Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She has taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College.

There are very few plays that kids and adults will enjoy at the same time. The Pied Piper, which recently ended its run at the New Victory Theater, is one of them. Even if the you and the kids know the story by heart, it was still fascinating to witness the display of 410 handcrafted marionettes, including 300 ravenous rats, who were brought to life by 11 puppeteers. All the marionettes are handcrafted, and the ornate scenery and intricate puppet design are also conceptualized and made entirely by hand in the Collas’ workshop in Milan.

The timing could not have been better to see this show. We are in a high political season. No matter what is your political inclination, the play gives you as a parent, a perfect opportunity to explain politics to your kids.Kids are very naive and tend to believe politicians, the play demonstrated vividly, that some politicians are corrupt, greedy, and make horrible mistakes. Our role, as a responsible society, like the poet, and the daughter of the mayor in the play, is to point out any injustice and fight it. My kids realized that even very powerful people make horrible mistakes and can still admit and fix it.

The Story of The Pied Piper

In 1284, while the town of Hamelin was suffering from a rat infestation, a piper appeared and promised the mayor a solution to their problem with the rats. The mayor promised to pay him 1000 guilders for the removal of the rats. The piper accepted and played his pipe to lure the rats into the river where all drowned.Despite the piper’s success, the mayor reneged on his promise and refused to pay him the full sum. The piper left the town angrily, vowing to return later to take revenge. The piper returned, attracted the town’s children, who followed him out of town, to join the poet and the friendly animals. In this version, the Piper returned the children after payment (donated the money) and admission of guilt.

Lessons learned from a work of art. That’s the way to teach our children.

The Culture Mom is a huge fan of the New Victory’s work. Please check out their upcoming shows here, including Victory Dance, their summer offering.

Disclosure: Our guest writer received complimentary tickets to facilitate this review but all opinions are her own, per usual.

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Before you bring your kids to new play The Very Hungry Caterpillar, created by Jonathan Rockefeller and based on the books written by Eric Carle, you have to prepare them that the show is about four different books which The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the last of those books. If not, your kids are going to drive you crazy asking tirelessly, “Where is the hungry caterpillar?”

The four books are: The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, The very lonely firefly, Mister Seahorse, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

About the The Very Hungry Caterpillar

In The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, the first thing you’ll notice is the bright colors. The audience is guided to pay attention to every color on the stage through the blank white stage. Even the puppeteers’ wear uniforms of white overalls. You will feel as if you are in a field of snow with colorful creatures walking graciously.  The colors and the puppets look just like in the book.

Kids learn colors and use of their imagination. Each time the music changed we tried to guess what animal the artist would draw next: the green lion, pink rabbit, black polar bear, purple fox, or orange elephant who were made from puppets and walked gracefully on the stage.

My daughter noticed that the actor did not really draw the pictures and said enthusiastically, “I saw him, he did not draw the picture, that was pretend, he just turned the page”. Luckily, she only whispered it.

For toddlers, it was magical, most kids in the audience were glued to the stage, the colors, gentle music, the soft voices of the actors, the familiarity of the pictures and very slow movements made it familiar and interesting.

In Mister Seahorse, we are introduced to many nurturing sea creatures fathers, as if the seahorses came to teach us that fathers are as caring as mothers.

In The Very Lonely Firefly, a newly hatched lonely firefly takes us on his journey in the dark to seek friendship. It’s not easy for toddlers to find friends, not to mention adults.

And then begins the familiar caterpillar story we have hungrily waited for.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar travels through the days of the week expanding his diet and his size. Soon he isn’t a little caterpillar any more.The younger kids were mesmerized, the older kids, who forgot the details of the book guessed which fruit the caterpillar ate next. The blueberries were very popular.

The play was very true to the books. It’s also great for a first theater event, good for babies and their older siblings who like to show off how much they know.

The show is playing from now to 3/27: Saturday at 11am & 2pm; Sunday 12pm & 3pm at 304 West 47th Street.

Tickets are $49.50 -$65.50 (Premium Seats) and can be purchased by visiting ticketcentral.com or by calling 212.279.4200. For more information visit HungryCaterpillarShow.com.

Disclosure: Tickets were complimentary to facilitate this review.

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How many of us have asked ourselves if we should try to do something although everyone tells us that it’s virtually impossible?

Is our will more important than our capabilities? As adults, we know what our limitations are. We can make the best decision based on our knowledge.

Now think about little kids. They are still learning their limitations and capabilities and it’s impossible to make a difficult decision. What is the process to achieve a means

Flight School, The Musical

Flight School, The Musical, now playing at the Vital Theatre in NYC, will answer this question for kids, and who knows, it might solve a problem for adults, as well.

