Hartford's 2017-2018 Performing Arts Season
Experiencing the performing arts together can be a fantastic bonding experience for the entire family. Of course, not every performance is appropriate for everyone. Shows specifically designed for preschoolers will have 'tweens rolling their eyes. More mature subject matter or language isn't appropriate for the little ones, but it can spark wonderful conversations with teenagers. Studies (like this one, this one, and this one) show that taking in performances can make your kids smarter. How young is TOO young? Check out our article Take Your Child to the Theater, which is a handy guide with tips for experiencing the performing arts with kids.
Below, we have this season's listings for all of the performing arts that might be appropriate for a wide variety of ages. In addition to those for the younger set, there are many that aren't necessarily designed with kids in mind but that may engage your older kids and teens. The following descriptions note the ages for which the performance is appropriate, so pay attention. Now go score yourself some tickets and enjoy the arts that abound right in your own backyard!
The Bushnell Center For Performing Arts
Russian Grand Ballet: Swan Lake: September 29
Bushnell Block Party: September 30
Les Miserables: October 3 - 8
Beethoven's Eroica: October 6 - 8
Beethoven Nine and Schumann Piano Concerto: October 13
Reformation Unity Celebration: October 22
School of Rock: October 24 - 29
Miss Nelson is Missing: November 3
Warren Miller's Line of Descent: November 3
An Evening With Richard Dawkins: November 4
Guess How Much I Love You and I Love My Little Story Book: November 6
Mozart and La Mer: November 10 - 12
Neha Kakkhar: November 11
The Lego Batman Movie: November 12
Warriors Don't Cry: November 14 - 16
A Christmas Story the Musical: November 24 - 26
A Charlie Brown Christmas: December 1 - 3
The Color Purple: December 5 - 10
December Dreams: December 8 - 10
Breakfast With Santa: December 9
The Nutcracker: December 16 - 17
Holiday Cirque Spectacular: December 16
The Hip Hop Nutcracker: December 17
The Messiah: December 20
Stomp: January 12 - 14
Chris Botti: January 18
A Scottish Fantasy: January 19 - 21
Something Rotten: January 30 - February 4
The Keys To Romance: February 16 - 18
The Bodyguard: February 20 - 25
Million Dollar Quartet: March 8
Stravinsky and Swan Lake: March 9 - 11
Disney's Finding Dory the Movie: March 11
Freedon Train: March 13
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre: March 20
Never Break the Chain - the Music of Fleetwood Mac: March 24
Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra: April 4
The Wizard of Oz: April 6 - 8
Copeland and Gershwin: April 6 - 8
Disenchanted: April 13 - 15
How I Became A Pirate: April 17
The Celtic Spirit Featuring Eileen Ivers: April 21
Laurie Berkner Live (Sensory Friendly Performance): April 28
Laurie Berkner Live: April 28
Shostakovich 5: May 4 - 6
The Illusionists: May 4 - 6
Chris Perondi's Stunt Dog Experience: May 12
Love On Broadway: May 19
Love Never Dies: May 29 - June 3
Carmina Burana: Festival of Fate: June 8 - 10
On Your Feet: June 19 - 24
Hartt School of Music, Dance, and Theatre
Noontime Classics: Hartt Chamber Orchestra: October 5
The Crucible: October 5- 8
August Osage County: October 12 - 15
Chamber Music Showcase: October 16, 17
Foot In the Door: October 18
Evita: October 19 - 22
Hartt Wind Ensemble and Orchestra: October 20
The Halloween Concert With the Hartt Orchestra and Hartt Wind Ensemble: October 28
Senior Dance Performance: November 3, 4
Thomas Laskowski, Undergraduate Voice Recital: November 10
The Diviners: November 14, 16
Hartt Dances: November 15 - 19
Hartt Big Band: November 18
A Viola Cookie Christmas and Sing Along: November 29
Hartt Jazz Ensembles: November 30, December 1
Tis the Season: Hartt Saxaphone Studio Concert: December 2
CT Youth Symphony: December 3
Foot in the Door: December 5
The Most Happy Fella: December 7 - 9
Horn Studio Recital: December 7
Nutcracker: December 8 - 10
Hartt Holiday Choral Concert: December 10
Nutcracker 2017: December 15 - 17
"Twas In the Moon of Wintertime: an Entwyned Early Music Christmas: December 17
Glengarry Glen Ross: February 22 - 25
Graduate Percussion Ensemble: March 3
9 - 5: March 8 - 11
Hartt Steel Band: April 22
Man of La Mancha: April 24 - 29
Hartt SchoolBig Band: April 27
Julius Caesar: May 3 - 6
Newington Children's Theatre Company
Frankenstein Slept Here: October 27, 28
NCTC's Got Talent: November 4
Annie, Jr.: December 1 - 10
A 21st Century Christmas Carol: December 15, 16
A Year With Frog and Toad: March 16 - 25
The Fairtale Network: April 20, 21
13: The Musical: May 4 - 12
Willy Wonka, Jr.: June 1 - 10
The Palace Theatre
Fall Jazz Series: September 29
Ray LaMontagne: October 17
The Price is Right Live: October 18
A Gentleman's Guide To Love and Murder: October 20 - 21
The Phantom of the Opera: November 15 - 26
Kansas: December 15
The Nutcracker by the Waterbury Ballet: December 16
Shen Yun: December 22, 23
Kool & the Gang: January 13
Rain: A tribute to the Beatles: February 16
Broadway's Rock of Ages Band: March 3
Rhythm of the Dance: March 14
Jersey Boys: March 23, 24
One Night in Memphis: March 30
Rent: April 13 - 15
Motown the Musical: May 11 - 13
Oddfellow's Playhouse
So Bea It: November 18, 19
A Christmas Carol: December 7 - 16
The Lorax: December 7 - 9
Twelfth Night: May 3 - 12
Warner Theatre
Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None: September 23 - 30
The Game's Afoot (or Holme's For the Holidays): December 9 - 17
Once: February 3 - 11
The Irish...And How They Got That Way: March 10 - 18
Spring Awakening: June 16 - 24
Disney's The Little Mermaid: July 28 -August 5
Hartford Stage
A Midsummer Night's Dream: September 7 -October 8
Sedar: October 19 - November 12
A Christmas Carol: November 24 - December 30
Feeding the Dragon: January 11 - February 4
Agatha Christie's Murder On the Orient Express: February 15 - March 18
The Age of Innocence: April 5 - May 6
Goodspeed Opera House
Rags: October 6 -December 10
A CT Christmas Carol: November 17 - December 24 (at the Terris Theatre)
