Best Upcoming Children's Shows In Cleveland
It comes as no surprise that Cleveland's fine arts community has such a thriving children's theater following. Clevelanders believe that arts education and appreciation begins at an early age. Many of the dozens of theater organizations offer special prices for youngsters as well as seminars, camps and outreach programs so that children of any age can be immersed in the magic that is live performing. Here are some resources that you may wish to look into.
Beck Center for the Arts (Credit, Mark Horning)
"Young Frankenstein"
Beck Center for the Arts
17801 Detroit Ave.
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 521-2540
www.beckcenter.org/young-frankenstein
Date: July 11 – Aug. 17, 2014
Beck Center for the Arts Youth Theater just celebrated its 65th anniversary this year, but it is not just Youth Theater that the Center is known for. It is a well-known fact that children who participate in the arts do better in school. This is why so much energy goes into Beck Center's various programs that include dance classes, music classes, theatre classes, visual arts classes, early childhood classes, creative arts therapies and outreach education. The Center also offers family-style live theater entertainment such as "Mel Brooks – Young Frankenstein" that will be performed on the Mackey Main Stage from July 11th through August 17, 2014. The center also performs a selection of shows geared specifically for children and the young at heart that run through the winter and early spring months.
"Loki and Lucy"
Talespinner Children's Theater
5209 Detroit Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 264-9680
www.talespinnerchildrenstheatre.org/performances
Date: Sept. 20 – Oct. 12, 2014
"TCT creates work that remembers that children are smaller people, not lesser people." This is part of the mission statement for Talespinner Children's Theater. Along with putting on professional-grade theatrical performances for children that emphasize world diversity, it also offers classes, residencies, outreach programs and workshops. There are Fall and Spring Youth Theater Classes as well as the very popular Summer Puppet and Mask Camp. The next scheduled productions are "Loki and Lucy – a Norse Mythology Story" playing September 20 through October 12, 2014 and "Clara and the Nutcracker" playing November 29 through December 21, 2014.
The Cleveland Orchestra
Blossom Music Festival
1145 W. Steels Corners Road
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223
(216) 231-1111
www.clevelandorchestra.com
Date: Through Aug. 31, 2014
During the summer months, the Cleveland Orchestra travels to the outdoor venue of Blossom Music Center with offerings of family-orientated performances. Smart patrons bring along a picnic and arrive early to relax on the spacious grounds and picnic areas. For the performances, you have a choice of pavilion seating or the "BYO blanket lawn section," which is covered by an amazing speaker system. Of special note this season will be "Sci-Fi Spectacular" with George Takai narrating on Sunday, July 13 at 7 p.m., "Broadway Standing Ovations" on Sunday, July 27 at 7 p.m., "Hollywood Under the Stars" on Sunday, August 3 at 7 p.m. and "A Beatles Tribute" on Sunday, August, 24 at 7 p.m.
Cleveland Shakespeare Festival (Credit, Mark Horning)
Cleveland Shakespeare Festival
Various Parks
Cleveland, OH 44118
www.cleveshakes.com
Date: Through Aug. 3, 2014
Taking children to see Shakespeare? Are you out of your mind? Just last year, for some of the productions, half of the audience was indeed made up of children who politely sat and absorbed every word and action. The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival is a group of truly dedicated actors who travel from outdoor venue to outdoor venue (in most cases there are indoor alternatives in case of rain) putting on splendid performances of renowned Shakespearean works. They tend to do most of the comedic works that are more family friendly. Pack a picnic, get there early and watch your children be enthralled. The upcoming performance will be "Romeo and Juliet" at various locations from July 18 through August 3, 2014 at 7 p.m.
Great Lakes Theater (Credit, Mark Horning)
"The Merry Wives of Windsor"
Great Lakes Theater
2067 E. 14th St.
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 241-6000
www.greatlakestheater.org/the-merry-wives-of-windsor
Date: Sept. 26 – Nov. 2, 2014
Great Lakes Theater is a grown-up theater that is family friendly for select shows. This small company does amazing work, performing a variety of Shakespearean works each year as well as various musicals. Their forte is in their ability to put on two different shows on alternate weeks using the same wonderful collection of personnel. Great Lakes Theater is also responsible for a Cleveland tradition. This is the theater's production of Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" that is a wonder to behold. Upcoming productions for the 2014-2015 season will be alternate weeks of "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and "Les Miserables" being performed from September 26 through November 9, 2014. "A Christmas Carol" will be performed from November 29 through December 23, 2014.
Mark Horning is a freelance writer covering all things Cleveland. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
