Walking With Dinosaurs

We spent Saturday afternoon walking with dinosaurs. Actually, we just sat in our seats and watched. The only walking we did was to the concession stand.

The award-winning BBC TV series is now a live extravaganza. It began its two-year North American tour this month in Tacoma, Washington, with a second stop across the state in nearby Spokane.

I wasn't expecting much. I figured it would be a fun time for the kids, while I would be mildly entertained. Boy, was I wrong. The show was an incredible combination of puppetry, robotics, lights, sound, and, most importantly, education. We were all dazzled by the pageantry of realistic life-sized dinosaurs stomping and stalking around the beautifully designed stage. Most impressive was the 43-foot Brachiosaurus protecting its slightly smaller baby from the fearsome Allosaurus. The crowd-pleaser was, of course, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, which steals the last quarter of the show.

Our tour guide, who was the only one really walking with the creatures, provided a lively and informative narration. He was like the best college lecturer you could possibly imagine. It's easy to learn new things when the information is delivered with such exuberance.

If you have a chance to see this show, don't miss it! With two years to roam the continent, there's a good chance the dinosaurs are coming to a city near you.