Theater News

Catch That Train

Thomas Saves the Day arrives at the Beacon, An African Village can be seen at LaGuardia Concert Hall, It’s a Bee, Honey plays the Abrons Sculpture Garden, Lou Del Bianco sings at the Player’s Theatre, and Disney’s High School Musical performs in Long Island.

A scene from Thomas Saves the Day
A scene from Thomas Saves the Day

A singing train will be pulling into the Beacon Theater this month for the American premiere of the children’s musical Thomas Saves the Day (June 1-3). In a mere 90 minutes, our locomotive hero travels with his friends Percy and Diesel through various adventures as they get the station ready for Sodor’s Magic Lantern Festival.


If you want to be transported to another continent, head to the LaGuardia Concert Hall, where dancers whisk you across the Atlantic for An African Village: Postcards from Potou (June 16-18). Dressed in colorful costumes, the troupe performs African-inspired dances along with hip-hop, jazz, tap, and ballet moves your children are likely to recognize. The routines are inspired by economist Jeffrey Sach’s book by the same name, which shines a light on the serious problems of poverty, hunger, and disease plaguing the continent. Your children will be entertained while gaining knowledge about the global community.


On a beautiful summer day, you might want to head over to the Abrons Sculpture Garden, where you can enjoy the musical outdoor circus It’s a Bee, Honey (June 17). Expect to find large-scale puppets, a towering tricycle, and melodious original tunes in a show that offers “a day in the life” of a hive of honeybees. These insects live fast; so expect to find the entire life cycle from birth to the final curtain.


A short walk away from Washington Square Park, Parent’s Choice-award winner Lou Del Bianco performs a special concert at the Player’s Theatre on June 23. Some of the tales Del Bianco shares will be ones from around the world, and others will be from his childhood. He weaves music and movement throughout his act, and even invites the young ones in the audience onto the stage to participate in the fun.


Out in Long Island, the Broadhollow Theater performs Disney’s High School Musical (June 30-July 22). Based on the movie of the same name, the show follows two students from different social circles who meet on a family vacation. Sports star Troy falls for model student Gabriela during a night of karaoke, and pretty soon, they find themselves auditioning for the same school musical.