Children’s musician Laurie Berkner and The Laurie Berkner Band return to Berkner’s hometown with a “Greatest Hits” concert for families at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at the McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place, Princeton, N.J.
Berkner will also give a special solo, sensory-friendly, “relaxed performance” at 11 a.m. Jan. 20, also at the McCarter.
“I am thrilled to be coming back to my hometown yet again to perform two of my favorite kinds of shows,” says Berkner. “I love the more intimate experience of a ‘relaxed show’ – and the joyousness of getting to play a second show with the entire band – especially in such a beautiful venue as McCarter Theater.”
A “true pioneer in children’s music, providing a soundtrack to childhood and memories that last a lifetime,” Berkner will perform songs with The Laurie Berkner Band from a career spanning more than 25 years, including such well-loved hits as “Bumblebee (Buzz Buzz),” “Victor Vito,” “We Are The Dinosaurs,” “Rocketship Run,” “The Goldfish (Let’s Go Swimming),” “Waiting for the Elevator,” and “Pig On Her Head,” along with some of her newest singles like “My Bunny Goes Hop” and “Wash It.”
Berkner’s concerts showcase an array of tunes that encourage kids and grownups alike to get up and dance. Kids should plan to bring their dancing shoes and a stuffed animal (for their heads).
At her solo shows, in addition to familiar hits, Berkner performs songs that don’t always fit with a full-band performance: tunes with simpler arrangements, hand motions, and a cappella singing, like “One Seed” and “Drive My Car.”
For her sensory-friendly, “relaxed performance” in Princeton, Berkner will perform solo in an environment that has been adapted to provide a welcoming atmosphere for individuals with autism, learning differences, or other sensory and communication needs, so that they and their families may enjoy her live show together.
At a sensory-friendly performance, the concert is performed at the same high quality as always, with the light and sound levels adjusted slightly to create a more sensory-sensitive environment. These performances are “shush-free” zones where patrons are free to talk and leave their seats throughout the show, as well as bring their own snacks, fidgets, and communication devices with them to their seats.
Most of all, a sensory-friendly performance is a judgment-free environment, where all are welcome to enjoy the show in whatever way make the experience work for them.
For tickets and information for both shows, call 609-258-2787 or visit the McCarter Theatre Center website. One dollar will be added to single tickets supporting the Princeton-based nonprofit Good Grief, an organization that teaches resiliency and facilitates healthy coping in the lives of over 900 children each month who have experienced the loss of a loved one. This collaboration is supported by Twinkle Arts for Good.
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