500 Clown
Christmas Diving into the dark and light sides of the consumer-driven yet still touching Christmas season, 3 clowns and a 3 piece band throw a celebration complete with a holiday toast, gift giving and live music. Ages 12 & up. Dec. 21-30; Tues. – Sat. at 7.30pm and Sat. & Sun. at 4pm. PERFORMANCE SPACE 122, 150 1st Ave. at E. 9th St. www.500clown.com. For tickets, visit www.ps122.org or call 212-352-3101. $20, $15 students & seniors, $10 members.
500 Clown
Frankenstein Three clowns embark on a journey to construct Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory. Elaborate period costumes, poor lighting& difficult language prevent them from properly telling Mary Shelley’s classic tale. Ages 12 & up. Dec. 12-19; Tues.–Sat. at 7.30pm and Sat. & Sun. at 4pm. PERFORMANCE SPACE 122, 150 1st Ave. at E. 9th St. www.500clown.com. For tickets, visit www.ps122.org or call 212-352-3101. $20, $15 students & seniors, $10 members.
Chanukah Party in the Park
The Friends of Washington Market Park host their annual Chanukah Party with music and the story of Chanukah, Driedel games, make your own Chanukah gelt felt bag and Menorah lighting. Sat., Dec. 15 from 2-3:30pm. WASHINGTON MARKET PARK, entrance at Greenwich & Duane Sts. www.washingtonmarketpark.org.
Children’s Chanukah Party
Join CBST, New York City’s synagogue for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Jews, families and friends, for a family Chanukah celebration. Make a menorah, spin the dreidel and eat some latkes & jelly donuts. Sun., Dec. 9 from 2-4pm. CONGREGATION BETH SIMCHAT TORAH, 57 Bethune St., bet Washington & West Sts. RSVP at www.cbst.org. $15 per family in advance, $20 at the door. Please bring an article of new or gently used warm outerwear to donate to the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s Soup kitchen.
A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley
Theater at Trinity presents their annual reading of Israel Horovitz’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley. All ages. Sun., Dec. 16 at 1pm. TRINITY CHURCH, 74 Trinity Place, 2nd floor Dining Room, Broadway at Wall St. 212-602-0755. www.trinitywallstreet.org. Free.
Christmas Party in the Park
The Friends of Washington Market Park host their annual Christmas Party. Enjoy Christmas carols with Richard Younger, a performance by the Stuyvesant High School Acappella Group, arts & crafts, holiday treats and a visit from Mr. Claus. Sun., Dec. 16 from 2-4pm. WASHINGTON MARKET PARK, entrance at Greenwich & Duane Sts. www.washingtonmarketpark.org.
The Divine Reality Comedy Circus
An adaptation of Dante’s Divina Commedia for kids of all ages. Thru Dec. 16; Sat. & Sun. at 3pm. THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY, Johnson Theater, 155 1st Ave. at E. 10th St. 212-254-1109. www.theaterforthenewcity.net. $12.
Festival of Light and Sound Events
include the Strauss/Warschauer Duo delivering Klezmer for Kids on Sun., Dec. 9; Basya Schechter leads her band Pharaoh’s Daughter through Hasidic chants and Mizrachi and Sephardi folk-rock on Tues., Dec. 11; Funk Filharmonik from former Tower of Power singer Tom Bowes on Fri., Dec. 14; and Ethel’s In the House of Ethel: Fri., Dec. 21. Santa will visit children on Fri. – Sun., Dec. 7, 8 & 9. WINTER GARDEN, World Financial Center, 220 Vesey St. Free.
Flights of Fancy
Read about Orville and Wilbur Wright’s very first airplane flight on Dec. 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Make, decorate and fly paper airplanes. See if yours flies as long as the Wright’s, 12 seconds. Ages 3-7. Sat., Dec. 15 from noon–1 pm. MCNALLY ROBINSON BOOKSELLERS, 52 Prince St. Free.
Goodnight Moon Bunny’s
imagination is never at rest. Before his head hits the pillow, he must say goodnight to everything in the room, but with each goodnight, something comes to life. Adapted from “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown. Sat. & Sun., thru Dec. 9 at 12 & 2pm. MANHATTAN CHILDREN’S THEATRE, 52 White St., bet Broadway & Church St. 212-352-3101. www.theatermania.com. Ages 4+. $20, $15 kids & seniors.
Holiday Toy Drive
The United States Marine Corps will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. Toys will be distributed to needy children in New York City. Thru Dec. 17. DOWNTOWN INFORMATION CENTER, 55 Exchange Place, Suite 401. www.toysfortots.org. 212-425-INFO.
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse
A theatrical work created especially for children and adapted for the stage from the popular children’s books “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse,” “Julius, Baby of the World” and “Chester’s Way” by Kevin Henkes. Ages 5 & up. Dec. 15-Feb. 3; Saturdays & Sundays at 12 & 2pm. MANHATTAN CHILDREN’S THEATRE, 52 White St., 1st floor, bet Broadway & Church Sts. 212-352-3101. www.theatermania.com. $20, $15 for ages 2-17 & seniors.
