Family Fun Tuesdays

Family Fun Tuesdays is a weekly summer-long children's series that provides families with opportunities to experience a variety of art forms, learn about world cultures and experience new ideas together. The series presents all forms of art from storytelling and puppetry to music and dance in the intimate atmosphere of the Sculpture Garden.

Family Fun Tuesdays takes place Tuesday mornings from 10am - 11am. Visitors should walk from the main parking lot on the south side of Diffley Road through the pedestrian tunnel to the Sculpture Garden. Signs will be posted. Please call for handicap parking options.

Admission to these programs is free. Suggested donation: $2 per person. Your donation is greatly appreciated and helps to make Family Fun Tuesdays possible. Childcare and schools groups should call for space availability and fees.

Programs will only be canceled in the event of severe weather or if the artist is unable to perform. In case of rain, events will be held under a canopy. Check back for program updates or call 651.454.9412.

2011 Family Fun Tuesdays Schedule
All programs begin at 10 a.m.
Visit the Event Calendar for our full calendar of events.

Jump, Sing and Explore: Discovering the Natural World
June 7, 10 a.m.

Birds tweet and bees buzz. Nature sounds are musical! Join MacPhail Center for Music's early childhood music specialists in exploring some of nature's sounds through hands-on musical adventures and activities. Children will experience nature through songs, rhymes, movement, literature, instrument exploration, and visual art. We will swim like a fish, jump like a frog, sing like a bird, mimic nature sounds through instrument exploration, and create!

American Folkloric Music: Musica, Lengua y Cultura Performance
June 14, 10 a.m.

Come hear the diverse sounds and stories of Latin America come to life as Leo and Kathy Lara perform! Leo is a native of Ecuador who is involved with the study and performance of Andean folk music. Kathy is a music, Spanish, and elementary education teacher. Together they interpret the traditional songs and rhythms of various Latin American countries using a wide assortment of authentic instruments. You'll hear the legend of the armadillo-shelled charango, simulate the sounds of the rainforest, sing a Cuban lullaby, and more!

A Midsummer Day's Dream: Magical Stories with Maren
June 21, 10 a.m.

Come join storyteller Maren Hinderlie as she re-weaves a whimsical tale from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The magical tales will be animated by Kay Nygaard's thatrical flute accomaniment. Hear stories of magical creatures, featuring fairies such as Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed from Shakespeare's world-renowned play. Laugh at stories of mischievous Puck, a fiendish trouble-making imp. Participate in songs and simplified re-enactments from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Let fanciful dreaming come alive, and let the magical storytelling begin!

Adults should not miss the Shakespeare Festival presenting "Julius Caesar" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" on June 24 and 25 in the Theater in the Woods.

Puppet Show
June 28, 10 a.m.

Open Eye Figure Theatre’s popular Driveway Tour returns with an engaging puppet show that will have both children and adults laughing together. In The Adventures of Juan Bobo, the world is turned upside down when three devils come to town.  Juan Bobo, or "Foolish John" must set about the difficult task of making things right once again. The Adventures of Juan Bobo is an original story inspired by a traditional Puerto Rican folk tale.

Musical Stories
July 5, 10 a.m.

Let reading come alive with songwriter and storyteller Rachel Nelson! For twenty years, Rachel has pursued her musical passion by playing fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and washtub bass with string band ensembles. By blending storytelling with music and movement, Rachel tells and re-interprets well-known library storybooks and poems along with her own original stories.  Learn how songwriting and storytelling can help children to find and experience their own original voices.

Flamenco para Todos (Flamenco for Everyone)
July 12, 10 a.m.

In this exciting and lively program, children experience the beauty of flamenco dance and guitar first hand! Flamenco España showcases the talents of leading dancer Deborah Elias and master guitarist Michael Hauser. Both artists have been teaming up to bring flamenco to communities for over ten years. As they perform, children are encouraged to participate in clapping flamenco rhythms and to learn traditional Spanish Flamenco dance steps. Audience members also learn the history, culture, Spanish language, and musical elements of flamenco. ¡Olé!

Indonesian Gamelan and Kechak
July 19, 10 a.m.

