Local Theatre Production Stars Local Kids

You don't have to go to Broadway to see quality theatre. There a quite a few upcoming professional and community productions that include local children in the casts. Here's a rundown of the best theater in Westchester you should try to catch before the end of the year starring none other than our very own.

Professional Productions

A Doll's House, the famous play by Henrik Ibsen, has been reworked by Axial Theater Company under the direction of Howard Meyer. Set in 1950s America instead the traditional 19th century Denmark, Meyer breathes life into this newly relevant, controversial drama. The performance space is extremely unique, (the theater is part of a 19th century historic church,) and creates the sensation that the audience is sitting inside the couple's home throughout the play. It's not to be missed! The play features local talent Carly Waldman as Emmy. Previews begin Friday, November 6th, opening night is November 7th, and the play runs through November 22nd.

Westchester Broadway Theater in Elmsford is a unique theater experience in Westchester because the price of your ticket includes a full meal. Show Boat follows the lives, loves, and losses of a troupe of riverboat performers on the mighty Mississippi while illuminating the racial and social changes that were shaping the country in 1890-1927. Its timeless score contains some of the most beautiful and emotionally charged songs ever written for a musical. Kim, a child, is played by Greenacres resident Alyssa Marvin (on an alternating schedule). The show runs now through November 29th and again from December 30th through January 31st.

Although not local productions, Although not local productions, two area kids are just leaving for their Broadway National Tours of Dr. Seuss' The Grinch who Stole Christmas. Caitlin Kops is playing Annie Who at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Rachel Katzke is performing as Cindy Lou Who and is traveling Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida this holiday season. 

Community Productions

Westchester Sandbox Theater in Mamaroneck as two upcoming shows including Disney's Beauty and the Beast as well as Nutcracker! The Musical, described as "...the holiday classic like you've never seen it before." Under the direction of Jason Summers, WST shows often cater to families and can keep you and the kids busy most of November. Rebecca Gross and Abigail Underweiser can be see as Babette and Lefou respectively in Beauty and the Beast. 

The White Plains Performing Arts Center Conservatory Theatre is excited to be presenting Little Shop of Horrors November 13-15. "Feed the need for musical hilarity with this delicious sci-fi smash about a man-eating plant!" Scarsdale student Francesca Ricigliano plays Crystal, a doo-shopping urchin on Skid row. The songs are catchy and the story is hilarious.

Playgroup Theater in White Plains is performing Our Town the first two weekends in December. It is no longer read in high school, so this is the first time the cast is being exposed to Thornton Wilder's incredibly rich and wonderful characters, and timeless ideas about life and death and love which are speaking to this young cast as if they were written days ago rather than nearly a century ago. The cast is creating a contemporary musical score, using the theatre in a totally cool new way. They aren't changing a word of the text, but are absolutely making it clear that this play has stood the test of time and has so much to say about our town and our lives today, and that it speaks to this generation. The cast includes: Josh Ackerman, Josh Kirchner, Itai Rembaum, Dani Brinberg, Andrew Mitchell, Grayson Rosenberg, Maddie Glass, Anabel Calderon

Once on this Island is a vibrant, award-winning musical about the strength of love versus death and the perpetuity of life. The performances are being staged by The Edge, the teen program at the Random Farms Kids' Theater under the direction of Alexis Duermeyer. Alexandra Goldman is playing a storyteller/gossiper and Carly Waldman is playing Young Ti Moune and the Little Girl. The musical score is phenomenal. Performances take place at the Tarrytown Music Hall December 14th-17th at 7:00 PM each night. 

Disney's Mulan JR at Random Farms Kids' Theatre is a heartwarming celebration of culture, honor, and the fighting spirit. Come catch one or two (or five) of 24 Scarsdale kids in this production between November 11th and November 24th! Local cast members include: Ella Schneyer (Yao), Gali Brass (Captain Shang), Harry Brass (Fa Zhou), Ariana Koenig (Chi Fu), Leah Vinodh (Fa Li), Lily Falk (Magyar/Maiden), Alexandra Perl (Mulan), Rachel Schwartz (Mushu), Jolie Kantor (Yun), Rania Palaniappan (Lin), Avani Palaniappan (Laozi), Maya Katcher (Mulan), Kate Persily (Mushu), Maddie Marlowe (Magyar / Maiden), Aanya Schoetz (Shan-Yu / Maiden), Anjali Schoetz (Grandmother Fa), Raphael Cai (Hong), Bianca Ozdoba (Laozi), Elena Korman (Matchmaker), Chloe Liu (Lin), Ava Schneider (Na), Gabrielle Schneider (Ling), Ria Bedi (Shan-Yu / Maiden), and Lara Yellen (Yao). 

Hansel and Gretel, the childhood classic, has been reconstructed into a junior version for kindergarten through second graders in this adorable production by the Random Farms Kids' Theater. The show will take place at the Yorktown Stage the first weekend of December. Every child has a speaking and singing solo and it will delight audiences of all ages. Local kids performing include: Ava Herman (sand fairy/cookie), Emma Poritzky (Frack), Nadia Ozdoba (Johanna/Cookie), Olivia Sorkin (Frick), Sophia Sorkin, (Heidi/cookie), Sabrina Zaken (Gretel), Jaden Waldman (Hansel), Maya Meyerson (Maria/cookie), Isabella Rabinovich (Frack), Maya Rabonovich (Father/cookie), Samantha Goldstein (Heidi/cookie), and Joyce Liu (sand fairy/cookie).