One of the most important things about theatre to me, as an adult who loves theatre, is family theatre. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no age limit on theatre. I saw my first play when I was three years old, and having worked front of house many times for many years, I’ve seen plenty of kids that age coming to experience plays. It’s a special thing to see young children coming with their parents, or grandparents, or whoever is bringing them to the theatre. The thing about family theatre is that it’s for everyone in a family.
Theatre does things for kid that no other form of media does. TV and movies can be great, but there’s something special about sitting in a dark room with strangers watching people perform live in front of them. You’re not only breathing the same air as your fellow audience members, you’re breathing the same air as the people entertaining you. It stimulates a young brain, and brings a whole new perspective to life and to the world. It’s such a special type of entertainment, as anyone who has been in an audience can attest to.
The thing that makes this even more special is whole families getting to go to theatre together. Over the years, theatres have started making art and putting on shows that are family friendly. Parents can feel secure about bringing their children to a show that’s going to be catered to them. They won’t have to worry about language or content. And they can enjoy every moment of the show, and watching their kids enjoy the show.
A lot of family theatre is based on children and young adult books. We’re not just talking about fairy tales, either. I performed in adaptations of Charlotte’s Web and Winnie the Pooh. I’ve loved watching stage versions of Holes, The Giver, and A Wrinkle In Time. I got to read a script of Skellig. There’s some super cool stuff out there that’s lifted right from the pages of beloved kid and YA fiction. It definitely becomes a safe way to open a kid’s mind. It’s so much fun to do something like that with the whole family. It leads to culture for the kids, and fun discussions for everyone.
Even though a lot of family theatre is adapted from books, there’s a ton of great new material out there as well. There’s so much imagination in these shows that are meant to be shared with the whole family. If you ask me, the sky is the limit. As a writer, I know what it’s like to have so many thoughts and ideas in your head. The people who are sitting down to write theatre for families are bursting with new worlds and thoughts for both kids and adults. These writers are opening totally new doors, and it’s almost unbelievable how creative they are.
One of my favorite things about family theatre is how it gets kids into theatre. I remember being young and seeing shows and thinking, “I want to do that.” I know I definitely wasn’t the only one, and won’t be the last one. Of course, there are other kinds of ways this can get kids into theatre. Even if it’s as simple as just wanting to see more shows. A kid going to see shows is going to grow up in a beautiful culture. As I said, theatre does something really different for kids. Maybe a kid starts taking acting classes. Maybe they want to try their hand at writing a script. Or maybe they just want to immerse themselves in seeing shows. There are so many things that can come from family theatre. It’s a wonderful thing adults can do for children.
And that’s such a big part of it. A kid that loves theatre is going to grow into an adult who loves theatre. Generations can go to the theatre and love what they’re seeing. Grandparents, parents, kids…it’s shared by everyone. My grandparents took me to shows, my parents took me to shows. I fell in love with it before I can even properly remember. And of course, I’m going to take my kids to shows, and I’m sure my mother will be there with us for some of those. I love the idea of three generations sitting together, watching a show specifically designed for the whole family.
As a final point, I want to point out why I like the phrase “family theatre” more than “children’s theatre”. I’ve said before, I think these are things that everyone in the family can enjoy. Maybe most importantly, everyone in a family gets something different out of family shows. It’s one of my favorite parts of the whole thing. The way a show affects a child is going to be different than it affects their older sibling, or parent, or grandparent. But everyone is going to get something out of what they see. Sure, it’s kid friendly theatre, but people of all ages are going to walk away, being touched in different ways.
So think about it! Whether you have a child or not, there’s so much to be found in family friendly theatre. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Some of these stories, like Winnie the Pooh or Charlotte’s Web may have a special place in your heart. Or there could be something fun and imaginative locally that you can get something out of. And I highly recommend bringing your kids (if you have them) to theatre. There’s a lot of family friendly stuff out there, and it could change so many lives.
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