Theater Buffs

As near as I can tell, the greatest thing about living in NoVA is its plethora of Performing Arts venues. We have only lived here for five months, and I think I have seen more shows than I would normally see in a 2-3 year period living in Orlando. Among them...

Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic at the Verizon Center

Sweeney Todd at Signature Theater

Little Shop of Horrors at Ford's Theater

Naked Boys Singing at 1409 Playbill Cafe

CATS at Wolf Trap

A Capitol Fourth, feat. David Archuleta, Gladys Knight, and Reba McEntire on the Capitol Lawn

Mamma Mia! at Wolf Trap

The best part? There are so many shows, and so many venues, that we couldn't possibly hope to see everything we want to!

This evening TJ and I had the pleasure of seeing Mary Poppins at The Kennedy Center, and it was an amazing experience overall.

I was never particularly fond of Mary Poppins growing up, and have had mixed experiences with Disney's Broadway productions (loved Beauty and the Beast, felt indifferent towards The Lion King) in the past.

TJ has always loved Mary Poppins....well, he has always loved Bert. He hates Mary Poppins. She made fun of him at Disneyland when he was a child. He was in line to meet Bert and oh, so excited. Miss Poppins, being ever so prim and proper, took it upon herself to tell the young TJ that he had orange ice cream all over his face. It was a mortifying experience.

Despite this childhood trauma, it was TJ who asked that we go see tonight's production. The only seats I could find available were either in the second row on the Orchestra level, or the last row of the 2nd Level Balcony. Same price. So, yeah....sitting in the second row sure was fun! The cast was amazing. The songs, both new and old, were charming. The sets were beautifully done. And, throughout the course of the show, I realized something. TJ has been right all along. Bert is adorable. And Mary Poppins is pure, unadulterated, evil. I don't want to spoil the show for anyone, but she does something a tad bit suspicious to a rival nanny in the second act....and nobody seems to notice. Hmmm....

The venue itself is a wonder. The Kennedy Center opened in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Its purpose is to fulfill his vision of presenting the greatest performers and performances from across the world, as well as nurturing new talent. If tonight's performance is any indication, then mission: accomplished.

The best part? DC traffic is easily avoided on a night out at this particular theater. From our Falls Church apartment, you are able to take a shuttle to the Metro, follow the Orange Line down six Metro stops, then hop on another shuttle that will escort you to the theater's front door. All told, travel time is probably less than thirty minutes, with minimal effort on your part. Travel by magic umbrella is probably more exciting, but I guess the Metro has its moments, too.