Spring Break for Kids at Grand Rapids Ballet

Spring break is right around the corner and we have the perfect activity to keep the little ones busy!

Story ideas for ballets come from many places. Grand Rapids Ballet’s artistic director, Patricia Barker, came up with the idea for the company’s production for this year’s Spring Break for Kids program while snorkeling in Hawaii with her husband.

“I thought of the fairy tales that are out there, and then I thought it was time for something new,” said Barker. “It all takes place in a aquarium.”

That was the inspiration for “The Aquatic Adventures of Johnny Starfish” which will be performed at Spring Break for Kids this year.

The children’s ballet will be presented daily at Peter Martin Wege Theatre Tuesday, April 4 through Thursday, April 6 at 9:30am and 11am. Each performance will be preceded by 30 minutes of fun activities including arts-and-crafts, costume dress-up, prize giveaways, and more.

The 30-minute show is about Johnny Starfish, a rock star, who is getting ready for a show when his dolphin friends tell him one of his mermaids, who are part of his act, is missing and then is kidnapped by an Evil Villainess (pictured below) and her henchmen and taken to her lair.

“Her costume is over-the-top fabulous,” Barker said. “The costume shop has just gone wild with costumes.”

Johnny and his friends fan out across town to find the missing mermaid, calling upon the Mayor of Kelpville, the secret police, and even Julie the Newscaster.

“They all come from different places in the sea,” Barker said. “But Johnny’s a very American, California boy.”

The show stars Grand Rapids Ballet professional dancers. Brian Vander Ark, lead singer and principal songwriter for The Verve Pipe, is contributing original music with plenty of cultural flavor, such as Hawaiian ukuleles for the dolphins and music with a Spanish flair of the Villainess.

Tickets are only $5 each and are going fast, so don’t wait. Get yours today!