Little House on the Prairie Musical with Zoe

When I was a little girl, growing up in Wisconsin, I discovered "Little House on the Prairie" book series by Laura Ingles Wilder. I loved those books and read every one. I still remember how sad I was when "Jack", Laura's dog died. When the TV series aired with Melissa Gilbert starring as Laura, I was thrilled. I watched every week. I don't think I missed an episode.

When I heard that Little House on the Prairie, the musical was coming to Madison's Overture Center, I wanted to go. So, Zoe and I went to the Sunday matinee on 24 January.

Prior to going to the show, we went across the street to the Orpheum theater and restaurant for Brunch. (Here's the brunch menu, if you're curious). We had first discovered this brunch before attending the Nutcracker at the Overture in 2007. It was Zoe's first experience with smoked salmon - and she reminds me of our experience regularly. Plus they were playing "The Grinch" on the lobby wall during brunch and she liked that. The brunch was a delicious and I had remembered....and they were playing "Casablanca" but only after I had reminded them.

Melissa Gilbert had been ill during the week and missed many performances. Fortunately, she was in the first half of the performance we saw on Sunday afternoon. Her son, Michael Engelbright was in the performance as well. It was a delight! We loved the show. The person playing Nellie Oleson was hilarious!

During the intermission, we had our picture taken in an old buckboard from the early 1900s. The Wisconsin Historical society provided the website to view scanned original letters from Caroline Ingalls to other relatives in Northern Wisconsin.

I bought Zoe a set of Little House on the Prairie paper dolls. When we got home, everyone helped cut them out and set them out. Zoe said she wanted to share her dolls with Grandma Stallman.