"Come on down!"

When I was a kid, a day home from school wasn’t official unless and until I watched “The Price Is Right.”

I was an early fan of Bob Barker; I watched him as faithfully as I was allowed when he hosted “Truth or Consequences” back in the early ‘70s. When Bob started hosting the daytime “Price Is Right,” I watched it all summer, school vacations, and when I was home sick with strep throat. I was pretty good at the game, too. I vicariously won quite a few refrigerators, dinette sets, brand new cars, and a few exciting showcases. So a few months ago when I saw that a stage version of my favorite game show was coming to Portland, I was one of the first to snag tickets.

I was surprised that the Portland show started so late. It was scheduled to start at 8:30pm, although it actually didn’t get rolling until closer to 9:00pm. Once we arrived, I figured out pretty quickly that the late start was to give the audience plenty of time of loosen up at the two bars set up in the auditorium’s lobby. I had read that if you wanted to be a potential contestant you had to arrive at 5:30 to line up. Judging from the frivolity in the lobby, the libations had been flowing for quite a while to help pass the time.

After we entered the lobby, we were handed peel-and-stick nametags and directed to a table of black markers. “First name only, block letters, no nicknames.” I am actually amazed I remember what the nice lady said, I was so giddy to be handed an official “Price Is Right” price tag name tag! I haven’t quite figured out how yet, but rest assured this souvenir will be preserved for posterity.

We found our seats and took in the crowd. It spanned many generations, most easily defined as “Bob Barker” and “Drew Carey.” Lots of folks were sporting homemade t-shirts proclaiming their enthusiasm and availability to “Come on down!”

We ended up waiting about 30 minutes for the show to start. I’m not complaining, though, as it was highly entertaining. People ran, wobbled, and teetered up and down the theater’s aisles with drinks in their hands. Friends waved and shouted wildly to each other across the auditorium. Wanna-be contestants played along with games up on big screens trying to guess how much an AMC Gremlin cost in 1974 ($3455).

It got really fun, though when “Can’t Stop Believin’” by Journey came on as the background music. Suddenly 2,000 voices sang to the chorus with gusto. When Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” came on, those voices erupted with “BAH BAH BAH” and the bonus “so good, so good, so good!” at the appropriate times. I just kept giggling at the party atmosphere that reminded me of the opening scene in “The Muppet Movie” when the Muppets are in a movie theater waiting to see their new movie. As I bounced and clapped along, Rob kept giving me that look that he often gives me which is a mixture of “why did I let you” and “thank you for” dragging me to this goofy activity. It is one of my most favorite looks from him.

When the show finally started and the curtains opened, it was a collective gasp as we all gazed at perfect replicas of the stage props we all knew so well. Naturally, they were mind-blowingly tiny compared to what fills up a television camera. But they still oozed that delightful retro Vegas vibe.

Names were called to fill Contestant’s Row and one was from behind us. As the late 20-something ran down the aisle, one arm pumping in excitement, the other expertly balancing a plastic cup of beer, a guy behind me asked his friend, “Can you bring drinks to Contestant’s Row?” Apparently, without cameras, yes, yes you can.

The show lasted about an hour and a half. They know their audience so they played only the most popular games. We saw “Hole in One…Or Two” and “Plinko” and “Any Number” and “Punch-a-Bunch.” When the Cliffhanger game was revealed, the audience responded as if on cue with yodels. More excited giggling from me and That Look from Rob.

When it came time to Spin the Big Wheel, the host ("Emmy-Award winning Todd Newton!") said his favorite part of hosting the stage show is seeing the audience’s eyes light up when the Big Wheel is revealed. I am sure Portland did not disappoint. IT WAS SO PRETTY!! And it truly looked exactly like it does on television – all glittery and sparkly and spinny. Although it looked kind of small from where we were sitting, once someone stood next to it, it was clearly the same size as on TV. Seeing it was the one moment I regretted being an introvert who didn’t even turn in her registration card for fear of being called to the stage.

We weren't allowed to take pictures during the show so this is from afterwards.

As for the contestants, they were mostly drunk. Silly and goofy…and tipsy and uninhibited. As such, there were very few winners. Actually, there was only one winner. Sober Samuel from Southeast (Portland). He was an old guy with a bad hip and a bad knee who ambled up to the stage one step at a time with his cane. He and his wife Ella have been married for 62 years.

Samuel got to play the “Any Number” game. It is where there is a good prize, a ho-hum prize, and a piggy bank of change. Numbers 0-9 appear once on the board as part of the price of one of the three prizes. You call out numbers one at a time and the first item whose price is revealed is the one you win. The piggy bank has a decimal after the first number so the most you can win there is $9.87.

When the ho-hum prize was revealed, the audience and the host roared with laughter. It was a tandem bicycle. Todd tried to make a joke about Samuel having a long-held dream of taking Ella for a ride on a bicycle built for two, but Samuel was hard of hearing and didn’t quite get it. However, Samuel fully understood what the good prize was: a trip for two to Las Vegas. “WE LOVE VEGAS!” he proclaimed, speaking for his bride as well.

With classic suspense made for TV, the game came down to the last number. Whichever of the three remaining numbers Samuel chose would determine his prize. When the Las Vegas trip lit up, the audience erupted in cheers and was on its feet, arms waving and hands clapping. The joy and excitement was as if each person had won the trip themselves. Maybe it was the booze (theirs, not mine), but the feeling filling the auditorium of altruism and elation at the good fortune of someone else was inspiring.

Rob and I ran into Samuel and Ella after the show. They were wearing brand new matching “Price Is Right” t-shirts, clinging to each other, and glowing with excitement. We congratulated them and shook their hands. Their smiles couldn’t have been any bigger.

Todd ended the show with Bob’s trademark admonition to help control the pet population. It was the first…and I believe last…time I have ever joined 2,000 voices in yelling out the words, “SPAYED OR NEUTERED!” Especially with such delight.

Just before that, though, Todd announced that they would be bringing the Big Wheel back out on stage and for $20 you could get your picture taking it for a spin. More giggles, with more bouncing and claps of glee. And That Look again. And, then, blissfully, this:

We totally should have brought Piglet. Darn it!!