Tag Archives: Theatre for Teens

Spring Entertainment Coming to Local Stages

The Puppet Co. is one of many venues presenting family entertainment this spring!

 

With the new season comes a whole new line-up of live entertainment!  There are shows for all ages and interests — plays, puppet theatre, musicals, singalongs, and more — to enjoy at venues all around the area. Here’s what you and the kids can see on local stages this spring, listed in order of opening date.

P.Nokio – A Hip-Hop Musical
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: Through March 30
Tickets: Coming soon!

G.Petto is an ingenious computer games designer who one day discovers that his newest game character, P.Nokio, can live outside the computer! G.Petto is thrilled at the prospect of having a “son,” and with the help of the Graffiti Fairy, he teaches P.Nokio how to become a real boy. But, P.Nokio falls in with con artists and finds himself in a web of lies that endangers his father. To save G.Petto, P.Nokio must wise up, keep it real, and learn that words and truth are the mightiest weapons of all. Recommended for age 5-11.

Make Way for Ducklings 
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Eco Park, MD
When: Through March 27
Tickets: $25
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are exhausted from their search for a starter home when they land in the Boston Public Garden as a potential home. Surprised by a few conditions in the Garden, the Mallards move on to continue their search until their baby ducklings are born. When the ducklings begin to explore the world around them. The challenges of parenthood in the busy Boston environment create a fun bit of family drama. A classic story for all ages, this world premiere musical celebrates family, Boston, children, and the beings who make an unfamiliar place a home. Recommended for all ages.

Riverdance – The 25th Anniversary Show
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Through March 27
Tickets: $39-155 (find discount)

Riverdance, as you’ve never seen it before! This powerful and stirring reinvention of a beloved favorite is celebrated the world over for its Grammy Award-winning score and the thrilling energy and passion of Irish and international dance. Recommended for all ages.

The Adventures of Mr. Toad
Where: Creative Cauldron | Falls Church, VA
When: Through April 3
Tickets: $20/adult, $18/child

Generations of children have roamed the countryside in the company of Rat, Mole, Toad, and Badger, the immortal animal friends in The Wind and the Willows. Once again, the Learning Theater ensemble brings this heartwarming and hilarious tales to life in a show that will capture the imaginations of young and old.

Mother Goose
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: Through April 10
Tickets: $12

A brand new, music-filled piece by the creators of Wake Up, Brother Bear and Mouse on the Move! Mother Goose leads the audience through some of her most beloved nursery rhymes, using puppets and props to bring to life Humpty Dumpty, Old King Cole, the Eensy Weensy Spider, and more. The magical Mother Goose invites your little ones to join in with each rhyme’s story – teaching them that the very best way to do what needs to be done is to do it together.

Catch Me If You Can
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: Through April 17
Tickets: $66-105 (find discount)
Owen and I saw a performance of this show… it’s  vibrant and clever and bursting with talent!  Needless to say, we both loved it. Here’s the official description:  Humor, music and dance drive this rousing musical based on true events and a critically acclaimed film. See how a charming, young con man posed as an airline pilot, a lawyer and then escaped police custody all before he turned 22.  Where else, but Washington, D.C., could a musical about con men and being conned be the perfect story we need right now? Recommended for tweens and up. KFDC readers can get a 15% discount with code FANTIX!

Grace
Where: Ford’s Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Through May 14
Tickets: $40-81

Packed with an eclectic mix of styles including jazz, R&B, rousing up-tempos and raise-the-roof ballads, Grace is an electrifying musical celebrating the perseverance of family and the power of traditions. Created by Washington, DC,’s own celebrated composer Nolan Williams, Jr., with a book by Nolan Williams, Jr. and actress and writer Nikkole Salter, Grace examines the little-told history of African-American culinary tradition and the challenges faced by Black-owned businesses. The musical captures a day in the life of the Mintons, a Philadelphia family who gather to mourn the loss of their matriarch and deal with the future of their family restaurant in a changing neighborhood. Heartfelt and hopeful, timely and timeless, Grace is the new American musical where, although family comes first, everyone has a seat at the table. Recommended for ages 10+.

