The BEST Christmas show ever!

After our adventure of getting stuck on the roller coaster on Saturday, we rode a few more rides and then went to see a Christmas show. I had made the girls go into one of the buildings (a huge restaurant hall/area) where they were singing holiday songs, some Christmas, some wintery, the music you hear on the radio or in kids' shows this time of year. The ladies who sang and danced had the most muscular enormous legs I've ever seen! They were obviously this way from years of dancing, and they were good dancers. But, the Christmas show we went to see was a REAL CHRISTmas show. There was a "nominal fee" we had to pay to get in. They never printed anywhere what the cost was, just that a "nominal fee" would be charged. We were a bit miffed that we'd have to pay for a show when we already paid for the park.

Wow. I don't think I can describe this show well enough, but I will say it was worth far more than the "nominal fee" (which was only $3 a person). There is one theater in our Six Flags that is a real indoor theater with a huge stage, red velvet curtains on the sides, theatrical lighting, etc. The set was made to look like a hillside in Bethlehem. Then, in the background were the buildings in Bethlehem where lights twinkled in windows as if candle were flickering. The first character was the narator. He looked like what I picture an old Jewish shepherd in that time period to look like. He sang. BOY, did he sing! The song was "Night of Miracles" (an original score, I think) that had some traditional carols intermingled. We knew there would be live animals, so it wasn't a surprise that when Mary & Joseph came in, they had a real donkey. A bit later there were sheep. These were sheep trained to respond to the dropping of food or something. They came out of different entrances and went right to the food! A bit later a little girl, who could not have been more than 5, if that old, sang Away in a Manger. We were just awed that this tiny person could sing in front of all these people about our dear Savior's birth! And she was GOOD! Natalie pointed out that the adult, who must have been playing this girl's mom, was holding a baby donkey! A REAL LIVE BABY DONKEY!

This play had angels flying, lights flashing as the angels approached the shepherds, and a whole flock of shepherds listening! About the only thing we are pretty sure that wasn't authentic looking is the baby Jesus. We couldn't see that closely, but Natalie pointed out that they walked away from the manger at one point to sing, so she's pretty sure they didn't have a real baby. She also said, "How could a baby sleep with all that racket going on?" LOL!

The best part was near the end. We were sitting very close to the back. Phil has a thing about liking to be in the BACK of an auditorium for a "good view." We heard a very strange loud noise. I honestly thought it was an adult with mental disabilities who was angry and throwing a fit. Turns out Phil thought the same thing. I find it odd that this particular sound triggered that thought, but it did. I didn't look, thinking it was a person making the noise. The rest of my family looked, then poked me to turn around. It was a CAMEL! They had to duck the camel's head into the door and he was none too happy! That thing was HUGE!!! I have never seen a camel. I thought maybe I had at the zoo, but I now think I have never ever seen one. Correction, HAD never seen one. Remember how we were sitting in the BACK? They brought the camel in through the back so we saw it UP CLOSE and personal. Or almost personal. We wondered where the 3rd wise man was when only 2 walked in with gifts to bear. The 3rd one was on top of the camel! (Yes, I know the Bible doesn't tell us there were 3 wise men OR that they rode camels---we had a pastor teach about that one Christmas---but it's still what's stuck in our heads! AND yes, I know that they didn't show up at the manger, but hey, it was a 30 minute production!)

The play was done with such taste, such elegance where it called for elegance, and simplicity where it called for simplicity. It captured the essence of what must have happened that glorious night. When the play was over, the entire audience rose to their feet in applause. When the little girl who sang came for her bow, I am sure we all roared with our applause!

If you live in or near the San Antonio area and would like to audition----wait, that's the game show closing. If you live near SA & plan to go to the Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, it is WELL WORTH IT to pay the $3 more to see this production.