SHOWS FOR KIDS
Nestled between two gorgeous parks, this family-friendly neighborhood has culture for all ages among pretty brownstones and fancy high rises. Also see our guides to midtown and Central Park, plus upcoming events.
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LIMITED RUNS
The Play That Goes Wrong
340 W 50th StIn this hilarious hybrid of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes, the opening night of a murder mystery play-within-a-play quickly goes from bad to utterly disastrous. A play (not a musical) full of slapstick, physical comedy.
⏱ Two hours with one intermission – lots of action and no time to be bored.
❤️ Some (silly) innuendo and groping in the ‘acting’ and an actress in modest lingerie because she lost her dress.
🤨 Lots of loud noises and walls crashing down and frequent (silly) ‘injuries,’ can be loud and startling.
🎟 $34 tickets available through digital lottery.
🎟 Frequently at TKTS for $57.
🎟 The theatre is only 350 seats and one level; any seat offers a great view of the stage.
Wednesday-Monday 7 pm
Thursday, Saturday & Sunday 2 pm
Gazillion Bubble Show
340 W 50th StBubble lovers can get their fix at this long-running show that combines spectacular light and laser effects with masterful bubble artistry. Great first show with only 60 minute running time and casual atmosphere.
Fun photo-ops include the chance to go inside a giant bubble. Some kids get selected to go on stage.
💧 Warning, front rows might get wet.
⏱ 1 hour with no intermission
🎟 Through April 9, get $20 tickets at the box office 20 minutes before the show.
🎟 $49 tickets available for some performances with code GBPBL45. $39-$49 tickets availble through TodayTix.com.
🎟 $20 (cash-only) lap seats for age 2 years & under available at the box office.
Strollers can be stored at the theater’s coat check for $1 per item.
Friday 7 pm
Saturday 11 am & 2 pm
Sunday 12 & 3 pm
Wake Up, Daisy!
Central Park, West 79th Street & West DriveThe historic, cozy Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre is back in action with modern take on Sleeping Beauty. Marionettes and music tells the story of Daisy, a lively little girl living in the heart of New York City in an apartment overlooking Central Park. At Daisy’s much-anticipated birthday party, she encounters three special guests, known as her “Squad-parents”, from Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx who grant her the gifts of courage, knowledge, and a second chance. When an unwelcome guest shows up and casts a curse on her, Daisy’s life is forever changed, but through the support of her friends and an adventure throughout the city, Daisy’s strong self-determination and vivid imagination may be all she needs to break the curse.
Unassigned seating on benches in a small theater (grown-ups are encouraged to sit in the back). Stroller parking available in the lobby. Near the lovely Shakespeare Garden.
Fri-Sun 11 am & 1 pm
Dog Man: The Musical
340 W 50th StSee a hilarious musical based on the worldwide bestselling series Dog Man from Dav Pilkey, adapted for the stage by acclaimed TheaterWorksUSA.
A brilliant soundtrack (we love the Evil ABCs) and excellent cast tell the story of 5th graders George and Harold making a musical based on their favorite character, Dog Man, the crime-biting sensation who is part dog, part man, and all hero. Can Dog Man save the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings? Can he catch Petey, the world’s most evil cat, who has cloned himself to exact revenge on the doggy do-gooder? And will George and Harold finish their show before lunchtime?
1 hour 30 minutes with one intermission
Some cartoon violence & menace.
March 20-April 9, get $20 tickets at the box office 20 minutes before the show (if not sold out).
Save 50% on some performances at Groupon.
$64+ tickets usually available at TodayTix.
20at20 Off-Broadway
340 W 50th StMarch 20-April 9, get $20 tickets to participating Off Broadway plays and musicals at the box office twenty minutes prior to curtain.
Kid-friendly options include Dog Man, Easter Bunny HOP! Live, Fish in a Tree, Gazillion Bubble Show, The Little Mermaid, The Play That Goes Wrong and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
103 East 15th StreetSee faithful adaptations of author/illustrator Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar featuring fantastical larger-than-life puppets and audience participation.
