This past weekend we took our book club skills on the road for our fanciest book club event so far – by far.
We traveled to Durham to see a performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.
It was a wonderful evening.
To get us started, we bought our tickets and planned several months’ in advance. Then each family chose a version of The Nutcracker story that would most suit them. Some read long versions, some much shorter, but all the girls knew the basic gist of the story before the evening began.
We met early for dinner at a Texas Roadhouse near the theater. Despite long lines and a crazy rain storm that just wouldn’t let up, the hostesses were able to seat us at tables right next to us, back in a corner where it was (relatively) quiet. The girls all sat at one table and were wild with excitement. They (pretended?) to talk about the storyline and sang Christmas carols alternately.
Then we headed off to The Carolina Theatre for the show. This performance was done by the Triangle Youth Ballet and was a community venture. Because we planned so far ahead, we had seats just a few rows back from the orchestra pit – yes, there was a live orchestra! As this was such big and more expensive venture than we usually take, we had other female siblings and grandmas along for the ride. It was a fun girly outing. 🙂
I never could quite get everyone’s attention at one time. They were all too excited – to be together, to see the show, to sit in velvet-covered seats and listen to the music and watch the people and the wonder of the events onstage.
I was excited to watch them. To see them enthralled with the beauty of the performance and happy with each other’s company was wonderful.
It was definitely a unique – and magical – evening.
Have you seen a performance of The Nutcracker?
