Review for DRAGONS LOVE TACOS, Dallas Children's Theater

Dallas Children's Theater holds a special place in my heart. This is where I got my feet wet as a Theatre teacher when I was fresh out of college, and brand new to Texas. The day I interviewed with Gina Waits, I was nervous and elated at the same time. Here was a woman who was comfortable in her own skin, had several years of experience under her belt and was obviously right at home in this space. This space, I speak of,  is full of inspiration for children to play, learn and grow, and the physical area of the building is the springboard where these concepts begin. I was captivated by the ways in which animated energy and sophisticated ease coincided, not only within the walls, but within the demeanor of the personnel. When I was lucky enough to be hired on, I found that this never changed; it was a way of existing. Walking in to the area again, after nearly fifteen years, brought back all of these nostalgic feelings. I imagine it's the same feeling for the many children who return years later as adults with their own children.

Several levels of wisdom and insight are exhibited through Dallas Children's Theater's practices, which include a respect and appreciation for the Art of Theatre, History, Humanism, and Imagination. Consistently, there is a standard of preparedness and thoughtfulness in the material they present, and their production of Dragons Love Tacos, lived up to this standard. One way in which this was accomplished was through the use of Commedia dell'arte, translated means, "play of professional artists."

Just to give you some background knowledge, Commedia dell'arte is a popular theatrical form that originated during the Italian Renaissance. It consists of 10 stock characters who interact with one another, usually through improvisation--similar to the improv that we're familiar with. The humor in it exists when the personality traits of the characters collide. A certain style of movement is used in Commedia dell'arte that our dragon friends in Dragons Love Tacos also use called, lazzi, which is a sort of repetition of physical movements. These movements can be graceful or spunky, depending on the character and the moment. Additionally, the masks worn by the dragons resemble the masks that many of the stock characters in Commedia dell'arte wear as part of their characterization. All of that to say--  How tremendous is it that our children are being introduced to this in such an exciting way? This is the level of expertise that Dallas Children's Theater continues to bring to our families time and time again. It's an experience that I have yet to see replicated by any other Children's theatre. 

Music, dancing and singing are also in abundance in this adorable play! Unlike many musical theatre productions, which can be too lively and loud for younger theatre-goers, this musical style is done with simple melodies and dance steps that children can follow. It's upbeat, cheerful and playful! Along with these elements came costumes of bright color and shimmery sequins, oversized furniture and computerized interactions as part of the set and the dialog. The oversized furniture reminded me of a time when I returned to my elementary school as an adult and thought that I remembered the building being much bigger when I was so little. Our surroundings always seem much larger to us when we are much smaller, aren't they? Using the oversized furniture helps us to see the world from the same perspective as the actor playing the "Kid." It also gives the illusion that the actor is actually a young boy, when he is likely in his twenties. Standing next to an enormous arm chair and coffee table significantly shrinks his size . 

Speaking of kids, I should mention that my companion and colleague for the evening was my six year old son. He gave the show 10 out of 10 stars. Specifically, he loved the dancing dragons and their flowy, sparkly costumes. Not knowing what to expect, he was a little nervous, but also elated to be experiencing Theatre for the first time. But, true to their manner, DCT specializes in helping everyone, especially children, feel right at home. 

To see their next production, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, April 3-May  15, 2022, with a sensory-friendly showing at 1:30pm on April 2, visit their website at https://www.dct.org/plays/