Lightwire Theater's THE UGLY DUCKLING and More Set for Symphony Space's 2016-17 'Just Kidding' Season

Symphony Space announces its 2016-17 season of Just Kidding performances, offering a cabinet of wonder and curiosity, sure to excite even the most jaded and media-saturated families in New York City.

With weekly happenings, including GRAMMY-winning family concerts, physical comedy, puppetry, musical theatre, and percussive dance performances from internationally acclaimed companies, Just Kidding at Symphony Space presents a high-value, eclectic collection of performing arts options, specially geared toward families with children ages 2 and up. Families will enjoy "Social Space" hands-on activities sponsored by community partners, before all performances in the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre.

Symphony Space is located at 2537 Broadway (at 96th St.) in New York. Adults and kids alike will enjoy simplified lower ticket prices this season. All tickets are $17, or $14 for members (babies under six months admitted free). Performance details and online tickets are available now.

This fall, the Just Kidding season kicks off on Saturday, October 1 at 11 am with a concert with Brooklyn based Vered and the Babes. Blending guitar, bass, french horn, trumpet and percussion, Vered and the Babes create harmonies and beats reminiscent of a doo-wop band. Their upbeat original songs are designed to get the kids jumping; Red Tricycle says their music is "one big jazzy love song to childhood."

Next up on October 8 at 11 am is independent nationally touring artist and humorist Steve Weeks, whose "folk-hop" tunes always feature an outlandish or touching tale. NPR lauds his "catchy beats with a lot of clever wordplay and fun stories."

On Saturday, October 15th at 11 am is an all-ages theatrical music extravaganza, "Life's a Real Dream," by LARD Dog and the Band of Shy. The show features a cartoon character come-to-life who descends from planet Belopio on a Giant Pretzel to take your family on a rockabilly tinged musical journey of absurdism, frivolity, and unbridled joy that's been compared to Yo Gabba Gabba and Devo.

On October 22, celebrate Halloween early with the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers, performing the classic Washington Irving tale, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and on October 29th, Lightwire Theater returns to Symphony Space with their acclaimed luminescent, glow-in-the-dark performance of favorite fairy tales, "The Ugly Duckling" and "Tortoise and the Hare." Families may enjoy a Social Space activity area before this show in the Sharp theatre.