RENT – The 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: March 25-27
Tickets: $50-110

RENT follows a year in the lives of a diverse group of artists and friends struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. This powerfully resonant phenomenon has become more than a musical – it’s a cultural touchstone, a rite of passage and a source of joy and strength for millions. The extraordinary RENT fan community spans every continent and every generation – including many born over a decade after the show opened on Broadway. Read of A KFDC review from the last time it toured here (note that there are changes to the cast).

Tiny Tots: Tree Songs
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: March 25, 26, & 30 (More dates coming soon!)
Tickets: $15

The Puppet Co.’s sweet Tony Tots series is back! At these shows especially for little ones (2-4 years old). lights remain on, doors stay open, and running times are short (30 minutes) to accommodate smaller attention spans. In Tree Songs, Jasper and his puppet friends take you on an interactive, musical adventure. Sing and dance to your favorite tree songs, while exploring pre-school science.

The Fantastic Tale of Rumpelstiltskin
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: March 31 – May 15
Tickets: $15

In a brand new production, the Puppet Co. gives you the full story of what happens after the gold has been spun and the day has been saved. This hilarious and smart comedy will be a great romp for adults and kids alike. Can you guess Rumpelstiltskin’s new name?! Recommended ages 4+. Run time approximately 50 minutes.

Pippin
Where: Olney Theatre | Olney, MD
When: April 1-3
Tickets: $60

A concert performance of the Broadway favorite. This classic musical about a young man in search of his purpose features some of music-theater’s best-loved songs and most theatrical moments. From the battlefield to the bedroom, from intrigues political to intrigues romantical, Pippin just can’t figure out how to be extraordinary.

Mean Girls
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: April 5-24
Tickets: $45-199 (find discount)

Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls is the hilarious hit musical based on Tina Fey’s movie. Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung. Recommended for age 10+.

Oklahoma!
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: April 5-10
Tickets: $49-159

This is Oklahoma! as you’ve never seen or heard it before — reimagined for the 21st century, and now the Tony winner for Best Revival of a Musical. Funny and sexy, provocative and probing, “this production shocked me and moved me. This is the OKLAHOMA! that was there all along,” raves New York Magazine. Direct from an acclaimed run on Broadway, OKLAHOMA! “lets us experience Rodgers and Hammerstein’s greatness anew” (The New Yorker). Note that the show contains fog, loud gunshot effects, moments of total darkness, and violence. Recommended for ages 12+.

The Servant of Two Masters
Where: Synetic Theatre | Crystal City, VA
When: April 6-24
Tickets: $20-50

Mistaken identities, wily servants, and madcap antics abound in this laugh-a-minute tale of the ultimate trickster. Helmed by Vato Tsikurishvili and the Helen Hayes Award-nominated team from the 2019 hit Cyrano de Bergerac, The Servant of Two Masters is a raucous adaptation of Carlo Goldoni’s classic farce.

Beastgirl
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: April 7-22
Tickets: $20

This exciting world premiere for young adults is based on the chapbook Beastgirl and Other Origin Myths by New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo. The collection of folkloric poems is brought to the stage with music as the play explores the mythological and geographic identities of three first generation American sisters. From the border in the Dominican Republic to an apartment rooftop in New York City, Beastgirl considers what it means to walk the world as “beastly” beings and how the myths that make us can be both blessing and birthright.
Recommended for ages 12+

NSO Music for Young Audiences: Super Cello!
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: April 9-11
Tickets: $20

The city is safe with the help of a unique cellist: professional musician by day, superhero by night. SCOTTIE ROWELL of Atlanta’s TELLER PRODUCTIONS and NSO cellist DAVID TEIE unite to tell a fantastic story using puppets, props, and plenty of music to help a very super musician save the day. Recommended for ages 3+. Following select performances, young audience members can ask questions and hear stories in an up-close-and-personal talk with some of the artists.

