SKELLIG at New Victory Theater NYC- Review

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Skellig 
by
 David Almond
at New Victory Theater NYC
March 4-13, 2011
Anyone that has ever been to New Victory Theater located on 42nd Street in NYC can tell you that it’s a wonderful find for children and families. This was evident over  the weekend, when I had the chance to attend the performance of Skellig!
Skellig is based on the book written by David Almond. Being a teacher for the past 20 years, I had the opportunity to share Skellig with more than a few of my classes. The book is gripping and the story is fast moving. The performance by The Birmingham Stage Company does the book justice.
The company keeps the story moving and the audience right in the middle of it. Skellig deals with many issues that face children and adults every single day. 
Skellig-Angel?Man?Bird?
Michael is a ten year old boy coming to grips with moving to a new house and getting ready to welcome his new baby sister. Soon after the move, the baby makes an early entrance into the world and becomes ill. Mom and Dad are busy dealing with a sick baby, a ten year old, a new house, and their own lives. With extra time on his hands, Michael discovers “someone” in his garage(the same garage his dad is planning to destroy). With the help of his new friend, Michael tries to figure out life and how to deal with it.
The show is wonderful and it does not matter if you have read the book or not, it will be enjoyable to all. It was especially  interesting to attend the show with my eleven year old son, who has not yet read the book. He enjoyed the performance just as much as me and is now, of course, reading, or should I say almost finished with the book (available at the gift shoppe).
The story is a drama and does have some very funny lines in it. But, don’t be surprised if you get a lump or two in your throat as you watch and experience the feelings Skelling ignites.
I absolutely loved seeing the book come to life. 
It was truly a magical experience to see Skellig, hear him talk, feel his pain and ….well, I can’t give it all away, right?
If you have a chance to see Skellig at New Victory Theater, do not miss it! It will not disappoint!
For more information and Tickets to  Skellig and New Victory Theater/for ages 9+
All opinions are that of 3decades3kids.
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Are You Fully Charged? Circus Fun Review of Show! Super!

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FULLY CHARGED
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus
IZOD Center (Mar. 2-13) 
and 
Nassau Coliseum (Mar. 16-20)

Last night my family and I had the pleasure of attending Fully Charged, the 141st edition of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus. It was a night filled with non-stop circus fun!
Every time my family and I visit the circus it always amazes me that there is something new. This year was not different. We arrived an hour early for the “on the floor” preshow, which gave us an upfront meet and greet with clowns, acrobats, and circus animals! Not to mention a chance to get a great circus tattoo and also to win a hand painted- or should I say, “trunk-painted” original painting by Asia, the elephant. There were also plenty of clown noses and marshmallows being passed out to many of the excited children, and adults, too!
Once the preshow ended and we headed to our seats, more fun was awaiting us! You could hear excitement take over the arena as the Greatest Show on Earth began. Flashing lights and children screaming and clapping,the smell of popcorn everywhere and my daughter with her favorite treat of cotton candy was all a little overwhelming. You could just “feel” happiness all around!
Whether you like the funny clown tricks, breathtaking stunts, animal acts, or the wonderful circus parade, you will not want to miss 
FULLY CHARGED!
Please don’t forget to leave some room for the souvenirs
and treats! YUM!
All opinions are my own, as posted on 3decades3kids
For A Previous Post on Fully Charged from 3decades3kids Please Visit:
For tickets and more information please visit:
Use code BLOGGER saves $5 on all non-VIP tickets to all shows (except opening nights) for the IZOD Center (Mar. 2-13) and Nassau Coliseum (Mar. 16-20).There is also a special $12 ticket for kids ages 2 through 12 available for all evening performance
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Skellig! At New Victory Theater March 4-13th, 2011

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SKELLIG
by
David Almond
at NEW VICTORY THEATER
March 4-13, 2011
Looking for something entertaining for your children 9 and up? Looking for something entertaining for yourself?
Skellig is a great choice! If you have already read the book you can see it come to life. If you haven’t read the book, it’s a perfect follow-up to the show!
Neal Foster, the actor who plays the title character in the stage adaptation of David Almond’s award-winning children’s novel, Skellig, by The Birmingham Stage Company, relishes the challenge of becoming someone — or is it something? — who is as down-and-out as he is enigmatic.
“Skellig may be an aggressive and frightening tramp with arthritis and terrible breath, but you are always made aware there is something very different and mysterious about him. He makes very strong demands on the imagination. One reason I love theater for young people is it often involves characters we rarely meet in adult drama.” said Mr. Foster.

