Mary Poppins
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
30 Division Ave. North, Grand Rapids
Nov. 14 -Dec. 14, show times at 2 and 7:30 p.m.
$18-$35
grct.org, (616) 222-6650
Everyone’s favorite nanny comes to visit Grand Rapids Civic Theatre this month. Mary Poppins brings tons of songs and supercalifragilistic fun to the stage, sharing the timeless tale of the Banks family. “It’s the magicalness. That’s not a word, I know, but she allows the children to use their imagination,” said Penelope Notter, the associate and education director at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. “She lets children grow in the way that children should grow. She nourishes imagination and each magical thing teaches a lesson.” Go back to those well-loved scenes and sing along to “Supercalifragilistic” and “Step in Time”—the chimney sweep tap number on the rooftops. There are some new songs that have been added to help develop some of the characters as this time around, the play is more focused on family and those relationships. Talking points for the kids include family, how families get along, how to stay close and understand one another. All the warm-fuzzy stuff.
Elf the Musical
Miller Auditorium
2200 Auditorium Dr., Kalamazoo
Nov. 25 & 26, 7:30 p.m.
$35-$58
millerauditorium.com, (269) 387-2300
If spreading holiday cheer is your thing, you’ll have to visit Miller Auditorium and see Buddy the Elf as he embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father. In the meantime, he discovers his true identity and helps the city remember the meaning of Christmas. This modern-day holiday classic is recommended for ages 8 and up. If your family watches the movie every year as a tradition, branch out into theatre territory and catch the action, live on stage. Elf the Musical will make you feel “happy and excited about the holidays and entertained,” said Bethany Gauthier, assistant director of marketing. “It’s feel-good holiday fun right before Thanksgiving.” Rooted in the spirit and tone of the movie, the production is a high-energy celebration of the holidays and offers new songs to sing. There’s even talk of Buddy and Jovie walking in the Kalamazoo Holiday Parade on Nov. 15. Parents, be advised the show is 2 hours and 20 minutes long with intermission.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Celebration
Kalamazoo Public Library-Powell Branch
1000 W. Paterson, Kalamazoo
Nov. 4, 4:30 p.m.
Free
kpl.gov, (269) 553-7960
Celebrate the release of Wimpy Kid Book 9, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. It will be like a road trip with a fun family—the books' own Heffleys. The Kalamazoo Public Library sets up five-to-six stations with different activities related to the books. Kids can take part in a scavenger hunt, make silly lunch sack notes (like Susan) or choose to make a healthy lunch or a junk food lunch like Greg would. There’s a Scramble the Egg game and some cheese fun as well. Make a diary or a comic strip at this hour-long, drop-in event described as “organized chaos” by Jill Lansky of Teen Services. “Kids can relate. They can see the people they go to school with in the books. Plus, the book has pictures, is fun to read and kind of sassy.” The day of the party, the new book is released so the first couple chapters will be read out loud. Copies of the new book are on-hand for kids to check out. This is the ultimate fun for Wimpy Kid fans of all ages—but try not to get the cheese touch!
Chris Van Allsburg Appearance and Book Signing
East Grand Rapids Public Library
746 Lakeside Dr. SE, Grand Rapids
Nov. 24, 6-8 p.m.
Free
schulerbooks.com, (616) 784-2007
Beloved authors rank pretty high in a child’s life and everybody around these parts are familiar with the former Grand Rapids-native and two-time Caldecott winner Chris Van Allsburg. The creator of Jumanji and The Polar Express is coming to the East Grand Rapids Public Library for an appearance and book signing of his new book, The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie. This latest creation is the poignant story of one hamster’s struggle with destiny. “In true Chris Van Allsburg style, characters come to life on the pages and the artwork and illustrations are absolutely gorgeous,” Promotions Coordinator Emily Stavrou said. This will be a book to “pass down generation to generation.” Van Allsburg is in Grand Rapids developing and reimagining The Nutcracker for the Grand Rapids Ballet, so there should be a ballet presence at this event to promote the collaboration. With his close ties to East Grand Rapids, this event has a great hometown feel with involvement from Jersey Junction and other local area partners. Get ready for photo opportunities and craft stations to make signing wait time more pleasant.
