Puppet Show

This morning I took the kids to one of the coolest performances- a glow in the dark puppet show! You are probably wondering why I even posted the below picture, but I felt like even with the poor blurry quality- that after I described what went on it would make sense. The show was in the church sanctuary where Tyler is attending VBS. Apparently, this traveling team of puppeteers from Florida (all teenagers) travel all over during the summer to put on a show for churches, camps, etc.

We arrived early and watched as they prepared the space. All windows were covered in a dense black cloth and the stage was also covered in black. All of the performers were also head to toe in black (even their hair was covered up). On the stage was a brick looking wall prop and a city backdrop. Everyone was asked to sit about 7 rows back because there were huge black lights taking up the first several pews. Basically it was a puppet show put to music. When the lights went off the sanctuary was pitch black and when the black lights were plugged in all of the backdrop came to life. Everything was a glow in neon coloring. The effects were so fun to watch. The cast ran around waving stars in the air, making giant caterpillar cut-outs come to life and dancing with life size dolls.

Tyler and Carson LOVED it. Due to the no flash rule and my lack of knowledge on operating my own camera- this was the only picture I managed to take.

There was one part of the performance I was not too thrilled with- the interaction with the audience. The cast had to stall in between songs to allow time for the back drop to be changed. While the lights came back on, I had to go to the back of the sanctuary to rock Ella (who at this time was 1 hour past much needed nap and starting to cry). Exactly when I was at the furthest distance from Tyler, one of the puppeteers came to the front with a mic trying to kill some time and asked if anyone in the audience knew any jokes. I heard a few kids telling some knock-knock jokes and then heard the announcer say "Oh, I am coming- you must have a good one". I looked up to see she was walking over with the mic to Tyler- who had his hand waving furiously in the air. My air caught in my throat (I know that Tyler does not know any jokes). Unable to shout "Don't hand him the mic- or, Tyler no!!!!"- I just watched helplessly, as did almost 100 other audience members.

Tyler grabs the mic and says: "Who ate the cookies in the cookie jar?"
The girl repeats and says with a big silly grin on her face,"I don't know - who ate the cookies from the cookie jar?
Tyler yells, "No one- because the boy peed all over them!" (Then cackled laughed).

Dead silence with the exception of my heart beating in my ear. Someone actually mumbled "Let's keep the jokes appropriate." Yeah. So that was the morning- 90% awesome, 10% crawling under the pew humiliating. Needless to say, Tyler got a talk on the way home about how he is never to tell a joke in public having to do with gas, pee, poop or burping.