As a self-proclaimed couch potato,
whose couch potato-ness only
escalated during the pandemic, I must
say that the idea of trying to get two children
under the age of 5 out the door to any
activity at a specified time ignites my anxiety.
Transitions are not my 5-year-old’s strong suit,
and when there’s a perfectly good television
they could watch, why would I put my child
through that stress if we’re not required
to leave the house? There’s plenty of new,
educational and delightful content out there
every day (Sesame Street has 50 years’ worth),
and that television isn’t going to watch itself!
But I took a chance this weekend, relying
heavily on the reward system to get my child
to go through her morning activities, to see
Adventure Theatre MTC’s “You’re A Good Man,
Charlie Brown.” I brought my 20-month-old
daughter, too.
One of the things that I immediately noticed
after the live performance was my children’s
energy levels. After a TV show, they’re practically
zombies. After just 70 minutes of a live show,
they’re inspired: running, singing and actually
playing together.
I also felt that watching the live performance
was much more of a family activity. I try to be
present when my children watch screens, but
that’s not always possible as there is a neverending list of chores that need to be done at
home for self-proclaimed superhero, Mommy
the Multitasker. However, in a theater, there is
nothing to distract me. No phones, no chores,
just the pure enjoyment of being present with
my kids.
In this moment, I was reminded that live
performances give us security in the knowledge
that we are not alone in this world, and we as
a community have to help each other. We’ll
never see this show done the same way ever
again. The script may always be the same; the
performances and audience reactions are 100%
unique.
Another huge difference I noticed was my
children’s willingness to break with the material
and engage in reading. In a live show, there
is a definite ending, whereas with streaming,
there is no ending in sight. So, when they got
home, they wanted to extend their experience
by picking up their Charlie Brown book to read
together.
Another good reminder: We as a species
learn and grow from stories. And when the
stories play out in the same space as we are, they
stick in our heads longer. There is no barrier of
safety between you and that actor in front of
you. You are face-to-face with their humanity.
(Also, who are these children wanting to
read books, and what have they done with my
zombies?) They are healthier and better people
than when we went inside the theater.
I happened to notice during the show that
the house wasn’t sold out, and I know many
families, like mine, are out of the habit of going
to live theater. But the benefits far outweigh the
downsides. Yes, live performances aren’t free
(and that $13 Disney+ subscription is already
paid for). But we do need to pay our artists for
their work and their time. And I can’t help but
feel that my children found a place they felt they
belonged.
In fact, so much so, I might try enrolling them
in a class. Does that mean that they will grow up
to be great orators or actors? I’m not sure I would
even want that for them. I do want them to know
the amount of work that is required to create
art, and I do want them to grow up with some
strong 21st Century Skills, almost all of which
are fostered by participating in theater. After
all, Ketanji Brown Jackson was a scene partner
with Matt Damon at Harvard. That doesn’t
mean she became a movie star; it means that
she valued the skills and understanding theater
participation gave her.
I encourage you to take a chance and see a
show, even if you aren’t “theater people.” There
are several family-friendly live performances out
there in the Washington, DC area, so I encourage
you to go see something this weekend.