Discover the fascinating and beautiful culture of Indonesia with Sumunar! The Indonesian gamelan ensemble uses tuned bronze gongs, metallophones, and drums to create multiple layers of interlocking melodies and rhythms. The musicans will accompany Kechak, a form of Balinese musical drama. Learn about the culture of Indonesia and dance alongside musicians and dancers as they reenact a legendary battle where monkeys help Prince Rama as he fights the evil King Ravana. 

Come and enjoy a colorful concert by Sumunar Indonesian Music and Dance in the Theater in the Woods on Sunday, July 24, 6:30pm.

Animal Jamboree
July 26, 10 a.m.

Drawing from cultures and customs around the world, Christopher Lutter-Gardella uses spectacle-scale animal puppets, singing, improvisation, and movement to create a one-of-a-kind performance. Christopher has been active in performing and teaching puppetry and mask theater for over 12 years. His whimsical and interactive puppets are made almost entirely from materials that are re-used, and they showcase the artistic traditions of West African Masquerade, Caribbean Carnival, and European Spectacle Street Theater. 

West African Drum and Dance
August 2, 10 a.m.

Join members of Voice of Culture Drum and Dance and founder Kenna Sarge in an exciting journey through the cultural history of the West African people.  Starting with a description of West African traditional dance, watch as Kenna and Voice of Culture demonstrate one of the many dances that originated in West Africa. Learn drum patterns that accompany the traditional movements. Get ready to stand up and dance, and even have the chance to play authentic West African instruments!

Come experience Voice of Culture Drum and Dance, featuring special guest artists, in the Theater in the Woods on Sunday, July 24, 6:30pm.

Tracks of New Thinking
August 9, 10 a.m.

Experience the legacy of African-American poetry and music with Thomas West and T. Mychael Rambo.  T. Mychael’s skills as an actor, singer, and educator complement Thomas’s extensive experience as a composer, arranger and musical director.  The duo use their talents to inspire new ways of thinking about African-American words and music.  Beginning with songs of freedom, children will discover not only the beauty of the compositions, but also the power of language in communicating ideas, experiences, and emotions.

What is Jazz?
August 16, 10 a.m.

Join two of Minnesota’s premiere jazz musicians, Joan Griffith and Ruth MacKenzie, on an interpretive and engaging journey as they trace the history of jazz!  Ruth sings as Joan accompanies on bass, and together they share their musical expertise and a joy for teaching.  The two use bass, voice, bells, and percussion to introduce vocal and instrumental improvisation to children.  Audience members will learn while engaging through participation in field songs, spirituals, call and response, scat, rap, and jam.  Help Joan and Ruth compose an original blues song!

Don't miss out on more jazz music, performed by Bill Evans New Orleans Jazz Band, in the Theater in the Woods on Sunday, August 21, 6:30pm. 

Dragons, Flutes and Monkeys: Ancient Chinese Folklore and Music
August 23, 10 a.m.

Take a tour of ancient Chinese culture, hear and play traditional instruments, and learn about Chinese folklore with artists Zhang Ying and Rhonda Lund.  Rhonda brings the dramatic characters to life through storytelling, while Zhang Ying adds musical accompaniment with bamboo, clay, and bone flutes.  Listen to the unique sounds of the di bamboo flute and the xun, a clay egg-shaped flute first played 6,000 years ago.  Follow along as Rhonda and Zhang weave colorful tales from ancient China, including a story about boy who meets a friendly dragon, and the Monkey King, a magical super hero from the Ming Dynasty.

Dance, Music, Myth, and Legends: Indian Music and Culture
August 30, 10 a.m.

Rita Mustaphi’s Katha Dance Theatre performs Kathak, the classical dance of northern India.  From the word katha, or story, Kathak dance is a fusion of both the Hindu and Muslim cultures.  In ancient India, the storytellers performed mythological stories for village audiences using rhythmic footwork, expressive movement of the hands and face, swift turns, and elegant stances.  Participants learn about Indian culture through dance as the dancers engage in a playful, spontaneous interchange with the audience. 

This progrom is funded, in part, by Target.

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