Brigadoon
Where: Olney Theatre | Olney, MD
When: April 8-10
Tickets: $60 (find discount)

A concert performance of the Broadway classic. New Yorker Tommy Albright unexpectedly arrives at mysterious Scottish Highland village of Brigadoon, which only appears for one day every 100 years. When Tommy meets and falls in love with Fiona, a beautiful villager in this magical hamlet, he must decide whether to return to his old life, or stay in Brigadoon — forever. Featuring such standards as “Almost Life Being in Love”, “Come to Me, Bend to Me”, and “Heather on a Hill.”

Come From Away
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: April 12-17
Tickets: $50-95+ (find discount)

I saw this show a few years ago, and it is incredibly emotional (in the best way possible) and entertaining… Broadway’s Come From Away takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Recommended for ages 10+.

The Other Side
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: April 21-30
Tickets: $20

Adapted from the book by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis. Clover’s mom says it isn’t safe to cross the fence that segregates their African-American side of town from the white side where Anna lives. But when the two girls strike up a friendship, they’ll find a clever way to get around the grown-up rules together. Recommended for ages 5+.

Poop the Musical
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: April 22 – May 30
Tickets: $25

Taro, a young Asian American boy, faces the ridicule and bullying of his classmates when he accidentally “poops in his pants”. Too ashamed to talk to anyone or return to school, Taro can only confide in his “best friend”—a stuffed toy rabbit named Blackberry, who invites three special friends to visit Taro to help him overcome his shame by taking him on a “magical” journey through space and time. Each of the three visitors—Thomas Crapper, the real-life 19th century British inventor known as the “father of the modern toilet”, Zhi Yan, the beautiful Chinese goddess of the toilet, and Cheddar, a toy mouse with performance issues—helps Taro learn that only by letting go of our societal disgust with poop can we take our first steps to make positive change for the billions of people whose lives are impacted because of this issue. Recommended for all ages.

Mother Goose
Where: Olney Theatre | Olney, MD
When: April 23-24
Tickets: $15

Imagination Stage presents their show on the Olney Theatre stage!  Mother Goose leads the audience through some of her most beloved nursery rhymes, using puppets and props to bring to life Humpty Dumpty, Old King Cole, the Eensy Weensy Spider, and more. The magical Mother Goose invites your little ones to join in with each rhyme’s story – teaching them that the very best way to do what needs to be done is to do it together.

NSO Family: Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: April 30
Tickets: $20-55

Once upon a time, there were three hungry Dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur…and a dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway! That’s just the beginning of this hilarious, fractured, symphonic take on “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” as retold by Mo Willems. This new classic is presented by favorite performers and the National Symphony Orchestra, featuring original music by indie pop icon and NSO Artistic Advisor Ben Folds.

Wu Fei
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: April 30
Tickets: $20

WU FEI is a renowned master of the guzheng, the 21-string Chinese zither. She plays in the guzheng’s language—almost 2,000 years old—by mixing Western classical and Chinese traditions with a contemporary sound. The classically trained composer and vocalist has taken her music around the world to venues such as the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing and New York’s MoMA, and collaborated with renowned artists across disciplines and genres. Recommended for ages 8+.

Into the Woods
Where: Creative Cauldron | Falls Church, VA
When: May 5-29
Tickets: $40/adult, $25/child

With an imaginative book by James Lapine that skillfully intertwines the stories and characters from Grimm fairy tales, and a luscious score by Stephen Sondheim, this Tony Award-winning musical has become a timeless masterpiece. A baker and his wife wish for a child, Cinderella wishes to go to the King’s Festival and Jack wishes to sell his cow, so into the woods they must go in search of their prize. Happily ever after eludes them, however, as they soon learn the tangled consequences of getting exactly what you wished for.

