On Saturday, Ian, CC and I headed downtown to take in Pillow Theatre's production of Jemima Puddle-duck at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.This free event, which had two morning performances in the Pavilion's Grand Hall followed by activities on the outdoor plaza, was adorable and completely kid-friendly.
We arrived about 20 minutes before the second performance, and the plaza was already filled with children running around the vast outdoor space and jumping in and around the fountains -- which always do a little jumping themselves. Actually, that's what CC made a beeline for, and we had to downright beg her to wait in line for tickets.
The standby line, that is.
There were hundreds of kids and parents who'd already snagged tickets and were getting their seats as we stood there, hoping to see Miss Puddle-duck. I was desperately hoping we wouldn't have to shamefacedly press our noses to the window, sad clown-style. But, after a little wait, we weren't turned away.
Just as the show was about to start, we bolted up the gorgeous stairwell to find a sea of colorful pillows and accompanying tots ready for action. Despite being staged in a place frequented by serious opera-goers, the vibe was laid-back and friendly. Children w
andered around the pillow area as Beatrix Potter's tale of an absent-minded duck unfolded onstage via the Hudson Vagabond Puppets.CC was right there with them. Parents weren't allowed in the pillow area, so she would wander back and forth, making sure Mommy and Daddy hadn't abandoned her to a forgetful duck. It was also nice to see her just sit and watch. (In the above photo, she's wearing a red top and a ponytail).
I was mildly terrified CC would rush the stage and insist on playing her own guest role, but luckily we avoided that potential awkwardness.
There was one behavioral hiccup that I missed when I ducked out (no pun intended) to feed the meter. But they didn't kick us out, which, when you're dealing with a screaming child in a theater setting, is really considered a miracle.
Pillow Theatre's next production is "ZunZun, The Musical Rainforest (La Selva Canta)" on April 25.
Pillow Theatre
135 N. Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-250-ARTS
213-972-4308
pillowtheatre@musiccenter.org
I would've found it difficult to resist the pillows, even though I'm an adult.
ReplyDeleteWhen my boy is a little bit bigger we will definitely try this out, looks great!!
ReplyDeleteIt was really fun and soooo laid-back, which is key when it comes to kids.
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