The Wiz Jr | Presented by The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
THE WIZ JR is the LAST TCT MainStage show of the 21-22 season. And as they say, I think they saved the best for last! 😉 Don’t miss this one. “Ease On Down The Road” to grab your tickets before they sell out!
See THE WIZ JR at The Taft Theatre
WHEN: April 2-11, 2022
WHERE: The Taft Theatre, 317 E 5th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
RUN TIME: 60-minute
AGE 4+, K-8
TICKETS: $10 – $50 each
🌈 Expect iconic songs like “Ease On Down the Road” and “Brand New Day,” as well as exciting dance numbers which blend traditional movement from African culture with ballet, jazz, and modern dance!
6 Reasons to Take Your Family to See a Show from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
Watch THE WIZ JR Promo Video
Broadway and Local Artistic Influence on Stage
THE WIZ JR. features two artistic influencers straight from Broadway, making this a great opportunity to introduce your kids to Broadway quality at a price and show length that’s right for them!
Director Zhailon Levingston comes to Cincinnati straight from Broadway, directing Chicken & Biscuits, as well as Hadestown, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Choreographer Tislarm Bouie has appeared in numerous Broadway shows, commercials, movies, and live events like SNL and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Local artistic influences come from Seth Howard, Scenic Designer and recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. And Jason Alexander Holmes, renowned music educator, performer, and Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Boychoir, serves as the Music Director. Contributing spectacular costume designs to the show, Dr. Daryl Harris is a professor teaching diverse interdisciplinary theatre courses at the Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts (SOTA).
THE WIZ JR Showtimes
School performances of THE WIZ JR. will be held April 5-8 and 11, 2022, during the daytime hours.
The sensory-friendly performance of THE WIZ JR. on Wednesday, April 6 at 1 PM is intended for individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as children (and adults) with other special needs who may benefit. To create a sensory-friendly performance, the show is performed in a welcoming, supportive environment for those with sensory challenges. Slight adjustments to lighting and sound are made, and effects such as fog, strobes, and lights that extend into the audience are minimized.
All The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Broadway-style MainStage productions, including THE WIZ JR., are performed in the historic Taft Theatre, at 5th and Sycamore Streets in Downtown Cincinnati. Tickets start at $10. Visit https://thechildrenstheatre.com/shows/the-wiz-jr/ for tickets.
Don’t miss a show! Regular subscriptions for the 22-23 MainStage Season are on sale now and start at just $43. All subscriptions and single tickets remain refundable during the pandemic if you are unable to attend due to COVID-19. Find out more about subscribing at https://thechildrenstheatre.com/subscribe/.
COVID Safety Protocols at The Taft Theatre
- Masks are required for ALL ticketholders age 2+, regardless of vaccination status.
- All patrons ages 12+ must provide proof of *full COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result administered within 72 hours of show start time. A negative rapid antigen test administered within 24 hours or proof of natural immunity via antibodies will also be accepted — that test would need to have occurred within six months from the date of the show you are attending. Self-reported negative test results that are not from a test provider, a laboratory, or a health care provider cannot be accepted. This rule applies to teachers and chaperones during our daytime school performances and at all public shows.
- If you are experiencing symptoms (i.e., fever, chills, cough), please stay home and do not attend the event. Instead, contact the Box Office at 513-569-8080 x10 to discuss your ticket options. Read about their refund policy here.
- Public performance seating will not be socially distanced. Please contact the TCT Box Office with any questions at 513-569-8080 x10 or email at tickets@tctcincinnati.com.
- School show capacities will be limited, and school groups will be separated from one another to the best of our ability during daytime school performances.
- No concessions will be sold during any performance. No food or drinks will be allowed in the theater. No merchandise will be sold during any performance.
- Autographs for subscribers and Crown Club members after public performances have been postponed indefinitely.
Experience Gifts from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
With 3 kids at home, the holidays and birthdays can be a bit overwhelming here in the gifting department. SO. MANY. THINGS. I find myself wondering where I’m going to put it all and it becomes overwhelming. That’s why, EXPERIENCE GIFTS are my favorite!
Here are some ideas for experience gifts from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati , PLUS, cute ways to wrap a few of them! Share this with grandparents, aunts & uncles who are asking for gift ideas for your kids – literally, forward this to them! 😉
TICKETS TO A CHILDRENS THEATRE PERFORMANCE AT THE TAFT
There are TWO shows left for the 2021-22 Season:
🙎🏻♀️ Matilda the Musical JR. (February 5 – 14, 2022)
🌈 The Wiz JR. (April 2 – April 11, 2022)
Buy tickets to the show HERE and make a date out of it with a lunch or dinner before or after the show. It’s so important to take your kids to experience LIVE theatre. Check out my post about 6 reasons why you should take your kids to see The Children’s Theatre at The Taft! And don’t worry, they’ve got a very exciting 22-23 season coming up after that!
- Need some restaurant ideas? Here are my favorite kid-friendly places to eat downtown:
- Sleepy Bee Cafe – 8 E 4th St (NOTE: it closes at 3pm)
- Maplewood Kitchen – 525 Race St (NOTE: it closes at 3pm)
- BRU Burger Bar – 41 E 6th St
- SUPER CASUAL OPTIONS INCLUDE:
- Skyline Chili – 254 E 4th St
- Chipotle, Potbelly or have ice cream for lunch at Graeter’s – on Fountain Square
- Jimmy Johns – 600 Vine
Going to see 🌈 The Wiz JR. ? Wrap one of these with the tickets!
Going to see 🙎🏻♀️ Matilda the Musical JR. ?
Wrap the book with the tickets so your child can read alone or you can read together!
