An Afternoon With Aunt Ruth

And mommy too, but when Aunt Ruth is around mommy doesn't count (as far as either one of my children are concerned! ;)

Gracie has been bouncing off the walls all week waiting for this afternoon. And, the last 24 hours have practically been unbearable as we awaited the "Cinderella play."

Aunt Ruth came and picked both of us up around 1pm to take us to the performance that was part of Gracie's birthday gift from Ruth & George.

The play started at 2 at Shenandoah University (in Winchester). After a half hour drive an a rousing game of car bingo, we found the theater and our seats.

I was intrigued by the small space and the open stage. They called it a "theater in the round." I hadn't seen one of those since my college days (and extra credit for seeing a play at the Clarence Brown Theater).

I let Gracie sit next to Aunt Ruth, a decision I am sure Aunt Ruth was regretting by the end of the first act!

Gracie is such a girl--and a very animated one at that. It is hard to describe, but when she gets excited or nervous she gets clingy and fidgety...and very giggly! She buries her head in my arm, or wraps her arms around mine and practically pulls you down. I am used to this--Aunt Ruth wasn't. But as you can imagine, it was more fun to watch Gracie watching the play, than watching the performance itself.

Although, the performance was wonderful! These college students are very talented, and I thoroughly enjoyed the play.

The story was of Cinderella, but how it is told in three different countries. They started with China, then went to Russia, and later how it is known in the Native American culture. This was such a neat thing to see as they were all different versions, but carried a similar theme.

Meanwhile the Cinderella most girls have come to know and love, narrated the stories and popped in between the others. Her story progressed as well. She introduced herself in the beginning. At the end of the first act she was going to the ball, the end of the second act she was home but back in rags, and the end of the third she was going to marry the prince.

I have to say the actress who did the traditional Cinderella was by far my favorite. She was truly talented and as Ruth mentioned later; she could have gotten a job at Disney on the spot!

When the play was finished the girls (and a few boys) got to see the actors & actresses outside. Gracie was quite nervous and clinged to Ruth, but I did manage to talk her into taking a picture with Cinderella.

These young men and women were so wonderful to the children as they left, just as personable as they were on the stage. They thoroughly thanked them all for coming and were so gracious and seemed very happy to bring so many smiles.

Even though the play was over, Aunt Ruth had another surprise up her sleeve. The three of us made a stop at Stone Cold Creamery before we headed back to Strasburg.

It was quite the fairy tale afternoon....just us girls.

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