ROBIN'S SHOW RECOMMENDATION: Story Pirates

“The Story Pirates teach kids a love of creative writing. It helps kids to see that their words and ideas are really important. I believe that what the Story Pirates are doing is helping America.   It's crazy entertaining." – Jon Stewart, The Daily Show

While many children’s theater troupes tell stories to children, the Story Pirates believe every child has a story to tell. This arts and education, based in both New York and Los Angeles, organization exists entirely because of kids. The group of first-rate comedians and teaching artists uses stories written by elementary students as source material for over the-top musical comedy sketches. Adding songs, props, music videos and puppets, they bring to life on stage what children scribble down on paper.

The Story Pirates won’t make you walk the plank; however, they will challenge your child's imagination and prove that his or her words are powerful tools worth celebrating. At a typical show, story topics run the gamut, from kung-fu ninja babies fighting crime to the eternal love between the devil and a guy she meets at Starbucks. It’s a world where cats sometimes fly and Tickle Monsters dominate the world. At every show, Story Pirates perform brand new stories by kids in the audience.

Founded in 2003, Story Pirates has grown to reach hundreds of thousands of children each year all around the country. Through in-school creative writing workshops and assemblies that focus on the power of communication and self-expression, Story Pirates’ goal is to provide children with the tools to become confident, literate students, and to encourage them to develop into more thoughtful and passionate writers, in and out of school.

Story Pirates CEO Benjamin Salka describes the Story Pirates show as "genuinely funny. It's not condescending. It's smart, it's silly – It’s our world, unfiltered, as only children could imagine.”

I had the opportunity to attend the 3rd annual After School Special this weekend, a fundraiser in NYC at Peter Norton Symphony Space, for Story Pirates, and it was my family's introduction to the performers.  This particular show also featured such celebrities as Jon Stewart, Ana Gasteyer (SNL) , Josh Gad (Book of Moron), rocker Lou Reed, and more.  It was directed by Lee Overtree, with music composed and directed by the Eli Bolin.  

The theatre was packed, with kids and adults, and I loved knowing that the money raised was going to support such a cool artistic cause.  The Story Pirates, including their band, are a hugely witty and talented troupe, and while it's hard to single out any particular skit, the one that stands out in my mind was short but hysterial.  It featured Josh Gad (who has a lovely voice) singing the catchy tune about Ed who wets his bed.  I still chuckle when I think of it.  And, I always enjoy Jon Stewart and Ana Gasteyer, though I would have loved more of both of them.  It was sweet to see them there with their respective children in the audience.

If you have yet to experience Story Pirates, and your child has a love of writing and/or story telling, take note of their performance schedule below.

          (Jon Stewart performing with puppets from Story Pirates)

Show Schedule
Weekly each Saturday at 2pm at The Drama Book Shop in NYC.  Tickets are $15 online at http://www.storypirates.org/

Education Programs
Story Pirates works with over 150 schools each year from coast to coast. For more information, email: info@storypirates.org.or phone (347) 878-6798.

ROBIN'S SHOW RECOMMENDATOIN: Cirque du Soleil MYSTERE (Las Vegas)

Cirque du Soleil presents Mystère, the original Las Vegas production directed by Franco Dragone, is a vibrant kaleidoscope of powerful athleticism, high-energy acrobatics, whimsy and inspiring imagery.   During my recent family trip to Las Vegas, I had the opportunity to take in the performance at Treasure Island, and it was a sight to behold for all ages.  This was our first Cirque du Soleil experience, and it lived up to expectation.

Mystère features an exhilarating blend of fantastic acrobatic acts such as Chinese Poles, Hand to Hand balancing, Aerial High Bar and Bungee with powerful music and colorful costumes and sets. It features a cast of 75 international artists, whose spectrum of characters include a mischievous Clown, an electrifying Red Bird and one jumbo-sized Baby. (My 8 year old son particularly liked the baby, who engaged with a random audience member he named Papa...and it was pure delight and hysteria!)  I adored the Red Bird....truly gifted, engaging performer.

Deemed the “flower in the desert” by Guy Laliberté, Founder and CEO of Cirque du Soleil, the production has been credited with changing the face of Las Vegas entertainment since its premiere on December 25, 1993. This 90-minute show is performed inside the 1,629-seat Mystère Theatre, which was the first permanent Cirque du Soleil theatre to be custom-built to exact show specifications. As explained by Dragone, "Mystere is a celebration of life, from the genesis of the first life forms to the rise of human civilizations.  Mystere is a voyage to the very heart of life where past, present and future merge, and all our emotions converge."

Mystère has entertained more than 12 million spectators with over 8000 performances and continues to be the standard by which Las Vegas productions are measured among worldwide audiences and critics alike. Included among its honors are eight awards for “Best Production Show in Las Vegas” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil® is now a major international organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. Since its founding, Cirque du Soleil has been seen in close to 200 cities on five continents. In addition to MystèreTM, Cirque du Soleil presents “O™” at Bellagio, ZumanityTM, The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil® at New York-New York Hotel & Casino, KÀ™ at MGM Grand, The Beatles™ LOVE™ at The Mirage, CRISS ANGEL BelieveTM at Luxor, and Viva ELVIS™ at ARIA Resort & Casino™ at CityCenter. For more information, visit the Cirque du Soleil at http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/lasvegas.

My family and I look forward to attending future Cirque du Soleil performances of other shows, and hope to become regulars in New York and beyond. It is a true original!

SHOW SCHEDULE:

Mystère performs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm.

• There are no performances on Thursdays or Fridays.


TO RESERVE TICKETS:

• Call 800-392-1999 or 702-894-7722.

• Go to http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ or http://www.treasureisland.com/.

• Visit the Mystère ticket office at Treasure Island.



TICKET PRICES:

• $60, $69, $79, $99, $109 (plus tax) – Adult

• $30, $34.50, $39.50, $49.50, $54.50 (plus tax) – Military & Children Under 12

GROUPS:

For group reservations of 15 or more, contact lasvegas.sales@cirquedusoleil.com.