The Play's the Thing: Pert Near Perfect Popcorn

One of my favorite parts of summer is summer theater.  I mean, sure, there's theater year-round, and we're lucky to live in an area with a theater just about every 15 miles, but summer theater is special.  Outside amphitheaters, watching a show with a cool summer breeze, picnics on the grass.

It's also ideal for little theater go-ers, because you can remove them easily.  This is the first year we've been able to take Thatbaby.  The past 2 years he would not have been able to sit for any of it.

There are two outdoor venues that have summer theater.  Usually they each do one family friendly show a year.  This year however, the boys requested to see almost all of the shows, which meant 5 musicals!

It all began at Easter.  Remember Jesus Christ Superstar Live?  Well we were staying in a hotel room when it aired and I could not get my children to sleep.  So like any good parent who wants to watch a live program, I told them they could stay up if they were in bed watching quietly.  And Thatkid fell in love.  For the first act.  He fell asleep during the second.  Thatbaby didn't even make it that long.  When he heard that it was going to be playing this summer, he begged to go see it.  And his little brother wanted to come too.  So our first family theater night was to see Jesus Christ Superstar.

Thatkid still says it's one of his favorite musicals ever.  Thatbaby loved it and for weeks sang "What's the Buzz" (which he took up again this weekend).  He put on shows with his microphone - "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Super Christ Super Star!"

The next show was the family friendly show I was counting on - Annie. Or as Thatbaby calls it, "Andy."  

The very next night, we packed up our show and went just a little farther out to see Newsies.

Newsies was at Moonlight Ampitheater, which is a step up from our community theater.   Nice seats, Broadway sets and costumes, and a lot more room.

For Newsies we got reserved lawn seats, which we like because you get lawn chairs, but also a nice grassy area to spread out a blanket.  The blanket is where the kids like to lie down and watch the show when they get tired.

They were selling Newsboy hats and it was one of those souvenirs that I just couldn't refuse.  Especially because ever since I have been treated to renditions of "King of New York" by these two little noggins.

We made a return to Moonlight when I saw that The Hunchback of Notre Dame was a Disney production.  But it was NOT like Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, or Little Mermaid.

The music was beautiful, and it was really well done, but it wasn't exactly kid friendly.  The boys got a little bored.  It didn't help that the reserve lawn seats were sold out so we were stuck in chairs.  No lying down for them.

This past weekend we saw our last show of the season - In the Heights.  This one wasn't high on my list, despite loving the show.  Thatkid and I saw it at the Moonlight last year.  But once again, claiming it was one of his favorites and asking to see it again, it was hard for me to say no. 

Given the later time of these shows, we didn't picnic as much as eat dinner before hand and just bring snacks with us.  Our snacks were very consistent though - popcorn.

Not just any popcorn, but homemade, stovetop popped popcorn.  I love popcorn, but stove-popped is a special treat for special occasions.  Like everything I make, if I want it done right, I always look to Alton Brown.  He has the best, most simple recipe with just 4 ingredients.  And while the butter is not a necessity, there's really nothing better than hot, fresh, buttery popcorn.

Pert-Near Perfect Popcorn  (By Alton Brown)

3 Tbsp peanut oil

3 oz popcorn kernels

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1. Place oil, popcorn, and salt in a large metal bowl.  Cover with aluminum foil and poke several slits in the top with a knife.  Place the bowl over medium heat and shake.  You can make handles from the foil or use a tong.  When the popcorn stops popping, remove from heat.
2. Remove the foil and drizzle butter over the popcorn, tossing to coat evenly.