I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. We’ve never seen a Cirque du Soleil show in a theater (as opposed to a tent or an arena), so I had some trouble imagining what kind of show they would put on with a smaller stage. I also know that Cirque shows tend to be somewhat abstract in their storytelling; how would that translate to a specific holiday tale?

I took my daughter, a friend, and her daughter. Both of our girls have experience with circus arts and our guest is also a dancer. Expectations were high from our group. Every one of us walked out raving about the show.

‘Twas the Night Before… is the story of a father and daughter on Christmas Eve. The daughter has decided she’s too old for her father and their normal Christmas traditions. He, of course, is disappointed and sad that she doesn’t want to spend time with him. But, through the course of the evening, with some help from an eclectic and playful group of characters (including Santa and his reindeer), the daughter learns about sharing, friendship, generosity, and the magic of the season.

The music is traditional holiday fare with a delightful Cirque twist and you’ll be glad to know that you can listen to it later online. The acts include acro, juggling, diablo, tumbling, contortion, roller skating, bicycle acro, and a few different aerial routines. They all take place on a beautiful and playful wintery set.

It’s important to know that the show is 80 minutes long with no intermission. Plan ahead. Oh, and arrive early – it’s so frustrating to have people constantly interrupting your view through the beginning of the show. I missed a number of acts because there were a lot of latecomers while we were there.

Twas the Night Before… is only in Boston from  November 25 – December 11, 2022. Get your tickets now!

Want a sneak peak?

Disclosure: We are receiving free tickets to see the show in exchange for sharing the news (and our opinion) with you. All opinions are our own.

The post A Touch of Magic with ‘Twas the Night Before by Cirque du Soleil appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

‘Twas the Night Before… is an exhilarating spin on the beloved Christmas classic as only Cirque du Soleil could imagine. This festive show about the wonders of sharing and friendship promises to spark lasting memories in the hearts of families this holiday season.

Join Isabella, a curious girl, jaded by the craze surrounding Christmas, as she is whisked away to an upside-down, inside-out world of the poem where she meets colourful characters of this timeless classic.

Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever Christmas show, ‘Twas the Night Before… is a flurry of love, Christmas cheer, rip-roaring fun and hugely lovable characters that will become a new tradition for families to cherish.

Discover what happened before Santa dropped in!

‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil in intended to be shared by family members of all ages. It runs 85 minutes, with no intermission.

Once again, Twas the Night Before… is only in Boston from  November 25 – December 11, 2022. Get your tickets now!

Want a sneak peak?

Disclosure: We are receiving free tickets to see the show in exchange for sharing the news (and our opinion) with you. All opinions are our own.

The post ‘Twas the Night Before by Cirque du Soleil Comes to Boston appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

I am a huge fan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime Video and have been since they released the pilot for us to vote on. When Comcast invited me to a viewing party, they obviously knew what they were doing because how could I say no? They had some pretty cool news to share as well, and are sponsoring this post to spread the news. The love for Mrs. Maisel is all mine. [I should also disclose that in my other life as a freelance writer, I often write content for Comcast.]

If your family is anything like mine, you have half a dozen ways to access your media content. And when you want to watch something, you have to try to remember where to find it and how to get there. Is it on your smart TV? Cable? An app on your mobile device? Comcast recognizes that when you want to sit down and enjoy your favorite TV show or movie, you don’t want to spend your time searching for it. To help out, they’ve partnered with Amazon to offer Amazon Prime through their Xfinity X1 interface. Now, when you browse your X1 guide, you can immediately access your Amazon Prime content, too. You can even use your voice remote to load the Amazon Prime Video app or load content.

There’s more good news for families. Obviously adding Amazon Prime Video to your X1 service adds a ton of great family content. Win! But if you’re concerned about the type of content your kids access, you can use the same parental controls you use elsewhere on the X1 platform. You also have the option of blocking the app entirely from your kids. This gives you plenty of leeway to create just the right watching environment for your whole family.

And you know the very best part about all of this? Now you can watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel without wasting any time at all! Grab yourself a black and white cookie (the cookies at the screening were amazing), make sure no one will bother you, and get ready to laugh out loud. You can thank me later.

