Annie - Huron County Playhouse

I went and saw a great production last night. It was a complete last minute score and I’m happy I jumped at the chance. Jacki (www.whatdidshesay.com) posted she had a couple extra tickets for Annie. Annie was being shown at the Huron County Playhouse in Grand Bend which is part of the Drayton Entertainment banner. * http://www.draytonentertainment.com/

I brought my friend Connie with me who has seen the movie many more times than I have. We have a different take of the musical we watched last night. She missed so many moments that were missing from the movie, but for myself who hasn’t seen the movie in a very long time I didn’t notice anything gone. The songs that you expect were there (Sun will come out tomorrow), and the scenes you vividly remember are there (Never fully dressed without a SMILE!)

I caught myself smiling all the time, wholly engrossed in the production. The children were great, sang beautifully and I thought to myself, if those children were in today’s world singing and dancing that well in an orphanage, they would make a TV show about it! (How the world has changed in the last 100 years!)

Unlike the last couple times I was at different productions, the set isn’t what grabbed my attention nearly as much as the actors themselves.

Connie still plans to bring her daughters with her to see the stage production. Even if it wasn’t just like the movie (her big issue was she missed the larger role Sandy the dog played in the movie vs the stage) she doesn’t think it will be for the Huron County Playhouse run, but plans to grab it at the St Jacobs County Playhouse (http://draytonentertainment.com/season_productions/2012_annie_scp)

They’ve made a fan out of me, I’ll be back.

 

*Side note, we are getting our own Drayton Entertainment Theatre in Cambridge very shortly! Dunfield Theatre has plans to be open Christmas time 2012. I was excited before Annie last night, but even more so since. I plan to be a season ticket holder!

So Excited!

Just bought my tickets to see Avenue Q in Toronto!

www.avenueq.ca

Highly recommended just by reviews and what I've heard! I'll review later!

Camping - Kin Kamp style!

The last time I went camping, I wasn't sure if I was going to manage...

This time I knew I was going to manage. Kin Kamp isn't normal camping. Showers, running water and electricity.

We end up in Meaford Ontario (www.meaford.ca) at Memorial park (http://www.meaford.ca/memorial-park-campground.html ) with about 1500 people.
 Georgian Bay is visible from the campsite, as well as the great beach that Meaford has! I swear I love the water just as much as the fellowship!

Activities keep you busy the whole weekend from pancake breakfasts to hotdog lunches and freezie deserts to 11pm steak on a bun. The in between time is filled with Tug of Wars, relays for anyone who can walk, a talent show and lots of swimming in Georgian bay! Different Kin clubs offer something to do the whole time we are there.

Our campsite for Cambridge had 20 different living quarters all squished into 7 rentable sites! Does it feel crowded? Nope I can say that most people don't stay on the camp site as they head to the meeting places for games and food.

Preparing a tent to be added to tent city!

Hanging out in front of one of the trailers. Not all the trailers and tents had arrived at that point.


We look forward to this camping each year. Midnight swims and lots of great friends who could ask for more?

How to Train Your Dragon - #JLCreviewer

Like I said in my first blog post about How to Train your dragon, I had high expectations. Boy, did they not disappoint. We all left amazed at what we just finished seeing. The whole time I was watching, I felt I was in the show.  Many times we bring our children to shows for their amusement, this time it was just as much for the adult as it was for the child. No child needed to watch this show – Promise!

My daughter, who is hard to please, was entranced the whole time with the life like dragons and the actors who played Hiccup and Astrid. Must note – Astrid is her favorite!

Perhaps my imagination isn’t where the creators of the live show is – but I would never had thought of using the techniques that they did to make it so realistic. Walking on Walls, Flying in the air, fire and bubbles. You can’t get a bad seat for the performance.  The dragons themselves were superb, life like, large and in charge. They were the size of a small passenger truck to a large transport truck.  They had them flying above us, or coming at us and breathing “fire”. Dragons eating objects and taking care of business.

We all spoke of our favorite parts of the live performance, and many times it was the story itself, mine had to be the bubbles to make us feel like we were under water, or when the fire came up to make us realize we were fighting the Queen dragon. The details that they remembered and added in made the show. The actors were perfect, never missing a beat that you or I would catch.  I was sad when it ended and I had to return to reality.

