The Houdini Box - Chicago Children's Theatre - In Chicago with kids

I always feel like a good parent when I take my kids to see live theatre.  This past weekend I was a good parent.  We went to see The Houdini Box a musical put on by the Chicago Children's Theatre.  I must say we all enjoyed it.  The show is based on children's author and illustrator Brian Selznick's popular first novel about a mischievous boy who receives a mysterious box that just might contain the secrets of Harry Houdini's success.  This is the same author who wrote The Invention of Hugo Cabret a book my two boys and I really enjoyed.  Yes, it was also made into a movie but we prefer the book to the movie almost every time.

The show is a perfect length for kids, 1 hour.  The theatre was wonderful as there was not a bad seat in the house.  There are only 3 actors who play several parts and keep the action moving. 

My whole family is in agreement that our favorite parts were the side windows that showed the action off the stage using puppets of the performers. 

We also loved the cat not a real cat but the puppet one and once we got home we immediately made our own.  Our puppet cat now also complains with loud yowls when someone is sitting in her space on the couch.

The program pamphlet has a section for the kids where they can create their own circus act and poster while they wait for the show to begin.  Who ever created the program was thinking like a parent.  It definitely cut down on the "when is going to start", "how much longer", a bit at least so don't forget a pen.

We saw The Houdini Box at the Mercury Theatre but it is now moving to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 N. Skokie Blvd. in Skokie, for a second suburban run, Mar. 14-25.

For more information about The Houdini Box or to write your own review click here: The Houdini Box North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.

On kidwinks.com this Thursday we'll announce a giveaway for a family 4-pack of tickets to The Houdini Box and Houdini's Birthday Bash - tune in to your email inbox Thursday for details.  Not signed up to receive our newsletter?  Don't miss out Sign up now.
 

Special Event Alert!  Houdini's Birthday Bash, Sat., Mar. 17 at 2 pm

Immediately following the afternoon performance of The Houdini Box, award winning magician Brett Schneider, illusion designer for The Houdini Box and a member of Hollywood's world-famous Magic Castle, will perform amazing feats of magic and sleight of hand sure to amaze and delight audiences of all ages.

No One Will Sleep Through Goodnight Moon - The Musical

Fast-paced, funny and full of visual chicanery, Chicago Children’s Theatre’s Goodnight Moon The Musical Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre, in Chicago, was the perfect afternoon treat for my 5-year-old. Though not too scary, it offered enough elements of surprise, paired with a fair amount of loud sounds and live music, to keep my son on the edge of his seat with anticipation about what Bunny, Mouse, Cow, Bears with Chairs and the Little Old Lady Whispering Hush might do next.

My middle guy wants
to paint his room green now!

The repeated references to bed bugs are timely, albeit discomforting, and I’m hoping CTC will post a video at its website  with directions to the Handshake Tornado, because that alone was worth the ticket price ($36 adult/$26 child).

My 5-year-old asked if we could go back an upcoming Friday (Nov. 11, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16), when the Theater hosts “pajama parties;” and he said he wished we’d brought his almost-3-year-old brother with us. “Andy would love this,” he said. (Feel free to donate new pajamas to the theater’s pajama bin … pjs will benefit children awaiting adoption, while Scholastic Books will donate an equal number of early learning books for disadvantaged youths. More info at www.pajamaprogram.org.)

Mouse was my guy's fave character.

Playing through Dec. 23, performances of Goodnight Moon the Musical are Tuesday through Friday at 10:15 a.m., Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and the special Friday night 7 p.m. pajama party performances. For more information or to purchase tickets follow the link and click View Website.

Overall, Goodnight Moon the Musical is a fun 65 minutes for children of all ages, although CCT recommends it for children four and older. 

Learn about more things to do with kids in Chicago at www.kidwinks.com.