I recently had some delightful interactions with little girls in tutus with big dreams. Our show, Ballerina Swan is playing now at Theater Three, so the arrival of many audience members dressed for the occasion didn’t surprise me. So that the kids would have something to do before the show started, we decorated the lobby with large sheets of paper, and invited anyone who wished to, to draw their dreams.
“SOPHIE THE SWAN’S DREAM IS TO BECOME A DANCER, WHAT’S YOUR DREAM?”- read the notice on the wall above the paper, and a cup of crayons sat invitingly on the floor next to it. As crayon monitor, I was close to the action and had discussions with the dreamers about what they were drawing; some were so little that their ideas were a bit hard to decipher. Here are some of the dreams that unfolded.
TO RIDE IN A HOT AIR BALLOON!
TO BE A CHEF AND SERVE GREAT MEALS!
TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY WHERE EVERYTHING’S GREEN!
TO TRAVEL THE WORLD!
TO BE A STAR!
I felt so lucky to be in on the first stirrings of what may be to come for these eager bright-eyed kids; it’s one of the great pleasures of being the Artistic Director of New York City Children’s Theater.
-Barbara