The Velveteen Rabbit

Today I went to see Velveteen Rabbit at The Manhattan Children's Theatre in NYC. I had a meeting afterwards with the General Manager to discuss a contract for me to develop the study guides for next season. As I sat down in the little storefront theatre surrounded by around 100 2nd graders and realized that this was the first time in a very long time that I was watching children's theatre that I was not involved in.

Usually I am the one behind the performance. As a Stage Manager for mainly children's theatre I am the one calling the go, making sure the cues are set and generally supporting the work that the performers are doing onstage. This was the first time in a very long time that I had absolutely nothing to do with the production. Granted- I did go see Click Clack Moo a few months ago but since I know 2 of the performers AND worked for the company last year that seems different somehow than this totally unconnected experience.

I have a history with this story so I was prepared to be quite defensive. Luckily, the show was pretty good. There were some slow parts and I think the lighting design could have been handled differently but the script was nice, the Rabbit costumes were excellent and the animation behind the performers was awesome.

The kids loved it. They watched mesmerized as a group of adults turned into the book characters and then back out again. They laughed at the jokes, gasped when a hidden door was revealed and grew somber while the Rabbit sat outside by the burn pile and cried about her uncertain future. And that is really why we do it. Through theatre you can change the perspective of a child, teach them compassion and understanding and a love of a very primal art form. Honestly- the set and the costume and the script and the lights don't even matter as long as the feeling is there and the children respond.

So Brava ! Velveteen Rabbit cast- excellent work! or as a former cast member said quite a few times on tour, "Can you believe we get paid for this?!"