Performances

My son, Roan, has reached the age of forced ambivalence. I didn’t see it coming, at age four, yet here it is. When I asked him on Sunday to accompany me to a concert by the band Milkshake, he acted cavalier and stipulated that his cousin, Boone had to go as well. I invited Boone, nine years old, who is the king of cavalier. I think his mother threatened or bribed because he eventually was on board. I mention this because I did not expect these boys to dance, sing or frolic during the concert. I was wrong. Read more »

In New York, our children are being raised with a cultural world at their fingertips. Yet, somehow I always seem to find myself wondering why we aren’t enjoying more of the cultural excursions that NY has to offer?

I suppose it’s because the simple thought of taking my two sons, ages 5 and 3, to a Broadway production brings chills to my spine. The crowds, the dark theater, the fact that I know someone will have to use the potty in the middle of the show and we’ll have to interrupt the entire row of attendees to get out (and back in)…But the reality is that there are many terrific production companies specifically geared to introduce children to theater and create a lifelong appreciation for it.

One such company is Literally Alive, and Sunday we headed to the Village to attend their latest production, Beauty and the Beast. Designed for kids ages 3-10, we knew this production was our speed when we heard there was a workshop held before the show where the kids could make an art project. The project in this case included making a mask, and the children were simultaneously crafting and learning about theater. The playwright and producer, Brenda Bell, visited with the children and engaged them in some Q and A which taught them that theater is about acting out the boooks we might read at home, and that what we were about to watch was real people getting dressed in costumes and masks and acting out stories for entertainment. Read more »

This past summer, I was talking about blogging with my friend and incredible writer, Liz. Liz writes a very funny blog about motherhood, called MOM-101. I don't really remember what we were talking about, but Liz said, "You know how when you're writing your posts you have someone in your head that you are writing to?" and I kind of nodded along because I didn't want to admit that I was not privy to this, obviously, important secret to great writing.

In fact, I don't usually have anyone in mind when I write a post and often I feel like I'm talking to myself, unless one of you nice people happens to email me and tell me I made a mistake in the post. (Thanks!)

But this post I wrote to Jodi. Why? Because on Friday I went to see Cirque Mechanics Birdhouse Factory, the new show at the New Victory Theater. And, feasting my eyes on the opening routine where a dozen performers danced and did acrobatics in sync across the stage amidst working gears and cogs, I couldn't help but think, Read more »

One of the best deals for kids in New York City just went from a rare occurrence to a regular monthly event. Kids' Night on Broadway lets you get free tickets to some of Broadway's biggest shows for any child aged 6-18 accompanied by a full-price adult . Starting in February, Kid's Night will happen every month on the first Wednesday and Thursday of each month.

On Kids' Night, parents can also take advantage of other deals, like area restaurants where kids eat free, pre-theater parties, discounted parking and more. Read more »

At the New Victory Theater's, Hunchback , author Victor Hugo narrates the tale, leading children through the performance, giving the story some significant historical context and explaining the importance of references to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The play/puppet show is pretty cerebral, and can be a little scary, but my 8 year old companion loved the goofy Victor Hugo and I loved the artistry of the puppets, mask and staging of the show. Read more »

In NYC, we love our homegrown kiddie music artists, and Moey, known as Melissa Levis to her grown-up friends, is one of New York's rising stars. After rocking out in Central Park's sandbox series all summer, she's now taking it indoors for her first full-length (1 hour) concert. MOEY LIVE: P is for Party will have you and the kids dancing and singing along with Moey, her irresistible tunes and her fun band of characters, while your kids accidentally learn phonics. The show is very interactive and your kids are sure to have a blast. A great way to get your Sunday morning jamming, especially if it's raining. Recommended for ages 1-7.

Moey loves Mommy Poppins too and is offering Mommy Poppins readers two free tickets. To enter, just leave a comment here by Monday , September 29th at 8pm and we'll pick one lucky winner at random, but there's no reason to wait. You can also buy Moey tickets with the Mommy Poppins special discount code and get $5 off on every ticket up to 6. Just use the code MOGNA21. For tickets call 212.239.6200 or buy online. Read more »

September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day (but really, can't Pirates pretty much just board and take over any day they want?) and to celebrate we thought we'd share a really cool program we just heard about. The Striking Viking Story Pirates are a terrific comedy troop that have nothing to do with pirates except that they steal their ideas from kids stories, comics or barely-legible sentences, and turn them into ridiculous shows performed by puppets and costumed grown ups who wish they were kids, or puppets, or both. Jon Stewart raved about it on Larry King (You know, that crazy, fun kid show) and I'm raving now, in piratese. So avast, me hearties, go smartly and purview the Striking Viking Story Pirates 'ere I slap your bung hole with a hornpipe, aye! Read more »

I often wonder at what age my daughter will be ready to go to the movies. But until we were invited to The Green Sheep at the New Victory Theater I never even imagined taking my two year old to a Broadway show.

Based on the popular children's book Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek, the show is an interactive theater experience for kids ages 1-5. The audience sits in a "sheep pen" and the action takes place all around so kids are free to fidget, stand, talk, walk and hug their mommies which makes it the perfect first performance experience for kids. And, I can honestly report that I watched probably close to 60 babies and toddlers delightedly follow along and heard not one cry the entire time. Read more »

Sometimes the streets of NYC can be the most magical place in the world. This will become true for the next nine days when Bhutanese ritual dancers will be appearing throughout the city every day to perform their mesmerizing ancient Tantric Buddhist demon subjugation dance, called Cham. The elaborate costumes of the 13 monks who will be performing are enough to make this event spectacular, but the performance, a kind of danced yoga, makes this a once in a lifetime occurrence.

Bhutan is a tiny, secretive and isolated kingdom in the Himalayas, with very little outside influence and extremely limited tourism is allowed, making the opportunity to see the Bhutanese monks dancing on the streets of our city, for free, an absolutely not to be missed opportunity. Read more »

Summer is closing in on us so make the most of it with this weekend's line-up of FREE events! 

Photo Credit: Theodora Ravago

RiverFlicks for Kids - if you still haven't caught any outdoor movies this summer, here is your chance. Head over to Hudson River Park to catch the original Willie Wonka and munch on some free popcorn. Check out our Free Outdoor Movies for Kids post for a full line up of other outdoor movie festivals. Friday, movie starts at 8:30pm. FREE

Summer Streets - enjoy the 6.9 miles of car free route Read more »