Page 10 - Santa Monica Playhouse BFF Free Festivall Booklet as of Sept 2024

To Santa Monica Playhouse and supporters of The BFF,
I want to thank you by sharing the wonderful experience I had at the playhouse recently during The
BFF Fantasy Make-Up Workshop.

Recently my mother, a young senior citizen, began playing a competitive tile game of wit and strategy
with her neighbors. I had recently encouraged her to embody herself when she was most keen while
playing. I had imagined she was most keen during her time doing improv at the comedy store. Well, as
luck would have it the next day she called to invite me to join her for a free event at the playhouse.
I thought how great, she would reconnect with performance arts, and her sharp wit, but what we got
was much more.
Our host was kind and gentle, guiding my mom and I, and a family with two children through the
personal process of choosing a fantasy character. We would later transform into the character with the
help of makeup and an activity. Naturally, my mom, a former elementary school teacher enjoyed
connecting with the youngest child who continually impressed her.
As we began to reach the final stages of the exercise , my mom who had chosen to be a princess, half
whimsical, and half serious, said " I need a tiara". Our gracious host not only found one quickly, but so
kindly saw how much it meant to my mother, and thus, invited her to keep it.
What I learned from the workshop was my mom's dreams of being a princess were vividly still alive in
her. As her son and caregiver too, know that learning about this will help in how I approach fun

purchases, and my time with her.
On the way home I asked the inevitable question, "Why a princess mom"? My mother replied "... I want
to make wishes come true".
I have already started calling her Princess Ileen, and she seems to have no problem with that. She even
wore the tiara in public for a while right after the workshop for fun.
Thanks to the workshop I now can work to find ways to help my mom make wishes come true, and pick
up stories and items related to princesses to inspire her, and show her how much she is loved.
Thanks for your Commitment to Theatre,
Matthew