There are 16 shows playing during the New Victory's 2018-19 season. As always, they come from all over the globe and represent a wide range of genres, including circus, magic, puppetry, musicals, and more. While all of the shows at the New Victory are designed specifically for families, different shows target different ages and interests, which is why we've highlighted productions we're particularly excited to see and organized them by stage. So make a night (or a day) of it with by catching a fun family performance, grabbing a bite to eat, and even hitting a few offbeat nearby attractions.

Pro Tip: If you book three or more shows, you automatically become a New Victory member, which means you save up to 40% on tickets, 35% on workshops, and enjoy unlimited, free date changes up to 48 hours before showtime. You also receive invites to Work-in-Progress showings by New Victory LabWorks Resident Artists. Tickets at the Off-Broadway theater are an affordable $17-$42 so shows do fill up fast. After deciding which productions are right for your family, purchase early for the best pricing and seating options.

Emily Brown and the Thing. Photo courtesy of Tall Stories

Best Bets for Toddlers

Boing! (at the Duke on 42nd St at 229 West 42nd Street)
Friday, December 7-Sunday, December 23
Ages 2 to 5
Don't expect to get any rest at this exuberant dance-theater piece by England's Travelling Light Theatre Company. The hourlong show is about staying up all night—something most toddlers (and their tired parents) can relate to! Two brothers are so anxious for Santa to come, they refuse to go to bed. So they spend the night having pillow fights and dance contests, using their stuffed animals as puppets, and finding other amusing ways to stave off sleep. Don't worry, by the end they get tuckered out. Hopefully your tots will, too.

The World Inside Me (at the Duke on 42nd St at 229 West 42nd Street)
Friday, March 29-April 7, 2019
Ages 0 to 4
Created by Brooklyn's Spellbound Theatre, which specializes in interactive experiences for the under-five set, this roughly half-hour show invites tots to explore their evolving bodies through play. A performer croons soothing songs as the cast engages very young audiences with props, games, and multisensory activities designed to help them understand how they're growing. There are actually two different versions of this show: one for babies (ages 0 to 2) and the other for toddlers (ages 2 to 4), with adjustments to meet each age range at the appropriate developmental level.

Tinga Tinga Tales—The Musical. Photo by Tinga Rain Productions  

Best Bets for Younger Elementary Schoolers

Tinga Tinga Tales—The Musical
Saturday, October 13-Saturday, October 20
Ages 4 to 7
Inspired by the international animated series of the same name, this exuberant musical from Kenya brings African folktales and songs to the stage. Lion, Monkey, Elephant, and their pals encourage kids to dance and croon along as they make their way to the Festival of Colors. The whole herd's invited—even the humans in the audience. Kids will love the eye-popping puppets and costumes in this one-act tuner, which runs just over an hour.

Emily Brown and the Thing
Saturday, January 26-February 3, 2019
Ages 4 to 7
Based on Cressida Cowell and Neal Layton's popular picture book, this hourlong adventure focuses on Emily, a young girl who tries to help a monster find his lost lovey in the Dark and Scary Wood. Mounted by England's Tall Stories, this show celebrates friendship, bravery, and the power of imagination.

Ajijaak on Turtle Island
Friday, March 1-Sunday, March 10, 2019
Ages 7 and older
It's no surprise that the puppets in this hourlong show are so spectacular—they were created by Heather Henson, daughter of late Muppet master Jim Henson. She's partnered with Native American storyteller and musician Ty Defoe to conjure this fable about Ajijaak, a young whooping crane attempting her first migration and encountering the challenges of climate change. Filled with indigenous songs and dance, the production delivers a poignant message in a breathtaking package. An Autism-Friendly performance is offered.

Machine de Cirque. Photo by Loup-William Théberge

Best Bets for Tweens

Machine de Cirque
Friday, September 28-Sunday, October 7
Ages 8 and older
Five athletes from Quebec tumble, leap, bicycle upside down, and generally thumb their noses at gravity in this high-flying extravaganza. The wacky premise finds the acrobats trying to craft a communications contraption, but ultimately the scrap-metal set becomes a kind of circus playground. They not only use the bars, poles, and tubes to perform their cool tricks, they play them like percussive instruments.

The Nature of Forgetting
Saturday, March 23-Sunday, March 31, 2019
Ages 9 and older
How do you tackle an incredibly difficult topic like dementia on stage in a family-friendly show? That's what England's Theatre Re has done with this moving physical theater piece, in which an ailing father's memories get mangled as his mind starts to deteriorate. He loses all sense of time as his childhood recollections fuse with adult milestones like marriage and parenthood. This show is a wonderful and delicate way for tweens to explore a complex and challenging topic.

Around the World in 80 Days
Friday, May 10-Sunday, May 19, 2019
Ages 7 and older
Seasoned playwright Laura Eason (who wrote for Netflix's House of Cards) penned this stage adaptation of Jules Verne's classic novel about two pals racing against the clock to journey across the globe. The production eschews high-tech special effects in favor of clever storytelling theater techniques, as comical and heart-thumping adventures are conjured with a few props, evocative staging, and lots of imagination. Encourage your kids to read the book first!

Best Bets for the Whole Family

Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams
Friday, November 30-Sunday, December 30
Ages 5 and older
The New Vic continues its tradition of hosting a circus spectacle for the holidays. This year's troupe hails from Ethiopia so amazing feats such as juggling, contortion, balancing, pole climbing, and tumbling are backed by catchy African beats. Note that tickets are slightly higher for this production: $22-$59. An Autism-Friendly performance is also offered.

SNAP
Friday, April 12-Sunday, April 28, 2019
Ages 6 and older
Get ready to have your mind blown. These South Korean magicians confound your senses as they perform a wide array of tricks, including sly sleight of hand, impossible illusions, and Chaplin-style physical comedy. It's inspiring to see these wizards at work!

Special Pre- and Post-Show Activities

In addition to shows, the New Victory has a variety of drop-in engagement programs that are FREE for ticket holders. Arts-based activities will be offered before and after every single performance in the New Vic's recently renovated lower lobby. You can also do TXT Marks the Spot text-based scavenger hunts at every single show. Post-show Talk-Backs occur at select performances, and you can even get psyched for your upcoming show with Family Activities to try at home. Other New Victory programs of note:

Family Workshops — Throughout the season, the New Vic hosts hands-on workshops related to its shows. Offerings include dance, circus, puppetry, and magic, and tickets must be purchased in advance. These sell out fast!

Autism-Friendly Performances — As part of the New Vic's commitment to accommodating all audiences, the theater hosts sensory-friendly performances of select shows featuring quiet areas in the lobby, specially trained staff, an activity corner, fidget toys, reduced sound levels, and only partially dimmed houselights. Families can also "meet their seats" ahead of time.

For additional details about the 2018-19 season, and to view showtimes and buy tickets, make sure to visit the New Victory Theater's website!