Family Theater and Musical Performances

Family Theater and Musical Per formances

North Shore Music Theatre is hosting two performances of Circo Comedia on Friday, Aug. 22 at 9:45 and 11:45 a.m. Expect unpredictable thrills, side-splitting comedy and daredevil from the duo of Jean Saucier & Patrick Côté from Montreal. The two perform their distinctive style of acrobatic tricks, daring feats, magic, and eccentricity. Tickets range from $12-$17 in this theatre-in-the-round setting in Beverly. Group rates available. www.nsmt.org

Calendar Editor's Note: Events are listed alphabetically by venue location. Tickets were available and all info accurate when issue went to printers.

Cirque du Soleil™ 'S Saltimbanco© Arena Tour. Mullins Center, Amherst. Sept. 3 - 7.  www.cirquedusoleil.com or www.mullinscenter.com.

SteveSongs: Pre-Release Party Concert. Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington. Aug. 23, 10:30 a.m. Reserved Seats: $12.50 in advance; $15 day of show. 781-646-4849, www.regenttheatre.com, or www.stevesongsc.om.

FREE Summer Multicultural Performing Arts. Playhouse in the Park, Franklin Park, Valley Gates next to the Playstead, Boston. Tuesdays through August 19, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. (Family Performances) or 6 - 8:30 p.m. (Adult/All ages). Family Performances: August 5, 10:30 a.m. - A. Major Dance; August 12, 10:30 a.m. - The Art of Black Dance and Music. Adult/All Ages: August 5, 5 p.m. (note earlier than usual start time) - Vivian Cooley-Collier and Company, plus the Boston Community Choir; August 12, 6 p.m. - Andre Ward. 617-282-2881 or www.franklinparkcoalition.org.

FREE Boston Children's Theatre. Fort Warren, Georges Island, Boston. Fridays through August 29. Variety shows, musicals, historical plays and more. Shows are free. Round-trip park ferry from Boston, Quincy, Hingham, and Hull: A$14, C $8, C under 3 free. Water shuttles from most islands are $3 for unlimited one-day rates. For the latest ferry information call 617-223-8666 or visit www.harborexpress.com. More details at www.bostonislands.org.

The Dance of Diversity: Indian Music and Dance: Khelmel. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 12 - 3 p.m. Artists from the local group Khelmel showcase four dance genres from India. Similiar to the US, India is a melting pot of many different cultures, religions, cuisine, and languages. Celebrate this diversity and richness through myths, costumes, music, and dance. A dance workshop for visitors will be part of this demonstration. After the demonstration visit some of the Indian sculptures in the MFA that inspired these dances.A$17, C (7-17) $6.50, Under 6 free. www.mfa.org.

While the musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee may not be appropriate for elementary schoolage children, middle school and high school students will enjoy it with their parents. Parents of younger children who wish to see the show, can take advantage of Kids Club on August 24. That's where parents watch the show while their children act, sing, dance and have fun in a FREE matinee workshop at the Beverly Theatre. Developed in the Berkshires and a long-running hit on Broadway, this Tony® Award-winning musical comedy follows six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. This tuneful, offbeat, and at times heartwarming show offers audience members the opportunity (strictly voluntary) to become part of the action as on-stage spellers. So get out your dictionaries, and get ready for an evening filled with humor and heart. The show is at North Shore Music Theatre from Aug. 12-31. Tickets range $30-$77. www.nsmt.org

Free Boston Lyric Opera Outdoor Concert. The Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, Boston. Wed., Aug. 6 at 7 p.m. This free concert of highlights from BLO's 2008-2009 Season is part of the Landmarks Festival at the Shell. Highlights will include excerpts from Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Dvoák's Rusalka, and Mozart's Don Giovanni, all part of BLO's upcoming magical Spellbound Season. Kids and parents alike will be captivated by the beautiful music from these enchanting tales, brought to you in a casual outdoor setting. Bring a picnic blanket and some snacks and enjoy opera in the open air! Rain location: the Church of the Covenant, 67 Newbury Street, Boston. www.blo.org.

Puppet Shows-Summer Schedule. Puppet Showplace Theatre, Brookline. Tot Shows: Wed. & Thurs, 10:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. Ages vary 3 - 10. Aug. 6 & 7:Galapagos George;Aug. 13 & 14:Case of the Missing Woodpile; Aug. 20 & 21: Puppet Potpourri; Aug. 27 & 28: The Twig Family. Weekend Shows: Sundays, 1 p.m. Aug. 3: Funny Bone Tales; Aug. 10: Sleeping Beauty; Aug. 17: Case of the Missing Woodpile; Aug. 24: Peter Rabbit. All shows $10pp. Prepaid reservations recommended. 617-731-6400. Visit Web site for more details: www.puppetshowplace.org.

