As a parent, you have to decide the right age for your child to experience his first live theater show. Kids Night on Broadway offers the perfect opportunity to see if your child is ready. Hosted by the Broadway League, the 19th annual Kids Night on Broadway provides parents a chance to expose their kids to this sector of the performing arts. It will take place between Friday, Jan. 9, and Thursday, Jan. 15, and kids between the ages of 6 and 18 can see Broadway shows for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. As a bonus, a Kids Night On Broadway ticket includes restaurant discounts and educational programs for individual shows, such as activity and study guides.
This event was created in order to introduce young people to live theater and make Broadway accessible to young theater-goers. Kids Night on Broadway is not just happening in New York, but all over the country. Select shows currently touring the United States are offering nights in various cities to welcome young people to Broadway-style shows for free. Kids Night On Broadway is presented by The New York Times and is sponsored by WABC-TV with additional support from KidzVuz and Z100. Tony Award-winning actress Judith Light will serve as the National Ambassador for the 2015 Kids Night on Broadway.
Participating shows include:
“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”
http://agentlemansguidebroadway.com, Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 W. 48th St.
The 2014 Tony-winner for Best Musical, this uproarious comedy is set in England’s elegant Edwardian era, and shows just how low we’ll go to make it to the top.
“Aladdin”
www.aladdinthemusical.com, New Amsterdam Theatre, 214 W. 42nd St.
Adapted from the Disney film and centuries-old folktales including “One Thousand and One Nights,” the story of Aladdin is brought to fresh theatrical life in this exuberant new musical comedy.
“Beautiful – The Carole King Musical”
http://beautifulonbroadway.com, Stephen Sondheim Theatre, 124 W. 43rd St.
The musical tells the inspiring, true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom, becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history.
“Chicago”
http://chicagothemusical.com, Ambassador Theater, 219 W. 49th St.
There’s never been a better time to experience “Chicago,” Broadway’s razzle-dazzle smash. A sensational tale of sin, corruption, and all that jazz, “Chicago” has everything you could want in a musical: knockout dancing, an edge-of-your-seat story, and one showstopper after another.
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”
http://curiousonbroadway.com, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 W. 47th St.
Fifteen-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain; he is exceptionally intelligent but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbor’s dog, he sets out to identify the true culprit, which leads to an earth-shattering discovery and a journey that will change his life forever.
“Honeymoon in Vegas”
www.honeymoonbroadway.com, Nederlander Theatre, 208 W. 41st St.
A regular guy with an extreme fear of marriage finally gets up the nerve to ask his girlfriend to marry him. But when they head to Las Vegas to get hitched, a smooth-talking gambler falls head-over-heels for his fiancée.
“If/Then”
www.ifthenthemusical.com, Richard Rogers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St.
“If/Then” is a contemporary new musical that follows two distinct storylines in the life of Elizabeth (Idina Menzel), a city planner who moves back to New York to restart her life in this city of infinite possibilities. When her carefully designed plans collide with the whims of fate, Elizabeth’s life splits into two parallel paths. “If/Then” follows both stories simultaneously as this modern woman faces the intersection of choice and chance.
“It’s Only A Play”
http://itsonlyaplay.com/, Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th St.
It’s opening night of Peter Austin’s (Matthew Broderick) new play as he anxiously awaits to see if his show is a hit. With his career on the line, he shares his big First Night with his best friend, a television star (Nathan Lane), his fledgling producer (Megan Mullally), his erratic leading lady (Stockard Channing), his wunderkind director (Rupert Grint), an infamous drama critic (F. Murray Abraham), and a fresh-off-the-bus coat check attendant (Micah Stock) on his first night in Manhattan.
“Jersey Boys”
www.jerseyboysinfo.com/broadway, August Wilson Theatre, 245 W. 52nd St.
“Jersey Boys” is the Broadway musical based on the life story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
“Kinky Boots”
http://kinkybootsthemusical.com, Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 W. 45th St.
Inspired by a true story and based on the film of the same title, “Kinky Boots” is a funny, heartwarming musical about being true to yourself.
“Les Misérables”
www.lesmis.com/broadway, Imperial Theatre, 249 W. 45th St.
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, “Les Miserables” tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption — a timeless testament to the power of the human spirit.
“The Lion King”
www.LionKing.com, Minskoff Theatre, 200 W. 45th St.
Giraffes strut, birds swoop, gazelles leap — the entire Serengeti is represented in this Disney production about the circle of life. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly rises from the stage.
“Mamma Mia!”
http://mammamianorthamerica.com/, Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th St.
This sunny, funny tale of family and friendship unfolds on a tiny Greek island. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they had last visited 20 years ago.
“Matilda The Musical”
http://us.matildathemusical.com/, Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th St.
It’s the story of an extraordinary girl who dreams of a better life. Armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, Matilda dares to take a stand and change her destiny.
“On the Town”
www.onthetownbroadway.com, Lyric Theatre, 213 W. 42nd St.
The Bronx is up, the Battery’s down, and three sailors are hoping to get just a little bit lucky on their one day of leave in the Big Apple. Three sailors and the high-spirited young women they meet chase love, dreams, and each other during an unforgettable day in the city that never sleeps.
“The Phantom of the Opera”
www.thephantomoftheopera.com/new-york, Majestic Theatre, 245 W. 44th St.
“The Phantom of the Opera” is based on the novel by Gaston Leroux. It tells the story of the hideously deformed Phantom who lurks beneath the stage of the Paris Opera, exercising a reign of terror over its occupants.
“Rock of Ages”
www.rockofagesmusical.com, Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St.
This explosive musical takes audiences on a joyride set to blazing hits from iconic 1980s rockers such as Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and many more.
“Wicked”
www.WickedTheMusical.com, George Gershwin Theatre, 222 W. 51st St.
Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery, and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious, and very popular.
“You Can’t Take It With You”
http://youcanttakeitwithyoubroadway.com, Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48th St.
James Earl Jones plays wily Grandpa Vanderhof, leader of a happily eccentric gang of snake collectors, cunning revolutionaries, ballet dancers, and skyrocket makers. But when the youngest daughter brings her fiance and his buttoned-up parents over for dinner, that’s when the real fireworks start to fly.
Tip:
Purchase tickets via Telecharge.com and use the code KIDS2015 when purchasing tickets.
For participating restaurants, visit www.kidsnightonbroadway.com/restaurants
For show dates, visit www.kidsnightonbroadway.com/shows/calendar
Shnieka Johnson is an education consultant and freelance writer. She is based in Manhattan where she resides with her husband and son. Contact her via her website, www.shniekajohnson.com.