In Skellig by David Almond, Michael, a good-natured 10-year old with more on his plate than the average boy, discovers a grouchy yet strangely mystical vagabond with a taste for brown ale and Chinese take-out hiding out in his family’s garage. Who is he? Did Michael even see him at all? What unfolds is a powerful tale that examines the connections between family, friendship, love and the links between us all.
In the style of RSC’s Nicholas Nickelby, the actors share narration duties while slipping in and out of character. They also provide the instrumental accompaniment. Skellig by David Almond will have its U.S. premiere at The New Victory Theater on March 4 and run through March 13.
The impact of Skellig in British literary circles is quite formidable. In 1998, the book received the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year Award, and in 2007, it was selected by judges of the CILIP Carnegie Medal for children’s literature as one of the ten most important children’s novels of the past 70 years. Furthermore, in 2010, David Almond received the Hans Christian Andersen medal for his “unique voice” and was described as “a creator of magical realism for children.” His prequel to Skellig, entitled My Name is Mina, was published in September 2010.

Skellig by David Almond is directed by Phil Clark. Design is by Jackie Trousdale, music is by Jak Poore, lighting is by Jason Taylor, and sound is by Lewis Fowler. The cast includes: Ellen Callender, Colin R. Campbell, Christopher Chamberlain, Neal Foster, Victoria Hamnett, Matt Harrison, Dean Logan, Charlotte Palmer, Jak Poore and Charlie Sanderson.

Ticket Information
Theater-goers who buy tickets for three or more New Vic shows qualify for free Membership benefits, including a 35-percent savings.
Tickets for Skellig by David Almond cost $25, $18 and $9 for Members and $38, $28 and $14 for Non-members.
On sale now:
BY PHONE at 646-223-3010; Monday-Friday 12 noon-8 pm; Saturday 10 am-8 pm; Sunday 10 am-5 pm
IN PERSON at The New Victory Theater Box Office; Box office hours: Sunday & Monday 11 am-5 pm; Tuesday-Saturday 11 am -7 pm
Performance Schedule
*indicates Talk-back following the performance. # indicates signed performances.
Fri March 4 7 pm
Sat March 5 2, 7 pm
Sun March 6 3 pm
Fri March 11 7 pm *
Sat March 12 2, 7 pm #
Sun March 13 3 pm

Are You Fully Charged? Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus!

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Are You Fully Charged? 
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Celebrates the 141st Edition!
When I think of some of my favorite memories as a child and many of my favorite times with my three children, I cannot help but think of going to the circus! Every year as soon as we begin to see circus commercials the buzz in our house automatically goes to “Circus Talk”! Remember when the clown put the funny nose on? Remember the parade? The music? 
Everyone in our house has a different “favorite part” of the circus, but everyone  agrees that going to the circus is a must! The circus is something that appeals to every age! I would know, since my children are 20, 11, and 4! There are never any complaints when we hit the Greatest Show On Earth!
 I would have to definitely say, we are Fully Charged!

Don’t miss Fully ChargedSM, the all-new surge of circus entertainment fromRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®where megawatts of thrills explode off of the arena floor with breathtaking dare-devilry, superhuman stunts and never-before-seen performances that energize Children of All Ages!
The most electrifying edition ever ofRingling Bros.®celebrates performance power that boosts circus-goers excitement. The amazing acts, which can only be seen at The Greatest Show On Earth®, include Tabayara, a dynamic animal trainer whose rare ability to communicate with animals allows him to ride rearing stallions at a fully charged gallop and orchestratemajestic four-ton Asian Elephants in a symphony of dance. When he stands inside a cage, eye to eye with twelve ferocious tigers, Tabayara sees family where others see danger.
Audiences will feel the earth shake when the Ukrainian strongman duo ofDmitry Nadolinkskiy and Ruslan Gilmulin, who are as wide as they are tall, enter the arena.  The brawny twosome give the word manpower a whole new meaning as they lift large cumbersome telephone poles, which weigh up to half-a-ton, and twirl them above their heads while acrobats balance atop.
The Fearless Fernandez Brothers dial up the thrills as they perform daring feats of athleticism on the Twin Turbines of Steel, including, extreme jumps and twists inside the moving wheels! Audiences will crackle with excitement as they watch Guillermo perform a three hundred sixty degree flying forward somersault, three stories in air, a feat so difficult it has only been attempted by one other person in the 141-year history of Ringling Bros.The Human Fuse, Brian Miser, sets the arena sky ablaze as he rockets through the air from his self-made human crossbow.  Don’t blink as he flashes across the sky in less than a second, and travels 80 feet at 65 miles per hour.
Ever wonder how many clowns it takes to change a light bulb? The hilarious hoopla continues to flow as the clowns from the world-famous Ringling Bros.®clown-alley, charge-up the audiences’ funny bones with hysterical silly antics and clownish comedy.
You can only experience this current of excitement at Ringling Bros. Fully Charged! Get your ticket for high-voltage fun today!

