Last Saturday I went to The Lion King at the Capitol Theater. When they first announced that it was coming to Salt Lake, I wasn't sure I wanted to go, and I didn't even get tickets when they were first available. I know, coming from me that sounds completely crazy. The problem was that I saw it first in London, and Salt Lake City is no London. I loved the show, and I was afraid I'd be disappointed if I saw it on a much smaller stage in a theater I could drive past every day.
I know that might sound silly, but I've been disappointed before. I saw Les Mis in New York, and I was very disappointed in the touring production when it came to Salt Lake. And I never loved Les Mis like I love The Lion King. But then I got thinking about all the things I've seen and done that were just as good, or even better, the second time around. I once heard the host of a Travel Channel show say, "One of the best things about traveling is returning to a place you've loved and finding that it loves you back." So true. After coming home the second time from places like Ireland and New York and Hawaii, I found I loved them even more than I did after my first trip—and it rained for two days straight during my second visit to New York. If it worked that way for places I've loved, why couldn't it work that way for plays I've loved? So I took the chance.
It's a good thing I did. No, it wasn't as fabulous as it was in London, but it was pretty darn fabulous. The first 10 minutes of that show are still the most amazing 10 minutes I've ever seen on stage. Ever. And as I got all teary-eyed (yes, I'm a bit of a dork), I was grateful I hadn't let the fear of disappointment keep me from falling in love all over again.
1 comment:
Some things are worth doing and seeing again. That is an excellent show whether you see it in Salt Lake or London or somewhere in-between. Besides, maybe this time around it really was better, but your memory is making the first viewing better than it really was. That's generally how I figure it.
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