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Broadway Playhouse: Interactive Musical Theater for NYC Kids
A trip to Broadway is always a treat, and one I can't wait to enjoy with my son—when he's a little older! Still, this is NYC, so of course there's a great show for everyone. The Broadway Playhouse, an NYC institution gently introduces kids ages 4-11 to the fun of Broadway by incorporating interactive elements into each performance, including sing-alongs, games, and even discussions with the actors.
It sounded just about right for my music-loving family, enough so that we made the trek from Brooklyn to the Upper West Side with a toddler in tow for a special kid-friendly tribute to the legendary Jazz Age songwriting duo, George and Ira Gershwin.
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I wasn't sure what to expect ,or if my 4-year-old son would enjoy it, to be honest, but I did know I wanted to expose him to it, especially because songs like Summertime and Lady Be Good are classics near and dear to my heart.
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Audience interaction was plentiful, engaging kids at many levels. Photo by the author.
We were not disappointed. The show, a mini musical of roughly an hour, seamlessly wove together history and Broadway-caliber performances with the starring quartet, which featured lush vocal harmonies, fun props, and dance. The narrator was fantastic, delivering the storyline in a way youth could grasp. The content focused on key takeaways for the kids—a bit of history, introduction to a genre of music, and exposure to musical theater, part of what makes New York City so great. It was part biographical, telling the story of the brothers, while infusing the Gershwin repertoire throughout. The narrator was there to explain and sort of step in and out of the play at times.
After teaching I Got Rhythm to the entire auditorium through call and response, a wireless microphone was passed around for each verse, putting kids and parents on the spot, to everyone’s delight. Audience members were even invited to take the stage for a rhyming contest, and again to play various roles in a scene. Little ones were mesmerized seeing peers suddenly participating on stage.
My son appeared captivated throughout. Even better? He got an introduction to the music and life stories of the Gershwin brothers, and I got to delight in his rendition of I Got Rhythm (choreography and all) for a week straight—talk about a gift that keeps on giving.
The Broadway Playhouse series is playing at Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Music Center, located at 129 West 67th Street between Amsterdam and Broadway. Be sure to check out the remaining shows for kids this winter, including Harold Arlen (February 12), celebrated Wizard of Oz composer, and Alan Menken (March 5), whose music you'll recognize from Beauty and the Beast, and other top kid flicks and musicals, including The Little Mermaid and Aladdin.
Top photo: Catch a mini musical designed just for kids at Broadway Playhouse. Image courtesy of the playhouse.
Places featured in this article:
Kaufman Music Center
