Goodnight, Moon.

Thursday morning, Mr. Ron took Kern and I to Atlanta to see "Goodnight, Moon" at the Alliance Theatre. I wasn't sure what to expect not having read the script, however I was ready for pretty much anything.

It is always interesting to me to see how other people approach children's theatre. There isn't necessarily a right or wrong way, in my opinion. There are general guidelines that most choose to go by, but the parameters are broad.

This Thursday morning at the Alliance Theatre seemed much like a Thursday morning at the Springer. Buses were pulling up, children were piling out, and teachers were counting and recounting heads. Mr. Ron remarked with a laugh that kids in Atlanta look a lot like kids in Columbus. He is a clever, clever man. But, I digress.

We took our seats several minutes before the show and my attention went, once again, to the children in the audience. They were excited and fidgety. As soon as the house lights went down, so did the chatter and you could hear the "Ooos" and "Ahhs" as the drop revealed a starry night and a man in a night cap, partially hidden by some "clouds". This was the piano player. The curtain speech was a recorded voice, which in my opinion is an unwise decision in children's theare. An actual person should, in my opinion, come out and give the curtain speech, giving the children someone to focus on. This allows for a thorough explanation of what is expected of the audience. Considering the age of the children in the audience, it was quite possible that many, if not most, had never been to the theatre before.

The house lights dimmed once more and the starry night went away, revealing in it's place the great green room. I was more than a little awe struck at the exactness of the set. It was as if the picture in the book had come to life. The characters were charming, the music bright and inviting, and the special effects were just the icing on the cake.

The Bunny, in particular, had a stage presence that grabbed the kids attention. The mouse did little to nothing for me, while the Old Lady-who-whispered-hush had a voice that made me melt. Her rendition of "Goodnight, Moon" had me in tears. (Shocking, I know.) The Tooth Fairy, Larry, made an appearance and the actor playing this character was just great. His deadpan humor and exceptional comedic timing helped to move the show along and secure him a place of admiration in my heart. He was fantastic.

The special effects are something worth talking about. From the lamp that moved to the clock with eyes to the covers on the bed moving to the end of the bed to the fireplace decorations that came alive to the doll house, the cow that jumped over the moon, the bears in the picture and the man on the moon, the effects were phenomenal.

There was only one moment in the show where they lost not only the kids, but me as well. The mouse had a ballad and for whatever reason, be it her or the song, the kids began to fidget and squirm...and so did I.

Overall, a wonderful experience. There is still time to see this show, as it runs through this weekend. Click here for more information.