Published: October 08, 2009 10:15 am      

FAMILY: Entertaining the kids in October

By Phil Dzikiy



Won’t somebody please think of the children?

Here at Night & Day, we are.

This October is shaping up to be a pretty good month for kids when it comes to entertainment. The Missoula Children’s Theatre comes to Lockport, the lineup at the movie theater is looking pretty good and of course, the month ends with Halloween.

Here’s a quick guide for parents and their children in the coming weeks. Between starring on stage, watching 3D movies and visiting haunted houses, October might provide some solace for those fading back-to-school blues.



On stage (and in action)

For those parents who want their children to have an appreciation for the theatre, Lockport’s Kenan Center is offering kids the chance to get active by getting on stage.

Missoula Children’s Theatre, a traveling theatre company based in Montana, is visiting the Kenan Center for the seventh year in a row. Children ages 5-17 are invited to audition for a show — this year, it’s “King Arthur’s Quest” — which they then participate in the following weekend. The theatre company is looking for more than 50 kids to fulfill the roles.

According to Elaine Harrigan, the Missoula show is always one of the biggest Kenan shows of the year.

“It really is one of the biggest-selling performances that we do,” Harrigan said.

The process for the show goes as follows: Children will show up for the audition at 4 p.m. Tuesday, at the Kenan Center. It’s a group audition that Harrigan describes as “a low stress kind of thing.” Once the young actors and actresses are selected, they have four nights of rehearsals before two shows Oct. 17.

It doesn’t seem like a group of children would be able to memorize lines and cues so quickly, but the Missoula people can work wonders, Harrigan said.

“They have a system of teaching these kids,” she said. “Over the seven years they’ve been here, I’ve never seen them with a group of kids who couldn’t get their act together.”

Many of the children who participate in the Missoula shows come back year after year, Harrigan said. And those children help the new kids get acclimated to the ways of the Missoula productions.

Tickets for the show are $6 at the Kenan Center business office or at the door, but there is no charge for the children to participate in the show.



A spooky stop

With Halloween on the way, plenty of local haunted houses should be springing up around the area. But the mother of them all is already open for business.

Frightworld Screampark, located in Amherst’s Northtown Plaza (3097 Sheridan Drive) is open nearly every day through Halloween, including this weekend. Frightworld has earned high marks from numerous media outlets as one of the country’s top haunted attractions.

The haunted attraction offers five separate haunted houses, and a $23 ticket will get you into all five houses. It’s probably not the best purchase for young children, but younger teens might have a great time.

For more details, visit www.hauntedbuffalo.com.



At the movies

There are times these days when it seems there are few options when it comes to taking the kids to the movies. Parents will often get just one option. But if they’re lucky, there might be two G- or PG-rated films at the local theater at one time, and that’s usually during the summer, when the kids are off school, the weather’s nice and there’s plenty of stuff to do.

Even when the kids do have a few viewing options, the parents still have to sit through the movies with their children. And those movies aren’t always so entertaining for adults.

But everyone is in luck during the next few weeks. The “Toy Story” and “Toy Store 2” 3D double feature (which started last week) will still be in local theaters this weekend — namely, the Regal Transit and Regal Elmwood theaters.

These films are as close to universally beloved as movies can possibly be, and for good reason. Now, you’ve got a chance to catch both “Toy Story” films in 3D, though the kids may be more excited about the extra dimension than you are.

Nevertheless, if your children can sit through two films, the “Toy Story” 3D double feature is a great way to pass another cold, rainy day. And if you skip out after one of the movies, no one should mind too much.

If you’ve seen the “Toy Story” movies enough, or you’re more interested in catching something new, take the kids to “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.” Based on the classic children’s book from 1978, “Cloudy” is finding both box office success and critical acclaim.

On RottenTomatoes.com, a critical aggregator Web site, that determines whether reviews are positive or negative (“fresh” or “rotten”), the animated “Cloudy” is getting an 86 percent “fresh” rating. The film has made more than $82 million at the box office so far.

Next week, another new exciting PG release, “Where the Wild Things Are,” comes to theaters. The live-action film based on the classic Maurice Sendak book opens next Friday.



In Music

Not every child wants to listen to Radio Disney stalwarts like Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Brothers. For those parents who want to incorporate learning into catchy tunes for kids, enter They Might Be Giants.

The rock duo, who has long made music for adults, is also making music for children these days. The group’s newest album for kids is “Here Comes Science,” which features songs like “Meet the Elements,” “I Am a Paleontologist” and “Put It to the Test.” The album comes as part of a CD/DVD package featuring music videos for all of the songs.

If science isn’t your kid’s bag, TMBG has released three other albums this decade for younger children: “Here Come the 123s,” “Here Come the ABCs” and “No!”



On the tube

When it comes to television, there are still a few safe havens for children — namely Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, PBS Kids and their offshoot channels. Throw in the Saturday morning lineups and you’ve got your best bets, especially for younger children.

Children nearing their teen years, however, might be growing out of the same old children’s programming. For them, it might be time to tune into channels like National Geographic or Discovery. Shows like “Dog Whisperer,” “Man Vs. Wild” and “Mythbusters” could appeal to both adults and kids, plus, your children will be learning under the guise of mere entertainment.



if you go

WHAT: Missoula Children’s Theatre auditions

WHEN: 4 p.m. Tuesday

WHERE: Kenan Center, 433 Locust St., Lockport