Curtains Up For Kids
Over 10,000 students visit the Basie every year as part of its Curtains Up for Kids school performances program — and for many, it’s their only opportunity to experience live performing arts. From classical music with modern twists, to the diversity of Asian and African artistry or historical plays like I Have a Dream, the Basie inspires students to dream forward through culture and artistic expression.
The Basie knows that COVID-19 has made it difficult for schools to attending live performances. For the 2020-2021 school year all Curtains Up for Kids performances will be offered for you via virtual package.
Given the uncertainty of this school year, all reservations and requests can be changed up to three weeks prior to the start of access.
Interested in seeing a performance virtually or in person? Click here for a reservation form.
VIRTUAL PACKAGE
- Pre-recorded performances available through secure and password protected links *Recordings and steaming performances are only available for a limited time surrounding the performance dates as per the artist.
- Virtual Pre and Post show Workshops *Max of 30 students per workshop
- Teacher study guide and educational materials
ACCESS PRICING:
- $25 – Individual / Homeschool (performance only)
- $85 – School Classrooms of 10 or more students
- $150 – Schoolwide access
- Support a classroom or school and gift them access to a virtual performance
IN PERSON ATTENDANCE *Calpulli Mexican Dance Company performance only
- Live performance at Count Basie Center for the Arts
- Performance capacity will be determined by state and government guidelines. Reservations will be honored first come, first served.
- Optional Pre and Post show workshops
- Teacher study guide and materials
TICKET PRICING:
- $12 each – Individual Sales
- $10 each – Education Groups of 10 or more students
Financial assistance is available. Please fill out our reservation form for more information.
The Basie is very grateful to the Mary Owen Borden Foundation, Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and Horizon Foundation for New Jersey for their support of Curtains Up for Kids.
For tickets or more information, call 732-224-8778 x 124 or email education@thebasie.org
Applicants will receive an email confirmation within one week of your reservation. In the event you do not receive a confirmation, email education@thebasie.org.
Download the guide and FAQ. (PDF)
UPCOMING SCHOOL SHOWS
Performances have grade recommendations listed beneath each title, however teachers and administrators are encouraged to view virtual performances before showing them to students to ensure content is age appropriate.
The Gaggle: An interactive theatre & education Podcast by Actors Playground Mini Misfits troupe
PRE-RECORDED CONTENT AVAILABLE ONLINE: Mini Misfits – The Gaggle Podcast
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED!
Recommended for grades: 4-7
The Gaggle is a one-act play transformed into a podcast to provide an arts experience from the safety of your classroom. Following a group of middle schoolers, The Gaggle is about a clique’s rein over the school and how their bullying effects the students and themselves. This episodic podcast focuses on anti-bullying, social-emotional learning skills, and relevant relatable topics for you and your students to explore. A teacher study guide with prompts for lessons and activities to follow each episode is included. Workshop experiences (virtual or in-person) are available for an additional cost.
• Theatre
• Media Arts
• Anti-Bullying
• Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Connections
Mariachi Herencia de México with special guest Lupita Infante
IN-PERSON PERFORMANCE: October 11th, 2022 at 10:30AM
Recommended for grades: K-12
The historic tradition of mariachi music has roots in cities like Guadalajara and Mexico City. Today, the future of the evolving genre rests in the hands of a dynamic ensemble from the capital of the American Midwest: Chicago’s Mariachi Herencia de México. The Latin GRAMMY-nominated group of young Mexican-American musicians, recognized as the new ambassadors of the mariachi tradition, perform a vibrant tribute to the golden age of Mexican music. Mariachi Herencia de México honor the legacy they inherited with a colorful and unforgettable experience of Mexican music and culture.
• Music
• Dance
• Global Literacy/Awareness
• Multi-Cultural
• Roots and Heritage
• History
The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare: The Next Gen (Lightwire Theater)
IN-PERSON PERFORMANCE: January 24th, 2023 at 10:30AM
Recommended for grades: K-6
We begin with Aesop’s classic fable of The Tortoise and the Hare but continue the story which finds them 10 years down the road, now with children of their own and exploring modern day distractions. Smart phones and video games create a new landscape of lost connections to life experiences. The Next Gen features Tortoise Junior and Lil’ Hare in a whole new kind of race; where their adventures lead them into unexpected territory. Old man Tortoise and Big Daddy Hare must come together despite their differences to find and save their children. What hurdles will they have to overcome to make it to the finish line? With dazzling visuals, poignant storytelling and the creative use of music from classical to pop, this production brings this tale into a new brilliant light.
• Puppetry
• Storytelling
• Interpretation
• Cognitive Reasoning
Phoenix Productions presents:
Once on This Island
IN-PERSON PERFORMANCE: February 17th, 2023 at 10:30AM
Recommended for grades: K-12
This highly original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, garnered eight Tony nominations for its Broadway run, including Best Musical, Book and Score. With a lush and vibrant score, this love story captures the imagination with a tale of gods and humans, the high society and lowly born, and a competition to see what is stronger, love or death.
