You Gotta Respect How Gaston Lives His Priorities

The kids sat through their first live performance that wasn't the Wiggles today. We saw the Opelika High School production of Beauty and the Beast... and it was awesome even without any Captain Feathersword.

Seriously. I was not expecting that level of talent here in little, old Opelika. Shows what I know.

We started at Mrs. Potts Tea Party before the show. On the way to the tea party, the monsters got to go on the stage and have their picture made with Belle and Beast:

Huge props to Beast who kindly stepped off stage because my kids were scared of the costume.

Then, we were off to the lunchroom (at least I think that's what that room was... they're renovating all over that place) for the tea party. My kids were too shy to get their pictures made with the high school kids dressed as characters, which I thought was a total waste. Those costumes were so good... I needed to get pictures of them. So I got my picture made with the characters instead. Don't mind the sunburn.

Mrs. Potts was adorable.

OK, seriously? What high school gets costumes like this? His torches even lit up.

More about her later...

Love. Love this character. Love the actress. Love. 

This guy? Ridiculously talented. We love him.

In a stunning show of braverism,she did get a hand stamp from someone in a costume.

and he bought light-up roses

And Maurice came over. And she was like, "Nope."

Escaped!

them

Checking over her shoulder, just to make sure Maurice isn't getting closer.

Then it was time for the show. My camera died and I didn't get any pictures of the performance. Here's what we learned, though: Those OHS kids are crazy talented. I've seen the professional touring production of Beauty and the Beast a few times, and I gotta say, OHS could give them a run for their money.  Especially Belle. You know how, when it's a main Disney character, it's gotta be just right or else everybody will notice? That Belle was spot on. She even did that thing. You know that thing that Disney princesses do when you meet them at the parks? There's this little mannerism that they all have, and I saw this Belle do that when my kids met her on stage before the show. You know, that thing.

The girl thought the Beast was scary. I have marks on my arm from where she held onto me while he was on the stage. And then, my favorite thing that happened... we'd been talking about whether the show would have a happy ending. So, the beast gets into a fight with the wolves right after intermission and my sweet, precious daughter says, "The wolves are getting the Beast so there will be a happy ending after all."

After the show, Bug wanted to see Belle again, so we did. They were both too scared of Gaston to go near him, so we didn't. Beast apparently holds no interest after he's transformed into a handsome prince, so we didn't go there either. There was one character that the boy just had to see, however. Ladies and gentlemen, the love of my son's life, the feather duster:

He's holding her waist pretty tight there. 

And then the girl wanted a picture, too:

Thank goodness I had my phone to get these precious memories...

Since his picture was taken, I've been hearing about my son's plans to marry this duster. Yup.

So much better than expected. I'm kind of hoping the kids ask to go back next weekend. I can better get to know my future daughter-in-law.