The post Comcast and Amazon Team up to Add Amazon Prime Video Through Xfinity X1 appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

Disclosure: We received complementary tickets for the purposes of this review and the giveaway prize is provided by the sponsor. There was no additional compensation. Opinions are, as always, our own.

If you were to imagine your funeral, who would be there? It’s unlikely that it would look anything like the Dreamer Clown’s vision. The lead character in Cirque du Soleil Corteo conjures a celebration filled with acrobats, aerialists, and even other clowns. Not only that, but you’re invited as well! Cirque du Soleil Corteo is at the Worcester DCU Center from January 3-6, 2019. It looks to be a lovely show that highlights Cirque du Soleil’s roots.

Check out the trailer:

Beautiful, right? I am looking forward to the chandelier routine as I am partial to aerials. My daughter also loves aerials, but I bet she’ll be delighted by the bed-jumping act.

Launched in 2005, Corteo is currently the oldest touring Cirque du Soleil show. It had a long run as a “Grand Chapiteau” (big tent) show, but in 2015 Corteo underwent the transition to an “arena” show, which makes it accessible to a wider range of cities. While we love the majesty of the Grand Chapiteau, the Worcester DCU Center is a bit easier to get in and out of.

You can enjoy Corteo in Worcester:

• Thursday, January 3, 2019 – 7:30 pm
• Friday, January 4, 2019 –3:30 pm & 7:30 pm
• Saturday, January 5, 2019 – 3:30 pm & 7:30 pm
• Sunday, January 6, 2019 – 1:00 pm & 5:00 pm

Tickets are available online, and we’re also giving away a family 4-pack of tickets for January 3, 2019 at 7:30pm. Either way, a night at Corteo would make a lovely last-minute Christmas gift!

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter giveaway below. PLEASE NOTE: The winner will be contacted on December 26 and will have a short turn-around to reply. Please keep an eye on your email.

** Comments from new users are moderated. As long as you have entered through the Rafflecopter widget, don’t worry if your comment doesn’t appear right away. If you win, I will look for your comment to confirm.

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The post Cirque du Soleil Corteo at Worcester DCU Center [Giveaway] appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

Rock of Ages is to ’80s hair bands as Mamma Mia is to ABBA. Is that a weird analogy? Perhaps. But it’s true. Take some of the most iconic hair band music from the ’80s (think Whitesnake, Twisted Sister, Poison, etc.), string together their most famous songs, and you have Rock of Ages. It manages to be just as cheesy, loud, and strangely relatable as the music was at the time.

Rock of Ages tells the story of Sherry, a small-town girl, and Drew, born and raised in South Detroit (see where we’re headed with this?), two starry-eyed kids who are following their dreams on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip in the late ’80s. Let’s face it, the story isn’t terribly unique. They work at a club that’s being threatened by evil German property developers. But the fun is in the telling and that includes music (played by an on-stage rock band) that makes the audience cheer and sing along, a comedic narrator (brilliantly played by John-Michael Breen, a local talent on his first national tour), and enough sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll to make this a not-safe-for-kids affair.

So, tease your hair, tie on an extra bandana, slap on some eyeliner, and grab your oldest and dearest friends to catch Rock of Ages in Boston before it’s gone.

Tickets for ROCK OF AGES at the Wang Theatre are on sale now. Tickets are available at the Boch Center Box Office, Bochcenter.org, by calling (800) 982-ARTS (2787), and via Ticketmaster. Groups of 10 or more may reserve tickets now by contacting Boch Center Group Sales at (617) 532-1116 or groups@bochcenter.org.

Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets for review purposes as well as a pre-show reception. There was no additional compensation and all opinions are my own.

The post Fight For Your Right to Party at Rock of Ages in Boston appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

LUZIA is meant to be “A Waking Dream of Mexico” and every single moment is splashed with vivid colors, festive performances, and beautiful music. It’s simply delicious to take in.

Of course, it IS a circus, so there are plenty of extremely talented circus artists showing off their skills. The swing act had me so nervous I could barely watch!

You’ll note that I have a lot of photos in this post – I had a hard time choosing favorites. But I also wanted to show the artistry in the costume and set designs. Every moment felt like a living painting.

