What are you doing on Mother’s Day?  I have a brilliant idea for you.

Spend the morning and early afternoon with your family. Make the day about them and you and celebrate being together.  At 4pm tell them you are taking a few hours to yourself.  You will be doing something for YOU. As part of your celebration, it’s important for you to nourish your soul with a certain something that isn’t necessarily meant for kids under the age of 12, hence you need to go alone, or with your mother, your sisters, your aunts, your girlfriends  That certain something is LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER.

Created by humorist (and now someone I am so proud to call my friend), Ann Imig of Ann’s Rants, the show is a “live reading by local writers on the beauty, the beast, and the barely-rested of motherhood” and is coming to NYC for the second time. I happen to be a member of the producing team, quite proudly as a matter of fact.

Showcasing moving, socially relevant and humorous stories about a range of modern mothering experiences, the Listen To Your Mother Reading Series is a unique national event taking place this May in 24 cities across the United States. NYC is one of them.  Included in the cast of the New York City show are former Editor in Chief of Redbook Magazine Stacy Morrison (now Editor in Chief of BlogHer.com), comedian Jaime Fernandez, New York City creative writing teacher Susan Buttenwieser, social justice attorney and LGBT activist Nívea Castro and author Tracy Beckerman (whose book Lost in Suburbia: A Momoir comes out in early April).

Also featured in the NYC cast are preschool teacher and day camp director Sasha Schreiner, actors Laura Pruden and Elizabeth Robinson, Harlem native DeBorah Gray, novelist Rebecca Land Soodak (Henny on the Couch), and writers Mary Beth Coudal, Kim Forde, Nicole Goodwin, Marinka, Barb Patrick, Sofia Quintero (who recently won a Women’s Media Center Social Media Award), Sandy Rustin (who wrote the hit Off-Broadway show Rated P for Parenthood) and Virginia Watkins. Also included are my fellow crew members Amy Wilson, Varda Steinhardt and Shari Simpson.

Their stories will make you laugh, make you cry and make you reflect on the institution of motherhood.  Whether you are a mother or a daughter, you will experience a deep connection to our show.

The Listen To Your Mother Reading Series NYC Show will take place on Mother’s Day, Sunday, 5/12 at 5pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95^th Street). Tickets are $25 (advance), $30 (at the door) and can be purchased in advance online at www.ListenToYourMotherShow.com/NYC.

I’m thrilled to be giving away a pair of tickets to the show.  To win the pair, tell me who you plan on bringing to the show.

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

– Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

– Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter and tweet about the contest using hash tag #LTYM.

– Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

This giveaway will end on Wednesday, May 8th at midnight. Winner will be posted here and on the Culture Mom Facebook page and via email and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to run this giveaway.  The tickets to the show were also complimentary but all opinions expressed are my own.

Follow

The post Giveaway: Listen to Your Mother on Mother’s Day in NYC appeared first on The Culture Mom.

On Sunday, May 12 at 5pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space on New York’s Upper West Side, the Listen To Your Mother Reading Series will give “Mother’s Day a Microphone” as the city and an inspirational group of women and men come together to celebrate motherhood and parenting in a meaningful new way. Included in the cast of the New York City show are former Editor in Chief of Redbook Magazine Stacy Morrison (now Editor in Chief of BlogHer.com), comedian Jaime Fernandez, New York City creative writing teacher Susan Buttenwieser, social justice attorney and LGBT activist Nívea Castro and author Tracy Beckerman (whose book Lost in Suburbia: A Momoir comes out in early April).

Showcasing moving, socially relevant and humorous stories about a range of modern mothering experiences, the Listen To Your Mother Reading Series is a unique national event taking place this May in 24 cities across the United States. The series features local established writers and performers taking the stage with local first time writers and performers as they share poignant personal essays in front of live audiences, making for an unforgettable experience and a worthwhile way to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Also featured in the NYC cast are preschool teacher and day camp director Sasha Schreiner, actors Laura Pruden and Elizabeth Robinson, Harlem native DeBorah Gray, novelist Rebecca Land Soodak (Henny on the Couch), and writers Mary Beth Coudal, Kim Forde, Nicole Goodwin, Marinka, Barb Patrick, Sofia Quintero (who recently won a Women’s Media Center Social Media Award), Sandy Rustin (who wrote the hit Off-Broadway show Rated P for Parenthood) and Virginia Watkins.

