Bugs Bunny at the Symphony

One of the big things I love about living in DC is that stuff comes here. I compare this to Wichita (motto: A good place to be FROM) which was a large and bustling city compared to where I grew up. DC gets movies that will never show in Wichita. DC gets lots of authors on their book tours. DC has lots of free museums and events.

Another thing that DC gets that will never be coming to Wichita or even Kansas City is "Bugs Bunny at the Symphony". Those of you in the mid-west, if you really want to see this concert, should plan on making a trip to Indianapolis in November.

Do you remember your first exposure to Wagner? To "Marriage of Figaro"? "Blue Danube"? Most of you first heard this stuff in cartoons that were made when your own parents were kids. It played behind Bugs Bunny or Tom and Jerry or something like that. I saw this stuff on Saturday mornings or after school. But where are the kids of today gonna see this stuff? In college you could see this stuff at 2:30 in the morning as filler on the Cartoon Network (motto: who needs cartoons?). If you haven't bought them on DVD you're just out of luck.

This show consists of a series of cartoons that have heavy orchestral accompaniment being shown on a large screen with an orchestra, in our case the National Symphony Orchestra, playing below it. You get the big hits like "What's Opera Doc" (a.k.a. Kill Da Wabbit!), and "Rabbit of Seville" as well as a few other pieces. In one a young Daffy Duck helps protect a family of goslings as music plays behind them. Tom and Jerry performed a bit where Jerry tries to foul up Tom's conducting. Scooby Doo and The Flintstones did a couple of bits where clips were shown while other bits of classical music played. In a few cartoons they apparently couldn't separate the score from the rest of the audio so the orchestra sat quietly while the cartoon played.

Now, let me make this perfectly clear. This is still a concert. I understand that you want to bring your kids. There is, however, a point at which your kid hasn't yet learned to shut the fuck up. He can talk just fine, but doesn't yet get the concept that cartoons aren't real. If your kid wants to keep asking "IS HE DEAD?" when dynamite blows up in the Coyote's face he shouldn't be at this show. There are plenty of people in Nebraska who would love to have your seats.

This goes for you, too, mom and dad. Do not tell your kid you're proud of them in the middle of the show. Particularly when all you have to be proud of is the fact that your kid has yet to kick anyone in the head.

This doesn't appear to be a traveling road show. If you want this to play in your area you need to contact your local symphony and make a request.

You can find the performance schedule at http://www.bugsbunnyatthesymphony.net/.