LUZIA also incorporated a lot of water to the show, which is something you don’t typically see in circus performances. This strap artist had a pool of water to work in and each time he spun into the air, the arcs of water became part of the art. And, yes, people in the front rows got wet.

Even this static trapeze artist (and her companion Cyr Wheel performers seen above) performed in the “rain.” It was amazing.

In addition to all of the artistry I’ve been gushing over, there was a lot of technology involved, which is also something people don’t usually associate with circus. I’ve included a video from Geek Wire, which talks about some of the tech and how it all works. One of the most awe-inspiring was the curtain of water that served as the rain… they were able to create images in the water as it fell. He explains how it all works in the video.

Sigh. Now I want to go back and see it again! Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA is in Boston until August 12. I can’t recommend it enough. Kids will love it. Adults will love it. And if you speak Spanish, you might even love it more as the dialogue and songs are all in Spanish. Kurios has been my favorite Cirque du Soleil show, but LUZIA may just have nudged its way into first place.

LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil for Families

LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil runs 2 hours and 5 minutes, with a 25 minute intermission. There were a few moments of adult humor, but kids will likely not notice/get it. There was also some strobe lighting. While we loved all of the colors, sounds, and experiences, it could easily be sensory overload for kids who are prone to that. And, as a reminder, yes, you’ll likely get wet in the front rows. Lastly, if you enjoy interaction with performers, you’ll want to sit along the aisles (there is a large circular aisle in the middle of the seats, as well as the normal aisles leading away from the stage).

Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets for review purposes. No additional compensation was provided and all opinions are my own. 

The post LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil Bring Mexican Flair to Boston appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

Dirty Dancing is directed by Sarna Lapine (Sunday in the Park with George – Broadway; War Horse – North American tour). Leading a company of 24 are Aaron Patrick Craven as Johnny Castle and Kaleigh Courts as Francis “Baby” Houseman. They are joined by Anaïs Blake as Penny Johnson, Erica Lee Cianciulli as Marjorie Houseman, Nickolaus Colõn as Billy Kostecki/Singer, Ryan Cupello as Robbie Gould, Buddy Daniels Friedman as Mr. Schumacher, Rick Grossman as Max Kellerman, Demitra Pace as Lisa Houseman, Owen Russell as Neil Kellerman, Christopher Robert Smith as Dr. Jake Houseman and Ramond Thomas as Tito Suarez. The ensemble is comprised of Alex Caldwell, Ayla Ciccone-Burton, Amanda Clement, J’royce Jata, Hunter Mikles, Honza Pelichovksy, Erica Philpot, Joshua Clifton Powell, Hannah Straney, Jay Stuart, Kelsey Walsh and Aidan Ziegler-Hansen.

Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage is at the Boch Center Shubert Theater from June 13-17, 2018. Tickets are available at the Boch Center Box Office, bochcenter.org, or by calling (866) 348-9738.

Want to win a pair of tix for the June 13th (7 pm) show in Boston? Enter via the Rafflecopter Widget below. If you have ANY trouble, please drop me a note at morethanmommy at gmail dot com. I’d hate to have you miss your shot because any of the instructions aren’t clear!

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Disclosure: We received free tickets to facilitate a review. The giveaway prize is provided by the sponsor. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own. 

The post How About Some Dirty Dancing in Boston? [Giveaway] appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

Search for Hidden Mickeys

Hidden Mickeys are subtle Mickey Mouse-shaped designs either deliberately or accidentally found around the parks. And, sure, kids love looking for them, too. But when you’re on your own, you can set a goal and follow your own path to find as many as possible You can look on your own, or you can use a guide. My favorite take-with-you guide is Hidden Mickeys: A Guide to Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets. There are also apps and websites you can use if you don’t want to carry a paper guide with you. I just like being able to check off the Mickeys I find along the way.

Eat the Food You Want to Eat

I have several picky eaters in my family and they aren’t all kids. That means that before choosing a restaurant, I need to read the menu and make sure there are options for each person in the family. We also have a child with food allergies and, while Disney is incredibly accommodating, there are some restaurants that just make less sense for us to visit. When traveling on my own, I can eat where I want when I want. Because guess what? It’s also a lot easier to make a dinner reservation for one!