Hairspray
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: May 10-15
Tickets: $50-95+

You Can’t Stop the Beat! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960’s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Recommended for ages 8+.

Freestyle Love Supreme
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: May 10-15
Tickets: $45-135

Before Hamilton, before In the Heights, there was Freestyle Love Supreme. Now—direct from Broadway—the original hip hop musical phenomenon from Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Anthony Veneziale. The subject of the recently released Hulu documentary We are Freestyle Love Supreme, every performance of this Grammy®-nominated show brings the unexpected, as the crew takes the crowd on a freestyle, hip hop, improvisational comedy ride. The performers take suggestions from the audience and spin them into instantaneous riffs and full-length musical numbers. See it for the first time each time—as no two shows are ever the same. Recommended for ages 14+.

Show Way the Musical
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: May 13 – 29
Tickets: $20

Soonie’s great-grandma was just seven years old when she was sold to a big plantation without her ma and pa, with only some fabric and needles to call her own. She began to stitch a Show Way, a quilt with secret meanings to show enslaved people the way to freedom. As each generation passes, the Show Way shines a light on the past and paves a road to the future, stitching together possibility and promise. Education Artist-in-Residence Jacqueline Woodson’s book of history, love, and resilience becomes a world premiere stage adaptation. This moving, lyrical account based on Woodson’s own family pays tribute to women whose strength and knowledge illuminate their daughters’ lives—from enslavement to freedom, through segregation, freedom marches, and the fight for literacy. Recommended for ages 7+.

Our Town
Where: Sidney Harman Hall | Penn Quarter, DC
When: May 12 – June 11
Tickets: $49-112

Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Our Town continues to leave audiences awestruck with wonder and a shared sense of our humanity. Guided by an amiable stage manager, the theatre becomes turn-of-the-century Grover’s Corners, where the occurrences of everyday life reveal universal truths about community and love, life, and death.

Disney Singalong
Where: Olney Theatre | Olney, MD
When: May 14-15
Tickets: $15

Three of Olney Theatre’s favorite performers, Patricia Hurley Carpenter (Mary Poppins herself!), Ashleigh King (Elf the Musical), and Matt Schleigh (Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors) lead kids of all ages in their favorite Disney songs from stage and screen.

NSO Family Concert: Philharmonia Fantastique
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: May 15
Tickets: $18-20

Dynamic concerto meets animated film! Through a mesmerizing hybrid of animated and live action filming, follow a magical Sprite as it embarks on a musical journey through the inner workings of an orchestra. Violin strings vibrate, brass valves slice air, and drum heads resonate like you’ve never seen before—all set to live music from members of the NSO. By the film’s end, the orchestra comes together in a spectacular finale! Recommended for all ages.

2022 Teen Twelfth Night
Where: Synetic Theatre | Crystal City, VA
When: May 20-29
Tickets: $20-60

If music be the food of love, play on! The brilliant young artists of the Teen Company present Synetic’s celebrated 1920s take on Shakespeare’s whirlwind of romance and slapstick.

A Monster Calls
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: May 25 – June 12
Tickets: $45-139

Patrick Ness’s piercing novel A Monster Calls is brought to the stage in a powerful new adaptation by visionary director Sally Cookson. Thirteen-year-old Conor and his mum have managed just fine since his dad moved to America. But now his mum’s very sick and she’s not getting any better. His grandmother won’t stop interfering and the kids at school won’t look him in the eye. Then, one night, at seven minutes past midnight, Conor is woken by something at his window. A monster has come walking. It’s come to tell Conor tales from when it walked before. And when it’s finished, Conor must tell his own story and face his deepest fears. Recommended for ages 10+.

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Filed under 2022, DC, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Spring, Virginia

Live Entertainment Around the DC Area in Late Fall & Winter

Join the Wheaton Family Theater Series for a FREE Urban Artistry performance!