The NYC show is being directed by Broadway and TV actress, The Huffington Post contributor, and author Amy Wilson and is being produced by Varda Steinhardt and Holly Rosen Fink with Shari Simpson as Assistant Director (Amy, Varda and Shari will also be readers at the show).

The NYC production will be donating 10% of proceeds to the non-profit national hunger relief organization Family-to-Family and their Hurricane Sandy relief efforts (each Listen To Your Mother show/city donates 10% of all ticket proceeds to local non-profit causes that support women and families in need).

Born of the blogosphere and mothers who publish online, the Listen To Your Mother Reading Series is changing the way America celebrates Mother’s Day, one story at a time. Started in Madison, Wisconsin in 2010 by humorist and blogger Ann Imig, it has evolved into an exciting national storytelling series and every show’s process, from auditions to rehearsals to the final performances, are shared online via socialmedia. Last year the series took place in 10 U.S. cities and has expanded to 24 this year.

The Listen To Your Mother Reading Series NYC Show will take place on Mother’s Day, Sunday, 5/12 at 5pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95th Street). Tickets are $25 (advance), $30 (at the door) and can be purchased in advance online at www.ListenToYourMotherShow.com/NYC.  For more information on the Listen To Your Mother Reading Series please visit www.ListenToYourMotherShow.com.

Disclosure: I am on the producing crew of this show so I am biassed!  Get your tickets now!

Follow

The post The Listen To Your Mother Reading Series on May 12th in NYC appeared first on The Culture Mom.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

So I jumped at the opportunity to take my son for a special “back screen pass” to Treasured Stories by Eric Carle at The Symphony Space today.

Located on the Upper West Side, this was our first time to The Symphony Space (Broadway & 95th Street) Darren Critz, Director of Family Programs, explained, “Going to see the arts is easy to do. Families can roll out of bed and come here.”

During our theater tour, my three year old son had the opportunity to turn the stage lights on. It was a special treat to be able to see the puppets backstage prior to the show.

The special effects were very impressive. It was really fun and exciting to watch The Very Hungry Caterpillar bite into the various food items. The caterpillar was also adorable as he wriggled and climbed across the tree and kicked the left-over food.

My son enjoyed identifying each of the animals, what color and the sound each made during Brown Bear, Brown Bear….He also danced around in his seat. I enjoyed watching the students eyes moving back and forth as they recited each of the animals in the finale of that story.

We were unfamiliar with the final story, Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me. While the sets were beautiful, we did prefer the former two stories which we know by heart and were reciting along with the narrator.

We will definitely be returning to Symphony Space again. I’ve marked my calendar for KamiKaze FireFlies on January 12, 2013. I feel so fortunate that my son has been exposed to performances at such a young age and is able to be well-behaved and sit through stage shows.

The Mermaid Theater of Nova Scotia’s new tour includes stops all over North America including shows in ME, VT, MA, CT, NY, ON, NJ, DC, BC, WA, CA, NM, AZ, NB, WI and more so you may still have an opportunity to catch it while it tours the country.

Symphony Space is located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. Check out their listing of events for the 2012-2013 season here.

Lainie Gutterman is the founder and editor of Me, Myself & Baby I.

Disclosure: We were provided with complimentary tickets in exchange for coverage but all opinions expressed are original and our own.

Follow

The post A Glow in the Dark Theatrical Experience of Eric Carle’s Treasured Stories appeared first on The Culture Mom.

Symphony Space in NYC continues to amaze me with their stunning programming for children.  I’ve written about them in the past, and I’m happy to tell you about the upcoming seasson, they are offering the Just Kidding series and Thalia Kid’s Book Club, a cornucopia of family-friendly performances and author events. From September through May, Symphony Space continues their tradition of offering New York families ground-breaking programming from around the U.S.At the end of September, they’ll be featuring the FREE Secret Mountain Sunday celebration concert (Sunday, September 25th), featuring Trout Fishing in America, Connie Kaldor and Michelle Compagne (the latter two are Canadian performers).  Note that in your diary!Starting in October, they have great offerings for you and your children:

October 1, 11 am and 2 pm (Thalia): The Story Pirates — This zany-smart NYC based troupe creates musical sketch comedy, comprised entirely of stories written by kids. Jon Stewart is a fan of their award-winning shows, which have been described as “Monty Python meets Schoolhouse Rock.”

