Friday, January 4th, 2013
Since my daughter is obsessed with theatre, I’m always looking for good deals on tickets—and Kids’ Night on Broadway in New York City is a bargain. This annual event (which runs from February 25 to March 3) allows you to get a free kids’ ticket with the purchase of an adult seat. It essentially amounts to half-price tickets, which are hard to come by for popular, rarely discounted shows like Wicked and The Lion King. Other good choices for 6- to 10-year-olds include Newsies, Mary Poppins, and Annie. Tickets go on pre-sale today for members of the Broadway Fan Club (it’s free to join) and, on Monday, the tickets will be open to the public. (If you don’t snag seats today, additional tickets will be available next week.) Another plus: During Kids’ Night shows, mini theatre-goers get to meet some of the actors and take part in activities. If you don’t live in the New York area, still check out the website for Kids’ Night events nationwide throughout 2013.
Monday, January 10th, 2011
Do you know the children’s book Freckleface Strawberry, by Julianne Moore? It’s based on her childhood, when that was her (totally unwanted) nickname, and touches on teasing and acceptance. The book is now a Broadway show, and yesterday I took my daughter Julia, who’s 5. Given that the book isn’t exactly filled with plot twists or even characters, I wasn’t sure how the story was going to fill 70 minutes, but turned out to be an absolutely adorable show: great music, really talented performers, and plenty of laughs for kids and adults. (Linda Gabler, the actress who plays the teacher/the mom/ one of the kids, is particularly funny.) Julia got the message—that it’s not nice to tease and that you should be happy being yourself—and in case she didn’t, we’re reminded by the soundtrack, already played in its entirety three times since we got home last night (it was playing as I walked out the door this morning).
Lest you think that this is a girls’ show, I can tell you that there were lots of boys in the audience, and they seemed to be just as into it as the girls were. A few of them even stopped by the “free freckles” station before and after the show, as Julia did:
It’s playing at least through June 5, so if you’re looking for a fun treat for your child, this one will entertain you, too.
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
One of my favorite holiday films is bringing Christmas cheer to Broadway this season. No, it’s not A Christmas Story, but it does rank right up there. Elf, the movie starring Will Ferrell as a fish-out-of-water Santa’s helper, is getting a musical remake for the stage. The show goes into previews starting today, and the big opening is set for November 10th. I’m excited for the musical–I think it’s one that both parents and kids will like for a change. And who doesn’t like a merry sing-along? So if you’re planning to be in NYC soon, make sure to catch it before the limited run ends on January 2nd. For tickets or more details, visit the official site.
