As a father of a three-and-a-half-year-old, I’ve often wondered if my son was ready to sit through a movie, a play, or a live performance. Last fall, I’d confirmed he could make it through 15 innings of playoff baseball, so I was optimistic. But with baseball, you have room to move about, be loud, and if things get dicey, there’s always Dippin’ Dots. When we scored tickets to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s world premiere of “Momotaro“, part of their family matinee series, we had our chance to find out.
Spoiler… it went great, and he wants to go back with his grandparents.
Practicing our ballet after the show off a strawberry milkshake sugar high. (Image: Casey Funke / Seattle’s Child)
Momotaro – The Peach Boy
The first thing I noticed was the grandness of it all. This is McCaw Hall, home of Pacific Northwest Ballet, so it’s the real deal. The show itself is a lighthearted affair. The stage was beautifully set, springtime in Japan’s countryside, cherry blossoms in bloom, snowcapped mountains, soft clouds against a blue sky. The story follows Momotaro as he sets out on an adventure to protect his village from treasure-thieving ogres. There are dancing peaches, friendly animals that help Momotaro along the way, and ogres that they must fight. The performers, all PNB school students, gracefully dance their way through the story, accompanied by a catchy score. Drummers grace the stage during the ogre’s number.
My son moved from his booster cushion to my lap a few minutes into the show to get a better view. From what I could tell, he was loving it. I was enjoying myself too.
Pacific Northwest Ballet School Professional Division students (L-R) Christopher Karhunen (Momotaro), Evelyn Pak (Dog), Landon Spurbeck (Monkey), and Tess Fein (Pheasant) in the world premiere production of Jessica Lang’s Momotaro. Photo © Lindsay Thomas.
How it Plays for Kids
We were offered a booster seat when we picked up our tickets. Everyone had them, McCaw Hall was flush with children. All around me, I overheard conversations I am deeply familiar with. “Do you need a snack? Well, those are the options.” This was a place where you could let your son drag his booster cushion slooooowly up the stairs. The hour-long performance moved quickly, and nothing about it felt too serious. It was indeed “the perfect introduction to ballet for young audiences.” Or, in my case, not-so-young audiences.
Carry-your-own booster seat was slow moving, but no one blinked twice. (Image: Casey Funke / Seattle’s Child)
Getting There
I recommend incorporating the Monorail into your approach. It’s convenient, fast, and uses the Orca card system, so transfers are free from light rail or buses. It was my first time on the Monorail in a few decades. It was my son’s first time ever. It somehow feels futuristic and antiquated at the same time. Later, my dad would joke, “Wouldn’t it be great if it went to Ballard.” It would be. But Seattle Center was our destination, and it’s easy to get there. We disembarked and walked under a grey Seattle sky to McCaw Hall, past the Armory, International Fountain, and an under-construction Memorial Stadium. All the hits.
For parking options, your best bet is the Mercer Street Garage, which has a sky bridge connection to McCaw Hall.
The Monorail could have been an activity all in its own. (Image: Casey Funke / Seattle’s Child)
What to Do After
Remember, this is Seattle Center, there’s lots to do. Our show ended at noon, so it was lunchtime. There are plenty of food options close by. The Armory and KEXP Café are good bets for kids, but we walked the four blocks to Dick’s Drive-in for hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes before finding a sunny spot in the Climate Pledge Arena plaza, next to the Sue Bird statue, and eating lunch.
We intended to go to the Children’s Museum after lunch, but the sun had broken through the clouds by then, and the waterfront, which is just over a mile away, beckoned. We walked south on 1st Ave to Broad St., cut down past the Sculpture Park, and trekked along Alaskan Way to join the throngs of people enjoying the revamped waterfront on a sunny Saturday.
(Image: Casey Funke / Seattle’s Child)
Parent and Kid Takeaways
Over lunch, I asked my son who his favorite character was, and he told me the chicken (he meant pheasant), the monkey, and the dog. I’d wager most of the ten-and-under cohort in the crowd would agree. I appreciated the catchy score, the relaxed setting, and the message around kindness and forgiveness. Momotaro, danced by Christopher Karhunen, stole the show for me. His smooth movements were enchanting. The ogres weren’t too scary. The show wasn’t too long. There was little pressure. And both kids and adults seemed to enjoy it. It was a marvelous day at the theater and beyond.
This was the first of three shows. The other two are on Saturday, March 28, at 12:30 and 3:30 pm — you can get tickets here.
Some of the products, services, or experiences mentioned in this article may have been provided at no cost or at a discount. However, all opinions expressed are solely those of the author and/or the Seattle’s Child editorial team. Our coverage remains independent, and we only feature things we genuinely believe will be of interest to our readers.
