Family Theatre & Musical Performances

Saturday Morning Family Shows at the Regent Theatre, Arlington. All shows are at 10:30 a.m. Sat., March 6, Margot Fox Family Concert, family-friendly folkrock! Sat., March 13, 25th Anniversary Celebration with... Hugh Hanley’s “Circle of Songs,” The Regent concert will celebrate a quarter century of entertaining and educating preschool children with his lively, participatory presentation that features guitar, banjo, and a repertoire of “handson/ voices-on” songs, fingerplays, and music activities that everyone can do. hughhanley.com. Sat., March 20, Physical Comedian and Stuntman Extraordinaire...Wacky Chad, Features an engaging blend of physical comedy, improvisation and eye-popping stunts such as riding a really tall unicycle, balancing a shopping cart on his face, and award-winning pogo stick tricks, wackychad.com. Sat., March 27, Multiple Award Winning... Debbie and Friends CD Release Concert! A fantastic rockin’ musical journey through classic tales and original songs. debbieandfriends.net. $8 kids & seniors; $10 adults. Free for lap babies. regenttheatre.com.

 

Friday, March 19 FREE Mime/Comedy Show with Robert Rivest at the Blanchard Middle School Auditorium in Westford, 7 – 8 p.m. westford.com/westelmpto and rivestmime.com Putumayo Kids Presents Jazz Playground featuring Lewis Franco. The Eric Carle Museum Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. Sat., March 28. 1 – 2 p.m. Join Putumayo Kids in celebrating the release of Jazz Playground, a new collection of international jazz songs for children. Featured artist Lewis Franco will perform a familyfriendly set including the popular Stomp, Stomp. Free with admission. A $9, C (1-18) $6, under 1, free. 413-658- 1100, carlemuseum.org

Kids’ Music Series featuring Debbie & Friends. The Eric Carle Museum Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Rd., Amherst. Sat., March 20. 1 p.m. $6 cash only. Price does not include admission. A $9, C (1-18) $6, family $22.50, under 1, free. 413-658-1100, carlemuseum.org. FREE Hickory Strings Concert. Auburn Department of Recreation and Culture, Pakachoag Church, 203 Pakachoag St., Auburn. Sat., March 6, 4 p.m. Hickory Strings blends musical influences from around the world into a unique brand of modern American chamber music. With elements of classical, jazz, African, klezmer, bluegrass, celtic, folk, pop, and funk, the resulting compositions and improvisations are unclassifiable. 508-832-7736, hickorystringsmusic. com

BLO’s Oya The Barber of Seville for Families. Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston on Sun., March 7, and the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School, Melrose on Sun., March 14. 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. BLO introduces families to the amazing, multidisciplinary world of opera in a production tailored for children: fully staged, sung in English and just one squirm-proof hour long. The legendary barber Figaro uses every trick in the book to free the lovely Rosina from the clutches of crotchety Dr. Bartolo and unite her with the dashing Count Almaviva. A buoyant experience that will have your students singing all the way home! Recommended for kids ages 6-12 and their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles! A $20, C $14. 617-542- 6772, boxoffice@blo.org.

Seussical JR and The Diary of Anne Frank. Boston Children’s Theatre. Seussical (March 13 – 21) for ages 5+ at the Grand Lodge of Masons and Anne Frank (April 10 -18) for ages 12+ at the Boston Center for the Arts. bostonchildrenstheatre.org.

Bon Voyage Charlie Brown (and don’t come back!). Coolidge Corner, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. Sat., March 6. A$7, C $5. coolidge.org. Ben Rudnick & Friends Concert. Congregation Shalom Religious School, 87 Richardson Rd., N. Chelmsford. Sat., March 14. 4 - 5:15 p.m. A fun-filled family concert with five-time Parent Award winner Ben Rudnick & Friends.!! Refreshments will be served. $5 if pre-ordered, $7 at the door, $20 family rate, under 2 free. To pre-order tickets, call Liz at 978-328-2551 before March 12. 978-328-2551, benrudnick.com 

“The French Connection” Concord Band Winter Concert. Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden, Concord. Sat., March 6, 8 p.m. A $15, C $5. 978-897-9969

Children’s Hour with Musician Ed Morgan. The Performing Arts Center of MetroWest, 140 Pearl St., Framingham. 10 a.m. Fridays throughout June. For infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families, every Friday. Sing, clap, and dance along to well-loved children’s songs. A $5, C $1. 508-875-5554, pacmetrowest.org

Amazing Things Arts Center March Shows. 160 Hollis St., Framingham. Diane Kordas puppeteer presents: “Bremen Town Musicians,” Sat., March 6, 2 p.m. $8 pp. romperrhythm.com/Piti Theater presents “Elmer and the Elder Tree,” Sat., March 27, 2 p.m. The charming tale is conceived and performed by Mirin and Richard against a magical backdrop of gorgeous butterflies, gleaming mushrooms, and colorful beetles (and wonderfully noisy, evocative music). The hour long show is interactive so the children, and their parents, are invited on stage to join in the action. $8. ptco.org/elmer. Tanglewood Marionettes present “Cinderella,” Sat., April 10, 2 p.m. $10. tanglewoodmarionettes. com. amazingthings.org. Amazing Things Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity.

