Does this sound a little – what’s the word? – twee?
A festival of European theater for the 2 to 12 set.
October 14 – November 10, 2011
Well, maybe not. Here is a shot taken from Cool Frogs, a Dutch musical about a man and his frog, off on a new adventure, looking for a new home. This is very much like how I found my first house, and you may have had an experience like it – or, at least your kid may, or he may think he will. Or maybe he’ll think that’s how they find houses in Holland. You never know what these kids will think about after seeing something new and a little otherworldly, dreamed up four thousand miles from here.
The Kids Euro Festival – a production of the European Union – is setting up shop in Washington from October 14 (opening with a musical puppet play from Slovenia) to November 10 (closing with a musical puppet show from Bulgaria,) both at the Kennedy Center. In between there will be 65 plays, musicals, clown shows, dances, puppet shows, films, workshops, and storytelling theater productions in the Kennedy Center, Shakespeare Theatre, House of Sweden, Imagination Stage, AFI, La Maison Française – all over the place (see the schedule below).
It’s all free.
“Our various events and activities provide both children and parents an exciting glimpse into European culture,” says Polish Ambassador Robert Kupiecki. Poland holds the Presidency of the European Union this year. “When we are children, the world is full of mysteries that we wish to uncover. It is my sincere hope that children of all ages can make new and exciting discoveries while attending the many wonderful shows Kids Euro Festival has to offer.”
In addition to a film and some shadow theater from Poland, the Festival will feature productions from France, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Ireland, Finland, Denmark, Slovenia, Estonia, The Czech Republic, Austria, Spain, Denmark, The Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Cyprus, Sweden, Hungary, Portugal, Italy, Lithuania and Romania. European artists will perform in the productions.
Information and tickets: Call (202) 944-6558 or visit www.kidseurofestival.org.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KidsEuroFestival
Kids Euro Festival Public Performances
( as of August 25, 2011. Dates, times and performances subject to change. )
Friday, October 14
6 p.m. Musical puppet play Slovenia Kennedy Center
Saturday, October 15
11:30 a.m. Clown show Slovakia National Children’s Museum
12:30 p.m. Clown show Slovakia National Children’s Museum
1 p.m. Film “Copernicus’ Star” Poland National Geographic Live
1:30 p.m. Musical puppet play Slovenia Library of Congress
1:30 p.m. Workshop France National Children’s Museum
6 p.m. Musical theater Greece Kennedy Center
Sunday, October 16
1 p.m. Musical theater Greece La Maison Française
2 p.m. Musical puppet play Slovenia Strathmore Mansion
2:30 p.m. Film “Artobet” Europe La Maison Française
6 p.m. Clown show Slovakia Kennedy Center
Wednesday, October 19
4 p.m. Workshop Finland Northeast Neighborhood Public Library
Thursday, October 20
6 p.m. Puppet show Finland Kennedy Center
Friday, October 21
1 p.m. Workshop Finland Georgetown Public Library
6 p.m. Dance Denmark Kennedy Center
Saturday, October 22
10 a.m. Puppet show Finland CHAW
11 a.m. Clown theater Estonia Montgomery County Cultural Art Center
11 a.m. Film “Kooky” Czech Republic AFI
12 p.m. Puppet show Finland CHAW
1:30 p.m. Workshop on Austria Austria National Children’s Museum
6 p.m. Music theater Netherlands Kennedy Center
Sunday, October 23
11 a.m. Music theater Netherlands La Maison Française
1 p.m. Music theater Netherlands La Maison Française
1 p.m. Dance Denmark The Washington Ballet
2 p.m. Clown theater Estonia Publick Playhouse
2 p.m. Film “A Cat in Paris” France La Maison Française
Monday, October 24
6 p.m. Clown theater Estonia Kennedy Center
Wednesday, October 26
6 p.m. Storytelling theater Spain Kennedy Center
Thursday, October 27
6 p.m. Music Czech Republic Kennedy Center (Terrace Theater)
Saturday, October 29
All day Family Day Sweden House of Sweden
10:30 a.m. Storytelling theater Spain Imagination Stage
11 a.m. Music theater Czech Republic Shakespeare Theater
12 p.m. Film “Here Comes Lola” Germany AFI
1 p.m. Music theater Czech Republic Shakespeare Theater
1:30 p.m. Workshop Netherlands Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library
2 p.m. Storytelling theater Spain National Children Museum
2:30 p.m. Music and storytelling Malta La Maison Française
6 p.m. Shadow theater Cyprus Kennedy Center
Sunday, October 30
10 a.m. Music theater Czech Republic Shakespeare Theater
2 p.m. Shadow theater Cyprus Shakespeare Theater
6 p.m. Song Sweden Kennedy Center
Tuesday, November 1
6 p.m. Magic Hungary Kennedy Center
Wednesday, November 2
6 p.m. Puppet show Ireland Kennedy Center
Thursday, November 3
6 p.m. Puppet theater Portugal Kennedy Center
Saturday, November 5
10 a.m. Dance theater Germany Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
10 a.m. Dance theater Italy Atlas Theater
10:30 a.m. Film “On the Sly” France National Gallery of Arts
10:30 a.m. Puppet show Ireland John Addison Concert Hall PG County
11 a.m. Musical puppet show Bulgaria Montgomery Country College
11 a.m. Dance theater Austria Austrian Cultural Forum
11 a.m. Workshop Romania National Children’s Museum
11:30 a.m. Dance theater Germany Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
11:30 a.m. Storytelling Lithuania Goethe Institut
12 p.m. Dance theater Italy Atlas Theater
12:30 p.m. Dance theater Austria Austrian Cultural Forum
1 p.m. Musical puppet show Bulgaria Montgomery Country College
1 p.m. Puppet show Ireland John Addison Concert Hall PG County
1 p.m. Shadow theater Poland THEARC Theatre
1:30 p.m. Workshop Italy National Children’s Museum
1:30 p.m. Storytelling Lithuania Goethe Institut
Sunday, November 6
11 a.m. Puppet show Romania Discovery Theater
11:30 a.m. Film “On the Sly” France National Gallery of Arts
1 p.m. Puppet show Romania Discovery Theater
6 p.m. Shadow theater Poland Kennedy Center
Tuesday, November 8
6 p.m. Musical puppet show Belgium Kennedy Center
Wednesday, November 9
6 p.m. Puppet show Romania Kennedy Center
Thursday, November 10
6 p.m. Musical puppet show Bulgaria Kennedy Center
You must be logged in to post a comment.