I didn't torture my children with Shakespeare the entire weekend

We saw Oliver!, too. This was an enormous production - lots of music, people, costumes, and action. The children loved it!! Our seats were not as close as with the other plays and there was not an ounce of wiggle room in the Festival Theatre seats - though they were cushy. Festival Theatre is gigantic, but seemed well conceived.

I love musicals, especially when they have live musicians playing the accompaniment. Since the audience can't see the orchestra or conductor during the production, I assume that the actors forget about them too. I am always amazed that the timing doesn't get off-kilter with alarming results - you know, someone singing and then the music beginning or the orchestra starting during some non musical dialog. I have professional musician cousins, so I suppose I could just ask how the magic of a well timed musical occurs. If I knew all the answers would there be less magic?

During the intermission you could visit the outside areas of the theatre to get a snack or something to drink. The areas were lovely, but I was distracted from the beautiful flowers and art by something equally wonderful, though much more practical - the recycling program. Guests were given the opportunity to recycle most everything used at the theatre. There was a receptacle for play bills, another for plastic water bottles, and another for glass bottles, and yet another for cans. None of the efforts were touted (or even mentioned), yet the beverage servers were recycling and the guests were recycling. Perhaps, Stratford mandates recycling. I have no idea.