“Play Date”

By

Gerry Niskern

I have a play date! I’m going to the Phoenix Theatre to see ‘Sisters in Law.”

I’m reminded of “play dates” that I’ve had years ago with various grandchildren.

The first was around five when she invited three of her little friends from kindergarten to go with us. We picked them up one at a time and headed down Central Ave in my white convertible with gold trim and red leather seats. These little girls from the suburbs were amazed looking up at the tall buildings we passed on our way to the Phoenix Children’s Theatre. At that time, it was located in one of the old Christian churches just south of Margaret Hance Park. The girls had fun running up and down the  wide cement steps that ran across the front entrance. Then after the play,  they raced down those steps to be first to get auto graphs of the actors. Imagine, the Princess or the frog actually talked to them!

I remember listening in on one short conversation when each one stated what their Daddy did. One said hers sold insurance, another worked at a bank and another an electrician. But when my granddaughter said my Daddy works at Cox, they looked puzzled and said,”What’s that?”. “You know!” she replied, “That’s TV!” That was met with a respectful chorus of “ohhhhhhhhh”. She was the president of that club!

When one grandson was four and ready for play going, as everyone was clapping politely at the appropriate times during the performance, he proceeded to pump his fists and shout “Whoo. Whoo. Whoo!”

When it was his rough and tumble younger brother’s turn to start play going, I was hesitant. I wasn’t sure it was his “cup of tea.” He was very quiet during “Beauty and the Beast”. Maybe he’s bored, I thought. But later, when I asked him how he liked it, with big eyes, he replied,”I loved it!”. Even tough guys can be melted.

Later on, we started going to the Valley Youth Theatre. The kids were allowed to sit down front close to the stage. When the baseball player’s little sister came for the first time, she came running back to tell me to “come see the really huge guitar!” She had been looking down into the orchestra pit and spied a bass fiddle. Of all the kids and all the play dates, that last granddaughter was the only one who turned to me after watching her first performance and ask “When can I do that?”