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The family-friendly arts lineup offers plenty of chances for kids and caregivers to experience artistic expression . Photo: Matthew Murphy
From memorable musicals to arresting art exhibits, this spring’s family-friendly arts lineup offers plenty of chances for kids and caregivers to experience artistic expression in ways that inspire their own creativity to blossom.
March shows and events
“Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story”
Seattle Children’s Theatre commissioned local playwright Keiko Green to pen this action-packed coming-of-age story about martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. The play focuses on Lee’s time in Seattle when, as a student at the University of Washington, he learns to navigate life in a new country and develop his personal philosophy of life and martial arts. SCT recently pulled out of a planned run at Kennedy Center (a decision endorsed by the Lee family), so additional local performances may be scheduled.
Location: Seattle Children’s Theatre, 201 Thomas St., Seattle
Dates: Feb. 19–March 15
Cost: $49 or pay what you can
A Room for Animal Intelligence
This exhibition that opened over the holidays and continues through November looks at the world through the eyes of animal artworks. The 100 pieces on display range from tiny ancient Egyptian figurines to giant contemporary sculptures. All the interpretive labels are written from the perspective of the critter in question, and guests are encouraged to write their own commentaries.
Location: Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave., Seattle
Dates: Through Nov. 1
Cost: $30; free admission for members and on First Thursdays
“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!”
Mo Willem, the creator of the original Pigeon picture books, wrote this musical adaptation in which Pigeon finally gets a big chance when the bus driver meets a crisis that could make the passengers late.
Location: Olympia Family Theater, 612 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia
Dates: March 5–29
Cost: $25
Moisture Festival
Moisture Festival celebrates highly skilled performers with bizarre talents: aerialists, jugglers, magicians, comedians, dancers, bubble acts, clowns, acrobats, musicians and more. These weird and wonderful performers are keeping the vaudeville and variety traditions alive with family-focused matinees. (But save the Friday night shows for date night!)
Location: Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle
Dates: March 19–April 12
Cost: Starting at $45 for adults; $22.50 for kids 12 and younger; pay-what-you-can pricing starts at $10
“Momotaro”
Created by the acclaimed choreographer Jessica Lang (best known to Seattle ballet fans for “Her Door to the Sky” and “The Calling”) and her husband Alvin Ailey dancer Kanji Segawa, “Momotaro” brings the Japanese Peach Boy folk tale to life in this special family matinee premiere.
Location: McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., Seattle
Dates: March 21–28
Cost: $21–$83
“The Princess From the Moon”
Even if you’ve never seen Studio Ghibli’s beautiful film “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” this traditional Japanese fairy tale is captivating. With themes of home, family and belonging, it tells the story of a girl from the moon who grows up on Earth but needs to reconsider everything she knows when she receives a message from home.
Location: Bellevue Youth Theatre, 16051 N.E. 10th St., Bellevue
Dates: March 27–April 4
Cost: $13
April shows and events
“Annie Kids”
Teens take the reins on this production of the classic all-ages musical about the plucky orphan who melts the heart of a publicity-seeking billionaire. Billionaires with heart may require suspension of disbelief nowadays, but the songs are eternal earworms.
Location: Studio East, 10718 N.E. 68th St., Kirkland
Dates: April 4–5
Cost: TBA
Wicked Wiz of Oz
Seattle Men’s Chorus celebrates all the different versions of the “Wizard of Oz” with a concert featuring favorite songs from Judy Garland’s classic adaptation through “The Wiz” and “Wicked,” all performed under a colorful rainbow. An especially fun option for those who caught “The Wiz” at the Paramount in February.
Location: Venues in Everett, Mount Baker, Seattle and Tacoma
Dates: April 19–May 16
Cost: $44–$110
“Les Misérables”
This season’s Broadway at the Paramount lineup is strong, but not particularly kid focused. Among the offerings, “Les Misérables” is probably the most family friendly. Although the songs may be less familiar outside the theater than those of “Hamilton” or “Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Mis” is one of the most viewed musicals of all time and addresses the hard topics of poverty and social injustice with a message of kindness.
Location: The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle
Dates: April 7–19
Cost: $73–$270, dynamic pricing
“Billy Goats Gruff and Other Tales”
A traveling production from Nova Scotia’s Mermaid Theatre that reimagines three beloved animal fairy tales — “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” “The Three Little Pigs,” and “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” — as a raccoon and a mouse on their own quest unknowingly affect the course of the stories.
