The American Pops Orchestra is returning to Arena Stage with a new show that is sure to delight the whole family! At A Very Silly Vaudeville, famed Broadway tapping duo, Mary Michael Patterson and Cary Tedder, will guide the audience on a journey through APO’s modern take on classic American vaudeville acts of yesteryear. This talent extravaganza will feature magic, dancing, singing and lots of audience engagement.
The entertaining adventure will take place on November 17 at 11am in the Molly Smith Study at Arena Stage. Tickets are $17-32 and can be purchased online here. Of course, you can also try to win them through the giveaway below.
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Giveaway: For a chance to win a Family 4-Pack of Tickets to A Very Silly Vaudeville at Arena Stage on November 17, simply leave a comment below telling me your or your child’s favorite dance move or type of dance. Get an extra chance to win by entering on the KFDC Facebook Page, too! This giveaway will run through November 5, 2018, then a winner will be drawn at random and notified shortly thereafter. Good luck!
This post is sponsored by The American Pops Orchestra, however, I only promote programs, events, and places that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.
I went back and forth about whether or not to recommend Snow Child, the new world-premiere production at Arena Stage, as a show for just the T(w)een Scene. The musical centering around a married couple, Mabel and Jack, as they try to forge a life in the harsh Alaska wilderness in the 1920s, has many elements that I think would appeal to younger ages, too. But, ultimately, I decided some bits of heavy storylines and the lengthy run time make it more appropriate for middle schoolers and older.
We learn early on that the death of their child and the opportunity to start over were the impetus of Mabel and Jack’s move to this new frontier. From the opening scene, as Mabel walks across cracking ice, breaking the silence with a beautiful song, there is an aura of both melancholy and hope. It’s been a struggle for them to set up a homestead in the wilds of Alaska, and it has put a strain on the couple’s marriage, but they are determined to rebuild their life after their tragic loss.
Photo courtesy of Arena Stage
When they meet a young mysterious girl who lives among the wild lands around them, things start to change for the better, and joy returns to their lives. Yet the tough environment forces circumstances that plunge them into a nearly desperate place. Mabel, however, resolves to overcome the challenges and make their life in Alaska succeed and make it their home.
This is all played out masterfully by the talented cast, and I’d say stand-outs are Chistiane Noll as Mabel and Fina Strazza as Faina, the wild child. Both gave beautiful performances — Noll brings so much emotion to her character, and Strazza keeps the audience captivated, though she barely says a word.
The other highlights of the show — the elements that almost had me recommending this for younger audiences — are the music and the puppetry. The score, which I’d describe as a bluegrass/folk/Americana mix, both help tell the story and add another layer of entertainment. It’s music that can be appreciated across generations.
Snow Child also contains some of the most beautiful puppetry I’ve ever seen in a show, and the puppeteers maneuver them with such graceful agility, you barely notice them. A large horse operated by two people, a snow fox, and a swan move so similarly to and exhibit characteristics of the actual creatures, they almost seem real. (You can read more about them in this interview with their creators.)
Owen (12) and I saw Snow Child together, and his input is incorporated into this review. He agreed with me that some younger kids might enjoy seeing it, but then added that while Sasha (9) would like it, some things might be “too much” for her — and that she probably wouldn’t be able to sit through the whole performance. Keep in mind this is her older brother saying this. I’m sticking with the T(w)een Scene recommendation, though.
Snow Child is running at Arena Stage through May 20. Tickets are $55-110, and Arena Stage offers a Family Fun Pack: 4 seats for only $129. They must be purchase by phone or in person, and orders must include a minimum of two patrons between ages 5 and 17.
Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to Snow Child from Arena Stage, however, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own, and I only promote programs, places, and services that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.
But this eccentric adventurer won’t be stopped. He believes he can achieve the unthinkable and sets out on a race against time. With his butler Passepartout (who is terrified of ships, trains and anything adventurous), Phileas must travel around the globe and return to London in just 80 days. And if that weren’t difficult enough, Detective Fix is hot on his heels and trying to stop him!