 

As we head into the cold season, you may be starting to think about indoor options for activities, especially now that younger kids are getting vaccinated — and good timing as more and more live entertainment is returning to local venues!   Plays, musicals, concerts, puppet shows, basketball magic, and even monster truck battles are among the line-up coming to stages and arenas soon. Even better, tickets to see them make for great holiday gifts!   Here’s a round-up of all the entertainment, listed in order of start date, and most descriptions from theatre websites. Be sure to check Covid policies, as many venues require proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test.  (And note that this round-up does not include holidays shows — you can find those in the Holiday Guide).  Happy viewing!

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Where: Olney Theater | Olney, MD
When: Through January 2
Tickets: $42-79

Be their guest this holiday season as the classic animated story comes to life on the Olney Theatre Mainstage. It’s a tale as old as time, but it gets a new look from Tony-nominated director Marcia Milgrom Dodge.  Olney’s biggest show of the year brings the whole family together for a magical and memorable musical about the redemptive power of love. Join Belle, Lumiere, Cogsworth, and the rest of the gang in the Beast’s cursed castle for an escape to a world where beauty is more than skin deep and happily ever after is just a rose petal away. Rated G.

Rent
Where: Signature Theatre | Arlington, VA
When: November 2 – January 2
Tickets: $40-108 | Find Discount

La Vie Boheme! The iconic rock musical’s pure rush of adrenaline, passion, energy, and joy is boldly and immersively reimagined in Signature style for a triumphant reopening. At the end of the millennium, a group of bohemians in the East Village of New York City struggle with gentrification, love, loss, and legacies amidst the HIV/AIDS crisis. Through songs such as “Seasons of Love,” “One Song Glory,” “I’ll Cover You,” “Out Tonight” and more, they embrace hope, find strength and survive. Recommended for teen ages and up.

Aesop’s Fables
Where: Creative Cauldron | Falls Church, VA
When: Through November 21
Tickets: $20/adult, $18/student | Find Discount

The lessons learned in Aesop’s simple fables like The Ant and the Grasshopper, The Tortoise and the Hare, and the The Lion and the Mouse, have weathered the test of time. The Learning Theater crew brings them to life with a 21st century twist and their classic heart. Great for the whole family! Music by Conner & Smith.

Urban Artistry: Let the Rhythm Hit Em
Where: Highland Elementary | Wheaton, MD
When: November 13, 11am & November 14, 2pm
Tickets: Free!

InterAct Story Theatre presents FREE performances and events for kids and families with the Wheaton Family Theatre Series! This session welcomes Urban Artistry: Celebrate the diverse communities and influences that contribute to urban dance culture through music and dance. The emcee, DHG and dancers tell the story of where, when and how these dance styles were developed through storytelling, dance demonstrations, call-and-response games and interactive dance workshops. Recommended for all ages.

Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie: Starring Indigo Blume
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: November 18-27
Tickets: $20 | Find Discount

Best-selling author Kwame Alexandr brings two of his beloved children’s books, Acoustic Rooster and Indigo Blume, to the stage in a world premiere Kennedy Center commission. The show tells a story about being scared, being brave, and believing in yourself. With special guests like Duck Ellington and Ms. Dairy Parton—plus Preston appearing as Acoustic Rooster—this musical adaptation will have children (and families) dancing in their seats. Recommended for ages 5+. Following shows on November 18 & 19 at 7pm and November 20 at 1:30pm, audience members can ask questions and hear stories with Kwame Alexander, writing partner Mary Rand Hess, and more of the show’s artists.

NSO Pops: Disney & Pixar’s Up in Concert
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy bottom, DC
When: November 26-27
Tickets: $29+ | Find Discount

The unforgettable animated classic returns to the big screen with Michael Giacchino’s Oscar®- and Grammy Award®-winning score performed live to the film! Follow the unlikely duo of a curmudgeonly 78-year-old balloon salesman and his 8-year-old stowaway on this hilarious, heartwarming journey to a lost world filled with danger and surprises.