• October 8, 2 pm (Thalia): Women of the Calabash –– Combining traditional instruments, lush vocals, and musical forms with contemporary influences, this musical group has enchanted audiences of all ages for 20 years, performing music from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Black America.

October 15, 11 am: (Sharp): Galumpha — Combining stunning acrobatics, striking visual effects, physical comedy, and inventive choreography, Galumpha transforms three human bodies into one floating, flying, and gravity-defying piece of art.

October 22, 11 am: (Thalia): Cat and a Bird — With catchy beats, a variety of instruments and animal-themed lyrics, Cat and a Bird delivers a fun musical experience for kids with style that older siblings and parents can enjoy. “Out with the Kids” describes their sound as “beautifully strange, Eastern European-gypsy lounge dinner party music.”

Today one of our lucky winners will receive one family 4-pack of tickets to the show of their choice at Symphony Space during October.

All you have to do to win is leave a comment below.  Please be sure to leave an email address or Twitter handle IN YOUR RESPONSE below (this is important!)

Winners will be chosen on Friday, September 23rd at noon.  The winner will have 24 hours to accept the prize or it will go to the runner-up.

Disclosure: Giveaway courtesy of  Symphony Space.

Follow

The post Giveaway: Family Pack (4 Tickets) to A Show of Your Choice at Symphony Space appeared first on The Culture Mom.

Please read below about some of their offerings for next weekend:

Smithsonian Folkways Artist Suni Paz
with special guest star Elizabeth Mitchell and family

Follow

The post Symphony Space: Just Kidding Series appeared first on The Culture Mom.

Chrissie DiAngelus

A few weeks ago I was in New York City for the annual Arts Presenters Conference. As a performing arts professional, this conference is the big national conference drawing presenters, programming directors, artistic ensembles, producers, managers and agents from all over the nation and globe. Besides the business side of things, there is ample opportunity for all delegates to take in full performances and showcases.

This year I made it a point to check out as much family/children’s programming as possible. I represent two theater and dance companies in this genre and it’s helpful for me to see as much as possible – to compare and contrast the styles, the technique, the artistic quality, and of course, gauge audience interaction.

One such performance was at Symphony Space on a Sunday morning. It was quirky acrobatic circus company with an 11am curtain advertised on their family series. I sat toward the back of the space (it was their downstairs black box theater) and took in the audience – a good number of colleagues from the conference as well as a slew of families and kids ranging from babies up to about age twelve. In front of me, I soon discovered, were two rows of children about 6-7 years old who were all there for a birthday party. As the show started and the zaniness and hilarity on stage ensued, the audience ate it up and there was a lot of laughter and interaction – perfect. This is what any artist, programming staff and audience members what to see and experience.

What they didn’t witness though was the slow chaos unfolding in front me: The birthday party children were jumping up out of their seats, indignantly shouting over and over again each other about what was happening on stage, complaining about how hungry they were, and generally acting like kids, but in particular form because of the time of day, their hunger, and because they were surrounded by and egged on by their friends.

I have a toddler so I know how things can get. That said, I was still frustrated that I couldn’t enjoy the performance because the behavior of these kids made it hard for anyone around them to see, hear, or concentrate. I wondered why there were two full rows of kids for a birthday party and only three parental chaperones spaced between them all. I wondered why on earth one would take kids this age to a show that started at 11am – lunch time – knowing so many were probably up at 7am eating breakfast. I wondered how many of these kids had a clue as to where they were, what they were seeing, and just an overall guide from either mom or dad or the chaperone as to general theater behavior.

We all want to expose our children to culture but there are some general etiquette rules that we should all consider before taking our infants, babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and youth to cultural events, particularly to the theater.

•Find out the age range for the artistic presentation. Even if it says “Families and Youth,” read the synopsis and call the box office to find out if really does make sense for you to bring your child.

•Consider the logistics: Food, changing, toddlers that like to run, kids that like to talk. Is the venue conducive to this? Is it kid friendly? In the case above, I don’t think it was smart to haul 15+ kids under the age of ten to the theater right before lunch.

•Start the theater etiquette conversation early. You’ll adapt it over time to suite their age and needs but get into the habit of having the conversation a few days prior to and leading up to the event about what they should expect, what they are allowed to do, etc. Every theater and every program will differ.

