<p>The first play I remember seeing was some children’s theater performance I attended as a guest at a birthday party when I was 5 or 6. I don’t remember what it was but it was silly. I know I also saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream around the same age, in a group of kids–probably it was a University production and we were enchanted when the actors came out to meet the audience in the lobby, still in fairy costumes.</p>
<p>My grandparents took my sister and me to Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway when we were quite young. I remember the trip, but not the show!</p>
<p>When I was just turning 12, we moved to the suburbs of NYC so I was able to attend many Broadway performances growing up. I saw hits and flops, musicals and plays, whatever was at the Duffy Square TKTS booth! It cost $4 to get to the city by train on the weekend.</p>
<p>One of the things I have realized in taking my kids to theater is that it is important to take them to some straight drama as well. They are exposed to so much atrocious acting watching the television programs that are produced for teens, and the acting in musical theater is often quite stylized. To appreciate really good acting, we have to take in some serious drama as well. (It’s not my first choice, but I want them to see lots of different things.)</p>
<p>We also see touring productions of musicals that come to local theaters, local professional companies, and plenty of amateur theater, from school productions to community theater shows. Some are awful, some are amazingly good. </p>
<p>One year, I realized I’d gone an entire year without seeing a movie. But I’d seen upwards of 30 live theatrical performances (not counting seeing my kids more than once in their shows).</p>