Seven Guitars
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: November 26 – December 26
Tickets: $56-95

The 1940s Pittsburgh is the backdrop for August Wilson’s fifth cycle play and the second production in the August Wilson Festival. Seven lives are interconnected when old friend and blues singer Floyd Barton vows to turn his life around after a surprise windfall leaves him hopeful for a second chance. Infused with deep and soaring blues rhythms, this “rich and exceptionally vivid” (Variety) play pits the desire for a better future against the harsh realities ultimately leading to heartbreaking and inescapable circumstances.

Cinderella
Where: Synetic Theatre | Crystal City, VA
When: November 27 – December 26
Tickets: $15-30

Cinderella is joining the Synetic our family series repertoire and stepping into her own shoes! Led by an all-female team of Syneticons, this innovative take on the classic fairytale is a perfect fit for audiences of all ages.

Once Upon a One More Time
Where: Sidney Harman Hall | Penn Quarter, DC
When: November 30 – January 2
Tickets: $82-145 | Find Discount
In this highly anticipated world premiere of the Broadway-bound musical, beloved classic fairytale princesses gather for their fortnightly book club, longing for a new story. When a rogue fairy godmother drops The Feminine Mystique into their corseted laps, it spurs a royal revelation: there is more to life than bird-made dresses and true love’s kiss! Powered by the chart-topping anthems of the Princess of Pop herself, Britney Spears—including “Oops!… I Did It Again,” “Lucky,” “Stronger,” and “Toxic”—Once Upon a One More Time sends audiences on a heartwarming and uproarious musical adventure about smashing the glass slipper and reclaiming your own happily ever after.

The Miraculous Magical Balloon
Where: Highland Elementary | Wheaton, MD
When: December 4-5
Tickets: Free!

InterAct Story Theatre presents FREE performances and events for kids and families with the Wheaton Family Theatre Series! This session welcomes Synetic Theatre: A series of hilarious pantomime sketches incorporates music, ballet, clowning, and audience participation in this theatre assembly. In The Miraculous Magical Balloon, students will discover the art of acting without words, opening the door to their imaginations. Expressed through body and facial masks, pantomime illusions, and unique choreography, The Miraculous Magical Balloon tells a wonderful story of a traveling actor and his magical trunk of tricks and toys.

Tootsie
Where:National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: December 7-12
Tickets: $50-95+ | Find Discount
Call it “musical comedy heaven” (Rolling Stone). Call it “the most uproarious new musical in years!” (The Hollywood Reporter). Call it TOOTSIE! This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime.

Corduroy
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: December 11 – January 24
Tickets: $28

We all need a friend, and Lisa is instantly drawn to the perfectly imperfect teddy bear on display at the department store. If only she can convince her stressed-out mother to buy Corduroy for her! Meanwhile, Corduroy is determined to find his missing button and become worthy of going to a real home. After the store has closed, he goes on a hilariously destructive search–with the Night Watchman in comical pursuit. Full of mischief and clowning, this story of unconditional love captures both the humanity and the merriment of the holiday season. Recommended for ages 3-9.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: December 14 – January 2
Tickets: $49-149 | Find Discount
Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend and 2015 Kennedy Center Honoree, she was Carol Klein, Brooklyn girl with passion and chutzpah. She fought her way into the record business as a teenager and, by the time she reached her 20s, had the husband of her dreams and a flourishing career writing hits for the biggest acts in rock ’n roll. But it wasn’t until her personal life began to crack that she finally managed to find her true voice. Recommended for ages 11+.

Pretty Woman: The Musical
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: December 28 – January 2
Tickets: $50-95+ | Find Discount
Based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time, Pretty Woman: The Musical stars Broadway superstar and Tony Award®-nominee Adam Pascal as Edward Lewis and rising star Olivia Valli as the charming and charismatic Vivian Ward.  The show springs to life with a powerhouse creative team led by two-time Tony Award®-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde).

