Clinton Area Showboat Theater

http://www.clintonshowboat.org/

One of the places that excels in theater for young children (and all audiences) is the Clinton Area Showboat Theater (CAST). Throughout the summer are $5 Saturday performances designed for young children and their caregivers, plus an excellent summer theater camp, and if your child is ready for the full theater experience, CAST has wonderfully affordable seats that are close to stage, a can't-beat venue (an actual riverboat, repurposed for theater), a chance to meet cast members, and lots of little touches that make an evening out educational as well as memorable. Taking my then-kindergartner to CATS probably shaped her love of musical theater for life.

What to know: open during the summer; Saturday matinee performances around $5 for children's theater (recent favorites include Seussical the Musical, and You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown); children's performances allow time for kids to interact with characters in costume on the boardwalk.

Taking toddlers/preschoolers: be advised that for kids' performances, actors may be moving around the theater in the front and side aisles. This is fun, but prepare your kids so they don't trip a cast member. Expect the children's performances to run about an hour. It may be dark for brief moments. My infant sat on my lap fairly comfortably, and my preschoolers varied from mesmerized to squirrelly, depending on the show (we've been to several).

If your child is ready for a full-length production: this theater is great for a season with many family-friendly shows: American favorites, Broadway musicals, classic repertoire. You may opt for a weekend afternoon matinee; otherwise the evening performances can make for a late night for littles. Sit close to the front or in the front box seats for best kid-visibility. CAST also excels in audience engagement; when my kindergartner went to CATS, one of the characters reached out and nuzzled her cheek--she was thrilled! (Note: if your child doesn't like audience engagement, perhaps sit in and back a few rows). The front box seats are also best if you want to learn the most about the production, giving the best 360-degree view of the theater) Over two seasons, my daughter enjoyed South Pacific, Music Man, Grease, CATS, Seussical, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and more. As an adult, I loved it too.

Make sure you allow time to walk around the boat, which is in permanent dry-dock; and go underneath for restrooms, concessions (freewill donation), and cast photos of prior productions. Make an extra special event of it by having lunch, dinner, or dessert at the Candlelight Inn next door, for the best river views while dining in town. If you buy concessions, plan so that you finish your snack during intermission, or buy something that can be sealed and put in your diaper bag/purse/etc. safely. Snacks are not allowed in the seats.

Most areas accessible with ramps; restrooms on lower level. Purchase tickets in advance or at the box office. Watch kids on the ramps and deck rails on upper floors of the boat; mine didn't try to jump...for the most part.