Symphony Space, the community theater on the Upper West Side, is livestreaming FREE theater performances for kids on weekends in 2022, including music, dance and storytelling.
The Just Kidding series is geared to kids 3-8 and their families. It’s been a popular live on-stage series for more than two decades, and the online shows continue the commitment to affordable and accessible programming, including for those unable to attend live theater in NYC.
Photo: Thunderbird American Indian Dancers
The FREE livestream shows mean audiences beyond New York City can enjoy an array of international artists perform on stage at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater, part of the Symphony Space complex, renamed for the beloved New York actor and philanthropist most famous for portraying Dr. Spock on the original Star Trek series.
Put these events on your schedule now (all times are EST, where NYC is):
Sunday, January 16 at 2pm:
Ayiti: Stories and Songs from Haiti with Inez Barlatier & Her Family Band
Audiences journey to a land rich with history, art, and culture with Inez Barlatier and her band, who celebrate Haiti with high-energy singing, upbeat percussion, colorful costumes, fascinating folktales, and more.
Saturday, January 29 at 11am:
Thunderbird American Indian Dancers
This performance of dances, songs, and stories by Thunderbird American Indian Dancers gives kids the opportunity to explore the culture and traditions of Indigenous peoples.
The Thunderbirds Native Americans from a variety of tribes, who live and work in the NYC Tri-State area, and perform regularly at local theaters and tribal gatherings.
Sonia De Los Santos
In this bilingual concert, Monterrey, Mexico-born Latin Grammy nominee Sonia De Los Santos sings songs about hope, home, and gratitude.
Saturday, March 12 at 11am
Elena Moon Park & Friends
Elena Moon Park & Friends invite kids on a voyage to East Asia and around the globe as they perform reimagined children’s music, folk songs, and original tunes in a variety of languages.
How to attend Just Kidding FREE livestream events:
It’s a no-brainer. Just register at symphonyspace.org
In a statement to Broadway World, Symphony Space Executive Director Kathy Landau said:”This Just Kidding series transports kids and their families from their living rooms to destinations around the world, introducing them to diverse musical voices and cultures through the joy of performance. While the pandemic made it almost impossible, for nearly two years, for young children to attend live theater, we continued to serve and grow our global community of artists and audiences through virtual programming. With a commitment to accessibility and excellence, we have made this series free and are livestreaming it in high definition from the stages of our New York City home, in order to bring the magic of the performing arts to our youngest audience members, when a little magic is needed more than ever.”
About Symphony Space
A stand-out among cultural institutions for the reach of its programming, including its signature series Selected Shorts is heard by public radio and podcast listeners around the world. From the spring of 2020 through the summer of 2021, in an effort to keep its community of artists and audiences connected throughout the pandemic, Symphony Space reimagined the full range of its activities-including Just Kidding-as virtual events, reaching, in the process, audiences in all 50 states and 56 countries.
In anticipation of reopening its doors again this fall, the organization made a significant investment in state-of-the-art, multi-camera video streaming systems for its Peter Jay Sharp and Leonard Nimoy Thalia theaters that allow for broadcast in 4K resolution, with a remarkably crisp audio mix.
What do you think about this? We welcome your comments.