Location: Seattle Children’s Theatre, 201 Thomas St., Seattle
Dates: April 22–May 22
Cost: $43–$51 or pay what you can
“The Boy Who Cried Monster”
Bellevue Youth Theatre continues its Storybook Series this year with a magical reimagining of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” In their version, it’s not a wolf, but a magical creature. When no one believes a boy with a reputation for creative storytelling, he tries to bring his new friend home as proof.
Location: Bellevue Youth Theatre, 16051 N.E. 10th St., Bellevue
Dates: April 17–26
Cost: $13
“The Stinky Cheese Man”
Centerstage Theatre presents “The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.” Hilarious, irreverent, all-ages retellings of once revered fairy tales adapted from the postmodern children’s book written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith.
Location: Centerstage Theatre, 3200 S.W. Dashpoint Rd., Federal Way
Dates: April 8–18
Cost: $15
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is the most accessible of Shakespeare’s plays. No matter how opaque the Elizabethan English may be, all ages can enjoy its magical pranksters Puck and Oberon, and the ridiculous plot of a man turned into a donkey and the love potion that makes him irresistible to the fairy queen.
Location: ManeStage Theatre, 116 W. Main, Puyallup
Dates: April 24–May 10
Cost: $33
May shows and events
“Alice in Wonderland”
Performed by the students at International Ballet Theatre’s preparatory school, this one-hour production based on Lewis Carroll’s classical nonsense novel is specially designed as an introduction to ballet that will appeal to younger children.
Location: Meydenbauer Theatre, 11100 N.W. Sixth St., Bellevue
Dates: May 9–10
Cost: $35–$45
“Legally Blonde the Musical, Jr.”
Generations have loved the empowering story of Elle Woods, who set a feminist example of showing up as your whole self no matter how incongruous you may seem with your circumstances. Armed with humor and big musical numbers, this all-ages adaptation of the Broadway musical performed by students from VCA’s Teen Musical Theatre Program continues the struggle to help people reconcile pink princess girliness with intelligence and competence. (The Auburn Community Players are performing the full version of the play in March at Green River College.)
Location: Vashon Center for the Arts, 19600 Vashon Highway S.W., Vashon Island
Dates: May 8–9
Cost: $25; children younger than 12 years old, free
Kaleidoscope Spring Concert
Featuring dancers ages 7–17, Kaleidoscope, the resident performing company of Creative Dance Center, performs world premieres by local and national professional choreographers, as well as works by the dancers themselves. Tickets sell out fast.
Location: Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle
Dates: May 8–10
Cost: TBA
“Giselle”
The narrative of this classic story ballet is bleak, and the atmosphere is spooky (its vengeful ghosts are the origin of the “the willies”). But what kids will care about is the ethereal white tutus and the elegant choreography of ballet’s founding father, Petipa.
Location: Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Ave. N., Edmonds
Dates: May 9–10
Cost: $24–$47
“The Hobbit”
Thanks to Peter Jackson, many people have forgotten that J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece started as a children’s story. Olympia Family Theater is ready to change that as the first community theater in the world granted permission to produce the epic journey of Tolkien’s first unlikely hero, Bilbo Baggins.
Location: Olympia Family Theater, 612 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia
Dates: May 14–June 7
Cost: $25
“Cinderella: Enchanted Edition”
Audiences are encouraged to sing and dance along with the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of the beloved fairy tale.
Location: Bellevue Youth Theatre, 16051 N.E. 10th St., Bellevue
Dates: May 15–24
Cost: $13
The Abiqueños and The Artist
This spring is your last chance to see this special exhibition at the Tacoma Art Museum. Centered on a region of the Southwest made famous by the art of Georgia O’Keeffe, the exhibition presents O’Keeffe’s art in dialogue with photography by the notable Diné and Ho-Chunk artist Russel Albert Daniels.
Location: Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma
Dates: Through May 31
Cost: Included with admission
TeenTix: Encourage your 13- to 19-year-olds to explore the arts on their own with a free membership to TeenTix. Members can purchase $5 day-of-show tickets at more than 100 partner organizations in the greater Puget Sound region, including museums, movie theaters, stage theaters, dance companies and symphonies.
Editor’s note: This article was first published in 2024 and is updated each year with new information for the spring arts season. It was updated most recently on Feb. 26, 2026, by the author.