Based on the children’s book by Lita Judge, the show tells the story of a young penguin that wishes against all odds to fly. His dreams are shattered once he realizes that penguins cannot fly.  However, with the help of friends, Owl, Seagull, Pelican, and Teacher Flamingo, he achieves his dream once and for all, proving that with “enough heart everybody can fly like an eagle”.

The show demonstrates that achieving a difficult goal is not an easy process, but it’s possible. It praises teamwork and encourages us to find ways to work together and support each other, in addition to the notion that with a strong will and heart we can achieve even the impossible.

The four friends of the penguin (played by Jennifer Smith) are typical characters that kids are familiar with, which make the play even more real. The Pelican (played by Owen Beans) is an over confident bully, who tells the penguin the truth: “Penguins don’t fly”; the Seagull (played by Clint Hromsco) is a very funny character, who admires the Pelican and follows him; the book smart owl (played by Alie B Gorrie) is friendly and supportive; and the lovely teacher (played by Ashtia Jewell) is even sweeter in real life. We met her after the show when the actors came out to indulge the kids in autograph-signing.

My kids couldn’t stop laughing whenever the Seagull spoke. They loved his facial expression and his constant mentions that he “eats sushi for breakfast”!

If you or your kids are not familiar with the book, they’ll be fine and it may inspire them to pick it up after the show.

If you want to see Flight School, The Musical, hurry! It ends on December 6th. Tickets are $30.00 for regular seats and $40.00 for premium seats.

For reservations and information visit www.vitaltheatre.org or call (212) 579-0528.

The Vital Theatre Company is located at 152 West 71st Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam.

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If you’re a Peter Pan, Glee and Frasier fan like me, you’re surely excited about the upcoming FINDING NEVERLAND on Broadway. Starring Matthew Morrison and Kelsey Grammer, FINDING NEVERLAND (produced by the folks at the Weinstein Company) follows the story of author J.M. Barrie and his relationship with the family of widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, who eventually became Barrie’s inspiration to write Peter Pan. The musical explores the power of imagination to open up new worlds, and the pressures put upon those worlds by the inevitability of growing up. Playing at the Lunt-Fontaine Theater, the show is in previews and opens on April 15th. 

Speaking of the Weinstein Company, there was an article about Harvey Weinstein and his devotion to this show in Sunday’s NYT. As someone who has produced plays, too, I completely related to his perseverance in light of the many challenges he has faced producing this show. I plan on taking my tween daughter in a few weeks to see what he and Director Diane Paulus drummed up and can’t wait.

I’m giving away a pair or tickets to FINDING NEVERLAND!  They’re valid for a performance in May! Blackout dates may apply.

To win, just comment below and tell me the one actor who has played Peter Pan whose performance stands out in your memory.

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Seeing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on Broadway over 20 years ago was a highlight of my young adulthood. When I saw it on Broadway, I loved the music, the costumes, the set, the magic. The CD traveled with me across several continents as a young woman, and I never got the show out of my mind.

When I was offered a pair of tickets to see the show, which is now celebrating its 25th anniversary, I was admittedly excited to take my 11 year-old daughter.  To relive this musical with my first born was incredibly important to me as it was an important part of my life once upon a time. The show has a new cast starring Norm Lewis and Sierra Boggess, as the new Phantom and Christine, and I was eager to hear and watch them…and be swept away.

PHANTOM is actually the longest-running show in Broadway history.  On January 9th, 2006, it surpassed the then-record 7,485 performance run of Cats.) Based on the classic novel by Gaston Leroux, the show tells the story of a masked figure (played by Hugh Panaro) who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it.  He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine (played exquisitely by Mary Michael Patterson), and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.

The cast stands out musically.  The two newcomers are true artistes and their duets were both beautiful and haunting. I felt just as conflicted about the Phantom as I did 20 years ago. Do you loathe him? Do you hate him? Do you feel sorry for him? Do you want them together? Me? Yes, I did.

The show hasn’t changed much in the last 25 years but I wouldn’t really want it to. It’s the total Broadway experience, just as much as it was then, and I was every bit on the end of my seat today.  So was my daughter. And that’s a very good thing! We were at the Paris Opera House a few summers ago, and her recollection of that experience helped her follow the story, which is slightly complex but important musically nonetheless. Some shows go on this long for a reason and PHANTOM is one.

Win a Pair of Tickets

Do you have an artistic side you’ve been dying to show the world? Set it free with the PHANTOM: The Art of the Mask Contest. Using PHANTOM‘s iconic mask as your canvas, create your very own work of art–your imagination’s the limit! You may even have your work showcased at the PHANTOM Art Gallery and Pop-Up Shop in NYC at the end of October! Click below for full details. Head here for more details: bit.ly/MaskArt. Five finalists will receive a voucher to attend a performance of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Tickets may be used on a Tuesday (7pm), Wednesday (8pm), Thursday (2pm), or Thursday (8pm) performance commencing September 9, 2013 through December 18, 2014 or January 13, 2015 through February 26, 2015).