The Prom
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: January 4 – 16
Tickets: $49-139 | Find Discount
Everyone’s invited to the joyous Broadway musical that inspired the hit Netflix adaptation. New York Magazine calls it “smart and big-hearted” and The New York Times says the show “makes you believe in musical comedy again!” The Prom is a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars on a mission to change the world and the love they discover that unites them all. You belong at The Prom! Recommended for ages 10+.

Dinosaur World Live
Where: Strathmore | Bethesda, MD
When: January 9
Tickets: $24-58

When is the last time you took a t. rex for a walk or got to groom a microraptor? Never? Well, now is your chance! Dinosaur World Live takes your family on an adventure across unchartered territories to discover a prehistoric world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including every child’s favorite flesh-eating giant, the tyrannosaurus rex! Plus, special appearances by triceratops, giraffatitan, segnosaurus, and more. Stick around after the show for the dino meet and greet!

Show Way
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: January 27 – February 20
Tickets: $20

Soonie’s great-grandma was just seven years old when she was sold to a big plantation without her ma and pa, with only some fabric and needles to call her own. She began to stitch a Show Way, a quilt with secret meanings to show enslaved people the way to freedom. As each generation passes, the Show Way shines a light on the past and paves a road to the future, stitching together possibility and promise.

Monster Jam
Where: Capitol One Arena | Downtown DC
When: January 29-30
Tickets: $25+
The world’s largest and most famous monster truck tour featuring the biggest names in monster trucks will thunder its way into DC.  El Toro Loco, Grave Digger, and Hooked are confirmed for the event, and more soon-to-be-announced vehicular beasts  will be tearing up the indoor terrain this year.

The Simon & Garfunkel Story
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: January 29-30
Tickets: $55-95+
The immersive concert-style theater show chronicles the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. It tells the story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the ‘60’s to their dramatic split in 1970. It culminates with the famous “The Concert in Central Park” reunion in 1981 with more than half a million fans in attendance.

Disney on Ice: Let’s Celebrate
Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: February 17-21
Tickets: Coming soon!

Grab your Mickey ears and get ready for non-stop fun when 50 of your favorite Disney friends come to life through world-class ice skating.

Balloonacy
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: February 5-20
Tickets: $12

Written by the same person who adapted Corduroy for the stage, Balloonacy returns to the Imagination Stage for a limited 3-weekend run and is filled with physical humor. The beautiful, movement-based show revisits the classic film The Red Balloon. Nothing can go right for the character of the old man, whose days are gray and dreary–until he is visited by a friendly red balloon. In the playful physical style of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, the old man–an adult version of the boy in the film–regains his youthful spirit, with the help of the red balloon! Best for ages 1-11

Our Town
Where: Sidney Harman Hall | Penn Quarter, DC
When: February 17 – March 20
Tickets: $35-110
Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Our Town continues to leave audiences awestruck with wonder and a shared sense of our humanity. Guided by an amiable stage manager, the theatre becomes turn-of-the-century Grover’s Corners, where the occurrences of everyday life reveal universal truths about community and love, life and death.

Make Way for Ducklings 
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Eco Park, MD
When: February 18 – March 27
Tickets: $25
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are exhausted from their search for a starter home when they land in the Boston Public Garden as a potential home. Surprised by a few conditions in the Garden, the Mallards move on to continue their search until their baby ducklings are born. When the ducklings begin to explore the world around them. The challenges of parenthood in the busy Boston environment create a fun bit of family drama. A classic story for all ages, this world premiere musical celebrates family, Boston, children, and the beings who make an unfamiliar place a home. Recommended for all ages.

Jesus Christ Superstar
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: February 22 – March 13
Tickets: $49-159 | Find Discount
Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes “I Don’t Know How to Love.” Recommended for ages 10+.