VIP tickets ($110) include a swag bag, an Eric Carle plush, and a character meet and greet after the performance.
Lap seats are available at the door for children under one ($5).
The show is inclusive, designed to be autism friendly and open to children with sensory issues. A quiet area is available in the foyer during the show. Fidgets and social stories available, email [email protected].
🎟 Through April 9, get $20 tickets at the box office 20 minutes before the show.
🎟 Enter the digital lottery before 3 pm two days before the performance (winners are drawn day of the performance 10 am–3 pm). Winners may buy up to 4 tickets at $24 each.
Fri at 10 am
Sat–Sun 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm & 3:30 pm
Zephyr
209 West 42nd StreetThrowing all caution to the wind, the adrenaline-driven daredevils of Cirque Mechanics are back with an all-new mechanical masterpiece: a 20-foot-tall windmill powered by sheer strength. Set on a rotating turntable, there’s practically nothing in Zephyr that won’t spin—including your head—as acrobats brazenly balance atop the windmill’s blades and fearlessly face the Wheel of Destiny. A turbine tug of war between man, nature and machine, Zephyr is a whirlwind of circus.
Family-friendly amenities include live feeds in the lobby for anyone that needs a break, stroller parking, complimentary lockers to store your stuff, booster seats and
spacious, gender-inclusive bathrooms. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly.
Come early for pre-show lobby activities, starting 45 minutes before every show. Try new performance skills or explore the show’s themes.
🍽 A selection of pre-packaged light snacks and beverages is available in cafe in the lower lobby.
Sensory-Friendly performance on April 16 at 12 pm
Esencial
321 Ashland Place BrooklynAcclaimed Spanish cirque company Vaivén Circo invites young minds to join them on an adventure of imagination. Five performers leap, dive, dance, and juggle through a puzzle-like world of pillars and arches that constantly unfolds into new possibilities. With infectious energy and humor, they use world-class acrobatics to create a mesmerizing story of collaboration and creative problem-solving.
Also at 2 pm
Sensory-Friendly Performance on Sunday, March 26 at 2pm
Noodle Loaf
Broadway between West 62nd and West 63rd StreetsFan-favorite songs and games from the award-winning podcast Noodle Loaf, the interactive play-based world of music created by musician, best-selling children’s book author and podcast host, Dan Saks, come to the real world. At this family-friendly event, Dan Saks and his children will lead the audience in singing and moving, and perform read-alouds from Dan’s popular Families picture books.
Indoors in a lovely atrium. Sit in front of the stage or in folding chairs, or dance in the back.
General admission, first-come first-served. The line will form at the Atrium’s entrance on Broadway, between 62nd and 63rd Street.
Fish in a Tree
410 West 42nd StreetThis new play with music for young audiences adapted from the best-selling novel, uses live video technology, dance, and music to explore the journey of Ally, a smart girl with a big imagination and dyslexia.
Join Ally as she discovers that great minds don’t always think alike in an intimate multi-media production that celebrates neurodiversity, friendship, and the power of imagination, and explores the harm bullying causes and the life changing potential of a generous teacher.
Performances on Sunday, April 2nd at 2 pm and Saturday, April 8th at 11 am are sensory friendly, designed to create a welcoming environment for all families with children on the autism spectrum and related conditions.
Through April 9, get $20 tickets at the box office 20 minutes before the show.
Sat-Sun 11 am & 2 pm
The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare: The Next Gen
18 Bleecker StreetA sequel to Aesop’s classic fable finds the tortoise and hare 10 years down the road, with children of their own dealing with smart phones and video games. Old man Tortoise and Big Daddy Hare must come together despite their differences to find and save their children. Features Lightwire’s electroluminescent puppets and a creative use of classical and pop music.
Buy three tickets and get the fourth ticket with a Family Fun Pack.
Sat 11 am & 3 pm, Sun 12 pm
La MaMa Kids: Puppet Self Portrait
66 East 4th StreetSee a puppet performance and demonstration by puppet artist Tarish “Jeghetto” Pipkins. Enter the World of Jeghetto and watch him get lost in his imagination as he performs with his unique puppets out of recycled materials. Get a glimpse of this puppeteers process with visual projections, spoken word and hip hop beats.