The Regattabar Kids Summer Music Series. Regattabar at the Charles Hotel, One Bennett

St., Cambridge. Sundays through August 10. All shows start at 3 p.m. Doors open at 2 p.m. for pre-show activities. 617-661-5000. Tickets: 617-395-7757. www.regattabarjazz.com.

Circus and Plays at the South Shore Music Circus, Cohasset. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. Rapunzel on August 7; Cinderella Too, on August 14; Rumplestiltskin on August 21; Hansel and Gretel on August 28. Tickets: $8 - $14.50. www.themusiccircus.org.

Children's Theater at the Cape Cod Center for the Arts. Route 6A, Dennis. For preschool age +. 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. shows. Fri., Aug. 1: The Day it Snowed Tortillas by Crabgrass Puppets; Thurs., Aug. 7: Johnny's "Cap"tivating Concert; Fri., Aug. 8: Milkashake Kids' Rock Band; Thurs., Aug. 14: Illusions!; Fri., Aug. 15: Gizmo Guys Jugglers; Thurs., Aug. 21: The Toe Jam Pirate Show; Fri., Aug. 22: It's Magic by Scott Jameson; $8 1st floor; $9 2nd floor tickets. 508-385-3618. www.capecodcenterforthearts.org.

Children's Weekly Sing with Jean Schwartz. Amazing Things Arts Center, 55 Nicholas Rd., Framingham. 10 - 10:45 a.m. Wednesdays at 160 Hollis St. in Framingham. With her guitar and musical toys, Schwartz brings her audiences traditional, folk, silly songs and an occasional original. $5pp. 508-405-2787. www.amazingthings.org or www.jeanschwartz.com. Tickets Info: 508-405-2787 or tickets@amazingthings.org.

Disney's High School Musical. Theatre at the Mount, 444 Green St., Gardner. Fri., Aug. 8 - Sat., Aug. 8: 8 p.m. Sun., Aug. 9, 2 p.m. The smash hit musical comes to life on the TAM stage. Tickets $20 evenings, $15 matinee. 978-630-9162 . Three Musicals: Lagooned, Phantom of the Soap Opera, and Sounds a Little Fishy to Me. Grafton. All three shows presented by Apple Tree Arts. Lagooned, a musical for children entering grades 3-6: August 1, 7 p.m. at Grafton High School, 24 Providence Road. Phantom of the Soap Opera, a musical for youths entering grades 7-10: August 15, 7 p.m. at Grafton High School, 24 Providence Road. Sounds a Little Fishy to Me, a musical for children entering grades one to two, August 22, 1 p.m. Location to be determined. $5pp, C (5 and under) free. Call Apple Tree Arts 508-839-4286 for tickets.

FREE Saturdays at South Street Family Entertainment Series. Downtown Hudson. Held at the newly re-designed South Street Park, 37 South St. every Sat. up until August 16 at 2 p.m.Henry the Juggler, Defying the Laws of Gravity on August 2; The Wholesale Klezmer Band, toe-tapping Yiddish music of celebration on August 9; and Ben Rudnick and Friends performing music for both the young and the young at heart on August 16. Rain location is Hudson Town Hall, 78 Main Street. Picnics, folding chairs, and blankets are all encouraged at the outdoor venue, located near the Assabet River Rail Trail. Arts Alliance: 978-562-1646 or www.upwitharts.org

Family Friendly Programs at Tanglewood. Lenox. Tanglewood for Kids offers free lawn tickets to all children ages 12 and under. Children over 12 receive a 50% discount. Kids' Corner is offered Sundays at noon and during Saturday morning open rehearsals: children who are accompanied by an adult who has a ticket to that day's main performance are invited and encouraged to take part in musical and craft-related projects that are supervised and supported by BSO staff. Also on Sundays, the Watch and Play program involves younger guests in a series of lively discussions about instruments, concert themes, and/or musical concepts. The program takes place at 1 p.m. in the Chamber Music Hall. August 23: Family Concert in Ozawa Hall, 2:30 p.m. Interactive performance of the beloved classic "Tubby the Tuba." Prior to the show, families will be invited to a special activity event at 1:30. Tickets: A$10, C (12 and under) free. www.tanglewood.org.

Playhouse Disney Live! Lowell Memorial Auditorium, 50 East Merrimack St., Lowell. Fri., Nov. 7 at 3 and 6:30 p.m. Enjoy characters from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny and My Friends Tigger & Pooh. $18 - $54. 617-931-2000 or www.ticketmaster.com.

The Adventures of Perseus. The Drawbridge Puppet Theater, 1335 Mass. Ave., Lunenburg. Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Wednesday shows at 11 a.m. $6pp. Most appropriate for ages 4+. Call 978-582-6565 or 800-401-3694 for reservations. www.drawbridgepuppets.com.

