By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun We were walking from the school bus stop last year, with me carrying my son's backpack, when I realized that -- as often is the case -- I had a perfect song for that. "Carried your books from school, playing make-believe you're married to me..." I jokingly sang "My Eyes Adored You" by The Four Seasons. "Hey," I jokingly told my kid "you're in sixth grade. If you like a girl in fifth grade, this could be Continue Reading...
Win two tickets to see the Jersey Boys!
The Jersey Boys are coming. And we have tickets for you to see them! Read more about the show below and then enter to win! "They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story -- a story that has made them an international sensation all over Continue Reading...
ETAP kicks Christmas into high gear with new musical
By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun UPDATE 12/13: We are giving away four tickets to one family to see this great show this weekend! See details at the end of this post! Every holiday season Northern Virginia families are treated to some great entertainment right here at home, by local students: it's time for the annual Christmas show by Encore Theatrical Arts Productions (ETAP)! For more than 20 years, ETAP has produced Continue Reading...
Unwrap Christmas fun at ETAP Christmas Undercover show
By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun Another year, another great Christmas show by Encore Theatrical Arts Productions (ETAP): this past weekend we had a chance to see the latest production by this local group, and as always, the show did NOT disappoint! For 21 years now, ETAP has produced Broadway-style, high-energy shows that are so well done you almost forget this is a volunteer group starring mostly local students. These all-ages Continue Reading...
ETAP holiday show is a taste of Broadway in NOVA
One of our favorite holiday traditions kicks off this weekend: the annual Christmas show by Encore Theatrical Arts Productions (ETAP). These all-ages musicals are fantastically produced and never disappoint. When you see the set, the costumes, and the dancing, you may think you've walked into a Broadway theatre, but you're actually watching a group mostly composed of local students! (You can get an idea of from our reviews of the 2015 Christmas Continue Reading...
The Grinch heads to the National Theatre!
The Grinch is coming! Discover the magic of Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday tale as it comes to life on stage as The National Theatre in Washington, DC, presents "Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical," December 13-31, 2016. We have the details on the show below -- plus a chance for one of you to see the show for free (and take three guests) on opening night! See details below. The musical is based on the classic children's Continue Reading...
What’s new at Busch Gardens Christmas Town
By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun It often has been named the most beautiful theme park in the world, and that's during the regular operating season. During the holidays, Busch Gardens tops itself with millions of lights and decorations for the annual Christmas Town event. Open now through January 2, 2017, Christmas Town makes for a lovely way to get in the holiday spirit. This year, the theme park is giving visitors more attractions to Continue Reading...
Talent and costumes make The Little Mermaid a standout show
By Amy J. Holmes for Fairfax Family Fun I absolutely love community theater and think it's important to introduce kids to the theater at a young age. I really love children's theater as it's for children by children. It's also a great time to completely unplug and enter a different space. My daughters and I had the pleasure of seeing Mount Vernon Community Children's Theatre's (MCVVT) latest production, Disney's The Little Mermaid. I've seen Continue Reading...
MVCCT presents The Little Mermaid
Fall is here and that means another production by Mount Vernon Community Children's Theatre (MVCCT)! This local theatre group puts on entertaining shows for all ages a few times each year. One unique aspect is that it features all-student casts for each show with children from area schools, so attending a performance is a great way to support not just local arts but budding actors. Its next production is Disney's "The Little Mermaid," November Continue Reading...
Review: Snow White at NextStop Theatre
By Patricia Hall, FairfaxFamilyFun.com Damsel in distress? Not quite. You (and your kids) may associate Snow White as a young girl who ends up lost in the woods, poisoned by her evil stepmother, and brought back from a spell by a prince. That story, based on an 1812 Brothers Grimm tale and featured classic Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (can you believe the movie turns 70 years old next year?), is not what you’ll find in Snow Continue Reading...