Theater: Youth-Friendly, Adult Approved

The summer is upon us. Many of us have kids and teens to entertain, and a love for both the arts and air conditioning. The theater is the place to be! There are a number of stage productions coming up this summer that you can enjoy with the young people in your lives – really! Some are aimed at adults, but reasonably youth-appropriate; others are meant for kids, but are miles from that dreaded purple dinosaur.

Something For Everyone

Pippin is a real crowd-pleaser. Come for the classic story of Pippin, son of Charlemagne, on a quest to find his place in the world; stay for the memorable music and unique, Fosse-inspired choreography. Freefall Theater will be putting on the production 7/12 – 8/11. Tickets are $47 for adults and $25 for folks under 18. This one is not intended for small children; we’d rate it PG-13.

Fun Home, a personal favorite, will be at American Stage Theater from 7/17 – 8/18. The show, based on Alison Bechdel’s bestselling memoir, won the Tony Award for best musical in 2015. This coming-of-age story dances with queerness, adolescence and parental relationships in a refreshingly new fashion. It’s a must-see for anyone 14 and up, due to some mature content. Tickets range from $44 – $54 for adults, and are $20 for students.

Want theater for kids by kids? Hit the St. Petersburg Little Theater for Once Upon a Mattress, through 7/19, and Legally Blonde, The Musical, 7/22 – 8/2. All performers are between 7 and 14 years of age, but the shows they are putting on are the real deal. Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy take on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea, and Legally Blonde, is a delightful musical adaptation of the 2001 Reese Witherspoon blockbuster film. Children are sure to love it, and I’d venture to say grown-ups will have just as much fun. Tickets are $10, but space is limited, so be sure to grab them early!

Part of Your World

If you’re willing to hop over the bridge for a show, be sure to check out the New Tampa Players’ production of The Little Mermaid, running from 7/26 through 8/4. You’ve seen the movie – now take in the story and the songs live on stage. What kid or kid-at-heart wouldn’t love that? Tickets are $25 for adults and $21 for kiddos.

There’s nothing like the experience of live theater. Give the young folks in your life the opportunity to turn off their phones and be entirely present for a couple of hours as a story unfolds before their eyes. They will surely enjoy it, and just may develop a lifelong love of the arts. Put down those video games and get thee to a theater! The footlights eagerly await your arrival.