Pass the time on this snow day thinking about yesterday.

By Mithra Ballesteros, First Stage Children's Theater

Photo by Katie Doral, First Stage Children's Theater

 

The Midwest hunkers down as the Great Groundhog Blizzard of 2011 blows through. For most of us, life is at a standstill. Even as we enjoy the forced sabbatical from our Wednesday responsibilities, our minds are still occupied with tomorrow's to-do lists. That is the cost of adulthood.

But children are different. They are not obsessed with tomorrow. Recently, we asked the young performers in THE MAGIC BICYCLE if they had the choice to travel to any time period, where would they go. Every single child said that they would travel back in time, not forward. Their reasons were unique and interesting:

I would choose to go to 1775 because I think that would be a fascinating time – to see a very young time in our country’s history and to actually see the beginning of our independence as a nation. – Isabel Hemley

The Black Plague! Just kidding. I would visit 30 B.C., around the time of Jesus. – Thomas Mazza

I would travel back to the early 1800s in Spain and Portugal. I am interested in the Napoleonic Wars, and would like to see the tactics, uniforms, and weapons used. – Alec Aldred

I would like to see the Neanderthals and try living with them. I’d like to discover the reason behind their disappearance. – Henry Ballesteros

I’d travel to the early 1900s to experience the feminist movement. – Maya George

I’d go to the year 1035 because I would love to see the land before it was populated and see nature at its finest. – Abbi Minessale

Medieval times. It fascinates me and we don’t know as much about it as we do about later centuries. – Maura Atwood

When asked which item they would take with them on their travels, most answered a camera. Also high on the list were iphones and ipods. Not sure how they would charge those devices in Renaissance Italy, but apparently this generation can’t live without them!

We gave them the option of selecting one person to call, in case of an emergency. All of the respondents selected a family member, most frequently “dad”, except for Henry Ballesteros, who selected Mr. Engel, a history teacher at Homestead High School.

Then we asked, “Who or what will be ruling the world in 1000 years?”

I think it’s hard to predict, but I would hope that the world lived under a common democracy in peace and harmony. – Alec Aldred

A computer programmed to do the best things for everybody. – Thomas Mazza

I think that China will have the most power. However, I think the people who try to change the world the most will be the ones ruling it. – Maya George

Well, I think we’ll have moved to the moon by then, so… . – Haley Carter

Lastly, we asked the kids to ponder their favorite subjects and tell us the significance of those interests.

I’m interested in anthropology and in our basic human connections between cultures. – Haley Carter

I love literature because writing something is like leaving a part of you on something forever. It could be read thousands of years in the future like some famous plays. It’s so cool thinking about how literature from previous time periods could even connect with things we deal with today. – Isabel Hemley

I have a lot of interest in history and what has happened in our past and how different discoveries and historical events influenced and caused others. Yet I am also interested in sciences. I look forward to a future where new discoveries will be unearthed due to the genius of the human mind. – Alec Aldred

We are proud of these thoughtful responses from our young performers. We agree with author Elizabeth Strout who wrote, "Young people get griped about enough. People like to think the younger generation's job is to steer the world to hell. But it's never true, is it? They're hopeful and good -- and that's how it should be."

Stay warm and safe! And then dig out and come see THE MAGIC BICYCLE during its final weekend. Tickets begin at $11.50. Click here to purchase.