Between the Lions

Ivy recently started watching Between the Lions (site opens with sound), I think mostly because her infatuation with The Lion King has led to her adoration of anything lion. When I read that the Between the Lions Roadshow was appearing at the Cleveland Zoo, I knew she'd love it but was a little hesitant, thinking there'd probably be big crowds--the show was free with zoo admission, and the paid tickets at Playhouse Square had sold out.

I'm so glad we went--it was hardly crowded at all, barely half the ampitheater was full when we went to the 2:30 show. And unlike when we attended Sesame Street Live years ago, instead of adults in costume using pre-recorded voices, this featured the actual puppets and puppeteers from the show. It was conducted just like a television episode, with the kids singing along with the theme song and a variety of skits, reading aloud from a book, and other songs for the kids to dance to.

Theo, the father lion

Leona, the daughter lion

Best of all, Ivy had worn her lion hat, and when the show was over we were walking away, only to have an employee call to us--Theo, one of the characters from the show, was looking for "lion-head dude". She ran back ---Theo and his puppeteer, Peter Linz had come out to visit. He admired her hat and talked with her for a bit.

Here she is looking all swoony and completely delighted

Getting a big lion hug

She was utterly ecstatic and walked around the zoo with the hugest grin on her face. "He knows me! He knows who I am!". It was her best day ever, she declared. We went back and watched the 4:00 show and afterwards he talked with her some more. She's now utterly smitten with Theo and already wrote him fan letter. And I really appreciate how the cast of the show really seems to enjoy what they are doing, working hard to teach children how much fun it is to read.