An afternoon at the theater

What's the best way to kick off your week? Why, a trip to the theatre of course. An afternoon at the theater is one of my all-time favourite things to do. An expensive treat but still a delightful nonetheless. What's evene better, when you don't expect to spend an afternoon at the theater but it just presents itself to you, like it did to me.

Sunday morning, after spending Saturday night indoors, I got a call from a friend of mine. She was upset and distraught over the passing of a friend and would not be able to use her theater tickets for that afternoon, she asked if I'd be interested. Well, of course I'd be interested. I didn't really have any plans that did not involve food, Champagne and loads of movies (a summary of my Sundays in that order). And you know how I love spontaneity in my life - it's one of the advantages of being single. It means I am free to do anything at any time because I do not have any immediate commitments. 

So with less than 2 hours to shower, I had to get to the theater to take in Alvin Ailey's American Dance Theater in their final performance for the season at the Fox Theater.

I was elated. I was to join a group of ladies who had planned to do this and then end the afternoon with a nice dinner downtown. How delightful? Can you hear me squee for joy?

I raced to the theater and got there just in time. This was one of those shows where you are not allowed to stroll in late. 3pm was the cutoff time and a moment after the doors would be shut and no admission until the intermission. So I raced to the doorway and made it. In all fairness, they actually started a little after 3pm but I'm not mad at them.

The show itself. It did not wow me. It left me wanting more and so much more. I kept comparing it to the brutal criticism I witness of the near perfect dancers on So You Think You Can Dance, and thinking these fell a little short. The dancing was not as in sync, the lines were not as straight and the choreography was not as poetic (or enthralling) as some of the Mia Michaels routines on SYTYCD. It just felt a little short to me. I loved some of the narration that occurred with the routines but as one of the guests commented during intermission, she would have preferred the dance to narrate the theme, to tell her the story instead of having it be slapped in her face.

After the show we all convened at Sweet Auburn Bistro and compared notes on the show. I had breakfast and a few drinks at 7:30 and drove home with a smile on my face. Dinner and a show with the ladies, you can't beat that.