📕 CLICK HERE to BUY the book Matilda by Roald Dahl
GIFT VOUCHERS TO THE CHILDRENS THEATRE
The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati offers gift vouchers that are like gift certificates and can be applied towards any MainStage show. They can be sent via email, and, you can schedule it to send on the date of your choice in any amount you choose. The gift vouchers expire a year from the send date and can be used for any MainStage show, so the recipient can pick from this season or the first half of next season!
Wrap the voucher in popcorn bins, you can find them at Dollar Tree, with candy and microwave popcorn. Although there is currently no food or drinks allowed in The Taft (Dec 2021), the kids can enjoy the treats now!
GIFT A SEASON SUBSCRIPTION
Consider gifting a Season Subscription for a holiday or birthday gift. It guarantees great seats for each show and you have a built in date 3-4 times a year! GIFT IDEA FOR THE GRANDPARENTS: Gift this experience gift TO a grandparent and then make a personalized picture wall calendar on shutterfly or a similar site. Write the season show dates on the calendar so they have dates to look forward to spending quality time with your kids, the greatest gift EVER!
GIFT ACADEMY CLASSES OR CAMPS YEAR-ROUND
We can’t say enough good things about Angelo! He teaches many of the Academy classes. My kids took his class virtually and they just loved his charisma and wit. It was a Musical Theatre weekly class and the kids learned to dance, sing and add a little jazz and pizzaz to things! The Academy staff is excellent and can teach your child the fundamentals of theatre in a fun and encouraging setting.
Invite friends and family to purchase GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR CAMPS for Spring Break or Summer that can be applied to a camp of your child’s choice! Camps start at age 7 and the themes are always relevant and exciting to kids.
For ages 18 mos to 18 years, The Children’s Theatre offers performing arts classes, introducing children to all elements of live theatre. Your kids learn educational lessons, move and grove and pick up some important life skills along the way.
Bonus, if the gift giver lives in town, they can drive the recipient to the lessons on Red Bank Rd and make it a weekly date! Or, sign up with friends and carpool. The winter session registration closes 1/31 and run about $250 for the session. SIGN UP FOR TCT ACADEMY CLASSES HERE!
- Classes include:
- Theatre Tech Crafts – learn to build theatre props
- Voice Lessons – ages 7-18
- Musical Theatre Medley – ages 4-12
- Acting Through Song – ages 10-12
- Drama Club – ages 7-18
- TCT TOTS! – for 18mo – 24mo kids and their guardians
- Audition Prep – work on audition songs & receive feedback, starting at age 10
- And a TON more!
6 Reasons to Take Your Family to See a Show from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
As a mom of 3 who is busy and often stretched way too thin, I often think adding MORE things to our list is a bad idea. But I can say for certain, this IS something you NEED to add to your family’s to-do list! The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati usually offers 3-4 shows per season which run roughly from September – April, so the commitment is minimal, but the return is huge. Keep reading to find out why.
- Kids are NEVER too young to learn ‘theatre manners’. Theatre manners go way beyond the theatre and it’s a skill for a lifetime! Young ones learn to sit patiently, keep quiet and pay attention. The key word is LEARN! Your littles won’t have a chance to learn this if you don’t expose them to these situations. Shows are about 60-70 minutes so if your child can sit through a short Disney animated movie, they are ready to go.
I took my kids at 2 years old and we didn’t get kicked out 😂. Know that your kids won’t be perfect but the sound system usually ‘out volumes’ them and there is always a chance to make a quick exit to regroup. Be prepared for lots of lap surfing if there’s more than one adult! - The set design and costumes at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati are inspiring. The costuming and set designs can spark inspiration in kids of all ages. Even young kids love the colors, sounds and dancing that happens LIVE on-stage. There is so much to catch their attention as they engage in live performances as see the costumes, set and sounds come together on stage.
- Seeing peers on stage builds confidence and respect for the arts. Elementary and junior high kids are inspired to see their peers in performing roles on stage. They see them confidently on stage delivering lines, songs and dance routines among other peers and adults. I know this has inspired my daughter to try performing arts and although it’s not my son’s calling, he has gained the respect for those that do!
- The learning and exploring continues after the show. If the story line or performance sparks a conversation in your house, you can keep the conversation going after the show! There are study guides for each show, so elementary age kids can learn more about the performance, costumes, set decor and more! Or listen to one of their podcasts before the show! This is a much better way to spend 30 minutes on the weekend besides more screen time! You can also listen to the TCT Podcast, Audio Footlights by The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati here and wherever you get your podcasts.
- See LIVE creativity in action! We are so programmed to watch things on demand – when we want, where we want. There is something to be said for making a commitment to go to the theatre and watch a LIVE show! Seeing a ‘show must go on’ moment, or the fact that someone is coordinating lights to sync with the actors’ movements or lines. All of this is lost when you see a typical movie or TV show. You can only find experiences like this in LIVE theatre. If you see a moment where a mistake happens on stage, it’s a great talking point with kids to show that the actor or actress took it in stride. We all make mistakes and whether it’s in front of 1 person or 1000 people, we just keep going!
- It’s a family bonding experience like no other. We make each show a date! We get dressed up and make a reservation for lunch or dinner after the show so it’s built-in quality time during our busy weekends. Sometimes, we make it a downtown Cincinnati day and ride the streetcar, ice skate during the holidays or just explore the city and stop for a treat. A season subscription is the best way to schedule these days in advance on your calendar.
The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati shows are such a great experience for families with kids of all ages. Each of my kids have experienced them multiple times and they are still thrilled to go to shows after many years.
Consider asking for a Season Subscription for a holiday gift from the grandparents, or gift that to your family! It guarantees great seats for each show.
See their current season here.