LA MAMA KIDS Series Begins 2/9

LA MAMA KIDS -- a new series of creative workshop programming for youngsters and their families -- will make its debut at La MaMa at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St. -- 2nd floor) on Saturday, February 9 at 11 a.m., it has been announced by La MaMa's artistic director Mia Yoo.

La MaMa's first such regular series of programming for family audiences, LA MAMA KIDS is scheduled for the second Saturday of every month and will kick off February 9, 2013 with a hands-on workshop "Immerse Yourself!" by Jane Catherine Shaw, a longtime downtown puppeteer ("Universe Expanding," "Folktales of Asia and Africa"), who will demonstrate how to make and manipulate shadow puppets.

LA MAMA KIDS at Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 E. 4 St. - 2nd floor. Each
workshop or performance is approximately an hour. Workshops the 2nd Saturday of
every month. Performances are on select Saturdays. Workshops/performances
begin at 11 a.m. Admission $10 per family. Information 212 475 7710.

Now in its 51st season as one of the leading experimental theatre companies
in the world, La MaMa created LA MAMA KIDS with its eye on the present as
well as the future: according to Ms. Yoo, the increasing number of young
(and larger) families settling and remaining in the theater's East Village
neighborhood is a natural fit for family programming.

Ms. Yoo notes, "After celebrating our 50th Anniversary last season, we look
to our next 50 years and hope to nurture the next generation of theatre
artists and audiences in our incredibly diverse community. With this addition
to our expanding, inter-generational and inter-cultural programming, La MaMa
continues to be a place for everyone. We want this program to be open and
accessible; no one will be turned away for lack of funds."

LA MAMA KIDS is the newest addition to the LA MAMA LEARNS series of
educational programs, which also includes the annual summer workshops at La MaMa
Umbria in Italy; theater and dance classes at Sarah Lawrence and Hunter
colleges; annual Beatbox Festival; continuing partnerships with Pace University,
New School, NYU, Trinity, and Hip Hop ReEducation; distance learning with
CultureHub, La MaMa's incubator for creativity focused on the intersection of
art and technology.

Following its February debut, LA MAMA KIDS will continue on the 2nd
Saturday of each month, as follows:

"Sweetbeatz" with MerEdith Wright
Saturday, March 9 at 11 a.m.
Sweetbeatz is a musical group for young audiences that keeps little ones on
their feet and dancing to the beat! Listed by blogger Mommy Poppins as one
of the top shows to see for kids in NYC, you're certain to enjoy
Sweetbeatz's original soulful and silly tunes too! Sweetbeatz vocalist MerEdith Wright
-- a member of Great Jones Repertory since 2001 and has performed all over
world -- performs songs and stories from across the globe.

"The Magic Pot" with Julia Martin
Saturday, April 13 at 11 a.m.
"The Magic Pot" is a re-telling of an ancient magical, mathematical Chinese
tale about a very special pot that doubles everything, raising the question
for those who find it -- will they be rich forever or double their trouble?
"The Magic Pot" features music and puppets; the workshop will include
craft-making for youngsters. Julia Martin has been a member of the Great Jones
Repertory Company of La MaMa since 1996. She currently teaches acting at
various schools in New York and has directed numerous theatre productions
including the celebrated children's show Three by the Sea.

"Mask Making"with Federico Restrepo
Saturday, May 11 at 11 a.m.
A fun movement workshop for the whole family. Children will make animal
masks and create their own dance as they move through the jungle of their
imagination in an interactive environment. Federico Restrepo was born in Bogotá,
Colombia and is the founder and artistic director of Loco7 Dance Puppet
Theatre Company, which has premiered 13 pieces at La MaMa. He is a member of
the Great Jones Repertory Company of La MaMa since 1987. *This workshop will
take place at La MaMa Galleria at 6 East 1st Street.

"Mindful Music" with Perry Yung
Saturday, June 8 at 11 a.m.
A family fun workshop on the Zen concept of mindful music, "Mindful Music"
uses the Japanese shakuhachi bamboo flute, temple gongs and storytelling.
The workshop features theatrical games and instruction on how to craft a
musical instrument for everyone to take home. Perry Yung is a founding member
of the SLANT Performance group, a shakuhachi maker and a member of La MaMa's
Great Jones Repertory Company since 1994.

In addition to the once-monthly creative workshops, LA MAMA KIDS will also
present the following performances at the Ellen Stewart Theatre, also at 11
a.m.:

"Pelandok the Mouse Deer and Malaysian Folktales"
with Jane Catherine Shaw and Rebecca Leigh Silverman
Saturday, February 23 at 11 a.m.
Three popular recurring characters and their stories are interwoven to make
one exciting piece of theater for young audiences. Throughout the story,
traditional and authentic Malaysian music is played, and audiences will hear
the sounds of native birds, animals and insects in the soundtrack. All of the
voices are performed live, making this a rich and compelling piece of
theater for young audiences. The show is followed by a Q&A with the performers.
About "Pelandok...", CurtainUp has written, "The puppetry is truly
mind-boggling. It includes shadow, rod, doll, and others, ranging in height from one
foot to many feet in scale."

"Katcha and the Devil and Other Czech Tales with Strings"
with Vit Horejs
Saturday, April 27 at 11 a.m.
For 50 years, a troupe of antique marionettes was confined to a dusty
closet at Jan Hus Church, in the heart of New York's Czechoslovak neighborhood.
Discovered by Vít Horejš, Czechoslovak storyteller, author, and puppeteer,
the 24-inch century-old masterpieces of Czech puppet makers have since
brought joy to thousands of spectators young and old. Vít Horejš and his
marionettes tell favorite Czech stories he learned in his home town, Prague, from his
father and grandmother: Katcha and the Devil, about a shepherd who outwits
the devil, with a dance-loving shrew in pursuit. About the artist, The New
York Times has said, "Mr. Horejs is almost as dramatic a figure as his
marionettes, 50-year-old puppets that step, dance, ride horseback and even play a
violin."

"Family Playdate"
with Richard Ebihara and Perry Yung
Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m.
Join the SLANT Performance Group as they weave their magical humor through
La MaMa's first Family Playdate - a fun-filled showcase performed by members
of the Great Jones Repertory Company. Embracing intelligent dance, music
and theatre, this unique event is tailored specially for a theatrical family
experience in a relaxed atmosphere.

LA MAMA KIDS at Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 E. 4 St. - 2nd floor. Each
workshop or performance is approximately an hour. Workshops the 2nd Saturday of
every month. Performances are on select Saturdays. Workshops/performances
begin at 11 a.m. Admission $10 per family. Information 212 475 7710.

ABOUT LA MAMA
La MaMa is a remarkable arts institution with a world-wide reputation for
producing daring work in theater, dance, performance art, and music. Founded
in 1961 by theater pioneer and legend, Ellen Stewart, La MaMa has produced
and presented more than 3,200 theatrical productions to date and is a vital
part of the fabric of cultural life in New York City and around the world.

La MaMa provides a supportive home for artists and takes risks on unknown
work. Artists such as Sam Shepard, Lanford Wilson, Philip Glass, Robert
Wilson, Harvey Fierstein, Blue Man Group, David and Amy Sedaris, -and others
whose names you haven't heard of yet - began their careers at La MaMa.
International Artists introduced to America by La MaMa include Tadeusz Kantor, Andrei
Serban, Kazuo Ohno and, more recently, the acclaimed Belarus Free Theatre.
La MaMa has been honored with more than 30 OBIE Awards, dozens of Drama Desk
and Bessie Awards, and, in 2006, Ellen Stewart was recognized with a
special TONY Award for "Excellence in the Theatre."

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