Don’t miss the All Access Power Up Pre-show Party!
Arrive an hour before show time and step onto the arena floor to meet our performers and animals.  It’s your chance to learn skills from the stars of the show and discover how to be CircusFit®. This action packed  event will get you Fully Charged and ready for the show to begin. Plus, watch one of our incredible Asian  elephants paint a masterpiece, and enter for a chance to win your very own pachyderm painting. The fun starts an hour before show time, and it’s free with your ticket!

 ARE YOU FULLY CHARGED?
 is a unique initiative in which we’re encouraging everyone everywhere to check their smoke detector batteries to make sure they’re (wait for it) — Fully Charged. As a mom and a former teacher, I cannot begin to tell you how many lives I have seen changed and saved by “working/charged” smoke detectors! Hats off to Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus for their great cause!
Please: Check your smoke detector and please LIKE Fully Charged on FB! 
Yes, there’s a Facebook page ––Like Are You Fully Charged? On Facebook! Click Here 🙂. please help spread the word — you might also help save a life.

Use code BLOGGER saves $5 on all non-VIP tickets to all shows (except opening nights) for the IZOD Center (Mar. 2-13) and Nassau Coliseum (Mar. 16-20).There is also a special $12 ticket for kids ages 2 through 12 available for all evening performances.

The code BLOGGER is good on all performances at both locations, except for opening nights.

World Premiere: Pompeii The Exhibit Life And Death In the Shadow of Vesuvius

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Pompeii
DTSX Times Square
“World Premiere of Pompeii The Exhibit
Life And Death In The Shadow of Vesuvius”
Discovery Times Square Exposition 
Opens March 4, 2011
If you have a definite interest in Pompeii or want to learn more about it and experience Pompeii first hand, you will not want to miss this exhibit!
I was fortunate enough to be invited to a preview night for the new exhibit event at DTSX Times Square NYC the other night.
I personally love learning everything I can about Pompeii and cannot wait to be a part of the action!
The exhibit is very informative and very emotional.
Walking into the room of body casts from people and animals that were caught in their tracks when  Mt. Vesuvius erupted, covering Pompeii, Italy was overwhelming. The thought of all those poor people covered in ash. The body casts were amazing and I felt honored to be able to experience seeing them.  How wonderful that we now have a chance to see the artifacts that were left behind.
During Pompeii The Exhibit, you can experience first hand what Pompeii was like before and after Mt. Vesuvius made its mark. 
Our audio guide was fantastic and a wonderful perk to the exhibit! It was great having two choices of numbers on the audio guide for “children” and “adults”. I loved it, since I was there with my 11 and 4 year old. They both we able to experience the exhibit, on their own level. They especially enjoyed the “closed space” movie where we were able to follow along watching the events of the day leading up to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius 2,000 years ago.
 I also enjoyed reading the very long events timeline, spanning the length of the room! 
The jewelry inside the display was wonderful, and there was plenty to choose from in the gift shoppe, as well as many other choices, including books, dvds, leather checkers, and more.

We all also enjoyed sampling two different waters inported from Italy. What a night! What a great exhibit!
You are not allowed to photograph inside of the display area. I was able to give a few sample pics from the gift shop area.
If you are in the NYC area, or planning a vacation to the area- do not miss Pompeii-The Exhibit! It is great for all ages and the experience is unforgettable!
See you at Discovery Times Square
Pompeii The Exhibit
For more information:
See You At Pompeii The Exhibit!
All opinions are my own. A special thank you to Discovery Times Square Expostion for hosting a wonderful night!