It was a Friday night, Opening Night, and when I asked Megan if she had any plans, I was fully prepared for the teen-aged “but it’s the weekend” explanation…so much so, that I already had another friend in mind to bring to Neptune’s production of Beauty and the Beast.
Suffice it to say, I was surprised when she said she’d love to go. Even more so, when she arrived downstairs on the night of the event, fully ready with hair curled and wearing a dress.
This was indeed, shaping out to be the perfect date!
With Emily in Ottawa and Noah in Newfoundland…both attending university…Meg and I are looking at two more years of her being home which leaves plenty of time for mom-and-daughter date nights. And while I’m missing the other two tremendously, if I were to search for something positive about my nest emptying out…it’s the fact that I have the opportunity to spend a little more time with my youngest.
Beauty and the Beast was an absolute delight! We started our evening with a bite to eat, a visit to a few local shops and a stop for dessert…then, on to Neptune for what would turn out to be a fantastic night.
The curtains opened, and there was Belle….absolutely radiant in her Disney Princess way, meandering through the streets of her tiny village, saying hello to the local townfolk as she took a moment to lift her eyes from a favourite book.
The play was everything you’d expect if you’ve ever watched the Disney movie…complete with fantastic songs, a fabulous cast, beautiful costumes and a set designed just perfect for the Neptune stage. It had us captivated from opening curtain to final bow.
The characters were fantastically cast with Belle’s sweetness, the Beast’s gruffness, Gaston’s boorishness and Lumiere’s over-the-top flirtatiousness…but my favourite was definitely Cogsworth the Clock…as everything he said was wonderfully witty and perfectly timed. (See what I did there!)
As the play ended, we made our way upstairs for the Opening Night reception and were once again treated to the fabulous photography of Timothy Richards. Tim is known for creating fantastic sets as he hands you props and instructs you to make a crazy wide-eyed wide-mouthed face as he snaps the shot. Yeah…I did that…but Meg, she didn’t.
The final photo looks like a crazy mother standing next to her beautiful daughter! Had I my time back, I would have grabbed a beast mask rather than a fork!
We had a lovely time and on the walk back to the car, Meg told me how much she enjoyed going to the theatre…and spending a bit of time together.
Luckily, we’ve got plenty of time…over the next few years.
Disclosure: Thanks to Neptune for providing me with two tickets to attend this performance. All opinions, as always, are my own.
Sounds like a great show! I was so happy to learn that they were bringing back Beauty & The Beast. I know that it was at Neptune a while back and it was a huge hit.
The costumes are amazing aren’t they? During Neptune’s open house a few years ago we were allowed into the prop/costume department and we saw Beast’s wig and a few other props.
Anyhoo … *props* to you for taking direction well! I think that photo is picture perfect.