Student Matinees
About the 2026-2027 Matinees
Each season, Queens Theatre is proud to present exclusive weekday morning performances for school children. This year, we have special dance engagements by two extraordinary dance companies: Calpulli Mexican Dance Company and Darrah Carr Dance Company. Grand Pistachio returns this season with their popular Layer the Walls: Parts 1 & 2, and The Monkey King: A Kung Fu Musical returns for a Lunar New Year Celebration. We are also excited to present the Lightwire Theater’s Dino-Light for a multi-sensory experience and San Jose Taiko with their performance Spirit of Taiko as part of our Cherry Blossom Festival. Engaging study guides, which include information about the shows, pre- and post-show classroom activities, arts and crafts projects, and suggested curriculum connections, are available for select performances.
Tickets
$10 per student
1 free chaperone ticket per 10 students
Free for paraprofessionals
To reserve tickets, email Richard Hinojosa, Queens Theatre's Director of Education, at rhinojosa@queenstheatre.org.
The Monkey King: A Kung Fu Musical
Tuesday, February 2nd at 10:15 AM and 11:45 AM
Wednesday, February 3rd at 10:15 AM and 11:45 AM
Approximate Running Time: 60 minutes
Recommended Ages: Grades K-8
Celebrating Lunar New Year, Queens Theatre presents The Monkey King: A Kung Fu Musical. An amazing original musical for students K- 12, The Monkey King is based on the legendary mythical figure from the beloved 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” by Wu Cheng’en. Heartfelt music and an inspiring storyline tell the adventures of the first-ever female Monkey King as she battles against Heaven and Earth’s most treacherous foes to save her tribe and achieve immortality. With a cast of memorable characters, a mix of classical and rock music, and kung-fu style choreography – this is an action adventure come to life!
Written by Jonathan & Kimbirdlee Fadner
Directed by Steven Eng
| Curriculum Connections Social Studies, History, Language Arts |
Themes Cultural Based, Music, Dance, Ancestry |
Layer the Walls Part I & II
A Grand Pistachio Production
Tuesday, February 9 at 10:15 AM and 11:45 AM (Part I)
Wednesday, February 10 at 10:15 AM and 11:45 AM (Part II)
Thursday, February 11 at 10:15 AM and 11:45 AM (Part II)
Approximate Running Time: 60 Minutes
Recommended Ages: Grades 2-8
In one Lower East Side tenement, forty layers of wallpaper were found clinging to the walls - each piece applied by a new immigrant family. Using puppetry, masks, and live action, Layer the Walls tells the incredible stories held within each layer. Through these stories, young audiences engage their imagination and creativity, build empathy, and better understand current events through a historical lens.
We are offering TWO different Layer the Walls experiences. Both are centered in the same tenement apartment. Layer the Walls Part I and Part II illuminate stories from different time periods. Both pieces stand alone. Bring your students to one or both experiences. Look below to find out more about the content.
LAYER THE WALLS PART I: Turn of the Century (1870-1909)
*An Irish father is forced to take a dangerous job building the Brooklyn Bridge
*Italian brothers survive discrimination and The Great Blizzard of 1888
*Russian Jewish girls must decide if they will join the 1909 Garment Workers' Strike
LAYER THE WALLS PART II: Midcentury (1930-1970)
*A Chinese father swims across the Hudson River to save his family
*A Teen Holocaust survivor finds home in NYC
*Puerto Rican cousins become involved with the Young Lords’ fight for healthcare justice
| Curriculum Connections Social Studies & History (NYC Tenements, Great Potato Famine, The Great Blizzard of 1888, Garment Workers' Strike, Chinese Exclusion Act, The Holocaust, Puerto Rican Migration) |
Themes Immigration, Discrimination, Activism, Empathy |
Darrah Carr Dance Company - Steppin' and Stompin': Exploring Ireland
Monday, March 15 at 10:00 AM
Approximate Running Time: 60 minutes
Recommended Ages: All Ages
The Champion Irish Step Dancers of Darrah Carr Dance will lead an upbeat, fast-paced introduction to Irish dance and music including a discussion of its history, costumes, and traditions. Their high-energy dance performance features live music selections on the bodhran and accordion, as well as audience participation. They will demonstrate both soft shoe and hard shoe dance styles. We’ll discuss and demonstrate improvised instruments such as the spoons and mouth music. We’ll also discuss the history of Irish dance (dance masters and emigration) and the different contexts of Irish dance (competitions, community ceilis, Riverdance).
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Curriculum Connections |
Themes |
Dino-Light: A Glow in the Dark Adventure
A Lightwire Theater Production
Monday, March 22nd at 10:15 AM and 11:45 AM
Approximate Running Time: 60 minutes
Recommended Ages: All Ages
A famous scientist with magic powers brings a friendly dinosaur to life. When the dinosaur wanders away from home, he discovers a wonderful world full of creatures that light up the darkness and help him find the true meaning of love.
This glow-in-the-dark adventure is visually amazing and has been praised for its cutting-edge blend of puppetry, technology, and dance by audiences all over the world.
| Themes Creativity, Reinvention, Self Expression, Puppetry and Technology |
STUDY GUIDE |
San Jose Taiko: The Spirit of Taiko
Friday, April 16th at 10:00 AM
Approximate Running Time: 60 Minutes
Recommended Ages: All Ages
Exploring and experiencing creative expression through taiko enriches our lives and communities in important ways. It helps us grow and find personal fulfillment, teaches and challenges us, and helps us understand and empathize with others. This high-action assembly program educates children and teachers about the history of the taiko art form, its links to Japan, and connection to the Japanese American experience.
| Themes Cultural Understanding, Creative Expression, History and Rhythm |