Best Theater Performances for Kids
Parents looking for the best theater performances for kids will have a range of options to consider, from local children’s theater camps to area youth performing arts centers, and even major touring productions visiting their community.
Of course, many children love to “play pretend” or “play dress-up” in their early years. But a select percentage of those children will go on to pursue a lifelong passion for theater, whether that be professionally or recreationally. For those children, exposing budding actors, singers and dancers to professionally produced theater performances could make the difference between providing theatergoers with an experience and a lifelong memory…or even a career!
The best theater experiences for children are generally those produced by a theater group that is dedicated to providing exceptional youth performing arts shows and training alike. A production company that truly “lives and breathes” the theater, as opposed to venues that merely stage productions from time to time, is generally best-suited to understand and deliver productions, camps, and education that young lovers of the performing arts will be captivated by.
Parents looking for an authentically immersive theater experience for their kids should look for one that exposes the child to all aspects of the performing arts, including singing, dancing, acting, lighting, costume design, set design, and more.
What to Look For in a Youth Theater Experience
The best theater performances for kids — from the very young to teenagers and older — are delivered by theater professionals themselves. These are the actors, directors and crews that have also explored and nurtured their love for theater from a very young age. Such productions will exhibit the following qualities:
Professionalism. Anyone can put on a play, but it takes a professional theater company to truly deliver an authentic, immersive experience for kids. Look for production companies that are active in the community, providing regular shows and a diverse array of entertainment experiences.
Qualified personnel and volunteers. Find out who the personnel is behind the production. Quality youth theaters will feature a level of experience that separates a great theater program and experience from just another children’s play. If the resumés do not impress, the performance likely won’t either.
Variety of theatrical experiences and programs. Look for theater performances that are offered by groups that also offer youth theater camps, as those tend to be higher in dedication and commitment to quality. A dedication to consistently putting on shows that include acting, dancing, and singing, but also emphasize set design, costume design, choreography, lighting, directing, and other aspects of theater, will produce more finely tuned productions for kids. When children have the opportunity to experience all of these elements, they not only learn how it all works together, but they start to ignite their own passion for pursuing the arts as well.
Know what lights your child’s fire. If your child or teen has a specific aspect of theater that engages them over others, look for theater performances that align with your kids’ specific interests. For some, it’s musicals and dance. For others, it’s straight plays and mysteries. And for others, it may be classical theater and Shakespearean tragedies. Find a production company that offers this diversity of experience for your young lover of the performing arts. This is especially important if you have a teen who is considering theater as a career.
Forestburgh Playhouse’s Upcoming Theater Performances for Kids of All Ages
The Forestburgh Playhouse’s “In the Works” festival is a new annual theater festival dedicated to nurturing playwrights, composers, lyricists and emerging, innovative theatrical works and cabaret. The Festival features staged readings, talkbacks, celebrity Q&As, special VIP events, parties and more — including a special theater performance for kids. Theater groups that offer performances for both kids and adults tend to offer a more well-rounded curriculum to children, given their dedication to pursuing excellence in theater beyond just the early years.
The Forestburgh Playhouse, also known as the Miracle of the Forest, has been presenting hundreds of musicals, plays, cabarets and concerts since its founding in 1947. Scores of actors, directors, dancers, musicians, designers and more have come together each summer to create a magical season of professional live theater.
To learn more about the Playhouse’s upcoming theater performances for kids, check out the upcoming schedule of plays and musicals for children in the Forestburgh, New York area. The Playhouse is dedicated to giving kids and parents alike an experience they’ll never forget. Looking for top-of-the-line theater performances for your kids? Stay tuned for a vibrant lineup of musicals, plays, cabarets, theater for young audiences, arts education, new works and more!