FREE Saturday Morning Discovery Series. Union Common, Main and Bolton Streets, Marlborough. 11 a.m. through August 30. August 2: Birds in Their Habitat - comic portrayals and beautiful masks created by Henry Lappen; August 9: The Wholesale Klezmer Band - danceable music of peace, justice and celebration; August 16: 35th Parallel - MediterrAsian jazz mixing music from the Middle East and India; August 23: Robert Rivest - Laughter is the Best Medicine - heart-warming stories by a mime; August 30: Simple Harmonic Motion - collegiate men's a cappella ensemble sings pop in new ways.Rain location: Walker Building, 255 Main St., Marlborough. Free weekly family-friendly entertainment series. 978-562- 1646 or www.upwitharts.org. Also Saturdays on South Street through August 16 is a free weekly family entertainment series at 2 p.m.

Seussical: The Musical. Barrington Stage Company at the First Church of Christ, 27 East St., Pittsfield. Presented by BSC Youth Theatre, until August 17. Performances are Wednesdays at 7 p.m., Thursday at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m., Fridays at 7 p.m, Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.. Tickets are $8 for the first two previews, other performances are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Box Office: 413- 236-8888 or www.barringtonstageco.org.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Prescott Park, 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Thursdays and Sundays through August 24, 7 p.m., and Fridays thru Saturdays at 8 p.m. A $5 donation is suggested. www.prescottpark.org.

American Idols Live! Tour 2008. Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI. Sun., Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. www.dunkindonutscenter.com.

FREE Children's Summer Theater. Eastfield Mall, Springfield. Saturdays thru August 30. Two Shows: 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Free professional entertainment and gift for each child. $1 Kids Meals in the Food Court for ages 12 and under. August 2: The Dragon King Marionette Show; August 9: The Zucchini Brothers Musical Club; August 16: Behind the Mask Theater; August 23: Tanglewood Marionette's Hansel & Gretel; August 30: Ed Popielarcxyl's Magical Moments. 413-543-8000. www.eastfieldmall.com.

Summer Festival Days. The Springfield Museums, Springfield. A drop-in program for children, families, camp/ youth groups, etc. Daily activities include The Great Dinosaur Egg Hunt, art, live animals (Wed. & Thurs., 12:15 - 12:45 p.m.), family science, free prizes, Museum mining, and Seymour Planetarium.Performances at 1 p.m. include: Toe Jam Puppet Band on Aug. 1; Carnival from Aug. 5 - 8; Carnaval del Mudno on Aug. 6; The Super Stupendous Magic Show on Aug. 7; Yuri "Prince of Color" on Aug. 8; Favorite Fables on Aug. 12 - 15; Jack and the Beanstalk puppet show on Aug. 13; and MythMasters explore ancient Greek mythology on Aug. 14; and Tanglewood Marionettes present Cinderella on Aug. 15. A$10, C (3-17) $5, C 2 and under free. All museum visitors will receive a detailed list of daily activities and a map upon arrival at the Welcome Center.413-263-6800 x 379 or x 488. www.springfieldmuseums.org.

The Sound of Music. Stageloft Repertory Theater, 450 Main St., Sturbridge. Aug. 15, 16, and 17, 8 p.m. in the air-conditioned Charlton Middle School. A$12, C (Under 18) $10. Reservations: 508-347-9005. www.stageloft.com.

Tickets on Sale for Four Family Shows: Playhouse Disney Live!, Cats, Cirque Dreams' Jungle Fantasy, and Annie. Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 544 Main St.,Worcester. Playhouse Disney Live! on Sun., Nov. 2; Cats on Jan. 23, 24, and 25; Cirque Dreams on Feb. 13 & 14. Ticket prices vary. 877-571-7469 and www.thehanovertheatre.org.

4th Annual Central New England Karate Championship. DCU Center, Worcester. Sun., Aug. 17. $10pp, C under 5 free. www.krane.org or www.alandallessandrokarate.com.

Sesame Street Live. DCU Center, Worcester. Sept. 25 - 28. 508-755-6800. www.dcucenter.com.

Girls Night: The Musical. Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 544 Main St.,Worcester. Aug. 6 - 8. Ladies, grab your sisters, girlfriends and co-workers and prepare to laugh, cry and dance in the aisles! "It's like 'Desperate Housewives' meets 'Mamma Mia'..." $32-$52. 877-571-7469 and www.thehanovertheatre.org.

Nutcracker Auditons. Ballet Arts Worcester, 36 Harlow St., Worcester. Sat., Aug. 30, Sat., Sept. 6 and Sun., Sept. 7th for ages 7 - 13+. Performance will be held at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester with the Mass Symphony Orchestra on Nov. 27 - 29 and Dec. 2. Audition reservations: 508-791-3233. $25 audition fee.