The Wong Kids In The Secret Of The Space Chupacabra Go! – Location, Tickets, Reviews
UPDATE, February 11, 2014
The Wong Kids added another week of performances through February 23, 2014. Find a kid and go see it!
Original Post, February 3, 2014
A co-production of Ma-Yi Theater Company in New York and Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, The Wong Kids In The Secret Of The Space Chupacabra Go! is a space adventure story suitable for all ages.
Violet and Bruce, the titled Wong kids, are siblings who don’t fit in with other children. They are quirky, nerdy, and “different” but then they discover secret superpowers and embark on an interplanetary odyssey to crush the evil Space Chupacabra who is intent on destroying the world.
Maxamoo
The creative team, playwright Lloyd Suh and director Ralph B. Peña, have unleashed their whimsical imaginations and created a gleefully inventive production. Although The Wong Kids has a conventional outline of geeky outcasts saving the world, its message resonates and its storytelling techniques are unique, including puppetry, visual magic, and special effects. It is filled with twists, pranks, and thoughtful commentary on self-discovery and sibling love.
While the play is directed at children, it speaks to adults as well. It comments on loneliness and tolerance in rapid-fire monologues that can be funny and pretty sophisticated. It is packed with action, sci-fi, and Japanese anime references, and the cast members deliver energetic performances that are engaging. So even if you are neither a child nor a geek-at-heart, you can still enjoy this play.
We’re not experts on children’s theater but we’ve encountered enough children’s television to know that entertainment aimed at kids is often thoroughly annoying. This isn’t high art and maybe it’s not the ideal activity for a night date (although we did see some couples in the audience who appeared to be on dates) but it definitely isn’t annoying. It is great fun and will serve as an excellent introduction to theater for any youngsters lucky enough to see it. We hope lots of kids GO!
Recommended if…
- You want an easy and entertaining introduction for kids to theater;
- You are looking for an intergenerational family night activity that will please kids and grandparents alike; OR
- You are a fan of emerging geek theater or Kuso culture.
Public Opinion
The test of any children’s entertainment is whether the kids watching it stay engaged throughout the entire performance. By that metric the performances we saw (two writers attended on two different nights) were definitely a success. There was some whispering and lots of candy wrapper shuffling but for the most part the kids present were consumed by the action. We did hear one little girl say she was afraid during one of the fight scenes.
Have you seen The Wong Kids In The Secret Of The Space Chupacabra Go!? What did you think? Comment below or tweet to us at @Maxamoo.
Critics’ Reviews
New York Times
Mind Over Matter, Battling a Bandersnatch
Time Out New York
Geeky siblings save the world in this family-friendly joyride
TheaterMania
La MaMa and Ma-Yi Theater Company take audiences on a wild sci-fi adventure through the galaxy.
TICKETS
$10 – $30 (click here for tickets)
DATES
Performances through February 23, 2014
LOCATION
Ellen Stewart Theater, La MaMa
66 East 4th Street
New York City
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RUNNING TIME
1 hour and 30 minutes, no intermission
CAST & CREW
(partial list)
Written by Lloyd Suh
Directed by Ralph B. Peña
Featuring Alton Alburo, Curran Connor, Sasha Diamond, Ethan Hova, Kate Marley, Matthew Gunn Park