ENDED Giveaway: The Addams Family at the Fox Theatre in Detroit

When I was a kid, there were so many fun family-friendly television shows, and one that I loved was The Addams Family. If you ever saw this show, you are probably singing the theme song and at least mentally snapping your fingers right about now. Yes it was dark and morbid, but funny and harmless at the same time!

I get a kick out of my kids watching shows that I watched at their ages, and becoming familiar with characters that I knew so well as a child. Now they can take that familiarity to a new level when they see The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy live on stage at the Fox Theatre! This is a really interesting choice of television show to set to music and adapt to the stage, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the creative forces that be can do with it.

Just in case you have never seen The Addams Family, I'll give you a very brief synopsis. The show is about a creepy extended family, all living together in a big old house, with each member of the family having all sorts of strange obsessions and interests.  They dapple in magic and deadpan some really macabre subject matter, like playing with objects of torture and plotting the murder of pesky friends.  But however grim that might sound, it is all in good fun, and the family is actually a good example of loyalty and unconditional love and acceptance.

Whether or not you are a fan of the 1960s television series, the 1990s movies, or any other incarnation of The Addams Family, the musical comedy version sounds like a great family outing!

The Addams Family will be at the Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit for three shows, as follows:

• Friday, June 14, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets start at $30 each. For more information, and to purchase tickets, please click HERE to visit Olympia Entertainment's website.

I have 4 tickets to the Friday, June 14 show to give away to one lucky winner!

Just use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Please note, the prize is for the Detroit production of The Addams Family at the Fox Theatre ONLY, so please only enter if you are local to the metro Detroit area or willing to travel for the show.

Thanks for entering, and good luck!

I am receiving tickets to this event in exchange for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

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Family Fun Day: Scooby Doo Live! Musical Mysteries

A couple weeks ago we went downtown Detroit for a family day to see Scooby Doo Live! the musical, at the Fox Theatre. Scooby Doo was one of my favorite television shows as a kid, and now, decades later, my kids are fans. I like that it is loved by different age groups; it is one of the few shows all four kids can all watch with nobody complaining.

I was really interested to see how the writers and producers were going to make Scooby come alive on stage, with a musical score to go along with it. I have seen many kids stage shows over the years and  the creativity involved in transforming a beloved character- whether from television or books - into a stage presence can be really awe-inspiring.

Like I said, I've seen many children's shows...Sesame Street, Dora, Barbie, Dragon Tales, The Jungle Book, Charlotte's Web, and lots more. I had kind of high expectations. Obviously my kids have also seen these shows because umm, I would not be going without them! They are not super hard to please, but I guess they do expect a certain minimal base level of entertainment. So how did Scooby Doo Live! measure up?

First, the good.

The show was fun, with dynamic actors. I loved the Mystery Machine and the totally authentic hair and clothing. It's always neat to see what can be done in terms of scenery and costumes, and there were some pretty cool aspects of the production in that department. Mathilda loved it, and was singing and bopping along the whole time. She is still talking about it and asking when we can see Scooby on stage again!

Now for the not so good.

The show seemed to be geared to the five and under crowd, with lots of flash and singing to keep them interested. This is not necessarily bad if your kids fall into this age group - like I said, Mathilda really dug it. The other kids, however were a little bored. This was disappointing because they are all Scooby fans, yet the story just didn't hold their interest. I can't say that I blame them. The story was not the greatest and pretty confusing to follow. Truth is, Chris and I had no idea what was going on.

In short, this was not my favorite children's production. But going to kids' shows is always a good time, with the commotion and the excitement in the air, and no one caring if your kid is loud or jumping out of her seat. Plus I love going downtown, and I particularly adore the opulent beauty of the historic Fox Theatre. Parking is easy, the theatre is easy to find, and there are uniformed doormen holding the doors. Children's shows make great family days!

Would I go again? Yes, but I would probably just take Mathilda and a friend her own age, since the big kids didn't care much for it.

Hard to believe that THIS is how they used to make movie theaters!

ENDED Giveaway: Peter Pan Live at the Fox Theatre Detroit

Connor's first play, just a couple months shy of his third birthday, was Peter Pan. I remember how excited and captivated he was by the special effects and the stage props. Back then, he use to let me dress him up in ties and dress shoes, and he had the most adorable little navy blue wool dress coat. Bethany use to get excited about fancy dresses and patent leather shoes, and I could even get her to wear tights. I can clearly recall how cute the two of them looked that day, and how quietly they sat and watched the entire play.

April 19-21, 2013, Peter Pan is coming back to Detroit for five performances at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Show times are as follows:

• Friday, April 19, 2013 - 7:30 PM
• Saturday, April 20, 2013 - 2:00 PM
• Saturday, April 20, 2013 - 7:30 PM
• Sunday, April 21, 2013 - 1:00 PM
• Sunday, April 21, 2013 - 6:30 PM

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the family friendly classic tale of a magical land and a little boy who didn't want to grow up. Cathy Rigby will once again be starring as Peter Pan in this Tony Award nominated production. Tickets start at just $30, click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets.

Interested in winning tickets? In conjunction with Olympia Entertainment, I'm offering  four tickets to see Peter Pan at the Fox Theatre to one lucky MichiGal reader! The tickets are for the Friday, April 19 performance, at 7:30 PM! This play is fun to watch for kids and grown ups, and boys and girls alike! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

Please note: the tickets can only be used for the Detroit performance of Peter Pan at the Fox Theatre on Friday, April 19 at 7:30 PM! They cannot be used anywhere else, or for any other production! Please only enter if you live in the area or are willing to drive to Detroit to see the play.