Disclosure: I was given two complimentary tickets to review this play but all opinions are my own.

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The Vital Theatre Company is pleased to announce the return of past Vital favorite A (Tooth) Fairy Tale, opening March 16, 2013 at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre at 2162 Broadway at W 76th St. With a book by author Ben Winters (Uncle Pirate[musical]; The Last Policeman; Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters [novels]), music and lyrics by Rick Hip-Flores (My New York), and direction by Linda Ames Key, A (Tooth) Fairy Tale was hailed in its original Vital Theatre Company production in 2008 as “Written to amuse anyone from 4 to 12, the show is even a treat for parents: this is one children’s extravaganza that won’t set your teeth on edge” (New York Times).

Performances run March 16 – April 28 on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 am and 1 pm, with special school holiday performances on March 25 – 28 and April 1 – 2 and 10 at 11 am and 1 pm. Tickets begin at $25. Premium seats are available for $30. For reservations, visit www.vitaltheatre.org, call us at (212) 579-0528, or visit the McGinn/Cazale box office. Vital Theatre Company is located at 2162 Broadway at West 76th Street on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Collecting teeth and delivering quarters is tiring work, and The Tooth Fairy is ready for a vacation! Luckily, she meets a young boy named Samuel who is sick and tired of being a kid, and all the rules that go with it. But when Samuel and the Tooth Fairy arrange to switch places, nothing goes exactly as planned as adventures ensue across the Upper West Side of Manhattan and throughout New York City. A (Tooth) Fairy Tale is a wild, silly adventure filled with shiny quarters, sugary candy and learning who you’re really meant to be.

The cast of A (Tooth) Fairy Tale includes Jamie C. Anderson, Cory Lawson, Emily Maixner, Katrina Michaels, Jen Morris, Joel Stigliano, and Andreas Wyder. The crew includes Director Linda Ames Key, Set Designer Kyle Dixon, Costume Designer Sarah Riffle, Lighting Designer Josh Bradford, Musical Director Mike Pettry, Choreographer Tim Connell, and Production Stage Manager Kelly Burns.

A (Tooth) Fairy Tale concludes the 2012-2013 Vital season of family programming. Featuring four musicals for children and families, this year’s Vital season included two world premieres – Fancy Nancy The Musical and Show Way – and the return of Vital favorites Angelina Ballerina The Very Merry Holiday Musical and A (Tooth) Fairy Tale. This lineup continues Vital’s mission to produce entertaining and educational live theatre for families and young audiences.

I’m thrilled to be giving away a FOUR tickets to A (Tooth) Fairy Tale at the Vital Theatre Company!   The tickets will be valid for any performance of the show from March 23 – April 28.   Performances are every Saturday and Sunday at 11 am and 1 pm at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre at 2162 Broadway.  They also have school holiday shows on March 25 – 28 and April 1, 2, and 10.

To win, tell me about how the tooth fairy is handled in your house. Do your kids believe?

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.

– Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

This giveaway will end on Wednesday, March 20th  at noon EST. Winner will be posted here, on the Culture Mom Facebook page and via email and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

Disclosure: This giveaway is hosted by the Vital Theatre Company.  I was not compensated to run it but I get great pleasure out of sending a family to their shows.

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The New Victory Theater continues to bring first-rate theater for kids to New York City.  I make every effort possible to get my kids into the city to see their shows.  They have the most beautiful, visual, innovative productions this side of the Atlantic Ocean.  I’m a huge fan.  And so are my own children.

Ahhh HA! is a provocative blend of dance, acrobatics, aerial work, evocative visual imagery, humor and original music. Returning to The New Victory after 12 years, the multi-talented Do Jump! ensemble fuses physical skill, comedy and moments of heart-stopping beauty, and sets it all to live music by the Afro-Hebrew ensemble Klezmocracy.

Founded in 1977, Do Jump! utilizes a groundbreaking approach to explore aerial arts as part of physical theater performance. The company has toured extensively through the U.S. and Canada, including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and the Ordway in Minneapolis.

Ahhh HA! is playing March 30th-April 14th – you can buy tickets here.

There are some key dates to note during this time period:

Check out this video from the show:

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Join @MamaDramaNY, @phnyc, @playtime_nyc and friends 9pm ET, to chat about THE BIG MEAL, the newest play at Playwrights Horizons by Dan LeFranc at hashtag #TheBigMeal.

In THE BIG MEAL, we glimpse five generations of a modern family through the various meals that make up a lifetime — from milestone first dates and celebratory dinners to everyday outings with the kids. At the twitter party, we’ll talk about this stunning new play and how the meals we eat with our families fit into our relationships and lives.

