Kids' Night on Broadway (KNOB) — the annual event during which young people ages 6-18 can attend a Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult — will be held in Manhattan Feb. 5, 6, 12 and 13, 2008, and nationwide throughout the winter and spring.
Among this year's participating shows are Altar Boyz, Avenue Q, Chicago, A Chorus Line, The Color Purple, Come Back Little Sheba, Curtains, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Fantasticks, The Farnsworth Invention, Grease, Hairspray, Is He Dead?, Legally Blonde The Musical, The Lion King, Disney's The Little Mermaid, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Monty Python's Spamalot, The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, Spring Awakening, Stomp, Wicked, Xanadu and Young Frankenstein.
In a statement O'Donnell said, "I am thrilled to be associated with this wonderful program, which helps to expose young people to the wonderful world of Broadway theatre. Since its inception, over 200,000 people have participated in Kids' Night in New York alone, and we look forward to reaching even more families with the message that there is no greater entertainment than Broadway."
This year's KNOB will also help raise awareness of Rosie's Broadway Kids, a 15-week in-school program of dance, music and an overview of American musical theatre founded by O'Donnell. "I passionately believe that an arts education can dramatically enrich the lives of young people," O'Donnell added. "I feel lucky to be able to share my love of Broadway with kids who live in the city but have never had access to the Great White Way."
Kids' Night will kick off Feb. 5 with a party at Madame Tussauds New York. Events on Feb. 6 and 12 will take place at Spotlight Live, and the Feb. 13 event will be held at The Times Center. The annual event will also boast an extra educational component — a free KNOB souvenir Playbill with a theatre education focus, and free kids Theatre 101 educational and interactive workshops to be held at Kids Nights' pre-theatre events. Tickets for the February events will go on sale at noon Nov. 4. For more information visit www.KidsNightOnBroadway.com.
