Kidsday: Christmas Spectacular shines

It was opening week for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Show starring the Rockettes in Manhattan last week. We had the privilege of attending the opening night show. We thought the show was spectacular as the title indicates.

There were a total of 14 different scenes. Each scene blended into the next. Scene 1, was the Sleigh Ride. The Rockettes dressed as reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh; Scene 2, Santa Flies to New York, was in 3-D. There were geese, presents, and Santa's sleigh flying out toward the audience. In Scene 3, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," the Rockettes dressed as presents and tapped their way to the beat of the song. Scene 4, "The Nutcracker," the young girl Clara danced with a variety of bears and to special music of different lands from which the bears came. Scene 5, The Parade of Wooden Soldiers, was about Santa's favorite toy, the wooden soldier. The soldiers marched all over the stage until they were shot down by a cannon. They fell like down to the ground in a domino effect. In Scene 6, New York at Christmas, the Rockettes drove the Greyline bus. Then they got off the bus and continued to dance in the park.

Scene 7 was in a department store. A mother and her daughter were doing last-minute Christmas shopping, when they meet Santa at the mall. He helps them find the perfect Christmas gift. Scene 8, "Here Comes Santa Claus," is when Santa duplicates himself and they all start dancing with joy in unison. Scene 9, "Closer Than You Know," is when the mother and daughter come to a realization of what Santa was trying to tell them all along about the true meaning of Christmas. Scene 10, "Santa's Video Game," was also in 3-D. The Rockettes had to conquer the humbugs by mastering the four levels in the game. This scene was recently added to the show. Scene 11, "Closer Than I Knew," is when the mother learns the real joy of the holidays. Spending time and having fun with her daughter is more important than material things. Scene 12, "Let Christmas Shine," was truly magical in how the sparkles on the costumes lit up the stage. Scene 13, "The Living Nativity," portrayed men and women dressed in lavish costumes making their way to Bethlehem to see the new baby Jesus in the manger. Scene 14, "Joy to the World," was a perfect way to end the show and got us all in the Christmas spirit.

Do you want to go to the show? Visit their website: radiocitychristmas.com for tickets. The show runs through Jan. 2.