Would I recommend this show to anyone? YES . You didn’t need to watch the movie to understand the show. They mastered enough movie to be able to show. Many times it is hard to make an animated movie into a production, considering one with huge dragons to contend with – but they managed it with precision. I didn’t feel like I missed any of the movie at all while watching the show.

Thanks John Labatt Centre (JLC) for the afternoon of magic and being a #JLCreviewer . This was truly a magical afternoon that was enjoyed by the adults as much as the children. The staff at the JLC are as amazing as the show itself. I had a chance to chat with a few of the staff, and they were so courteous and kind.   Check out a show there anytime.

Camping Part 2

Well, my update for Camping is here!

I'll start off saying that I really did enjoy it. Didn't miss having no electricity. We had running water, toilets and showers. Did that make a difference. YES

Lots of hikes and an afternoon at a beach made the weekend so relaxing. Lots of help, with over 40 of us there, so no one really did everything on their own.

We are considering going back, as well as buying a yearly pass. It gives us a discount on camping. They do have electric sites, but the group ones are not electric is all.

Why not check out Valens Conservation Area - we had a great time even without electricity!

Camping

Most times when people mention camping, the others in the conversation either express love for it or hatred.

I know people who love it, to the point the "rough" it all the way through. No electricity, everything cooked on the fire, way back to the good old days of living away from the rat race and away from the big city.

I'm not one of those people, and growing up in a small town away from a big city (I grew up a world away from Toronto) I never went camping, the most I ever did in a tent was pitch it in the backyard and have friends over. I remember bugs, large ones, and cold, damp nights. I never enjoyed it.

That was then, this is now. Two summers ago, we were invited to a camp that included many of our friends (more now since going) We rented a pop up camper and went up. We had a great time. I need to note, we had electricity, running water and showers/ toilets right at the camp site. This was a big party with lots of people to hang out with for 3 days.

Last year, I went looking for a rental again, and found a steal of a deal. Our own camper for $300. I bought it. My husband has been fixing it up. We went from camping once the first year, to twice last year and this summer I have a weekend planned in the camper every summer month. We might even head out in September.

Why am I talking about camping? Well in a short few days, I'm going to be camping, in my camper, but the hard core way. No electricity. Gasp. Wish me luck, I'm a tech junkie and always with my phone/ computer. What about food, and cooking? No running water scares me. I'm thinking outhouses and stink.

I'll update on my experience, but doubt it will convert me. Why am I doing it? My daughter is in Scouts. This is a family outing.
Oh what we do for our kids!

Cambridge Classic Mile

 My daughter participated in the Cambridge Classic Mile yesterday. She was very excited and told me all the things we tell our kids when they are going into a sporting event. Winning doesn't matter, just doing it is awesome (she added in that she was using energy so that was important).

She ran the 4 laps that were needed, and she ran the whole 4 laps without walking any of it. That made me proud, she ran it and gave it her heart and gave it her best. That was my only condition for her. Do her best.

Walking if that was her best, would have been enough. I watched her give it and push through. When did she walk? Through the finish line!


What is next for her? I'm going to start running with her, so she can keep up her running. I won't be able to keep up with her at all. I will learn I guess!

We will be back in the race next year that is for sure!

Canadian Premiere of How to Train your dragon!

I have been more than excited about the Canadian Premiere of How to train your dragon! http://www.dreamworksdragons.com/

John Labatt Centre http://www.johnlabattcentre.com is hosting it in London Ontario and we (my husband and I) have been pumped to bring my daughter and her cousin.

I have high expectations that I'm sure that it will meet. We are huge fans of the movie, and a stage production can only make the experience 10 times better. The best part will be when Hiccup will be flying with toothless. I'm hoping they can fit everything into a stage production that they are able to in a cartoon version of it!

I hope you check out the clips and links I've posted to make your decision to attend the show. I haven't been disappointed with the couple of "spoilers" I've allowed myself to partake in.


What would it take for you to buy some tickets?