Don’t look at it as the end of another summer — look at it as the beginning of an exciting new season of Seattle family fun at the theater. There’s something for every age, taste and pocketbook here, from neighborhood performance series to the biggest of the big Broadway shows.
September Family Fun
Explore Korea
Celebrate the harvest festival Chuseok with performances by Morning Star Dance Troupe and others, followed by Korean food and films. Ages 5 and older. Rainier Valley Cultural Center, Seattle. Sept. 3.
Editor's Pick: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
The hard-working cows politely ask Farmer Brown for an electric blanket or two to keep warm — but he won’t hear of it. So, like any good union member, they go on strike in this stage adaptation of Doreen Cronin’s witty children’s book about peaceful protest, negotiation and compromise. Parents of young kids, take note: Little ones younger than 5 are welcome at all Sunday shows, but all other performances are for ages 5 and older. SecondStory Repertory, Redmond. Sept. 9-25.
Editor's Pick: Kimya Dawson
The Olympia-based singer-songwriter is best known for her deadpan contributions to the soundtrack for Juno, but she also writes very funny songs for kids. She plays songs off her children’s CD, Alphabutt, at the first Saturday Family Concert of the season, and 5-year-old boys — or anyone who snickers when someone says “butt” — are going to think it’s the best thing ever. (Sample: “A is for apple, B is for butt, C is for cat-butt … ”) Town Hall Seattle. Sept. 10.
Jim French's Imagination Theater
Be part of the audience while Imagination Theater records a live radio drama, complete with sound effects. All ages. Kirkland Performance Center. Sept. 12.
Editor's Pick: Harold and the Purple Crayon
The folks at Seattle Children’s Theatre are geniuses when it comes to staging adaptations of children’s storybooks (see: 2011’s Go, Dog. Go!); they capture the sweetness of a particular work without ever condescending to their audience. SCT’s new season kicks off with a world premiere of the story of a little boy with a crayon, an imagination and some serious problem-solving skills, based on the classic books by Crockett Johnson. All ages. Seattle Children’s Theatre. Sept. 22-Oct. 30.
Bunnicula
Who’s sucking all the juice out of the veggies in the fridge? A vampire bunny, that’s who. Olympia Family Theater performs the musical about a rabbit with fangs. All ages. The Washington Center, Olympia. Sept. 30-Oct. 16.
October Family Fun
Jack and the Beanstalk
Bunraku puppet company Thistle Theatre performs the fairy tale about the unintended consequences of trading the family cow for magic beans. Ages 3 and older. Bellevue Youth Theatre, Oct. 1-2. Sunset Hill Community Club, Seattle, Oct. 7-9. Magnuson Park Theater, Seattle, Oct. 15-16.
Blue Man Group
The wildly popular Broadway show — a blend of humor, technology and music performed by three blue (yes) men — is on its first U.S. theatrical tour. The Paramount Theatre, Seattle. Oct. 7-16.
Editor's Pick: Experience Ethiopia
Experience Ethiopian culture with performances by the scarily gifted young EriAm Sisters (of America’s Got Talent) and others, followed by a dance competition for youth, an Ethiopian cooking course with Chef Bar & Restaurant and Hibret Catering, and dinner. Ages 5 and older. Rainier Valley Cultural Center, Seattle. Oct. 8.
Trains & Tunes In the New World
Musicians from the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra join Let Your Music Shine! with Lisa and Linda for an introduction to symphonic music for young kids. Theatre on the Square, Tacoma. Oct. 8.
The Story Of Babar
Enjoy a reading of Jean de Brunhoff’s story about the adventures of a very civilized young elephant, accompanied by live music. All ages. Benaroya Hall, Seattle. Oct. 8.
Early Music Discovery
An exploration of early music that features dance and performances by young string students, who accompany local early-music specialists. All ages. Town Hall Seattle. Oct. 9.
Oliver!
A young boy navigates the mean streets of London in a musical adaptation of the Dickens novel that’s full of classic songs, including “Consider Yourself.” Ages 8 and older. Studio East, Kirkland. Oct. 14-30.
Riders In the Sky
The Grammy Award–winning (for its work on Toy Story and Monsters Inc.) quartet performs classic cowboy music for the kids. All ages. Edmonds Center for the Arts. Oct. 16.
Editor's Pick: Robin Hood
Exciting displays of sword fighting, archery and jousting enliven this story about the Prince of Thieves, his sense of justice and his nimble avoidance of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Ages 8 and older. Seattle Children’s Theatre. Oct. 20-Nov. 27.
Dracula
A creepy but not scary blend of classical ballet, circus arts, tap dance and clogging performed by International Ballet Theatre. All ages. Meydenbauer Theatre, Bellevue. Oct. 21-30.
The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow
Ichabod Crane mysteriously disappears, and supernatural foul play is suspected. The Driftwood Players also perform other Halloween stories. All ages. Wade James Theater, Edmonds. Oct. 27-30.
Sleepy Hollow Redux
Seattle Radio Theatre performs a futuristic adaptation of Washington Irving’s Halloween tale, with live actors and sound effects. Ages 5 and older. Town Hall Seattle. Oct. 28.
Halloween Hooray
Sisters Lisa and Linda of Let Your Music Shine! present an interactive program of Halloween classics for very young kids. Part of the popular Tiny Tots series. Ages newborn-5. Benaroya Hall, Seattle. Oct. 28-29.
Frankenstein
Bellevue Youth Theatre’s twist on Mary Shelley’s classic gothic novel. Ages 8 and older. Bellevue Youth Theatre. Oct. 28-Nov. 6.
