Movies? Musicals? When is the right age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Started doing movies in the the movie theater at ages 3 and 4. Planning on doing first Broadway show (Mary Poppins or Annie) around Christmas at ages 5 and 6. They've already done shorter plays at Imagination Stage and Adventure Theater.

Mary Poppins in NYC is wonderful for young kids. We took our young 4 year old to an 8:00 pm show, and he was mesmerized, from opening curtain to the curtain call. I recommend seats on the first balcony. There is a little "surprise" at the end that my kid still talks about months later.

Thanks for the tip!

[Anonymous]

Depends on the kid.

My boys are currently 6 and 8. My oldest has a tremendous attention span, my youngest is a wiggle worm -- but a wiggle worm who LOVES musicals and live plays.

They went to see Peter Pan at Olney theatre when they were 2.5 and 4.5, and they loved it. It helped that it was a matinee, and had 2 intermissions. It also helped that it was about Peter Pan! and he FLEW! the perfect musical for little boys (or girls). I will never forget it. It was absolute magic. My 2.5 year old sat completely entranced. He was very verbal early, so I think he was able to follow the general plot.
First movies (DVDs) were Aristocats and Nemo (probably ages 2-4). And flipping through the songs on Mary Poppins and Sound of Music.
Saw the Wizard of Oz only last year (5 and 7), and it was a bit scary. We wouldn't have seen it at all except I took them to see Wicked, and thought they would benefit from the context. (The loved Wicked!)
Did lots of smaller plays at Adventure Theatre and Imagination stage from ages 2-5 or so. You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Frosty the Snowman, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Red Balloon... others???

Took them to see the Music Man (one of my favorites) this past summer, and it was only a moderate hit. I think they like plots that have a bit more action and drama (and "bad guys"). The love story is a bit harder for them to get into.

I'll have to try them on Singing in the Rain. That is a great one.

I am a huge fan of Adventure Theatre for kids. It's not as expensive as Imagination Stage, and they do great (short) musicals for kids. My kids really "cut their teeth" so to speak, there. It's a great place to start introducing kids to the theatre.