In this hilarious and epic adventure, Phileas leaves the solitary life he loves and must learn to rely on new-found friends if he’s going to complete his goal. He’ll need your help too, to avoid getting caught by Detective Fix!
Told through songs from the great American songbook, this world premiere production revisits Jules Verne’s timeless classic Around the World in 80 Days, in a musical adventure for all ages.
When: January 6, 2018 at 2pm & 5pm
Where: Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
Location: 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC
Tickets: $15/child, $30/adult
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The American Pops, however, I only promote programs, places, and events that I genuinely believe in and think will be of interest to KFDC readers.
But this eccentric adventurer won’t be stopped. He believes he can achieve the unthinkable and sets out on a race against time. With his butler Passepartout (who is terrified of ships, trains and anything adventurous), Phileas must travel around the globe and return to London in just 80 days. And if that weren’t difficult enough, Detective Fix is hot on his heels and trying to stop him!
In this hilarious and epic adventure, Phileas leaves the solitary life he loves and must learn to rely on new-found friends if he’s going to complete his goal. He’ll need your help too, to avoid getting caught by Detective Fix!
Told through songs from the great American songbook, this world premiere production revisits Jules Verne’s timeless classic Around the World in 80 Days, in a musical adventure for all ages.
When: January 6, 2018 at 2pm & 5pm
Where: Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
Location: 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC
Tickets: $15/child, $30/adult
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The American Pops, however, I only promote programs, places, and events that I genuinely believe in and think will be of interest to KFDC readers.
Whenever I write a review of show for the blog, I always feel like prefacing it with a reminder that I am not a professional theatre critic. I love going to the theatre and the whole experience of it — seeing stories brought to life on stage, admiring the talent and courage of actors, appreciating the set design and stage direction, and just losing myself in a (hopefully) good production for a while.
But when it comes to writing about theatre… I’m no expert. That said, I always hope I can at least convey a good sense of what a show is about, make age recommendations, and give readers an idea of whether it’s something they want to experience with (or without) their kids.
I feel compelled to say this because my lack of expertise may not always do a show justice, especially one as outstanding A Raisin in the Sun, currently running at Arena Stage. There are some productions that nail it on many levels, and to me, this is one of them.
Written by Lorraine Hansberry and first performed on Broadway in 1959, the play follows a 1950’s African American family as they yearn for a better life from their Chicago tenement and have the opportunity to realize it when they receive a windfall from a life insurance policy. The Youngers — Ruth and Walter, their son Travis, Walter’s mother Lena, and his sister Beneatha — all live together, but have differing views on what will make for a better life and how they will attain it.
Their diverging dreams are sources of conflict within the family and, at times, within the characters themselves that are played out brilliantly by the cast. Especially stellar is Lizan Mitchell in the role of Lena. Her emotion is palpable, and you can almost physically feel it watching her tremble with a mix of frustration, yearning, and a deep love for her family. It’s this love, plus a steadfast pride in who they are, that maintain a strong family bond despite their differences.
The show is poignant, hopeful, and thought-provoking as it spotlights struggles and issues that our society still grapples with today. And taking place on the Fichandler Stage, the intimate theatre-in-the-round setting is just right for this production, almost making you feel like a guest in the Younger’s living room.
As for age recommendations, I think kids about middle school ages and up could appreciate the story and performances (my friend who joined me for the show agrees). However, it’s a long production — nearly three hours including a 15-minute intermission — something to keep in mind for young theatre-goers who might get antsy. Of course, this would make for a nice KidFree outing, too.
A Raisin in the Sun is running at Arena Stage through May 7. Tickets are $40-111. And if you love theatre, I highly recommend considering a subscription to Arena Stage, which are now available for the 2017-18 season — more details are available here.
Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to A Raisin in the Sun from Arena Stage, however, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own, and I only promote programs, places, and services that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.
