The Shannon Family Theater

Like clockwork, no matter what time she had fallen asleep before, my daughter will awaken at midnight ready to be entertained by members of the Shannon Family Theater Company.  She will remain awake until 2- perhaps longer if my musical performance is unsatisfactory and she asks to speak with my manager.  She dictates which musical is up for review for the night.  The nights I'm so frustrated I would like to scream with her call for some Godspell. ("Alas, Alas for You"in hushed, angry tones).  The nights she seems out of sorts and just needs to be comforted screams Beauty and the Beast. ("Home" as the title track).  When she's smiley and wide awake, My Fair Lady always goes over well ("I could have danced all night", the most popular, of course).  When she's slowly drifting to sleep on my shoulder and for one second I can imagine her first day of kindergarten, her first tube of lipgloss, her first tattoo...and I panic,  then, it's Into the Woods for us ("Stay with me, the world is dark and wild.  Stay a child while you can be a child-with me").  Last night, because of her high maintenance crying due to a little spit up on her collar, she got the royal treatment with Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, (she hated "In My Own Little Corner, but seemed to enjoy, "Ten Minutes Ago"- it's where the prince tells her how beautiful she is, of course she approved).

She's a tough critic.  She lets me know when I'm lagging in tempo from mere exhaustion.  She protests loudly when I hit a sour note.  She scoffs when I lower the key by a whole step- come on, Ellie, not even Idina could hit an E at 2 a.m.!  I can see her taking mental notes and critiquing my performance and I'm just waiting for her mouth to catch up with her brain so that I may be privy to the musical wisdom bouncing around in there.  ("Mom, you're way too pitchy.  Don't hit the note so hard on the pick-up.  Where's the enthusiasm in your voice? I've got to believe what you're singing!")

I knew our kid would have an appreciation for music, but I didn't know I'd be called back into performing.  The bright side is,  my midnight performances have all of a sudden eradicated my fear of auditioning.  At least I know I won't make them cry.