Taking a Group of Kids to Broadway...SPIDERMAN or MAMMA MIA?

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Posted: 1/25/13 at 10:03pm

I am a librarian at Queens Public Library in South Jamaica. Today the manager told me we could take a small group of five of our favorite kids into Manhattan and see a Sunday matinee of a Broadway show in March. We chose five adorable 9-year-olds who come to the library every day after school.

What show would you take them to? My first choice was ANNIE...I loved this current production but that show only offers a discount for Sunday at 6:30 and not the matinee. MAMMA MIA offers discount tickets ($80) for the fifth row Orchestra and the SPIDERMAN discount would be $90 but we could get five seats in the very front row and three directly behind in the second row.

Do you think a group of three girls and two boys aged 9 would enjoy SPIDERMAN or MAMMA MIA more? Right now, I think I am leaning more towards SPIDERMAN because of the chance to sit so close...you can't really lose with those great seats, right?

When these five kids came into the library today they got the good news...the manager printed out invitations for them saying, "Congratulation! You're invited to come see a Broadway show" It will be the first Broadway show for all five kids and it was very cute to see them all excited. Little Johnny asked me, "How much money are you waisting?"

Well, it will be expensive but I am glad to pay the money because I like these kids and hope it will be a special day for us all...Does anyone have experiences with taking a group of children to see a play?

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 10:09pm

Spiderman.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 10:10pm

I think with the shows that you're suggesting, you'll be fine taking a group of kids. It's mainly families and tourists (tourist families, actually) who go to see them so you'll be right at home. From what I read in your post, it sounds like SPIDERMAN would be the better choice. Even though, I didn't care for the show, for a group of 9 year olds it will be much more entertaining than the (maybe a bit too confusing plot of) MAMMA MIA.

BUT since you have the option to sit right up close with such young kids, be sure to find out if they'll be able to see that close. Some stages are high up and even adults have to strain their necks to see the stage.

[Kbradstein]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 10:10pm

i think the younger kids would like spiderman better. also mamma mia has some humor they would not get, but its still great! it was my first show! have you thought about lion king or newsies?

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 10:12pm

I think Spiderman without a doubt. I will say though I would play it up, I've taken a group of 3rd graders to a regional production. We went over theatre "rules" time after time. Make it a "fancy" thing for them. Teach them to use please and thank you's to house staff, no talking, sit still, applaud when necessary. When I took my kids they wore their "Sunday best" and we had a blast. Very special to them.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 10:22pm

This isn't a moral judgement on the show because it's not that bad and I'm not offended in the slightest, but I think it's funny when people refer to "Mamma Mia" as family friendly. I mean the premise of the show is about a woman who slept with three different men in a week. If it were a straight play/drama it feels like the kind local community theatres would get people offended and protest it.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 10:27pm

Don't take them to MAMMA MIA. 9-year olds won't enjoy it as much as other shows out there.

Instead, I suggest NEWSIES.

And if you take them to SPIDER-MAN and sit closer to the stage, know that there will be a lot of flying that happens up above and BEHIND you, so the kids will have to turn around and watch for a couple of brief flying scenes.

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 10:40pm

From what I understand they are under budget restraint so that eliminates several matinee kid friendly shows especially Lion King and most probably Newsies.

Find out about Cinderella in late previews you can probably get a ticket for $90 in a decent area. All of you would love it. It's new and probably going to be a hot ticket so I would act fast.

If not Spiderman is good. NOT MOMMA MIA.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 11:20pm

Spiderman. No doubt. (Which I hate to say, but it does seem right in this circumstance -- maybe you'll hook some kid into theater.)

Have fun.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 11:35pm

Shows Kids Will Love:
Annie
Cinderella
Mary Poppins
Newsies
(Probably) Spider-Man
The Lion King
(Maybe) Wicked

[Jersey Girl2]

Posted: 1/25/13 at 11:41pm

>>>> I mean the premise of the show is about a woman who slept with three different men in a week.

I agree, not a good choice for 9 year olds.
I would go with Spiderman or Newsies.

Posted: 1/26/13 at 12:07am

Tough one

Do you see a show about a town whore who carried the spawn of three men's jizz set to Abba music?

Or do you watch 2 hours of a guy in tights jizzing from his hands all over the theater set to U2 music?

Updated On: 1/26/13 at 12:07 AM

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 12:26am

Spiderman will be nice for that age. Even if they don't have a prior interest in that character.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 1:42am

Since they're students wouldn't they qualify for rush?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 6:09am

She's not going to want to risk rush with and for children. And it makes the day much too long.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 7:23am

Out of these two, SPIDERMAN no question. But if you are flexible in considering other shows, WICKED, LION KING, and CINDERELLA would be nice choices.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 7:39am

Those aren't likely going to be available at a discount or with the same ticketing choices in a short period of time.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 8:47am

Cinderella

[suestorm]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 9:39am

Spiderman no doubt the boys will like the action the girl will like reeves!

[artscallion]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 9:59am

I feel bad for the kids who were not chosen as he Librarian's favorites.

[mar6411]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 10:45am

Oh good grief. Really?

Maybe others get chosen for other things. And not everyone at that age could sit through a show.

To the OP - what you are doing is wonderful. Kudos to you.

And to artscallion - maybe you can do something for the other kids.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 11:32am

Spiderman. I would get cheaper tickets in the mezz or balcony. Front row is too close for this show. If the front row of the balcony is available. I would go with that. It's a good view of the show and a great view of the flying. Plus Spiderman lands there and takes off, twice from balcony.

[artscallion]

Posted: 1/26/13 at 11:50am

No, really, Mar. But it's okay that you don't agree with me.

[DEClarke]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 2:57am

I also have to vote SPIDER-MAN. I don't think MAMMA MIA is kid friendly.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 1/27/13 at 8:52am

Thanks for all your comments. Yes, you are right that it's too bad for the kids who didn't get chosen. When the five kids were in the manager's office getting their invitations, there was another girl, 8-year-old Jennifer who obviously could tell something exciting was going on and she kept looking through the glass and at one point even tried to open the door to hear. We picked 9-year-old Luz but not her 8-year-old brother Juan who also comes to the library every day and really wants to see SPIDERMAN very badly.

A lot of the kids who didn't get invited were at the library on Friday with their parents and the manager did a nice job of explaining to these families that I was buying the tickets and couldn't take everyone. Plus, she told them that we are planning another trip in April with the younger kids to go see THE GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW.

As for this trip, I ended up buying five front row seats for SPIDERMAN Row AA seats 2,4,6,8,10 and three seats directly behind Row BB 6,8,10. The Row AA seat 2 is right on the aisle...the rest are Orch Right. Someone who has seen SPIDERMAN from all angles wrote that the Front Row is amazing as long as the kids are okay about turning their heads for the flying and looking straight up at Arachne...otherwise perfect seats. Two of the kids are Bengali, Snigdha and Arrafat and a little small for age 9 so they may need the booster seats.