Editor's Pick: The Boy Who Cried Wolf
StoryBook Theater has a knack for creating theater that very young kids can handle (fast-paced, silly) while throwing in humor and wordplay that get a chuckle out of the grownups. In its first play of the season, a bored shepherd boy makes a bad error in judgment when he yells “wolf” just to see what will happen. Things do not go well for him. Ages 3 and older. Carco Theater, Renton, Oct. 29-30; Everett PUD Auditorium, Nov. 6; Kirkland Performance Center, Nov. 12-20; MOHAI, Seattle, Dec. 4.
Pinkalicious
Pinkalicious indulges in pink cupcakes until she comes down with pinkitis, an affliction that at first seems like the best thing ever. She soon finds out that it’s not. Ages 3 and older. Tacoma Musical Playhouse. Oct. 29-Nov. 6.
A Night At the Movies Costume Concert
Tacoma Youth Symphony and Tacoma Young Artists Orchestra — dressed in costume, of course — perform music from Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Wizard of Oz and other family films. All ages. Urban Grace Church, Tacoma. Oct. 30.
November Family Fun
Goldyhands And the Three Bows
Musicians from Tacoma Youth Symphony Association and Let Your Music Shine! with Lisa and Linda present a classical-music twist on the story of Goldilocks and her bear friends. Theatre on the Square, Tacoma. Nov. 5.
The Frog Prince
The frog may not look like much on the outside, but he’s hiding a very special secret. Can he get the princess to fall in love with him for who he really is? All ages. Bellevue Youth Theatre. Nov. 11-20.
Princess And the Pea
Hannah falls in love with Prince John, but the Queen puts her through a few paces before she agrees to let them marry. Hint: They all live happily ever after. Ages 5 and older (performances for families with younger children on Sundays). SecondStory Repertory, Redmond. Nov. 11-27.
Hairspray
Tracy Turnblad gets her heart’s desire — a spot on Baltimore’s hot TV dance show — and teaches the city a thing or two about standing up for what’s right in this Broadway musical filled with exhilarating dance numbers and catchy pop tunes. All ages. Seattle Musical Theatre. Nov. 11-Dec. 11.
Encounter Ireland
Performances by Celtic band Ockham’s Razor and guests, Irish step dancer Sam Nicols, and a traditional instruments and dance workshop. A feast of Irish cuisine follows. Ages 5 and older. Rainier Valley Cultural Center, Seattle. Nov. 12.
Qweti: Tales Of the Makah Tribe
Carter Family Marionettes perform Northwest Native American stories using beautiful handmade puppets. All ages. Northwest Puppet Center, Seattle. Nov. 12-20.
Editor's Pick: A Year With Frog And Toad
The delightfully comic Broadway musical follows peppy Frog and dour Toad through the four seasons, as they play, eat and meet with friends. All ages. Seattle Children’s Theatre. Nov. 17-Jan. 15.
Mother Goose Goes to the Symphony
Another interactive program of classical music, movement and nursery rhymes with Let Your Music Shine! with Lisa and Linda. Ages newborn-5. Benaroya Hall, Seattle. Nov. 18.
Editor's Pick: The Harmonica Pocket
You may not like the word “whimsical,” but it’s hard to describe The Harmonica Pocket any other way. The local duo plays gentle, quirky songs for kids, along with a dose of hula-hooping, props, and blasts on the part kazoo, part plumbing-fixture Hinklehorn. All ages. Town Hall Seattle. Nov. 19.
A Christmas Carol
Ebenezer Scrooge has misbehaved, and a trio of ghosts visits him on Christmas Eve to try to persuade him to reform before it’s too late. Bellevue Youth Theatre performs. Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue. Nov. 25-27.
Beasley's Christmas Party
An adaptation of Booth Tarkington’s 1909 novel, in which a Midwestern journalist discovers that his neighbor may (or may not) have a large group of imaginary friends. All ages. Taproot Theatre, Seattle. Nov. 25-Dec. 30.
Sing-Along Sound Of Music
Watch the 1965 move in Technicolor, sing along as loud as you can, and boo or cheer as the plot demands. Costumes are encouraged. All ages. Edmonds Center for the Arts. Nov. 26.
Doktor Kaboom: Look Out — Science Is Coming!
A lesson about the scientific method goes down way easy with Doktor Kaboom’s comedy and incredible onstage demonstrations. All ages. Kirkland Performance Center. Nov. 27.
Editor's Pick: Cinderella
If you’re thinking about springing for tickets for a really big holiday show, this one might be it. So what if it’s not about Christmas? Rodgers & Hammerstein’s lush musical about magic, romance and the triumph of the underdog is about as “holiday” as you can get. All ages. The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle. Nov. 25-Dec. 31.
Yo Gabba Gabba Live
An onstage dance party led by DJ Lance and attended by characters based on the popular children’s television show. All ages. The Paramount Theatre, Seattle. Nov. 12-13.
Oliver!
An orphaned boy falls in with the wrong crowd in this musical based on Dickens’ novel. Lakewood Playhouse. Nov. 25-Dec. 23.
Nutcracker
Gorgeous costumes, sets by Maurice Sendak and impeccable dancing make this the Nutcracker to see. All ages. Benaroya Hall, Seattle. Nov. 25-Dec. 27.
’Twas the Night
A humorous musical spin on Clement Clarke Moore’s poem about a midnight encounter with St. Nick. Ages 4 and older. Studio East, Kirkland. Nov. 26-Dec. 18.
Kris Collingridge is ParentMap’s Out + About editor and would go to the theater five days a week if she didn’t have some other stuff to get done.