My favorite full-service spots for dining solo are:

Jiko – The Cooking Place –  Jiko is situated in the Animal Kingdom Lodge and has the most divine food. It’s on the pricier side, so dining here solo is both less expensive and less stressful (without my husband eyeing the prices). There will still be families present, but if you’re looking for a quieter meal, this is a good option. Do be warned that it has a certain romantic vibe, so if you’re just out of a big breakup or prone to feeling lonely, this may not be the spot for you.

PrimeTime Cafe – I’ve seen people say this is an awful choice for dining during a Disney World solo trip, but I wholeheartedly disagree. If you’re someone who doesn’t like eating alone, PrimeTime Cafe in Hollywood Studios is a great choice. Why? Because the wait staff are meant to engage with you more than at other restaurants. They’ll sit down at the table to chat for a bit and treat you like you’re one of the family. In fact, that’s the point. This 50’s diner-style spot is supposed to feel like dinner at mom’s house. You may end up with a lecture on eating your veggies, and that’s all part of the fun. But I’ve also found that many families embrace the vibe and engage with the tables around them meaning that you might just find yourself adopted into another tribe for dinner. **If you’re not feeling like sitting among the families, there is seating at the bar in the Tune-In Lounge, where the full menu is available.

Connect with Other People

I’m an introvert. I like having time to be in my own head having my own thoughts. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like getting to know other people. So whether you’re an extrovert craving human interaction or just a friendly introvert with some time on your hands, Disney World is a great place to connect with other people.

First and foremost are the cast members. They are always willing to have a quick chat. If you know you’re going to be feeling lonely, ask for a “Celebration” pin at Guest Services (or at your hotel). Have them write, “First Solo Visit” on it. I find that a unique “Celebration” pin always catches the eye of Cast Members and gives them a way to start a conversation with you. But it doesn’t have to stop there. Engage with the family next to you in line. Ask folks at the next table over for dinner suggestions. On my last trip, I watched a couple of women strike up a conversation with the guy eating on his own at the next table over. He gave them suggestions on what to order and even offered them some samples of his meal! The next day, I saw the same two women and approached them to say Hi. We had a nice chat before heading our separate ways.

My picture with Chewbacca is a bit of a joke, but you’ll find that most of the characters are just as thoughtful with solo adults as they are with adoring 4-year-olds. Don’t be shy!

Take a Tour

Unless you’re a pretty serious Disney World fan, you may not even know about the wide range of tours and special experiences the parks offer. You can swim with dolphins, learn more about the trains, or get an in-depth behind-the-scenes view of the parks. If you’ve got solo time in the parks, a tour is a great choice, especially if you prefer to be with other people. Not only can you learn something, but you get a special insider view.

• Backstage Magic – I highly recommend the Backstage Magic tour, which brings you behind the scenes in several Disney World parks, through the underground “utilidors” and into the places where the magic happens like the costume shop. That’s a 7-hour tour and is currently $275pp (adults only).
• Keys to the Kingdom – If Backstage Magic is out of your budget, the Keys to the Kingdom tour is 5 hours and focuses solely on the Magic Kingdom. It’s $99. Both tours also require park admission.
• Behind the Seeds – For a last-minute, budget-friendly option, I’d also recommend the Behind the Seeds tour in EPCOT. It’s just $25 for adults (it’s open to kids, too, but you’re solo, remember?). Behind the Seeds is an hour-long walking tour in The Land pavilion and it takes you behind the scenes of the Living with the Land boat ride. This is a quick option and you usually don’t need to plan ahead, although I’d recommend heading over earlier in the day if the park is crowded. Plus, it’s pretty cool to wave to the people riding by on the boats!

Pamper Yourself

There’s no reason why you have to spend your trip in one of the parks. I am not a big spa person, although I’m all about the occasional facial. If you are, this is your chance. Disney World has several spas so you can make the most of your solo vibe.

