New York City Children's Theater Announces 25th Anniversary Season

New York City Children's Theater has announced its 2021-2022 season programming. Kicking off the season on September 18th is NYCCT's 25th Anniversary Storyland Cabaret, an outdoor concert touring the five boroughs and free for family audiences! The cabaret will celebrate NYC and the original work NYCCT has been developing and producing for young audiences for 25 years! Written by NYCCT's Founder and Artistic Director, Barbara Zinn Krieger, with musical direction by Mona Seyed-Bolorforosh and directed by NYCCT's Resident Director Sammy Lopez, an inaugural member of The Shubert Organization's Artistic Circle

NYCCT's Storyland Cabaret will take place outdoors at five NYC institutions in each borough on select dates from September 18th through October 3rd. Locations include the New York Hall of Science in Queens, Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Botanical Garden in The Bronx, and The Staten Island Children's Museum, and Rockefeller Center in Manhattan! The cast will include Hannah Hakim, Michelle Arotsky, Quinn Corcoran, and Kevin Ivey Morrison, accompanied by Michael Mastroianni and Daniel Santiago. The touring performance will feature songs from NYCCT hit productions like Wanda's Monster, Interstellar Cinderella, and upcoming productions Dory Fantasmagory and Honey and Leon.

NYCCT's Storyland Cabaret is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

NYCCT is dedicated to the safety of our audiences and performers. Attendees will be required to wear masks during the performance, and social distancing at the locations will be mandated. Visit our website for more information on how we're keeping our patrons and performers safe, as well as specific COVID-19 restrictions for each performance location.

In March 2021, NYCCT is excited to welcome families back to Theater Row for Dory Fantasmagory. Originally part of the 2019-2020 season but postponed due to the pandemic, NYCCT is thrilled to produce this new musical based on the first book of the popular book franchise written by Abby Hanlon. Dory Fantasmagory tells the story of Dory, a mischievous 6-year-old girl who just doesn't want to grow up. Her older brother and sister wish she'd stop acting like a baby, but when her siblings need her, it's Dory's imagination and bravery that will save the day. The show will feature music and lyrics by the critically acclaimed writing team Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth (Broadway's In Transit).

NYCCT's season will culminate with Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, NYCCT's adaptation of Maya Angelou's celebrated autobiography of the same name. Adapted by award-winning playwright Idris Goodwin (Director of The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center) and directed by Khalia Davis (Artistic Director of Bay Area's Children's Theatre). Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings weaves unaltered prose directly from Angelou's groundbreaking book and introduces a new generation to this American literary icon.

Storyland Cabaret

September 18 - October 3, 2021

45 Minutes | Best for ages 3 and up

Performed Live at outdoor locations throughout NYC

Dory Fantasmagory

March 19 - April 10, 2022

50 Minutes | Best for ages 4-8

Performed Live at Theatre Row

Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

May 21 - Jun 5, 2021

40 Minutes | Best for ages 10+

Performed Live at Theatre Row

This holiday season, NYCCT will stream last year's filmed production of My First Nutcracker. Adapted for young audiences by Barbara Zinn Krieger and choreographed and directed by Melissa Riker, My First Nutcracker is a perfect introduction to the ballet you know and love.

My First Nutcracker

November 22, 2021 - January 2nd, 2022

50 Minutes | Best for ages 3 and Up

Streaming Online

This year NYCCT's season will also include a series of special events throughout the year for parents and children.

Starting in September 2021, NYCCT will begin its Start the Conversation series. Start the Conversation provides grown-ups with the language and tools necessary to start and continue nuanced conversations around big topics with their children. Through videos, workshops, activities, and resource guides, NYCCT's Start the Conversation program uses developmentally appropriate children's literature and applied theater techniques to engage young people with themes such as race, racism, politics, immigration, mental health, LGBTQ+ identities, and more. The video series is designed for children ages 4-10.

Re-Emerging in the Time of COVID-19 - September 2021

Immigration - January 2022

Exploring Gender: Identity & Expression - March 2022

Our Relationship to Race - May 2022

This November, NYCCT will continue their Meet the Parent series. Happening multiple times throughout the season, NYCCT's Meet the Parent is a curated and intimate conversation with various guests throughout the theater industry about how a life in theater informs their parenting and what being a parent has taught them about the theater. Every Meet the Parent Conversation will be moderated by parent, NYCCT Board Member, and Tony Award Nominee Anika Larsen.

New York City Children's Theater's mission is to promote children's literacy and social development through professional theater productions and arts-in-education programs. Our programs cultivate children's growth in the areas of emotional intelligence, community building, and responsible decision-making. The result is empathetic, creative, and independent thinkers who make a positive impact on their world.

For 25 years, New York City Children's Theater's local and nationally recognized arts-in-education programs and professional theater productions have served over 407,000 children and adults across all five boroughs and surrounding communities in the tri-state area.

To learn more, visit www.nycchildrenstheater.org.