Children's Shows

Bringing young children to see live theatre is often a tricky proposition, for various and obvious reasons. In fact, I was just at a show the other night where I was somehow fortunate enough to sit directly in front of a family who decided to bring their (literally) infant child along with them. And no, he/she was not considerate enough to sleep through it all.

With that in mind, here is a brief run-down of some of the top family-oriented plays currently running or opening soon around town, those that are less likely to get you kicked out of the theatre if your toddler starts a running commentary on the plot.

Emerald City Theatre Company has made a name for themselves locally with their kiddie-friendly productions of well-known stories, and they continue in this mission with their rendition of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, now running through May 8 at the Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln, Chicago. It is described as "a mad-cap experience of a lifetime" when "Mysterious Willy Wonka [opens] the gates to his coveted, curious chocolate factory...and only five children will be let inside!" Emerald City Theatre is also concurrently presenting Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!, an audience-interactive show about a pigeon who wants to do everything, based on a Caldecott-winning book by Mo Willems. It runs through April 10 at the Apollo Theater.

Up in Lincolnshire, Marriott Theatre is presenting How Can You Run With A Shell On Your Back?, about six young students stuck in library detention who bond over a copy of Aesop's Fables, as the different stories help them learn to use their imaginations. Sort of a Breakfast Club for tots, I suppose. It runs through May 22.

If you're looking for children's theatre with a socio-historical consciousness, then check out Chicago Children's Theatre's presentation of Jackie And Me, through March 27 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago. Jackie And Me tells the story of a kid named Joey who, while researching a book report, is transported back in time to 1947 to meet Jackie Robinson just as he's about to become the first athlete of color on a Major League baseball team.

Shows coming later this spring include Madagascar Live!, which is pretty much what it sounds like: a live version of Dreamworks' hit animated film Madagascar, coming to the Rosemont Theater March 16-20, 2011.

Lifeline Theatre is another company known for their children's theatre work, and they are presenting a world premiere musical from the adapters of Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch! called Arnie The Doughnut, about Arnie, the "happiest pastry in the bakery" until the day he's bought and taken home to be eaten. Arnie The Doughnut runs March 20 through May 15.

Lastly, for kids who aren't afraid of clowns, there's 500 Clown Nose (opens May 3), a show for young audiences from the renowned 500 Clown troupe that mixes vaudeville, improvisation, and physical clown-based performances into a story about a trio of clowns attempting to escape from a stark and ominous underworld and who, once they are finally free, find that they miss the imaginary world they had created to deal with their surroundings. It is presented at Adventure Stage Chicago, 1012 N. Noble Street.

Luke Heiden
Contributing Writer