Broward Center offers two series for young audiences

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts and The Parker are fun family destinations this season with a series of theatrical adventures that spark imaginations and fuel a desire for learning along with another series that brings every child’s favorite storybook characters to life on stage.

On weekday mornings, the JM Family Enterprises Smart Stage Matinee Series at the Broward Center and The Parker features productions that are curriculum-driven and align with state standards, which are ideal for private, public and parochial school students and home-school networks. Free study guides are available on the Broward Center’s website.

The Saturday Family Fun Series at the Broward Center is an affordable way to introduce youngsters to the magic of musical theater, bringing families together, sparking creativity and engaging the imagination as only live theater can.

Doctor Kaboom The Wheel of Science kicks off the JM Family Enterprises Smart Stage Matinee Series at The Parker on Monday, October 16 at 10 a.m. The original Doktor Kaboom performs an interactive science and comedy show that keeps young audiences riveted with interest and rolling with laughter. The creation of Actor/Comedian David Epley, Doktor Kaboom is a captivating character who creatively blends theatre arts with the wonders of scientific exploration. This performance is recommended for students in grades 5 to 7 and supports the science, math and SEL curricula.

The JM Family Enterprises Smart Stage Matinee Series presents Numbers Don’t Lie in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center on Friday, November 3 at 10 and 11:30 a.m. When two failing math students take a trip to an enchanted museum, anything can happen. Throughout this multimedia musical, students learn that from sports to science and from medicine to music, math is necessary in every part of our lives. These performances are recommended for grades 2 through 4 and support the

math, SEL and music curricula.

The Tales of Custard the Dragon in the Abdo New River Room at the Broward Center is presented in the JM Family Enterprises Smart Stage Matinee Series on Wednesday, November 8 at 10 and 11:30 a.m. Family Fun Series performances will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Based on the whimsical stories by Ogden Nash, this musical tale follows the exploits of young Belinda and her three boastfully brave pets, Mustard the Dog, Ink the Cat and Blink the Mouse, and one not-so-brave dragon, Custard. This up-close and immersive experience will have audiences in the center of the action. Audiences will treasure Custard’s discovery that you can be brave, even when you are afraid, and that real courage comes from love. This musical was commissioned and originally produced by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. These performances are recommended for grades Kindergarten and first grade and support the ELA, SEL, music and dance curricula.

The Broward Center and The Performance Project present A Christmas Carol in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center as part of the Family Fun Series on Saturday, December 2 at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Join Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and a host of colorful characters for a traditional holiday tale. Especially adapted for family audiences, this musical production of the Charles Dickens classic is a wonderful way to celebrate the season with the entire family. This show features the talents of The Performance Project students and the adult professional actors who mentor them.

JM Family Enterprises Smart Stage Matinee Series presents a performance of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida’s The Nutcracker on Friday, December 15 at 10 a.m. at The Parker. Company artistic director Vladimir Issaev choreographs and directs the classic ballet to Tchaikovsky’s popular score. Based on the tale of E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Nutcracker serves as an introduction to ballet for young audiences and is guaranteed to entertain any age with its engaging choreography – from the fun of the party scene to the harrowing battle scene to the enchanting kingdom of the sweets. This awarded professional company features their own ballet stars performing the principal roles, as well as a community cast made up of local character artists and children. This performance is recommended for students in grades 4 through 12 and supports the language arts, social studies, music and dance curricula.

The Frog Prince is presented in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center in the JM Family Enterprises Smart Stage Matinee Series on Friday, January 12 at 10 and 11:30 a.m. Family Fun performances will take place Saturday, Jan 13 at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. This fairy tale demonstrates why you shouldn’t judge anyone by their appearance and delivers an important message about treating everyone equally. These performances are recommended for grades K-3 and support the ELA, SEL, music and dance curricula.

JM Family Enterprises Smart Stage Matinee Series performances of Junie B. Jones take place in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center on Friday, April 19 at 10 and 11:30 a.m. A Family Fun performance will take place Saturday, April 20 at 1:00 p.m. Outspoken, precocious, lovable Junie B. Jones stars in a colorful, funny, fast-paced musical about new friends, new glasses, sugar cookies, the annual kickball tournament and other various first-grade, angst-ridden situations. Follow her adventures as she writes down the story of her life in her “Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal.” This musical is based on four volumes in Barbara Park’s Junie B. Jones series of books that encourage students to read … and write. These performances are recommended for grades K-3 and support the ELA, SEL, music and dance curricula.

Ticketmaster is the only official ticketing service of The Broward Center and The Parker. Buy tickets online

at ParkerPlayhouse.com and Ticketmaster.com; by phone at 954.462.0222; and in person at the Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office.

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located at 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. Lillian S. Wells Hall at The Parker is located in Holiday Park at 707 N.E. Eighth St. in Fort Lauderdale. The Parker is an affiliated venue of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, which provides programming and management of the facility.

The Broward Center 2023/2024 season is supported by the Broward Performing Arts Foundation. AutoNation, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Spirit and UHealth University of Miami Health System. Programs are also sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts.