An Interactive and Fun Morning with Dot and Ziggy

I can’t think of a better way to spend a sunny Saturday in June than to head down to Granville Island. This time, we weren’t there for the fantastic market, the kids’ waterpark or the Kites and Puppets Shop (a huge hit in our house); rather, we had tickets for the Carousel Theatre’s performance of Dot and Ziggy! I showed my oldest daughter a snippet of Dot and Ziggy on YouTube before we went, so she was super excited the whole way there!

Dot and Ziggy is an interactive live action play that takes place in the intimate Bee Stage – the entire space is only about 400 square feet - so it creates an up close and personal environment. You sit on colorful mats and interact directly with the performers and the language and dialogue is simple, rhythmic and perfect for those under 3 years of age. 

Right from the beginning, the performance was engaging for both parents and toddlers alike. We lined up outside the theatre before the performance, and when it was time to begin, Dot – an adorable ladybug played by Kayla Dunbar– and Ziggy, a playful skunk played by Dustin Freeland – came outside and welcomed us to follow them inside, all while playing a playful tune on a ukulele. It felt like they were the pied pipers and we were their following!

From there, all the guests were invited to interact and roam freely throughout the theatre – although most kids were so engrossed in the pace of the  performance that they sat as still as statues! Dot and Ziggy danced around, sang songs, and interacted with each other - eventually discovering that sharing makes friendship extra fun!

The highlight of the show for my two daughters was definitely when Dot and Ziggy debate over Dot and Ziggy’s differences. Dot prefers to have things “inside” and Ziggy prefers everything “outside”. Dot steps inside a hula hoop; Ziggy steps out of the hula hoop. Dot steps inside a box; Ziggy steps outside the box; all while they repeat “I like things IN” and “I like things OUT”. Suddenly, a puppet spider pops up and reminds Dot and Ziggy gently to “share”….all while the pianist plays a joyful melody to accommodate the scene.

Overall, Dot and Ziggy was engaging, enjoyable and a wonderful way to spent time with my littles. If they come back to town again, I will definitely take another trip to see them!

Dot and Ziggy can be seen at The BEE Stage at the Carousel Theatre for Young People (1411 Cartwright Street) from June 2-14, 2015.
For more information, or to book tickets, please call the Box Office: 604-685-6217 or www.carouseltheatre.ca/production/dot-and-ziggy

Melissa Collins is a mother of 2 girls, lover of coffee and self-proclaimed lip-gloss junkie. While she’s not working in Recreation at the City of Surrey, she’s blogging about the realities and the humour in parenting. She’s a glamping-aholic and loves to unwind at her trailer at Mount Baker, cozied up on the hammock with a good book. Check her out at www.mellysmommymanual.com  

Photo by Faye Campbell