Stellar new season of cultural programs for kids at Symphony Space

Outstanding cultural season for children at Symphony Space

Advance ticket sales have begun for Symphony Space and its jam-packed 2011-12 season of arts and cultural programming for kids of all ages, including the Just Kidding performing arts series for younger children, and the interactive Thalia Kids’ Book Club for 9 to 12 year olds.
 

The Just Kidding program has become a destination for New York area families on Saturday mornings. They will find here not only their kids’ favorites but also upcoming (and outstanding) artists.

The Thalia Kids’ Book Club brings top authors together with preteen kids in meaningful, interactive discussions and activities.

“These programs are designed both to entertain and to introduce kids to a wide variety of artistic expression. After all, they are our audiences of tomorrow,” says Cynthia Elliott, Executive Director of Symphony Space

Symphony Space’s Just Kidding series kicks off in October with a cornucopia of family-friendly performances. 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 dozens of family-centric performances, including the return of perennial favorites Elizabeth Mitchell, Gustafer Yellowgold and Justin Roberts, as well as a lively, kid-powered dance performance from National Dance Institute: The Celebration Team.

Other standouts of the 2011-12 season include Afro-Cuban rhythms from Women of the Calabash, the retro slide show vaudevillian group The Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players, as well as “kindie rock” stars Joanie Leeds, RecessMonkey and Caspar Babypants (also known as Chris Ballew of the Presidents of the USA).

Symphony Space is located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street in Manhattan, New York City.

Ticket prices range from $11 to $25.

Symphony Space offers “create your own” subscriptions to the 2011-12 Just Kidding series. 

Members of Symphony Space enjoy up to 40 percent in discounts on ticket prices. 

To learn more about this season’s performers, play songs, watch videos and get updates about family programs at Symphony Space, visit http://www.symphonyspace.org/genre/family or call 212.864.5400.

The 2011-12 family season kicks off with the following fall events. Details about each of these Just Kidding performances are available online by following the highlighted link. You may wish to bookmark this page for easy future reference.

Just Kidding Saturday Performances, Fall 2011

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.”

October 29, 11 am: (Thalia): Ben Rudnick and Friends – With countless awards to their credit, including five Parent’s Choice awards, this family jam band’s adventurous, high-energy blend of happy, upbeat acoustic music is guaranteed to entertain the entire family. Bending musical styles from country to bluegrass, rock to second-line New Orleans, their original songs and fun takes on familiar tunes make audiences sing, dance, and just be happy.

November 5, 2 pm (Sharp): National Dance Institute: The Celebration Team  – Ballet star Jacques D’Amboise’ legendary children’s dance troupe has transformed the lives of more than 2 million public school children through award-winning arts and learning programs. This year, NDI brings another joyous afternoon of dance to the stage at Symphony Space with more than 50 children, ages 9-15, performing favorite works from their repertory.

November 12, 11 am: (Thalia):  Joanie Leeds & the Nightlights – A favorite star of the NYC “kindie rock” scene, Joanie and her brand bring catchy songs that will have everyone moving and grooving. 

November 19, 11 am: (Thalia): Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players – Known for their quirky, low-fi acoustic songs and unusually engaging slide show performances, this family trio from NYC is sure to create an indie-vaudeville-conceptual-art-rock-slideshow experience like none other in family entertainment. 

December 17, 11 am (Sharp):  Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower –Smithsonian Folkways artist Mitchell's gentle, heartfelt music transfixes audiences of all ages with homespun renditions of great songs by Woody Guthrie, Bob Marley, The Velvet Underground, Vashti Bunyan, Gillian Welch and more. The quiet sweetness and intimacy of her concerts cement her as an icon whose music will be remembered for years to come. Dan Zanes says, “This is the family music that I love---soulful, mysterious, inclusive and rollicking!"

December 31, 11 am. (Thalia): Tim and the Space Cadets – Celebrate a family New Year’s Eve with this dynamic family-friendly pop rock band. Tim’s songs exist somewhere in the realm between Raffi and Blink-182, inspired by memories of school days, snow days, pizza parties, and summer vacations. Their song “Superhero” enjoys frequent spins on Sirius-XM’s Kids Place Live. 

For More Information on the entire 2011-2012 season visit: http://www.symphonyspace.org/genre/family

Membership information: http://www.symphonyspace.org/support

 
Box office: (212) 864-5400