Joining the party fun are four fab bloggers:

Donna Drake from Macaroni Kid Riverdale who tweets at @mackidriverdale

Michelle Spreckles from Everything’s Abuzz who tweets at @queentob

Kristin Wald from BaristaKids and That Unique Blog who tweets at  @kdwald

Samantha Feuss from Have Sippy Will Travel who tweets at  @havesippy.

RSVP here for the party where you’ll be up for a chance  to win a pair of tickets + childcare  + 2 drink vouchers to an otherwise sold-out performance (winner must use Playtime! services), 2 copies of The Big Meal Script, 2 vouchers to PLAYTIME! and more!

To RSVP:

1. Comment here.
2. Join Playtime! on Twitter and Facebook (optional)
   
3. Spread the word and RT on Twitter: I’m going to #TheBigMeal Twitter Party on 3/12 at 9pm EST hosted by @playtime_nyc http://bit.ly/wUwpni
4. Join on Tweetchat or Tweetgrid (#TheBigMeal) the night of the party.
5. Tell your Twitter followers and Facebook fans!

This party is sponsored by PLAYTIME! which offers affordable childcare for you and your friends right in Playwrights Horizon’s building while you see a show.

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Do you ever have flashbacks of particular experiences that weren’t particularly pleasant but supposedly paved your future and helped you become who you are?  I did when I saw the film Swimming with Sharks with Kevin Spacey, for example.

Who hasn’t had vivid dreams of tying up their boss after one snide remark too many? Like everyone else, once upon a time, I was an assistant to someone in a high power position. While I respected my boss, I was subjected, sometimes inadvertently, to countless humiliations daily. Looking back, I realize I did learn a lot about the business:  I learned how to answer a phone on the first ring, I learned how to order lunch and I learned how to listen when told to do something.  But most of all, I learned how to treat the people I work with respect and dignity, whether I report to them up or down.

So, you can imagine my excitement when I heard about the show ASSISTANCE  playing at Playwright Horizons, about “a biting, high-octane satire about our attraction to power and what we’re willing to sacrifice to stay in its orbit.” Leslye Headland is a young, new playwright who clearly has experienced the same kind of torture her characters have while working for a powerful uber0-magnate.  She recently made headlines at the Sundance Film Festival.

In the play, Nick and Nora are two assistants working in the same office.  Nick, played by Michael Esper of American Idiot, has been working for the same guy for years and compares it to being in the movie Good Fellas. “Everything that could go wrong, goes wrong,” he tells Nora, played by Virginia Cull, who earnestly starts working alongside him for the same man (who we never see, but we hear his insults all through the play).  Their boss corrects their grammar, calls them stupid, tells them to learn how to read.  Nora quickly learns that despite her college education, despite her eagerness to move ahead, she will forever be ordering flowers, walking dogs, scanning pages and maxing out her own credit cards to work as an assistant.  Worst of all, she realizes that her own colleagues don’t want to help her get ahead: “I’m never gonna get out of here if someone learns the death march.”  She hates her job but has nowhere to go. Meanwhile, she watches as one colleague, played by Sue Jean Kim, comes and goes, and as her replacement, played by Amy Rosoff, starts out kissing up to everyone happily and ends up falling apart like all the others.  Justin, an assistant, who’s foot gets rolled over by a moving automobile due to his boss’ neglect, gives a truly funny performance as he breaks up with his therapist, no longer able to pay the bill.  It truly took me back in time.

The cast, all young and vibrant actors, really keep keep the play moving with their IRL chemistry. The trendy set and music well together and goes along with the theme of chaos that slowly unravels the characters and their environment as the play comes to a close. The ending could not be more perfect, but you have to see it to find out what I’m talking about.  All I can say is that my companion and I were cracking up and nearly in tears.

Playtime is an organization created by Playwrights Horizons that allows parents to see theater. Children are engaged in artistic activities while their parents have a cultural theatrical experience.  I didn’t need the Playtime! child care option offered at Playwrights Horizons for kids aged 4-12 this time, but it’s great to know that it’s an option if you want to see ASSISTANCE or any of the other shows playing at Playwrights or the Signature Theatre.

And more good news!  If you order your tickets by February 21st and use code PlayAsstBlog, tickets are just $40 (reg. $70) for performances 2.3-2.19; $50 (reg. $70) for performances 2/22-3/11.  Just order online or call 212-279-4200.  After you book your tickets, you can book Playtime.

Please join MamaDrama and Playtime! to talk about the play, about being an assistant in real life and win tickets and other great prizes at the MamaDrama Twitter Party using hashtag #ASSISTANCE on Tuesday February 21st at 9pm EST. RSVP at twtup.com/AssistancePlay. 

Disclosure: Performance tickets and child care option were provided courtesy of PLAYTIME!  and MamaDrama  for the purpose of  this review.   I am a co-founder of MamaDrama, however the views and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

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