Layer the Walls Part II
10 Grand Army Plaza BrooklynWhat if you discovered an old apartment covered with forty layers of wallpaper? What if each layer revealed the stories of past tenants? Explore stories of a tenement apartment in New York City that was once home to hundreds of new immigrants and migrants. Shadow and rod puppetry, along with half masks, bring to life the stories of Jewish, Chinese, and Puerto Rican families between the years of 1948-1970. Hear compelling stories have shaped the America we know today.
The Crazy Adventures of Don Quixote/Las Locaventuras de Don Quijote
107 Suffolk StreetA new bilingual musical, based on Miguel de Cervantes’ classic novel, features an original score, stunning puppets and classic Spanish Golden Age costumes.
Presented by Teatro SEA, creator of high-quality productions that showcase the richness of Latinx arts and culture, particularly in children’s literature and folktales.
The Little Mermaid
115 MacDougal StreetSee an intimate, interactive musical adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale (not the Disney version) featuring mermaid sisters, the evil diva Fishwitch with a Gaga-style showstopper and a live percussion ensemble playing original songs.
Join free family art workshops with the cast and artistic team before the shows Sat 2 mp & Sun 10 am. Learn some of the movement and music from the show and create a sea creature that glows in the dark when placed on the stage.
🎟 Buy $20 tickets at the box office 20 minutes before the show.
⏱ 75 minutes with no intermission
Though April 9
Sat 3 pm & 7 pm
Sun 11 am & 2 pm
Jazz at Lincoln Center Family Concerts: Who Is Thad Jones
10 Columbus CircleLearn about the trumpeter-composer-bandleader Thad Jones in this hour-long interactive performance. Recommended for ages 5–12, but children and adults of all ages are welcome.
At the lovely Rose Theater in the Shops at Columbus Circle (where you can also explore Art Camp) with a stunning view of Central Park.
Also at 3 pm.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
1395 Lexington AvenueSee the Broadway adaptation of the classic musical with new characters, a hilarious libretto, surprising twists, and an unforgettable score from Rodgers & Hammerstein in an intimate theater.
Also at 1 pm
Broadway Playhouse: Broadway Today
129 West 67th StreetLearn about the great writers of American musical theater today with songs from The Lion King, Six, The Book of Mormon, Hamilton, Wicked, Chicago and more in a fast-paced, funny interactive concert for kids featuring hilarious, talented performers.
Includes mini-musicals, sing-alongs, games and more musical fun in an intimate theater – come early to enter a drawing to be brought on stage kids. One of our our favorite series.
TADA! Youth Theater Fall Semester Open House
15 West 28th StreetJoin TADA! Youth Theater for an in-person Open House where students will participate in a fun, active musical theater sample class led by two professional NYC Teaching Artists. Immediately following, the Director of Education will provide information to parents, facilitate a Q&A, and give you access to our best discounts of spring & summer.
Limited spots available.
Age 4-7 | 10 am–10:45 am
Age 8-12 | 11 am–11:45 am
The Magic School Bus: Lost In The Solar System
199 Chambers StreetHop on the Magic School Bus for a ride in this TheaterWorksUSA musical adaptation based on the original book series.
When the class gets lost on the way to the planetarium, Ms. Frizzle saves the day by blasting into outer space for an epic interplanetary field trip. But when rivalries both old and new threaten to tear the students apart, our young heroes must learn to pull together or risk getting forever lost in the solar system.
Join 10Club Membership for a ten-pack of $15 tickets. Use them all at once or spread them out over the many family events during the season.
La MaMa Kids: This Frog Was Made for Jumping
66 East 4th StreetSee six unique short puppet theatre pieces created around the theme of the metamorphosis of the frog.
By Loco7 Dance Puppet Theatre Company; performed by members of Sirovich Senior Center who participated in a 2 month period a weekly creative process and development.
