, really good. In fact, I’m always amazed by how well done, in every respect, their shows are. This year my family and I went to see “The Empty Pot”, which is based on a book by Demi. I actually took my nieces to see the premiere of this performance at the Civic in 2000, so it was very special to take my own children to see it nine years later. This work was preceded by the premiere of “At My BEST”, created by  Tom Evert and performed by music by Bobby McFerrin. That was a treat in and of itself. I give the ballet’s artistic director, Mia Klinger, a lot of credit for making her shows so entertaining and professional. I think they only(!) put on two shows a year – one in March and one in December, and I certainly hope I can attend “Nutcracker Swings” in December!

Just a quick review of how much I loved loved loved “Hairspray” the musical, which we saw from our $10 “Smart Seats” tickets at the Palace Theatre in Playhouse Square! I’ve been wanting to see this production for the last six years and after waiting that long, I was afraid I might be disappointed. But — yay! — I wasn’t! It was so well-done! The casting, scenery, music, acting, singing, choreography, story — everything just came together in a perfect package. I just love the story and how Tracy, her mom and her dad are so okay with being who they are (even if they’re not the “norm”), and what a loving and supportive relationship they have.  And how Tracy just does the right thing. Great, great show!! (the Web site is really cool too). I’d go see it again in a minute!! (P.S. I’d be remiss in not mentioning that this musical was extra-special to me because we took my darling teenage niece – her first “Broadway” show – making this an even more wonderful memory for all of us!!!)