Where's the Fun?

It is just the beginning of February and I am already planning some summer fun.  Well, I would be planning it if I could find it.  Having moved to a new, to me, area of the country, I don't know where to look for the things I enjoy.  For instance.... theater.  Not movies, but stage.  Having lived in Mid Michigan, we could go to Detroit or even Toronto, easily for a Theater experience. 

Over the ten years that the "The Phantom of the Opera" was in Toronto, we saw it there, four times.  I saw it one other time in Lansing.  Need I say, I love that it.   Thank you Andrew Lloyd Weber.  Terry's favorite is Les Mis.  We were fortunate to have near us, a Cultural Center, in Flint, Michigan. Yes, land of despair, crime, and unemployment.  Students could buy left over tickets, the morning of the production, for $12.00.  Daughter # 2 did that several times for all kinds of productions and performances.  You never knew where you may be sitting, but you were in at a small price.  I was lucky enough to have her agree to go with me and to buy tickets for Etta James about 3 years ago.  She was a very frail little lady at that time, but her voice was amazing and so were our seats.  Row 10, on the aisle.

She did "I'd Rather Go Blind" and her iconic hit "At Last" that brought the packed theater to it's feet.  I thought she did too many flourishes ( very much like Christina Aguilera)  to a classic that needed nothing extra, but, hey, it's her song.  Her classic. Maybe she was bored after singing it a million times.  I was just thrilled to be there.

We had the Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing venues as well,  No summer is complete without a Kenny Chesney concert.  The closest he will be touring to me now, is the next state.  This time of year brought the excitement of what or who were we going to see in the summer.  Kind of like getting the Burpee Catalog in the mail the day after Christmas... excitement for the new season.  So after years of seeing live productions, I am searching for more.  Raleigh, NC is about 3 hours from me.  That would work.  It's a trade off.  I live on the coast now.  I get that perk all year long so I'm really not whining.. Ok, yes I am.  Who would have thought that living in a suburb of Flint, Michigan, I would have been spoiled by having such an abundance of opportunities within an hour travel distance. 

We are not theater snobs.  I have enjoyed "Chicago" done by high schoolers that brought tears to my eyes.  They were that good.  I noticed a hand bill for "Hairspray" being performed by one of our local high schools.  Maybe we'll give that a try.  I'm looking for some summertime fun.