Two Theater Moms on the Best Local Kid-Friendly Shows to See This Season
A.C.T. of CT partnerships powerhouse + Ridgefield mom Lauren Chiarello Mika and actor/writer + South Salem mom Shelley Molad give us their kid-friendly picks.
This post is part of our “Ask An Expert” series, which features locals with a niche expertise. What’s your niche expertise? Email me at kaylakaplowitz@substack.com with your idea!
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I’ve got two theater-loving kids and have the Wicked and Annie soundtrack on repeat over here. (And yes, I’m kicking myself I didn’t take them to see Annie at MSG last month). Naturally, I try to expose them to as much theater as I can.
Local is great, because regularly schlepping my two leapin’ lizards to the city just isn’t in the cards at this phase of parenting. Dressing up fancy is a must—even if it’s just high school theater. One year, I took my oldest to see “Rock the Halls” at JJHS, and a parent sitting next to me asked which kid was mine on stage.
“Oh, we’re just here to spectate,” I said.
She was so confused. Normalize supporting local theater, people!
To get a better handle on what’s coming up, I reached out to two moms who I know have their finger on the pulse: Lauren Chiarello Mika and Shelley Molad.
Mika is a mom of twin boys and wears many hats. Recently, she signed on to be a community outreach + partnership associate at A.C.T. of CT, and loves taking her family to as many shows as she can.
Molad, a South Salem mom of two, is a working actor, writer, educator and is a huge supporter of local theater, too. And so, without further ado, here are their kid-friendly picks in order of performance date.
Matilda: The Musical
JAN 18-26
The Play Group Theatre (PGT), White Plains
“This was one of my favorite Roald Dahl books,” says Molad. “The songs are so catchy, and I can’t wait to see the dance numbers. There’s this song called Bruce during the infamous chocolate cake scene, and it’s so good.” Her 6-year-old daughter is learning it in her Broadway Jazz class at The Pulse Performing Arts Center in Bedford Hills, so she says they have that one on repeat in the car.
If you’ve got little kiddos, she suggested trying out the sensory-friendly performance on Sunday, Jan 26. Tix $22/adult, $18/kids U12. »
The Jungle Book KIDS
JAN 31–FEB 1
Yorktown Stage Musical Theatre, Yorktown Heights
To get your feet wet at this fabulous local theater, Molad recommends checking out The Jungle Book later this month. It features kid actors from ages 6-12 and is a much shorter performance (about 35 minutes long). Who doesn’t love when Mowgli and Baloo sing Bare Necessities? The best.
Tix $22-27. »
(Below the paywall, paid supporters can find the full list of recommendations, including a complete rundown of spring shows going on in our area. If you want to try out a Premium subscription for $5/mo—which gives you access to The Plan calendar and supports my work as a curator—click here to unlock a 14-day trial. You can try it and then cancel anytime if it's not for you.)