Freckleface Strawberry: The Musical

Last weekend, Aiden and I bundled up and headed to the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center (MMAC) Theatre in Midtown Manhattan to see Freckleface Strawberry, The Musical! 

The musical is based on actress Julianne Moore's best-selling children's book, "Freckleface Strawberry," which emphasizes self-acceptance and self-love. Just as in the book, in the musical, the protagonist Strawberry, battles with accepting and owning the fact that she has freckles all over her face. She tries several things to hide them, including scrubbing them off and wearing a mask. She wishes she was someone else -- one of the other characters. Meanwhile, all of the the other characters battle their own issues with self-acceptance. And not only the stereotypical "nerds," but also the "jocks," "perfect girl," and "popular kids."

Freckleface Strawberry is more than a musical. It is a message. And one for the entire family because we've all been there before. We've all struggled to love the skin we're in at some point. We've all felt self-conscious about something before. I know I have. I've written about it too. Seeing the characters struggle with everyday issues and then trying to resolve those inner conflicts is a great way to open the dialogue about self-acceptance with our children. It is also a great transition into talking about bullying and the power of our words. (The affects of teasing is touched upon in the musical.)

As Aiden and I sat in our front row seats, we became engrossed in the performance. I was worried that little dude wouldn't be able to sit for the entire performance, but between the wonderful choreography, the energetic songs, and the engaging acting, he was completely mesmerized. And so was I. I found myself dancing along with the cast members, laughing, and singing. Such fun!

After the performance, we were able to meet the cast members, pose for photo ops, and get their autographs! Score!

Performances for Freckleface Strawberry, The Musical are Saturdays and Sundays at 1pm and 3pm. Tickets can be ordered through Telecharge at 212. 239.6200. Visit the website for more information. DISCOUNT CODE: Use code MAMADRAMA at the box office or online for $40 tickets. Click HERE to order your discounted tickets.

{Disclosure: I received tickets to this performance via MamaDrama in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.}