• Storytelling
• Music
• Dance
• Theatre
• Multi-Cultural
• Global Literacy/Awareness
Kingdom Choir
IN-PERSON PERFORMANCE: March 13th, 2023 at 10:30AM
Recommended for grades: 3-12
Founded in 1994 by award-winning conductor Karen Gibson, the choir is dedicated to creating a sound that reflects the community they share through their warm energy and enthusiastic performances. Proclaimed “Britain’s Godmother of Gospel” by The Guardian, Karen has been privileged to witness the joy of gospel via the many community gospel choirs she has worked with across England, including the choir she established in her own local community – Gospel on The Rise. Her passion for the genre has seen her delivering sessions in schools, teaching singing and training future leaders in the art of singing and leading gospel music.
• Music
• Multi-Cultural
• Roots and Heritage
• History
Winnie the Pooh
IN-PERSON PERFORMANCE: April 3rd, 2023 at 10:30AM
Recommended for grades: K-4
Disney’s iconic Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and their best friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, and Owl (oh… and don’t forget Tigger too!) in a beautifully crafted musical stage adaptation.
Featuring the Sherman Brothers’ classic Grammy-award winning music with further songs by A.A. Milne, this beautiful fresh stage adaptation is told with stunning life-sized puppetry through the eyes of the characters we all know and love, in a new story from the Hundred Acre Wood.
• Puppetry
• Storytelling
• Music
• Interpretation
• Cognitive Reasoning
Mayhem Poets
IN-PERSON PERFORMANCE: May 3rd, 2023 at 10:30AM, and May 4th, 2023 at 10AM & 12:30PM
Recommended for grades: 6-12
These theatre-trained, comedically-gifted, lyrical virtuosos seamlessly blend raw elements of hip hop, theatre, improv, and stand-up comedy to tell gut-wrenching truths that leave audiences forever changed. “Let’s go see a poetry show,” is a sentence rarely proclaimed and usually responded to with cringes and excuses. The Mayhem Poets are on a mission to change that.
• Storytelling
• Interpretation
• Movement
• Multi-Cultural
• Poetry
• Language
David Gonzalez – Aesop Bops!
IN-PERSON PERFORMANCE: May 17th, 2023 at 10:30AM
Recommended for grades: K-5
Fast-paced, funny, and packed with audience participation, Aesop Bops! features a potpourri of Aesop’s classic stories including The Lion and the Mouse, The Fisherman and His Wife, and The Turtle’s Shell. This feast of funky, physical storytelling leaves young audiences feeling like they had just performed the show too! Aesop Bops! rocks and rolls out the red carpet – inviting kids to join in the fun.
• Storytelling
• Theatre
• Social/Emotional Learning
• Global Literacy/Awareness
• Multi-Cultural
• Roots and Heritage
*Seeing live theater offers a range of academic, social, and emotional benefits to children. This includes:
- A greater ability to accept people with different opinions from their own and understand the diversity of ways others experience the world
- An increased hope for their own future, with the ability to imagine attending college and envisioning success
- A greater recognition that the arts can have a place in their lives in the present and future
- Improved engagement and behavior in school environments, which can impact success
- Increased success on standardized tests; higher writing scores; and a stronger command of narrative devices.
*Read more about the impact of viewing performing arts on students.
In-School Arts Classes
We believe participation in the arts:
- is essential to a well-rounded education and motivates lifelong learning
- fosters creativity, self-esteem, teamwork, and problem solving skills
- develops a strong work ethic and the ability to focus
- advances community connections and promotes inclusivity and diversity
- inspires empathy, compassion and tolerance
- enriches life and generates joy
During this time it’s more important than ever that we all learn creative solutions that inspire, educate, and entertain.
Through a variety of arts-based activities students will build their social-emotional learning and 21st Century learning skills. These are increasingly important given the current level of challenges both in and out of the classroom.
These engaging workshops and residencies are designed to build upon your current classroom strategies while layering curriculum with fun.
VIEW RESIDENCIES
Please click here for more information or to request a residency
Our Outreach program began as a collaboration with the Red Bank Borough School District in 2005. Today, we serve over 550 students annually with in-school, after-school, and summer performing arts classes in the Primary and Middle schools in Red Bank and the Joseph R. Bolger Middle School in Keansburg.
Our goal as educators is to instill a passion, appreciation and love of the arts. Besides enhancing one’s perspective and interpersonal skills such as communication, cooperation and creative problem solving, arts education is truly a magical elixir that raises one’s self–esteem, self-efficacy and confidence.
Need Help? Have Questions?
Contact the Education Department
Phone: 732-224-8778 x124
Email: jlee@thebasie.org
99 Monmouth Street,Red Bank, NJ 07701