•Go knowing there may be a meltdown and you may need to leave. Set the expectation a little lower so you aren’t beyond disappointed that you spent $25 per ticket and the child was having a bad day and you needed to leave.

In the aforementioned case, I’d have suggested taking a few less kids to my child’s party (maybe 5 kids total), either eating beforehand or else having snacks on hand, and bringing along enough chaperones so the kids were spaced out appropriately. Moreover, as a parent and theatergoer myself, I’d have taken responsibility to make sure my own child as a guest had a clue about what to expect when he was there and how to act. If I was the one hosting the party, I’d have spoken the few kids about theater etiquette prior to seeing the show.

Needless to say, raising cultured kids is an ongoing process but one I love and am committed to daily. I follow these general rules myself whether it involves us attending a Justin Roberts concert at West Chester University near me in PA or involves a train to NYC to see something clever at the New Vic. I encourage all parents to embrace the theater going experience with their kids but to do so thoughtfully.

Chrissie DiAngelus is a mom and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Piccadilly Arts, LLC, a boutique agency that manages and represents a select roster of family and youth focused theater artists. For the 2011/2012 season, Piccadilly Arts is pleased to offer exciting and imaginative programs by the New York City based Treehouse Shakers and the Pittsburgh based Zany Umbrella Circus. Both artists perform in venues and schools nationwide. Piccadilly Arts also specializes in branding, marketing and social media consulting for small-midsized companies, and the arts, culture and nonprofit sector. Chrissie has one little boy, Mitchell, who is almost 3 years old. He loves trains, his stuffed Frog, the Australian Grug story books, and lots of cultural excursions. Twitter: @londonmodgirl.

Follow

The post Guest Post: Cultural Event General Etiquette Rules (Straight From a Mom’s Mouth) appeared first on The Culture Mom.

View a clip from Hugo and the Dragon: http://www.delphisfilms.com/0-videoflv.php?xid=128&xlang=en

Follow

The post Christmas Weekend at Symphony Space: Hugo and the Dragon appeared first on The Culture Mom.

Gustafer Yellowgold’s Top of the Sock Tour heralds the release of the fourth in the series of award-winning Gustafer Yellowgold “musical moving storybooks,” Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock, in which our hero from the sun journeys in search of the end of the universe’s longest sock. This fall’s shows will preview several story-songs from the new DVD/CD set, and Gustafer’s creator, illustrator/songwriter/musician Morgan Taylor, promises to include plenty of “Gustafer fan favorites” in the shows, too.

Gustafer is not just for kids!  I went to see the band with my kids last year at Symphony Space and was completely enraptured by the multi-media performance and the harmonious melodies sung by Morgan and his band.  I recently asked Morgan about what his band is doing and about the upcoming NYC show.

The Culture Mom: How did the band come together?

Morgan: Actually, the guys who are in my main live NY Gustafer band are the ones who joined my regular Morgan Taylor band back in 2002/2003.  I was going through some transitions with my music and last band and it ended up kind of carrying over into what became the Gustafer band.  On all the recordings though, it’s mostly me playing everything, except the drums and some of the percussion.  I’m a bass player as well, so my LIVE bass player actually plays all the french horns that are all over all the Gustafer discs.  I started doing the Gustafer project as a book & CD  thing with my wife Rachel Loshak, when my ‘regular’ band was beginning to dissolve.  It wasn’t until we made the first DVD and started thinking about how to present it as a live concert that I called the guys back.

The Culture Mom: Who are some of your inspirations, artistically and musically?

Morgan: I always wanted to be an artist for Marvel comics.  I used to love drawing Spider-Man and the X-Men when I was growing up.  Then in my early teens I switched my focus to playing music in bands and writing songs.  Specific artists that inspired me were Don Martin and Al Jaffee from the old MAD Magazine.  I love Charles Shulz and Bill Keane.   As far as super-hero comics’ artists I was really inspired by John Byrne, Bill Sienkewicz, Neil Adams.  Then later, the far out writing of Alan Moore.  Musically it’s really broad.  From Bread to Kiss.  80’s R.E.M., Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.  And of course the Beatles.

The Culture Mom: Your son , Harvey, must love what you do for a living. How does he respond to your music?

Morgan: He’s growing up with it as part of his everyday life.  He watches us create and hears the music written and watches me draw too.  I’ve VERY fortunate to have this as my job, especially from the standpoint of family togetherness.  Touring is challenging and fun.

