Summer Knights
The whole gang from The Backyardigans, the Nick Jr. show, will visit the WaMu Theater in Madison Square Garden this month with The Backyardigans Live! Tale of the Mighty Knights (June 13-15). The show follows Uniqua and Tyrone as they become Knights and embark on a quest to protect King Pablo’s unpredictable egg. Along with their friends Austin and Tasha, these valiant knights will need the audience’s help to face a mighty dragon to return the egg to the king.
Meanwhile, deep in the Rainforest, Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy (June 16-August 24) will take a trip into a world inspired by nature’s greatest creation. This production combines the talents of aerialists, contortionists, acrobats, jugglers, and musicians at the Broadway Theatre. Between the aerial ballet of butterflies, the balancing giraffes, gigantic flowers, and huge trees there will be plenty of excitement for the whole family.
Cinderella (June 21-July 12) will open at Chez Bushwick, reimagined by Youth On Target. After her father dies, Cinderella spends her time ignoring her sisters, avoiding her mother and sitting by the fireplace reading. With help from her Fairy Godmother, she must overcome her obstacles to attend the ball. For more fairytale magic, La Mama will present The Raven (June 12-29), Ellen Stewart’s new adaptation of Carlo Gozzi’s 18th century fairytale. In the original story, King Milo shoots a crow during a hunting expedition, and is placed under a curse by the bird’s owner until he can find a woman who possesses special qualities. This new adaptation is a poetic musical set in China featuring an original score by Stewart, Michael Sirotta, Heather Paawe Yukio Tsuji, and Cao Bao An.
Finally, for a primer in the magic of the Gilbert & Sullivan Operetta, the New York Glibert & Sullivan Players will present the Family Overture Series (June 6-15) at New York’s City Center, wherein the company presents pre-show musical introductions and narrative summaries for its fully staged productions of The Pirates of Penzance (June 7), H.M.S. Pinafore (June 8), The Mikado (June 14), and The Gondoliers (June 15).
