Meeting Our Customers

My favorite part of this experience has been interacting with the children who come to see our shows. Sometimes we get to interact directly, through meet-and-greet events, but usually we are separated from them by the stage. While on stage, or backstage, you still learn a lot about your audience. Even though the audience is in the darkness, we can see their faces reflected by the stage lights. Kids are the best kinds of audiences to watch; they do everything without a filter.

We have the freedom in this show to "break the fourth wall," or directly address the audience. Someone described it as a "living cartoon," we are telling a story in our own world on stage, but at times, we break from that to ask the audience to participate.

The more vocal their reactions, the more satisfied I am with the show. I love being caught off-guard by a kid with a loud, deep laugh, or when they try to speak to us on stage.

Normally, this would be rude audience behavior, but for five year olds, we encourage them to speak out.

The show has a lot of "underwear humor" like playing with Mom's wonder bra, giant boxer shorts, and a puppet with panties for a face. Our sound guy, who has his station set up in the back of the audience, and usually surrounded by kids, heard a little boy say quietly to himself, "This is just too much underwear for me."

We had a little visitor waiting for us at the stage door. Trixie and Dad, the most prominently featured characters of the show, went out to greet her. She asked to meet Mom.

Although I have some featured moments in the show, I'm not a pivotal character. I wasn't expecting any children to really remember the Mom. I was so flattered that she asked to meet me by the stage door.

She was standing a little aback, shyly clinging to her Dad's legs. As soon as I said hello to her, she came running up to me and gave me a hug. I was so surprised, and so touched. Who knows what her situation is, maybe she doesn't have a Mom at home. It was the greatest compliment I could have received; that my version of "Mom" had touched this little girl enough that she wanted to hug me.

Reason #100,000,001 that I love my job, right there.