The Straz CenterÛªs October and November lineup for kids and families is certainly not SHHH-worthy. åÊ
Kids and parents both understand the power of SHHHH in a theatre. Take heart that no SHHHÛªing is required at the Straz this fall with acts taking the stage that fall into two categories: (1) fun loving acts that encourage active participation or (2) timeless stories that will entrance even the most active of little ones. åÊåÊåÊ
October
Silly Sam the Music Man takes the stage of the Rehearsal Hall October 8th at 11 a.m. åÊSilly Sam will have families participating in the show ÛÒ whether that be yelling lyrics, asking questions or screaming for an encore. åÊ
Twinkle Time, a bilingual musical and educational show steps into the spotlight of Ferguson Hall at 2 p.m. on October 22nd. åÊThis Los Angeles based act showcases songs and skits as colorful as the hair and clothing they adorn. åÊåÊåÊ
NovemberåÊ
Willy Wonka, Jr. leads off from November 3rd through 6th. åÊThe classic rags to riches story of Charlie Bucket has been thrust back in the spotlight with the untimely, recent passing of the movieÛªs star Gene Wilder. åÊPurchase your ÛÏgoldenÛ ticket and allow the cast of young actors from the Patel Conservatory (grades 2nd through 8th) to remind your kids of why this classic tale is beloved by generations. Showtimes on Thursday and Friday are at 7 p.m. and at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. during the weekend.
C.S. LewisÛª classic, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe appears at the Straz Center on November 19, 2016. åÊThe wonders of Narnia come to Tampa for one afternoon in November. åÊSeeing this classic story live on stage will take the family on a magical ride back to 1940 as four siblings find an enchanted wardrobe in the midst of escaping from war-torn London. åÊShowtime is slated for 2 p.m. åÊåÊåÊåÊåÊåÊ
My 3 year-oldÛªs favorite Sesame Street character, Elmo, brings his friends to Tampa from November 26th and 27th in Sesame Street LiveÛªs Elmo Makes Music. åÊIÛªm telling you, there is nothing like watching your childÛªs beaming smile as their favorite characters come to life on stage. åÊThere are three shows: two on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m as well as one performance on Sunday at 2 p.m. åÊ
There is no better way to break the beginning-of-school-year, too-many-soccer-practices, get-to-bed-by-eight monotony than to visit the Straz Center in downtown Tampa. åÊ
Parents should anticipate a great combination of education, culture and imaginative storytelling. åÊKids should only count on having a great time ÛÒ so spectacular that they wonÛªt notice everything theyÛªre learning. åÊ
No matter kid or parent, there is one thing that all families need not bring to the Straz Center ÛÒ their SHHHÛªs!
Tobin Walsh, guest contributor for Family-Friendly Tampa Bay.
About Tobin Walsh:åÊTobin is a husband and father of 5. åÊHis rambunctious family life provides ample opportunities for thoughtful pieces about parenting. åÊHis blog, ÛÏThe Good-Bad DadÛ has been featured by parenting publications such as Fatherly.com and Babble.com.
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www.goodbaddad.com
Twitter: @thegoodbaddad
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Email: [email protected]
