Alex to Beauty and the Beast

This past Sunday March 12th Frank and I took Alex to a local high school performance of the musical Beauty and the Beast. It was held in the neighboring town of Pleasanton and drew from students at Amador Valley High and Foothill High. There was no billboard in the lobby so instead we took our traditional Alex photo by this prop of a Gargoyle with a huge red rose. It was held in the Amador Theatre. I had sung with the Broadway Chorus there several times when I was still active in that choral group.

The program was the standard Playbill with the iconic Disney graphic of Beauty and the Beast. Inside the student actors' names were listed and after each was cited either (F) or (AV). Frank asked me, "What does that mean?" I guessed. "Perhaps Freshman or Advance Vocal according to their music class level...?" A few second later Frank whispers, "Isn't it more likely to mean Foothill or Amador Valley High?" Duh – yeah...

Alex waited patiently for the show to start, enduring with quasi-tolerance my pre-show cell phone pictures. "Oh, mom! Another one?"

Selfies photographers we are not. Frank had the longest arms so he was designated to take the picture proving we all were indeed there. Despite our blurry faces, you can still detect a smile on each of us and that is the point after all.

The performance was enthusiastic and energetic even if the occasional song was not sung on pitch. I was especially fascinated watching the conductor. He was so supportive of those teen student actors! He mouthed the words for them and made direct eye contact with each to bring him in on cue. I am positive that conductor was a very talented musician yet never once did I see the hint of a wince or the slightest indication of acknowledgement they were off key. To do so would certainly have shaken their confidence and dampened their enthusiasm. 

How Frank and I feel about a show is largely dependent upon how Alex reacts. Alex stayed engaged throughout the whole show, even though it did not strictly follow the movie Beauty and the Beast, one of his favorites. I do not think the beast was quite beastly enough for him. The actor portraying the beast was slender and wore only a head dress and paws. When he appeared, Alex did not utter "Beeeeh", as he does with the movie. Alex did love when Belle showed up midway through the second act in her classic billowing yellow ball gown and did exclaim "Behhl" as she came on stage. The cast did a splendid job on the huge dance number Be Our Guest where the dishes and silverware cavort and frolic all over the stage. Alex clapped at that. In summary it was a very positive, fun experience and I am glad we went.

By coincidence the following night March 13th was the season final of the ABC reality TV show The Bachelor. Frank and I sheepishly admit to watching it and trying to guess who the final woman will be. It features a red rose in it as well.

A similarity struck my funny bone. With a bit of digital cut and paste and mirror imaging I created this juxtaposition. I wonder if the Disney executives ever saw this similarity? "Will you accept this rose" apparently means the same in reality land or fairytale land. Perhaps it is true that, "A rose is a rose is a rose".