Little Red Riding Hood
The Society of the Educational Arts presents everyone’s favorite hooded heroine in a fantastical world with a fresh array of characters that come to life. Sat., Dec. 15 at 3pm. TEATRO SEA, Los Kabayitos Puppet & Children’s Theatre, 107 Suffolk St., 2nd Floor, bet Rivington & Delancey. $15, $12.50 kids.
Manhattan Youth’s After-School Winter Festival
Features world premiere theater & dance performances, film screenings, magic shows and circus acts. Drawings, paintings, pottery & jewelry will also be on display. Wed., Dec. 12 at 4:30pm. P.S./I.S. 89, 201 Warren St., 2nd Floor.
Menorah Lighting
Art, music, menorah projects, and fun for the entire family. Come light the candles as a downtown community with JCP, Synagogue for the Arts, Tribeca Hebrew and Battery Park Synagogue. Sun., Dec. 9 from 10:30am – 1:30pm. Takes place at PS 234, Corner of Chambers & Greenwich. $45 family, $15 adult, $10 child.
The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley
Based on the book by Jeff Brown, Flat Stanley is a very normal and loveable little boy until one night he is made flat by a falling bulletin board. Flat takes this in stride and becomes a world traveler mailing himself around the world. Sat., Dec. 8 at 1:30pm. TRIBECA PAC, 199 Chambers St. 212-220-1460. www.tribecapac.org. $25, $15 students & seniors.
Nutcracker & Hansel and Gretel
Presented by the New American Youth Ballet. Sun., Dec. 16. MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE, Battery Park. 212-945-2926. www.newamericanyouthballet.org. $25, $15 kids.
Parents’ Network Speaker Series
Join in some holiday cheer and gifts for the children. Share your best advice for making the holiday season merry and memorable. Breakfast is provided. Children welcome. Tues., Dec. 18 from 10-11:30am. CHEVYS, on Vesey St., upstairs, elevator access from Embassy Suites. Free for Battery Park City Neighbors Association members and first timers. Membership applications available at the event or at www.bpcna.org.
PS 89 School Tours
Adults only, no children please. Bring a picture ID for security. Wed., Jan 30 & Thurs., Feb. 28 at 9pm in the school cafeteria. PS 89, 201 Warren St. 212-571-5659. www.ps89.org.
Seven in One Blow, or The Brave Little Kid
Adapted from the classic fairy tale by The Brothers Grimm, this interactive winter play for kids blends technology, music and live performance. Ages 4+. Dec. 7-22; Fri. at 7pm; Sat. at 2 & 4pm and Sun. at 2pm. AXIS THEATRE, One Sheridan Square, just off 7th Ave. 212-352-3101. www.AxisCompany.org. $10, $5 kids.
Stories and Songs
Infants, toddlers, preschoolers and accompanying adults share the joy of music and storytelling in this multi-week program introducing and integrating musical performance and creative storytelling in children’s lives. Two sessions available: 14 Mondays from Jan. 7 – April 21 or 16 Wednesdays from Jan. 9 – April 23. Four 40-minute time slots available: 9:30–10:10am for children 6-12 months old; 10:20–11am for children 15 months to 2 years; 11:10-11:50am for children 2 years & older; Noon-12:40pm for mixed ages. MEETING ROOM, The Verdesian, 211 North End Ave., bet. Warren & Murray Sts. Mondays are $210; Wednesdays are $240. 212-267-9700 x348 or 366.
Turn off the Lights, Now!
Thomas Edison invented the light bulb on Dec. 31, 1879 and kids have been forgetting to turn them off ever since. Read about great inventions and inventors and then invent your own machines with pipe cleaners, bobbins and rubber bands. Ages 3-7. Sat., Dec. 29 from noon–1 pm. MCNALLY ROBINSON BOOKSELLERS, 52 Prince St. Free.
Visit with Mrs. Claus Sat. & Sun., Dec. 8 & 9 from 2-5pm. FIREFLY CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE, 224 Front St. 646-416-6560.
Washington Square Park Tree Lighting
Welcome the Holiday Season with The Washington Square Association. Sing holiday songs and watch the lighting of the tree under the Arch. Complimentary songbooks provided. Mon., Dec. 24 at 5pm. WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK ARCH, foot of 5th Ave., one block south of 8th St. 212-252-3621.
Would You Like to See Your Event in the Downtown Express Kids Listings?
Listings requests may be e-mailed to casey@downtownexpress.com. Please provide the date, time, location, price and a description of the event. Information may also be mailed to Casey Easterling at 145 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-1548. Requests must be received two weeks before the event is to be published. Questions, call 646-452-2505.
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