Frogs & Fairies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream & The Frog Prince. Dance Prism, Littleton Performing Arts Center, 56 King St., Littleton. Sat., March 28, 2:30 p.m. Children meet characters at a complementary reception following performance. A $22, C $16. Group rates available. 978-371-1038, danceprism.com

Once Upon a Mattress. Bay Path College Performing Arts Department Mills Theatre, Carr Hall, Bay Path College, Longmeadow. March 5, 6 – 8 p.m.; March 7, 2 p.m. Based on the beloved fairytale The Princess and the Pea, Once Upon a Mattress centers around Prince Dauntless the Drab and his quest foSaturday, March 20 Harry hates taking baths! Find out how he cleans up as Artspower presents “Harry the Dirty Dog” at The Center for Arts in Natick, 2 p.m. natickarts.org r a royal bride.When his devious and controlling mother, Queen Agravain, decrees each candidate must pass a test, the fun begins. $15 pp. baypath.edu. Tickets: 413-565-1307.

Pinocchio at the Drawbridge Puppet Theatre, 1335 Massachusetts Ave., (Rte 2A) Lunenburg. Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m., and new time of 1 p.m. Using shadow & hand puppets, this one-hour performance is most appropriate for ages 3 and up. During the intermission between the two stories, Mr. Paul, the puppeteer will demonstrate how some of the puppets work, and the audience will be invited for a backstage walk-through at the conclusion of the performance. Reservations are strongly recommended for all shows. $5 PP. 800-401-3694 or 978-582-6565, drawbridgepuppets.com

Harry the Dirty Dog – Artspower. The Center for Arts in Natick (TCAN), 14 Summer St., Natick. Sat., March 20, 2 p.m. Harry has everything a dog could want. Except - he hates taking baths! He hates them so much that one morning he runs away from home. But after a wonderful day spent playing in the dirt, he gets so muddy that when he returns home, his family doesn’t recognize him. Based on the classic book and presented by ArtsPower, one of America’s preeminent presenters of professional, Actors’ Equity theater. A $11, C $9. 508-647-0097, natickarts.org

FREE Rockport Music Free Community Concert: SO Percussion. Rockport Music, Rockport High School Performance Center, 24 Jerden’s Lane, Rockport. March 31, 7 p.m. Experience the joyful noise of flower pots, tea cups, and brake drums! General admission seating. No reservations required. 978-546-7391, rockportmusic. org/educational.

The Wiz. Watertown Children’s Theatre, Mosesian Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown. March 19, 20, 21. Fri., 7 p.m, Sat., 2 and 7 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m. This upbeat musical spins the timeless tale of The Wizard of Oz completely on its head. Join a cast of talented 4th to 8th graders as they “Ease on Down the Road” and rediscover the true meaning of “Home” in this funky 1970s adventure. $12 PP. 617-926-2787, watertownchildrenstheatre.org.

Fiddler on the Roof. The Wellesley Players, Sorenson Center for the Performing Arts at Babson College, 231 Forest St.,Wellesley. March 12, 13, 19, 20, 8 p.m. March 14 & 21, 2 p.m. $22. 781-237-8114,wellesleyplayers.org.

The Nightingale (ballet). Commonwealth Ballet Company, Regis College, Casey Theatre, 235 Wellesley St., Weston. Sat., March 13, 1 and 6 p.m.; Sun., March 14, 1 p.m. The Hans Christian Andersen tale of The Nightingale, has been transformed it into a touching ballet of true friendship, love, and courage. A $22-28 , C $20-$26. 978- 263-7794,commonwealthballet.org, BLO’s Oya The Barber of Seville for Families. Boston Lyric Opera at the Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston on March 7, and the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School, Melrose on March 14. 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. BLO introduces families to the amazing, multidisciplinary world of opera in a production tailored for children: fully staged, sung in English and just one squirm-proof hour long. The legendary barber Figaro uses every trick in the book to free the lovely Rosina from the clutches of crotchety Dr. Bartolo and unite her with the dashing Count Almaviva. A buoyant experience that will have your students singing all the way home! Recommended for kids ages 6-12 and their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles! A $20, C $14. 617-542-6772, boxoffice@blo.org.

Family Shows at The Hanover Theatre. 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, April 30 - May 2. $35-65 pp; Curious George Live! March 5, 6, and 7. $16-$32 pp; Sleeping Beauty Performed by Moscow Ballet Theatre, April 6. The Moscow Festival Ballet bring lavish sets, beautiful costumes, and a corp de ballet with beauty and grace, as well as superbly gifted principal dancers and the music of Tchaikovsky. $39-$50 pp; Riverdance Farewell Performances, April 9 – 11, The thunderous celebration of Irish music, song, and dance that has tapped its way onto the world stage thrilling millions of people around the globe. $40 – 70 pp; Oliver! by Assumption College, April 23 – 25. $19 pp. 877-571-SHOW, thehanovertheatre.org .

FREE Family Concert with Peter and Ellen Allard. Worcester FAMILY Community Partnership, Please call for location. Thurs., March 4. 6 p.m. Geared toward families with preschool children. 508-799-3136, wpsweb.com