When I was a young Hoosier, dreaming of making it to Paris someday, I immersed myself in all things Françaises. I wanted to connect myself somehow to my family over there, and I constructed dream after dream in my head of how I was going to make that happen.
I had a lot to figure out. And since I couldn't experience much in a cornfield, the arts helped me learn a few things. One poignant chef d'oeuvre for me was Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince.
All these years later, I was able to catch two performances of Lookingglass Theater's The Little Prince this month. It was a magical experience for me.
The story begins with a man drawing something a bit unusual and incapable of being deciphered by the grown-ups. It's not a hat, as everyone thinks, but an elephant swallowed by a snake. It is only years later when he tries his 'art' again, and it is only understood by a little prince who finds him alone in the desert. Their relationship soars throughout the book with a whole cast of characters who all encompass the assorted personalities of The Universe.
It's a superb fable which only gathers more and more meaning the older I get. The Lookingglass cast was amazing, the set design perfection, and the entire experience surpassed all of my expectations.
I took my friend to see it last night, and when it was over, we turned to each other and smiled. "That was lovely, Nikki. Thanks for taking me." We giggled about the bubbles left in some audience members' hair. And then he said, "I thought that fox was going to get you."
My seat was in the aisle where all the performers' passed through. The untamed fox left me alone as she passed by. I was in the top row, way up high. Experiencing this theater piece last night made me smile the strongest smile I've felt in awhile.
Because even though I live on this little planet called The Midwest, I understand more than one might expect....
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