Theater News

How to B.O.T.C.H. the Holidays

The new year begins with B.O.T.C.H., The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, H.M.S. Pinafore, Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, Aunt Leaf, Once And For All We’re Gonna Tell You Who We Are So Shut Up And Listen, Tea with Chachaji, and more.

A scene from B.O.T.C.H.
(courtesy of TADA!)
A scene from B.O.T.C.H.
(courtesy of TADA!)

There’s a new acronym in town this holiday season with TADA! Youth Theater’s production of B.O.T.C.H., January 15-February 15, a jazz-styled musical, with book and lyrics by Jon Agee and music by Daniel Feigelson. The show, performed by the TADA! Youth Ensemble, follows an underground journey filled with artistic rats, dancing mummies, and the kids of B.O.T.C.H. (Bureau Of Turmoil, Chaos, & Headaches), who lurk under the New York City subway system.

Manhattan Children’s Theatre is set to stage their own rendition of The Little Mermaid, January 9-February 21, creatively brought to life by just two, very versatile actors. Enjoy Mike Kenny’s adaptation of this well-known story about a young mermaid, enthralled with the unknown world above the sea. For another dose of classic fairytales, check out the Literally Alive production of Cinderella, January 31-April 25, at Players Theatre. For an early dose of opera, the kids might enjoy a trip to Symphony Space for a different view of the story in Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella), January 22 and 29. If you want to keep the opera ball rolling, a light operetta could be the ticket with The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players’ H.M.S. Pinafore, January 10-12, at New York City Center.

Staged productions of favorite books will include Symphony Space’s Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny (January 9), the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia adaptation of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd’s bedtime classics full of puppetry, dreamlike imagery, and original music. HERE Arts Center will bring a family friendly literary work as well, inspired by two poems by Mary Oliver. Aunt Leaf (January 7-24), by Barbara Wiechmann, tells the story of a century-old haunting and a young girl who unravels the dark tale of her elderly Aunt’s past through a nightly visitation. Meanwhile, New Victory Theater will let the voices of a pack of talented teens do the talking in Once And For All We’re Gonna Tell You Who We Are So Shut Up And Listen (January 7-17), an exploration of growing up from their eyes.

Making Books Sing will give almost every borough a taste of a New York immigrant story this month with Tea with Chachaji, the story of a young boy named Neel, his great-uncle Chachaji, and Chachaji’s beloved teacup. When Neel carelessly breaks the teacup, an heirloom salvaged during his migration from Pakistan, the boy must repair the cup and his relationship with his great-uncle. Based on Uma Krishnaswami’s book Chachaji’s Cup, the show features book and lyrics by Gwynne Watkins and music by Denver Casado, and will play at the Lovinger Theater at Lehman College in the Bronx (January 25-28), BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in Manhattan (January 30-31), and Goldstein Theater at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn (February 8-11).

If there are any budding dancers in the family, be sure not to miss Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, January 10. If you can make the journey out to the Bronx, the reward will be a contemporary ballet company with a global artistic vision through collaborations with composers, musicians, and visual artists. Also dancing this month at the Joyce Theater will be the Richard Alston Dance Company, January 12-17, which will feature lyrical dances to music by Stravinsky, Philip Glass, and Hoagy Carmichael.