Prize is being provided by Olympia Entertainment. No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are my own.

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ENDED Giveaway: Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries at the Fox Theatre

As a kid, one of my favorite shows was Scooby Doo. Decades later, it tickles me that my kids also enjoy watching the adventures of Scooby and his gang of intrepid mystery-solvers. Recently I learned that there is now a Scooby Doo stage show. What a great idea! I'm really curious to see how a Scooby Doo mystery will be converted to the stage. As a theatre lover, I think it's great when children's favorite characters have their own theatrical productions, because it's a terrific way to introduce kids to the theatre. They can get comfortable being in a theatre setting and begin learning audience etiquette.

This April 13-14, 2013, Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries will be at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Event times are as follows:

Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 11:00 AM
Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 2:00 PM
Sunday, April 14, 2013 - 1:00 PM

Click HERE to buy tickets now!

In typical Scooby fashion, a pesky ghost is causing trouble in a local theatre, and Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne are on the job to get down to the bottom of the mystery. Incorporating musical performances of the Scooby-Doo theme song, as well as several other songs, and introducing some new characters, Scooby-Doo Live! promises to amuse and entertain kids and parents alike.

I am so excited to be offering my readers the chance to win 4 tickets to see Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, on Sunday, April 14 at 1:00 PM! Want to win? Just use the Rafflecopter form to enter! Please note, this contest is ONLY FOR THE DETROIT SHOW! Please only enter if you are in the Detroit area, or are willing to travel here for the performance!

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I am offering this giveaway in conjunction with Olympia Entertainment. Olympia Entertainment is providing the winner's tickets.

Sunny Days

My old pal Oscar.

When I was a little girl, my Uncle Herb took my cousins and me downtown to see Sesame Street Live. I was probably in kindergarten at the time, I'm guessing, and it was a highlight of my young life. I barely remember the show, but it was a special occasion that I've always treasured, even more so now that my Uncle Herb has passed away. My Oscar the Grouch pennant, purchased at the show, was a prized possession for years.

Fast forward a couple decades...I was so excited when I became a mom and realized that Sesame Street Live was still (or maybe, once again?) making the rounds. So began an almost annual tradition of taking our kids to see the Sesame Street gang on stage. We've skipped a year here and there, but I thought it would be fun to take Mattie this year, before she goes and outgrows Sesame Street. At almost 4, she is basically at the cusp of thinking herself too cool for Big Bird and Cookie Monster.

Sesame Street Live, Fox Theatre, Detroit

In exchange for a couple blog posts, I was fortunate enough to be the grateful recipient of Sesame Street Live tickets for this year's show at the Fox Theatre. I think Mattie may have gone when she was a baby, but I couldn't wait to see how she would react as a feisty preschooler. I got tickets for the Friday night performance and then started figuring out the logistics.

Logistics? Yes, logistics. Nothing is simple around here. Bethany had a basketball game and Connor had Boy Scouts, plus neither of them were really interested in attending (duh). So Chris and I had to divide and conquer. I arranged for Bethany to get a ride to the game, Chris picked up Connor from Boy Scouts, and the two of them headed to the game. Meanwhile, Lucy's friend was dropped off at our house (she was going to the show with us and sleeping over afterward), and the little girls and I got ready for the show and waited for my mom, my cousin, and my godson to join us so we could all drive downtown together. I thought we left ourselves plenty of time, but once I stopped for gas and we waited in line to get in the parking structure, and then in another line to get in the theatre, we just barely made it to our seats in time. Note to self: 1 hour is not long enough to get downtown, park and get seated. An hour and a half would have been much more comfortable.

My happy girl, with hat (of course).

We hustled into our seats, after the usher kicked some squatters out, and settled down to enjoy Big Bird and the gang singing about making music. The big kids were a little reluctant, at first, to admit that they were enjoying themselves. Mattie was enthralled but didn't really let loose until after the intermission. At that point, all the kids were a little more comfortable and forgot they were too cool (the big kids) or too scared (Mattie) to have a good time. At that point, Mattie went nuts and danced and jumped around like a maniac for the entire second half of the show. I don't know how she was still standing when it was over. I caught all three of the other kids jumping around, dancing, and smiling too - but none were quite as enthusiastic as Mattie.

I had seen this particular edition of Sesame Street Live more than once in years past, but it seems to me like they changed it up a little. Of course, I don't have the best memory, but it did seem a little bit different. The kids had fun, the adults had fun watching the kids have fun, and it was a successful outing. My godson even later admitted that he enjoyed himself so much that he'd like to see Sesame Street Live again. I'm so grateful that I had this opportunity to take my kids to do something fun on their mid-winter break, and that I was even able to invite a few others to join us. As it turned out, it was the calm before the storm. Connor woke up puking later that night and then all four kids came down with some sort of a sniffly cold, so we didn't get much chance to do anything else the rest of the long weekend. Right now, Mattie can't wait to see Sesame Street Live again. I hope she still feels the same way next year.

We're not having fun...no, not us!

Sesame Street Live, Fox Theatre, Detroit

Disclaimer: I was provided with complimentary tickets in exchange for blogging about this event.