Back to the "totally delightful" idea. This show was delightful in ALL aspects, from the live music provided by local favorite The Roe Family Singers to the meticulous props and costumes to the narrator fresh from Choo-Choo Bob's Train Store Story Hour to the complex yet accessible choreography.
I really appreciated how this show was whimsical and played with the title by having the audience follow a character come head to head with her expectations for her life tied together with train travel, as well as how it tackled big ideas in a way that was accessible to children. From sharing the narrative of John Henry as an African-American hero to addressing how the land for many train tracks was stolen from Native Americans to touching on how being away from home can be not only exciting but sometimes sad, the show had surprising depth for a production aimed at kids.
The performances from the stellar cast were also totally delightful. I left this show smiling from ear to ear, arriving there shortly after watering from my eyes a bit during the "homeward bound" section. It was a feast for the heart, mind, body and soul, and I'm glad I got to check it out.
I'd hoped to write about this production more in-depth, but given my travel to Denton by way of Dallas the next day to teach at the Texas Dance Improvisation Festival and heading to Ames, Iowa to work with Iowa State shortly after, this was my first chance and I've not retained all the details I'd hoped to touch on. I suppose short and relatively general is better than nothin' at all :)
Thank you, DanceCo!