El Otro Oz
14 United Nations AvenueClick your heels together tres veces and take a transformative journey during a salsa, merengue, and Mexican folk-infused musical inspired by The Wizard of Oz. As her fifteenth birthday approaches, Dora, a contemporary Latine teenager, struggles with her family’s ideas about tradition and dreads her impending quinceañera. But, when Dora gets swept away to a strange new land, she learns how to celebrate her unique rhythm and embrace her cultural identity.
Presented by acclaimed local troupe TheaterWorksUSA.
Also at 3 pm.
Get Up, Stand Up!
321 Ashland Place BrooklynAt 1 pm, join a dynamic workshop that gets the whole family involved, happening right before the 2 pm Get Up, Stand Up! performance.
Isaac Sawyer—a one-person hip-hop extravaganza—welcomes families to an joyful interactive concert as he beatboxes, raps, and engages kids in the art of freestyle and improvised rap. Glide and groove with Isaac as he magically transforms beats and rhymes, spontaneously bringing them to life.
The Deepest Breath
248 60th Street Upper West SideJoin Stevie, a young girl who loves to read, on a bubbling, aquatic adventure of acceptance and self-love as her curiosity leads her to uncover more about the world and herself. After realizing that there are so many things to learn about, Stevie begins to experience anxiety. As her anxious thoughts start to take over, Stevie begins to focus on learning about EVERY creature in the ocean in hope that she can unravel her thoughts and make sense of these new feelings, including a fizzy feeling in her stomach when she looks at her friend Chloe.
Told through theater and dance, The Deepest Breath is an inquisitive and honest story, adapted from the novel by Meg Grehan that welcomes all to be brave in a world full of unknowns.
Wall to Wall Women of Soul
2537 Broadway at 95th Street Upper West SideCelebrate incredible women artists of soul’s past, present, and future. Experience classic soul you know and love—and discover fresh interpretations and new artists—in this high-energy, multi-genre, pure-joy celebration of the iconic women who defied the odds and defined the genre.
3- 5 pm: Kick off the day with the rousing sounds of gospel soul with Marcelle Davies Lashley and a gospel choir, a Celia Cruz-infused Latin soul set by Lulada Club, and an unforgettable musical tribute to Chaka Khan by Xavier Smith and band.
5-7 pm: Revel in a 90’s mixtape of classic soul with The Soapbox Presents, dance along with The Ladies of Hip-Hop,bask in the poetry of Mahogany L. Browne,and enjoy a gorgeous tribute to the music of Whitney Houston by Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter J. Hoard.
7-9 pm: Celebrate Indigenous music’s influence on soul with Martha Redbone, immerse yourself in soulful ballads with lyric tenor Anthony Mills’ tribute to Anita Baker, listen in on an engaging conversation with Kimberly Nichole, Thembisa Mshaka, and Nona Hendryx, and get down with an iconic diva set by GLR¥A & The Rakiem Walker Project.
9-11 pm: Singer, songwriter, producer, and Labelle member Nona Hendryx is joined by an all-women orchestra to perform the mind-blowing music of the trailblazing queen of soul and funk, Betty Davis.
Governors Island Egg Hunt
Governors IslandJoin the first-ever public egg hunt on Governors Island. 10,000 wooden painted Easter eggs will be hidden throughout the Island’s 120 acres of open space, with Island-specific prizes and giveaways for the most hard-boiled egg hunters.
Register for one of several levels of egg hunts tailored to specific age groups, along with an Island-wide scavenger hunt for everyone. The day-long celebration at the Parade Ground will also include performances from Wonderspark Puppets, Brooklyn Magic Shop, and more to be announced. Spring-themed arts and crafts will be featured all day, and food will be available for purchase onsite from Governors Island vendors along with a beer garden from Governors Island Beer Co. Also enjoy a Spring Bunny photo op and the hijinx of Looney Tooney the Clown.
Little Red Riding Hood
338 6th AveThe classic fairy tale is brought to life with hand puppets at intimate Puppetworks. Advance reservations recommended.
Strollers must be left on the porch outside (camera monitored).
Also at 2:30 pm.