The Culture Mom: Do you write all of your songs?

Morgan: Yes.  Although someday I would like to make a Gustafer DVD that’s all cover songs, with each song being a tribute to a different visual artist.  Like sing Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” and have the illustrations look like Norman Rockwell paintings.

The Culture Mom: Where and when did you learn to draw and how did you get the idea to develop the character of Gustafter?

Morgan: I’m basically self taught.  I was just terrifically motivated to pursue art and music from a very young age. It’s all I ever wanted to do.  The rest of my schooling suffered somewhat because of it, unfortunately.  Another reason I’m lucky to be doing this!  The character of Gustafer come from my imagination.  Just a doodle, really, that I paired with some funny pop songs I wrote, and- Wa-LA!

The Culture Mom: You do so much on stage – play music, tell a story with live animation and still shots – how do you manage to keep it all together?

Morgan: Repetition!  It didn’t start out that way.  At first we hired a guy to sit in the audience area and advance the animations from the laptop while the band played.  Then he moved out of town and Rachel started doing it.  Then we used to run a microphone out to Rachel in the back of the room so she could sing harmonies.  Then she slowly drifted on to the stage and it became a two person show for a while.  Then we had  our son, Harvey and she would nap him in a carrier on stage while we performed the show.  THEN, Harvey began waking up before the show was over and I had to begin performing it solo, advancing the animations myself with the laptop at waist-height.  Definitely a slow evolution, but it has made us much more streamlined and self-sufficient.  Now I can do any size crowd, any size show all by myself.  But the larger shows like Symphony Space in NYC we have the full band with string players included.

The Culture Mom: What are your plans for your upcoming NYC shows?

Morgan: I’m excited because I’m going to get to debut some new material from our upcoming DVD, “Gustafer Yellowgold’s Infinity Sock”.  It comes out in February, but some of it is ready, so I’m using the opportunity to let some fans get a sneak peek, and it will let me break in the new stuff gradually.

Gustafer Yellowgold is coming to Symphony Space on Saturday, November 20th, at 11am.  Tickets are $25 ($21 members; $27 day of show), $15 kids ($13 members; $17 day of show).  For info, call 212-864-5400 or go here.

The Culture Mom is giving away FOUR tickets to the show.  To enter, provide your contact info in the section below.

Earn extra opportunities by doing the following:

-Join my Facebook page and tell me below.

-Join my Twitter account and tell me below.

-Join my RSS feed and tell me below.

I’ll select four random winners on Friday, November 12th at noon.

Disclosure: These tickets were provided to me by the band’s promoter free of charge.

Follow

The post Gustafer Yellowgold: Interview with Morgan Taylor and Ticket Giveaway for NYC Show appeared first on The Culture Mom.

One of the nation’s top independent family music artists, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, makes his debut performance at Symphony on Saturday, October 16th.  The family friendly hip hop concert is the first of this year’s “Fresh Sounds” series, with all tickets priced at just $10 each.

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo is known as the King of Kid Hop, or Positive Hip Hop for Kids. Bringing together a love for hip hop roots and culture with a true respect for the unlimited creativity of children, he crafts tunes that bump up both the volume and the self esteem. Expect thumping beats, witty rhymes, solid storytelling and a massive dance party. Time magazine selected him as one of the “Stars of  Kindie Rock” earlier this year, and he just released a new CD Underground Playground. For more information visit www.secretagent23skidoo.com, and check out his “Family Tree” music video on Youtube.

The Fresh Sounds series introduces New York families to some of the very best kids artists from around the country, giving audiences a chance to be the first to see and hear bands that they might not see anywhere else in the city, at a special low price.

Symphony Space’s Just Kidding series offers a cornucopia of weekly family-friendly performances this season. Every Saturday from October through May, Symphony Space continues their tradition of offering New York families ground-breaking programming from around the country. This year, the Upper West Side cultural mecca will host more than 28 family-centric performances and 62 films during a season that is as diverse as it is unique to New York. To play songs, watch videos and get updates about the Just Kidding series, visit www.symphonyspace.org/justkidding.

Follow

The post Secret Agent 23 Skidoo Brings Kid Hop Sounds to Symphony Space’s Just Kidding Series on October 16th appeared first on The Culture Mom.