The Phantom Birthday

Ben had his first adult birthday, and it was adult in many ways.  It's hard to make that transition from big parties and presents and cake--he got suitcases and a computer as presents, then had to spend the entire day at work.

His birthday wasn't all work and no play, though. I enticed him home from work with the aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. After eating half a dozen, he looked at me and asked, "Since it's my birthday, can I take cookies to the cast to celebrate?" His school staged "The Phantom of the Opera" last week (he was Buquet, the guy that gets hanged by the Phantom at the end of the first act), and the second performance was the night of his birthday (no big party for the adult).

I told him no. Those cookies were already claimed--most for the elementary school carnival the next evening, and a few for a family in my ward that needed dinner that night.

His face fell, and he left for the show. I felt like the meanest mom in the world.

Little did he know that I had already planned a big surprise after the performance.

With permission from the director, I brought the party to the cast. (That hair is part of his stage persona--that and a really itchy mustache.)

By the end of the performance, he had completely forgotten it was his birthday, so when the director called him over to the steps, Ben thought it was for a cast photo.  He was wrong.  Here's the video:

I don't think I've seen him that embarrassed in a long time.

After setting up the party, I left and let them all celebrate. He is so lucky to have great friends surrounding him.

For those of you who missed the performances of Phantom, there will be a final encore performance tomorrow night at 7 pm. It is probably the best community theatre performance of this technically difficult show you will ever see, so if you have the chance, head down to Heritage Academy and look for Ben. He's the one in the awesome tweed vest, crazy hair, and itchy mustache!