My first topic for memories has to go to one of my favorites... October 17th 1990. I had this all written up on the "Ninja Turtles Network" forum, though sadly that's one of the sections from the forum which is gone now. So I'll just have to share it with everyone here instead.
I remember well when I first heard of the Coming Out of Their Shells Tour, the State Fair was in town and for one of the very rear times in my life I got to go. Mom took me, because the Ninja Turtles were going to be there. Before going I watched "Attack of the Killer Pizza" which was the episoide for that day, than we got to the state fair grounds. It was funny, because the story line was simalar to that of "Attack of the Killer Pizzas". Shredder dumped flyers into the sewers for free pizza which was a trap for the Turtles.
After the show we got our hands on the green flyers that the Shredder dumped. They were flyers that were ads for "The Coming Out of Our Shells Tour" Which of course got my brother and I excited. So we went to Pizza Hut to try and find out more, though the promotion didn't start till October and it was still the beginning of September. Through the month we learned that the tour was going to air on "Pay Per View" October 3rd. This was one of the few times that we got Pay Per View, just to see that tour. By time October 3rd rolled around my mom already got us tickets to the show, and we already got our tapes and booklets from Pizza Hut.
While watching the tour, I laughed so hard at how 'stupid' I thought it was. I mean, I about died hearing Michaelangelo shouting out "We love you, thank you, we love you" and the lines "April we're turtles, remember.." it was a joke to me how stupid they were acting. Though in the crowd we noticed Kids wearing their Turtle costumes. Not heavy costumes or anything, and it was brought up... what if I wore a home made turtle costume to the tour? How fun would that be?
Now in the past my dad has been known for making some GREAT costumes. His work has been best known by local fans of a TV show called the Ghoul Show which aired in Michigan and Ohio (One of his pieces from that show was stolen (since he never lincesed it and used in the first Ghostbuster movie)). At Halloween time he'd make us what ever we wanted to be for Halloween, and we'd also wear the costumes at si fi cons and my folks did many costume contests. So getting a costume from my folks was a real treat, and what was even better was how good the costumes were. So I asked my dad if I could be Michaelangelo for Christmas that year.
My dad finished the costume the morning of October 17th 1990, which was the same day we were going to the "Coming Out of Their Shells Tour". My mom called the theatre and asked... "Can my 11 year old wear her home made costume to the tour?" And they said ok, they had no clue what they were saying ok to. We got the costume in the car and decided I was wearing my Donatello PJs under the costume (You know the long sleeves and legs green PJs that was suppose to be like a kid costume in the first place with the purple arm and knee pads painted on, and the front plastron.). So I got into that and we drove to the theatre, once we got out of the car mom and dad got me into my costume and we walked in. On the way in we said hi to lots of other fans, I would use my Michaelangelo voice and I made my way to the seat, we were 4th role in.
I took my head off and looked around, the theatre was huge. I talked with people sitting around us, though it was when my brother said "Hey look there's April, go get interviewed by her" that things went crazy. I had to walk around the seats cause I didn't think I could really squeeze down a roll with all the people there. Though as I was walking around a lady stopped me and asked me to sign her tour book for her son. So I did, next thing I knew all I saw was faces I couldn't see my mom anymore... I had kids tugging on my arm, and adults all around me, wanting my autograph.
I was in shock, though I did it... I signed anything put in my face.
"BOY! BOY!" was heard from the crowd, but I did not respond to that. I've never been called a boy before, and that's not even the name of the character I was dressed up as, so it wasn't like it was something I even thought about responding too... till the only person standing next to me was a guard saying "BOY!" A bit shocked, I was dragged out by the guard he made me remove my head just as we got out of sight of the crowd. Just as I took my head off, I watched the turtles pop out of the stage and the concert begin while I was no longer in there to see it... he had me remove my full costume. So my mom got me the Tour shirt so I wouldn't just be in Donatello PJs. I wore the shirt backwards not realizing it... so the picture was on the front side (which is where I felt pictures belonged any how *G*).
I came back and watched the rest of the concert, I didn't miss too much only the opening song. At least I got to see them come up through the floor. Just wish I was at my seat when that happened. We learned that I stalled the show from starting by 15 minutes, I didn't even realize I was signing stuff for that long. Though I did know it was the best feeling of my life. I loved the concert, and enjoyed it so much more than I excepted too. I almost caught one of the pizzas durning Pizza Power, though missed. And I sang along with all the songs. The show was one of the best things I've ever seen... on and Shredder's machine was so scary in person... when that thing was moving forward it was HUGE and towering over us... the thought running through my head was if it fell forward it would crash right down into the seats I was at. So even though it looked corny on TV that thing was scary!
That's when my respect for the tour became real. I found on that one trip what it must of been like to be one of those turtles, when the crowd wanted me to sign their stuff, a true high. And I saw from the fans eyes how wonderful the show really was by sitting there with it live. This was one of my first real strong memories of the Turtles and a big changing point in my life.
Has anyone else seen the show, feel free to share your stories here. Or if you have any questions feel free to ask me here. This topic is for the "Coming OUt of Their Shells Tour" only, another topic will be started for the other tour. And I do have 4 more times of seeing the show live that I will share with everyone. Just not all in one post.
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