On Broadway: Theatergoing during the holidays with a kid in tow

The holiday season is to Broadway and Off-Broadway what Black Friday is to retail: the moment when audiences flood in, families plan outings en masse, and producers hope that box-office receipts can single-handedly balance the year’s budget.

Shows built around nostalgia, spectacle, or the holidays themselves (i.e. “A Christmas Carol,” “The Radio City Christmas Spectacular,” “The Nutcracker”) tend to dominate.

In my case, the annual tradition has evolved into taking my nine-year-old son, Reid, to various productions—some of them carefully chosen for young audiences, others…less so.

This year, we checked out the superb Off-Broadway revival of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” the latest edition of “The Big Apple Circus” at Lincoln Center, the encore Broadway engagement of “Beetlejuice,” and a regional production of Disney’s “Frozen” at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

A quirky, small-scale musical comedy that premiered on Broadway in 2005, “Spelling Bee” centers on six eccentric middle-schoolers competing in a spelling competition, with a handful of audience volunteers joining them onstage. The show blends improvisation, heartfelt character moments, and unexpectedly adult humor—most of which, thankfully, flew straight over my child’s head.

Reid and I saw a high school production last year, which led him to initially question the need for a repeat viewing. (“We already know who wins,” he correctly pointed out.) But this new Off-Broadway staging is tight, polished, and full of fresh comic energy. Reid was fully engaged throughout. He had also hoped to be chosen as one of the audience participants, but we arrived too late to spot the staffers who gather volunteers before curtain. (Parental note: if your child dreams of theatrical stardom, aim for early arrival.)

Reid’s review: “I liked how it was a spelling bee because I was in a spelling bee in second grade. I hope I can be in another spelling bee or see ‘Spelling Bee’ again…I liked the guy who spells words with his feet.”

The Big Apple Circus

Big Apple Circus is back!Photo by Big Apple Circus

Reid has attended this intimate, family-friendly, one-ring circus attraction since he was one, and it remains one of New York’s most reliable holiday outings. The Big Apple Circus changes its lineup of acrobats, aerialists, and clowns each season, but its scale—smaller and closer to the action than stadium-style circuses—gives the experience a personal, nostalgic charm.

A major perk for us is the pre-show VIP lounge, featuring unlimited popcorn and cotton candy. Reid’s visit this year was made even more fun by the presence of his cousin—confirmation that bringing a peer along enhances the experience more than any amount of free candy. Reid also left with a light-up wand that now joins the dozens of similar souvenirs currently occupying our living room.

Reid’s review: “I like the circus acts, especially the trapeze. At school, we did a science experiment with a penny as the person on the trapeze.”

Beetlejuice

Reid saw “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” at the movies last year, so I assumed he’d be ready for the musical adaptation of the original film. What I forgot is that the Broadway version uses the F-word often enough to qualify for its own drinking game.

Still, profanity aside, “Beetlejuice” is a maximalist feast featuring puppetry, trapdoors, floating objects, giant sandworms, and projections that mimic Tim Burton’s surreal visual palette. The title character—equal parts demonic prankster and vaudeville emcee—breaks the fourth wall so often he essentially lives in the audience’s lap.

Reid’s review: “The characters are good. I liked the girl who could see the ghosts, and the family from before, and the new people…And there was a giant worm.”

Frozen

Mary Kate Morrisey (Elsa) and Samantha Williams (Anna) in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of “Frozen.”Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Convincing Reid to attend “Frozen” was a challenge. He insists he’s aged out of Disney princesses—despite having enjoyed the obligatory “Frozen” sequence at numerous “Disney on Ice” productions. But once seated, he was drawn into Paper Mill Playhouse’s surprisingly solid production, which delivers swirling snow effects, fluid video projections, and charming puppetry for Olaf and Sven. The crowd was wall-to-wall families—many with children wearing sparkly blue capes.

Reid’s review: “I’m not really a big fan of ‘Frozen,’ but it was still good…I liked the snow at the end.”