As I sit in my living room admiring the beautiful bouquet (that my mom won) that now adorns my glass table, I am reminded of the unforgettable experience that I had Saturday night. To catch you up on the festivities, I was invited to attend Half Stitched the Musical at the Ohio Star Theater in Dutch Valley. This was date night for me and my mother. We drove from Cleveland to Sugarcreek and it was a straight shot down 77S to the Amish Country. The Theater itself was located inside of the Carlisle Inn. Upon our arrival we were greeted with beautiful scenery and friendly faces. Sugarcreek was more than welcoming.
To our surprise, there were several treats and food options to pick from in the lobby of the hotel. We had strawberry shortcake, cookies, meatballs, fruit, chicken, and sandwiches. Everything was prepared by happy hands which made the food truly enjoyable and satisfying to my growing appetite. I was in awe of the hotel and its design. The area where we were being entertained was in its simplest form, majestic. I would recommend every person reading this article to go and visit. The Inn itself is a must see. More amazing than the actual hotel was the oncoming play that my and I drove an hour to see. 
I purposely chose not to do any research about the musical because I wanted to it be a surprise. I wanted to experience everything in that moment without any preconceived notions. I wanted to allow the characters to paint vivid pictures in my mind and on my heart. Their presentation surpassed my expectations. The play began with several characters passing by each other, on a mission going somewhere. Everyone stayed in their own busy lane focused on the end goal, a destination. Many were in a hurry while others stomped around confused and upset. These characters were individuals from opposite walks of life being guided by an unforeseen force to meet at the least opportune time, or so they thought. Regardless of their backgrounds, all roads led to Ms. Emma Yoder quilting class.
The class consisted of a spoiled house wife with OCD who dragged her husband along for marital purposes. They were then accompanied by a Preacher’s wife and a criminal. Alongside them came a marine and a misfit. And let’s not forget the Amish teacher Ms. Yoder and her man friend helper who was also Amish. With two days/two acts, this unfriendly group would go on an adventure that would change their lives forever. There was a common theme that spread throughout the play, “though we’re tattered and frayed, at the end of the day, we’re connected by a common thread”. That statement itself speaks volume. Coming from a faith based standpoint, I can see how God connects us all and really works all things out for our good and how no matter how bad life may seem there is still hope. This world needs to see and experience more stories of hope. Most of us get so caught up in the bad parts of life that it is hard for us to see the good and the light. In this story alone the characters were very quick to condemn and to pass judgment on others before even hearing their story. What was even more amazing was that when the characters finally decide to reveal their inner issues is when the healing really began. I wonder how much of this world could better if we could all just acknowledge our common factors and admit our issues and help one another to achieve personal greatness.
I was also blessed with an opportunity to meet the friendly Foster Family that traveled all the way from Colorado. I thought that my hour trip was a lot but they clearly beat me. The family had relatives that lived in Sugarcreek so they chose to spend their summer vacation visiting them. They were extremely pleased by the production, children included. All in all I give this a 5 star rating. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and laugh some more. The scene changes were flawless, the acting was perfection, and the storyline was without fault. I would recommend this musical to people of all ages and backgrounds. This is family fun at its best! Prepare to look at the world through the eyes of Half Stitched, The Musical.