The Gift of Live Theatre This Holiday Season
I love live theatre. The anticipation the audience feels as the lights dim, the music starts and people settle into their seats to enjoy the show. As a parent, it has always been important to me to expose my kids to theatre—community theatre, major musicals, plays, pantomimes—so they can learn an appreciation of what actors do by going out on a stage and giving a part of themselves to the audience.
Beyond an appreciation for actors and their craft, kids can learn a lot from live theatre. They can learn how to sit still and pay attention, how to suspend their disbelief and imagine that what is happening on stage is real, how to applaud to show their appreciation and how to…boo? That last one is is what they can learn by watching a Ross Petty Production.
Back in 2014 we took our kids to see their first Ross Petty Production, Cinderella, and they loved it. This year, after 25 years of live shows, Ross and the rest of his merry band of players hang up their costumes for good.
This year’s holiday pantomime will be the last, which is just one of the many reasons you should go see Peter’s Final Flight: the PAN-Tastical Family Musical this holiday season.
Peter’s Final Flight is playing at the historic Elgin Theatre
The Eligin Theatre has been host to 25 years of Ross Petty Productions and is the lower of two stacked theatres—that’s right, the Winter Garden Theatre is stacked seven stories above the Elgin. They are the last surviving Edwardian stacked theatres in the world—expect looks of disbelief on your kids’ faces when you tell them that there is another theatre on top of the one they are sitting in.
Fun for kids AND adults
We know, sometimes parents take one for the team and sit through something their kids love that they just can’t stand (I’m looking at you Calliou). Ross Petty’s musicals are fun for the whole family—there may even be some jokes in there that only the adults in the crowd will understand—but between the musical mash-ups of today’s hit music and the slapstick performances by the talented cast of Canadian performers, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
Peter Pan like you have never seen him before
With a smart script and jokes for days you will barely recognize the classic story. Ever since Peter Pan defeated Captain Hook, Neverland has enjoyed a long run of peace, quiet and lawn bowling! This is mostly thanks to fairy Plumbum’s magic cloaking spell, which has kept the island hidden from the villains of the world. Unfortunately, while trying to log into her Netflix account, Plumbum accidentally shut down the cloaking spell and revealed their location! With Neverland now exposed, Hook’s wife Helga, and her inherited sidekick Smee, have returned to avenge her husband, defeat Peter Pan, and destroy the legendary Heart Of Neverland!
Ross Petty returns to the stage for one last round of boos
After a long career that includes Broadway, London’s West End and numerous TV and film productions, producer and actor Ross Petty is returning to the Elgin for a few more boos…and one last bow. Thousands of kids and families have been introduced to the wonder of live theatre through the annual holiday musical and they all have Ross to thank for that. If you’ve ever seen one of Ross Petty’s annual productions, you will know that not only does he encourage, but also thrives on the boos he receives from the audience. You won’t want to miss the experience of booing him one last time, I know my family will be there, booing as loudly as we can.
Peter’s Final Flight: the PAN-Tastical Family Musical is at the Elgin Theatre until January 7. Tickets start at $29 and make a great holiday gift. Get your tickets here.
