Date Night(s) with the Willys

Rogers Little Theater presented Les Miserables and one of our friends was in the show. We got lucky and nabbed the two very last general admission seats to a sold out performance. It was incredible. Well done, Ron! I was also particularly impressed by the kids who played young Cosette and Gavroche. Wow. I've been to broadway and other big productions where the child actors were not nearly as talented. These kids were nothing short of amazing. Well done on the casting, and vocals, RLT! The entire performance was wonderfully done and a real treat for the ears. We will be seeing a Les Mis performed again this summer when we go to Ca. My sister is the musical director for the San Bentio production, and my brother in law will be playing Javert. That alone will make it a great show. Josh has the perfect voice for Javert and any musical Amy does the music for is guaranteed to be good.

 I was just talking to a friend of mine about how I don't even know the story behind a lot of musicals because there are so many I haven't actually seen, but grew up listening to the music for. Music has filled my life from the plays I was in as a young child and sitting in on my sisters' rehearsals and performances. we all spent years listening to Amy share her gifts as she taught voice lessons for hours after school in our living room, and I eventually attended many piano, voice, and violin lessons of my own. Our family was constantly on a schedule for SVCT plays when I was very little up until the Odyssey Theatre Company, GHS productions, and Chamber Choir when I was older. I definitely feel the void of theatre arts in my home now, but I'm thankful to have a few places to attend quality live theatre locally. If RLT ever does Into the Woods or any of my other all time favorites, I'll be there with bells on toes to audition ;) but it's funny how quickly a talent leaves you when you're not using it. My violin is honestly of more use holding dust bunnies, my feeble piano skills are gone, and just last week I had the opportunity to speak in front of a room full of women and I ended up reading what I had to say and avoiding eye contact on purpose. Give me a room full of four year olds, any day instead of adults, please. Or just let me write what I have to say and I will happily hide behind my pen and paper.  I do miss music though and and currently trying to get more of it into my home when my children are little. 

On Friday night, Aunt Kasey made a wonderfully grand gesture and brought pie over for pi day (3.14) and then tucked our loveys into bed so Aaron and could go on a dinner date. Did I mention she is the best friend ever? She is. But don't get any ideas, she's taken! 

We had dinner at one of our favorites, Table Mesa (new to Bville friends: have you been there, yet?) Here's what you need to order: chips and guac or hummus platter to start, along with two orders of sweet potato fries with the caramel praline sauce. For dinner, split the pork flautas. If you're a dessert person (if you're not, consider changing your ways, because you should be) go for the key lime tres leches. Killer. 

We usually have our dates on Saturday night, but since it was Friday we remembered the art museum was still open, so we headed over there to walk around sans the littles. The new exhibit was sold out but we had a good time soaking up the permanent collection and talking about our favorites in the company of just each other. 

We talked a bit about how much better the options for culture in NWA have gotten since we moved here. Our parents  did a good job exposing us to many kids of music and performing arts and as our children grow, we are grateful to have enough available locally to do the same service for them. 

Three cheers for the arts and date nights!