Annie – back on Broadway

When you raise a curly headed moppet who sings and dances, her dream role is Annie. And when my youngest daughter was growing up, she played Annie in every theater camp or class she took. But then she hit puberty, got self-conscious, and stopped performing. She still loves attending theater, and the new Broadway production of Annie was high on our list. Sadly, the floodwaters were also high, and Hurricane Sandy delayed our date with the mutt Sandy. But when we finally got to see the show, it was thoroughly enjoyable. Ok, the lead has a questionable accent and mediocre pipes, but she sure is adorable. And the supporting cast all have strong voices and great comic appeal. And when you have a teen who idolizes Tyra Banks, Lady Gaga and Taylor Lautner’s abs, a little G–rated fun is most welcome. I also thought the staging was excellent, the sets were gorgeous and I've been waking up humming "Tomorrow" for almost a week.

Broadway Kids

One of the joys of traveling to New York City is gorging on theater. You can see a different show every night, and even two in the same day if you add a matinee (typically offered on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays).

But what if you are on vacation with young kids? Some shows are appropriate for children, but others are not. Or maybe they can’t sit still for a show.

This is where Playtime childcare comes in.

Playtime is for tourists and New Yorkers alike, and is offered at the off-Broadway theater, Playwrights Horizons. But you aren’t restricted to seeing a show at Playwrights Horizons. You can also see a show at Signature Theatre or Westside Theatre, both of which are very close to Playwrights Horizons.

The childcare is free for Playwrights Horizons subscribers, so most NYC visitors won’t be eligible, but the cost is a very affordable $15 per child.

My teens babysit in NY, and that is the going rate per hour. If you see a 2 hour show, you are essentially getting the second hour free.

And if you were to arrange a babysitter through your hotel, you would pay far more, plus you would need a sitter for longer. Since you are bringing your kids to the theater, you only need a sitter during show time, not travel time

Playtime is for potty trained kids, ages 4 to 12. And the child minders, arranged by Sitter Studio, are themselves dancers, actors and musicians, so your kid can expect a fun time.

In fact, check out the names of the sitters. In a year or two, you might see them onstage!