Walton Arts Center

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Encouraging the Next Generation of Theatergoers with Shows Just for Kids

The Family Fun Series and Kellogg’s Kids Series at Walton Arts Center are your ticket to a night at the theater that the whole family will enjoy. From the hopeful classic Annie to the heartfelt adventures of Hiccup! and everything in between, these performances will keep the whole family on their toes and keep the kids in their seats!  

Find your voice in a feathery adventure with Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume. New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander brings two of his beloved children’s books to the stage, Acoustic Rooster and Indigo Blume at 4 pm on Sunday, March 5. Blume and the other lovable characters like Dairy Parton, Duck Ellington and Chickee Minaj explore dozens of musical genres including country, rap, go-go and blues. They also tell a story about being scared, being brave, helping your community and believing in yourself. Tickets are $10!

And don’t miss an original adaptation of The Jungle Book, a tale of strength, loyalty and courage on Saturday, March 25 at 4 pm. Three local professional arts companies have teamed up to create the second collaboration in the nation of its kind. Trike Theatre, one of our artistic affiliates, creates extraordinary theatre experiences for young people and families, strengthens community and inspires young voices. Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation seeks to bring pieces of Indian culture to Northwest Arkansas and Megha Rao from Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance choreographed the production and instructed the local dancers. Come see the strength of the jungle. Tickets are only $10!   

Join the quest to find the great hiccup cure with Windmill Theatre’s Hiccup! The beloved Australian theater company returns at 4 pm on Sunday, April 16 with a brand new story of three unlikely friends who band together to try and cure an exceptionally stubborn case of the hiccups. A sleep-deprived camper, a cheeky quokka and an inventive emu embark on an epic journey through the outback that sees them frantically eat, sing and invent their way towards a cure before the sun comes up. Hiccup! is a hilarious musical extravaganza about working together and finding friendship. Tickets to this rocking, outback adventure are $10 for kids and $15 for adults. 

Just a week later, comes a heartfelt coming of age story. A Letter for Elena blends theater and dance to showcase the power of words and the complexities of loss. We join three friends, Frank, Lucy and Aïcha, on an emotional and captivating journey of remembrance and love that touches on the importance of connection. A Letter for Elena will also help children and adults start a dialog around difficult topics, such as grief and loss, as well as appreciation for life and friendship. A Letter for Elena takes the stage Sunday, April 23 at 4pm. Tickets are $10.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

You don’t want to miss Annie, “one of the best family musicals ever penned,” according to the Chicago Tribune. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production – just as you remember it and just when we need it most. This celebration of family, optimism and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way. See this Tony Award®-winning musical May 5-7. 

Movies adapted into theater productions help get kids interested in theater with a story and characters that they already know and love like Madagascar the Musical June 2-3. Join Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria as they bound out of the zoo and onto the stage in this live musical spectacular. This smash hit musical features all of your favourite crack-a-lackin' friends as they escape from their home in New York's Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien's Madagascar. This brand-new musical from Dreamworks will leave audiences with no choice but to "Move It, Move It!" 

Tickets to these shows and more can be purchased online at waltonartscenter.org, in person at the box office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or by calling (479) 443-5600.