Take Time to Smell the Roses

And check out the decor. When you’re traveling with other people, especially kids, you’re often racing from attraction to attraction with barely any time to breathe. One of the nicest things about traveling on your own is that you can stop to examine the details on a fountain or mosaic. The Imagineers have put a lot of time and effort into every small detail, so it’s worth your time to slow down and pay attention. But sometimes, the best moments are the spontaneous ones.  On a rainy day at the Magic Kingdom, I spotted this duck living it up in the puddles and couldn’t help but stop and watch him enjoy his own Disney vacation.

Solo travel isn’t for everyone, but Disney World makes it easy. Definitely give it a shot if you have the opportunity. You may be surprised by how much fun you have.

Have you done a Disney World solo trip? What are your favorite tips?

Disclosure: Although this is not a sponsored post, we have received free and/or discounted tickets and lodging from Walt Disney World in the past. No additional compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.

The post Six Ways to Enjoy Disney World Solo Trips appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

We received complimentary tickets for the purpose of review, as well as additional tickets for a reader giveaway.

The Sound of Music is one of the first movies I remember seeing in a movie theater. It was a revival, of course, but I remember being enchanted by all of those kids and the constant singing. The story is both thrilling and inspiring, sad and uplifting. Now my daughter is also captivated by the story of all those kids and their amazing singing nanny-turned-stepmother. Despite having seen the movie more times than I can count, I’ve never seen the musical on stage. Until now, of course. It’s coming to the Wang Theatre in Boston and I can’t wait to go and enjoy it in person. If you love The Sound of Music as much as I do, you’ll want to read on because I’ve got some tickets to give away!

Given my feelings about this story and the musical as a whole, I particularly resonated with these words from Ted Chapin, President of Rodgers & Hammerstein, “I waited for a moment when we could rediscover THE SOUND OF MUSIC as it was originally created. Because of the enormous success of the film, few were aware that it started life as a hit Broadway show—and a very big hit at that! The artists behind this production embraced what the authors wrote, looked at it all through modern eyes and, in so doing, found depth and resonance that has been recognized by critics and audiences across the country. It’s like visiting an old friend but finding yourself surprised as well. It’s also a reminder of why this show is such an evergreen.”

WHAT: The Sound of Music

 WHEN: Tuesday, May 1 – Sunday, May 13, 2018                             

WHERE: Boch Center Wang Theatre 

TICKETS:  Tickets start at $35.00

*Ticket prices inclusive of $3.75 facility fee

 Tickets are available at the Boch Center Box Office, Bochcenter.org, by phone at 800.982.ARTS and via Ticketmaster.

The Sound of Music Ticket Giveaway

We are giving away a family four-pack of tickets to The Sound of Music at the Wang Theatre in Boston for the 7pm show on May 2. Please note that the show will run about 3 hours, so it might be late/long for very young children.

To enter:

• Log in or enter your email in the Rafflecopter Widget Below
• Choose your free entry
• Gain additional entries by performing other tasks

* I do check to make sure you have completed the additional entries. Please don’t try to cheat the system as you may be disqualified. 

The winner will be contacted in the morning of April 23 and will have roughly until the end of the business day to respond. Please check your email (and spam) during the day on the 23rd if you choose to enter. Thanks!

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Disclosure: We have been given a set of passes to enjoy as a family, as well as passes to give away to a reader. There is no additional compensation provided.

The post The Sound of Music Comes to Boston [Giveaway] appeared first on QuirkyFusion.

As I mentioned in the fall, we opted to move our kids out of our local school district and place them in charter schools. Our daughter went to a local brick & mortar charter, while our son started with a virtual charter school in Massachusetts called TEC Connections Academy.  We had a lot of questions before we got started and have had a lot of people ask us things since. Let’s be honest – you don’t hear about kids doing online schooling all that frequently (yet). Here are the 10 top things people should know about TECCA.

1. It is not homeschooling.

2. TEC Connections Academy is a charter school.

3. It’s not a hands-off option for parents.

4. There is a big learning curve.

5. TECCA provides learning materials.

6. You can bring your child’s IEP with you.

7. TECCA follows a regular school calendar.

8. Sick days don’t count for much.

9. There are field trips.

10. There are clubs.

The post 10 Things You Should Know About TEC Connections Academy Online Public School appeared first on QuirkyFusion.