INTERSECTIONS Festival
Where: Atlas Center for Performing Arts | H Street NE, DC
When: February 26 – March 4
Tickets: TBA

The Atlas’ signature event, this performing arts festival presents work that impacts our society, culture, and world by informing, inspiring, educating, and entertaining. INTERSECTIONS is about presenting excellent art that inspires a connected community, engages artists and audiences alike, and creates a vibrant neighborhood, city, and world. More details about the festival to come!

P.Nokio – A Hip-Hop Musical
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: February 26 – April 10
Tickets: Coming soon!

G.Petto is an ingenious computer games designer who one day discovers that his newest game character, P.Nokio, can live outside the computer! G.Petto is thrilled at the prospect of having a “son,” and with the help of the Graffiti Fairy, he teaches P.Nokio how to become a real boy. But, P.Nokio falls in with con artists and finds himself in a web of lies that endangers his father. To save G.Petto, P.Nokio must wise up, keep it real, and learn that words and truth are the mightiest weapons of all. Recommended for age 5-11.

Catch Me If You Can
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: March 4 – April 17
Tickets: $66-105
Humor, music and dance drive this rousing musical based on true events and a critically acclaimed film. See how a charming, young con man posed as an airline pilot, a lawyer and then escaped police custody all before he turned 22. Helen Hayes Award-winning actor Corbin Bleu returns to Arena Stage to take on the role of this young con man Frank Abagnale Jr. The Tony-nominated musical comedy is jam-packed with dynamic numbers such as “Don’t Break the Rules,” “Live in Living Color” and “Doctor’s Orders.” Catch Me If You Can is “a high-flying musical comedy” (The Hollywood Reporter) packed with glamour and delight for the entire family. Where else, but Washington, D.C., could a musical about con men and being conned be the perfect story we need right now? Recommended for tweens and up. KFDC readers can get a 15% discount with code FANTIX!

NSO Music for Young Audiences: I Dream of the Moon & Xavier’s New Friends
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: March 5-6
Tickets: $20

Discover the range of percussion instruments through two imaginative stories featuring assistant principal timpanist of the NSO, Scott Christian. I Dream of the Moon (A Young Boy’s Adventure Through Space) by Keeghan Fountain tells the story of a young boy’s journey from his own backyard to the furthest reaches of the moon in a non-verbal performance on the vibraphone with projected images of original artwork by Nehemiah Russell. Xavier’s New Friends by Peter Gilbert introduces the main percussion family instruments through Xavier the Xylophone as he searches for percussion friends to join his band. Local musicians will join Scott and other NSO percussionists to tell this story and highlight the rhythmic and melodic facets of the percussion section. Recommended for ages 5+.

Mother Goose
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: March 11 – April 10
Tickets: $12

A brand new, music-filled piece by the creators of Wake Up, Brother Bear and Mouse on the Move! Mother Goose leads the audience through some of her most beloved nursery rhymes, using puppets and props to bring to life Humpty Dumpty, Old King Cole, the Eensy Weensy Spider, and more. The magical Mother Goose invites your little ones to join in with each rhyme’s story – teaching them that the very best way to do what needs to be done is to do it together.

Harlem Globetrotters
Where: Capitol One Arena | Downtown DC
When: March 19
Tickets: $25+
The Original Harlem Globetrotters are on the road for their action packed tour! A star-studded roster will have fans on the edge of their seats to witness the ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that thrills fans of all ages. There will be new high-flying dunks, hilarious stunts, a new record-breaking attempt and unforgettable family moments.

NSO Family Concert: Because
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: March 20
Tickets: $20-35

Because Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence Mo Willems wrote a powerful story of how chance, discovery, and persistence changed the Amber Ren related to the hero of the story, she created magical illustrations. Because the book moved them, the NSO wanted to turn it into an orchestral piece. Because acclaimed composer and violinist Jessie Montgomery was also changed by music as a young person, she composed the score. Because is a world premiere symphonic exploration that you and your loved ones want to see and hear to become part of the story. Recommended for ages 5+.

 

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