While 2020 has brought lots of disappointments, cancellations, and changes for our kids, Birmingham Children’s Theatre has more than made up for those with its latest offering: “E.L.V.E.S. The Experience” interactive holiday show!
We watched it last night as a family, and can I just say, it was one of the highlights of this entire year. My kids were blown away by the “magic” and are still talking about it nonstop.
Tell Me More!
“E.L.V.E.S. The Experience” is an interactive theatrical Zoom show featuring two funny elves, JoJo and Francis. They guide your kids on a virtual adventure in the North Pole. But something suddenly goes wrong and Santa’s reindeer, toy-makers, and the naughty and nice Christmas list all go missing!
The elves need your kids’ cooperation to find the missing items and help save Christmas!
Pre-Show Parental Prep
Once you purchase tickets, Birmingham Children’s Theatre e-mails you a list of items to gather and set up before logging into the show. It took me about 10 minutes to gather and set up everything.
I sent my kids into another room so I could set up the props in various locations like the e-mail said, so as not to ruin the magic and surprise factor for them. It included things like putting a box outside the front door with one green item and one red item from your home and placing a hat in your freezer.
Funny story: another one of the directives is to put something jingly in the oven that the elves “magically” put there for the kids to find later. I hadn’t mentioned that particular directive to my husband and had placed two jingle bells on a cookie sheet for my kids to find at the right time.
During the show, I noticed my husband in the kitchen preheating the oven for our dinner. I freaked out, my arms flailing, and I’m mouthing in a loud silent voice, “TURN OFF THE OVEN!!” I was dying laughing, he was thinking I’m crazy, but I knew nothing would ruin the magic faster than my kids opening up a hot oven to find melted jingle bells! So keep an ear out for anyone else in your home tampering with the magic!
Truly a Magical Experience
This was hands down the highlight of the 2020 Christmas season. I haven’t seen my kids get this tickled and excited about something in a very long time. Every time they were sent on a quest by the elves around our house and discovered the pre-placed items, I heard more giggles, more squeals, and more delight than I could ever have imagined!
At the end of the show, JoJo and Francis thank the kids for helping them save Christmas and promise to leave them a little thank you gift under the tree in the morning. Parents can wrap up a little toy, candy, stickers — really anything — to continue the magic. I just wrapped up some sticker sets with a tag from JoJo and Francis, and my kids went wild this morning.
Overheard Throughout the Performance:
“Hey! The elf knows my name!”
“This is SO magical!”
“How did they do all this magic?!”
“Wow! That’s some magic!”
“This is the magical-est night!”
“Can we do this every year?”
I’m thankful for Birmingham Children’s Theatre thinking outside the box to keep children entertained, engaged, and inspired, especially in this heavy year. Tickets are going fast, so head to their website and grab your tickets today!
