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Jazzy Ash & the Leaping Lizards present an interactive concert of African-American folk music throughout the centuries. Students venture on a musical journey with Jazzy Ash and her band as they clap, sing, and dance their way through black American history. The songs presented in the show are all originally created by regular folks - from nannies, to farmworkers, to school children just like the students in the audience. This jazzy, spirited performance is a fun introduction to the musical heritage all Americans share.

Recommended for Grades K-5

Suggested SOL Connections:

Kindergarten: Music

K.4-7, 9, 11 

Grade 1: Music

1.4, 6, 7, 9, 11 

Grade 2: Music

2.4, 6, 7, 9, 11 

Grade 3: Music

3.3, 6, 7, 11 

Grade 4: Music

4.6, 7, 11

Grade 5: Music 

5.3

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Described as “part Mr. Wizard and part Mr. Rogers” Doktor Kaboom uses the excitement of rocketry to present Newton’s Laws of Motion in multiple, over-the-top, demonstrations. Each of Newton’s 3 laws is clearly explained, comically demonstrated, and followed by a DIY project that students can do as a class, in groups, or individually. 3 Laws, 3 lessons, 3 projects! Throughout the Arts Engagement, Doktor Kaboom intersperses the lessons with discussions about safety and personal empowerment. Of particular focus is using rocket science to prove that “science is for everyone, not just the person who wins the science fair every year.” This is the perfect program for introducing or reviewing the physics of motion.

Recommended for Grades 3-8

Suggested SOL Connections:

Grade 3: Science

Force, Motion, and Energy

3.2 

Grade 5: Science

Force, Motion, and Energy

5.2, 3

Grade 8: Physical Science

PS.8

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Grammy and Emmy-winning ensemble, Time For Three (TF3), defies convention with genre-bending excellence. Their captivating sound merges classical, Americana, and singer-songwriter styles, resonating globally. Their charismatic performances on major stages, frequent collaborations with acclaimed artists, and commitment both on and offstage to encouraging next-generation musicians showcase TF3’s unwavering dedication to pushing creative boundaries and captivating audiences worldwide.

Approximate Run Time: 45 minutes

Recommended for Grades 4-5

Suggested SOL Connections:

Grade 4: Music

4.3, 5, 6

Grade 5: Music

5.5, 6 

Based on Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault, and Lois Ehlert

A beloved children's book springs to life on stage in Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Musical. Teeming with vibrant songs, energetic dancing, and whimsical puppets, this performance captivates kids and adults alike! Playful chaos ensues as alphabet letters race each other to climb the coconut tree, only to tumble down in a cascade of color and laughter. With plenty of audience interaction, and lively performances, children will delight in exploring sound, rhythm, and reading in this fun and engaging spectacle.  

Approximate Run Time: 55 minutes

Recommended for Grades Pre-K-2 

Suggested SOL Connections:

Kindergarten: Music

K.11 

Grade 1: Music

1.5a, 11

Grade 2: Music

2.5a, 11

K-2: ELA

RL: Reading Literary Text 

From the Land of the Free to Lands of Fantasy 

Join  The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and featured members of The U.S. Army Chorus as they celebrate the 250th anniversary year of your U.S. Army and get ready for the 250th anniversary of America! You'll hear rousing patriotic music and favorites you're sure to recognize from "Wicked" and "Harry Potter.” This performance is in collaboration with George Mason University's Veterans and the Arts Initiative and the Education Initiative at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.

Approximate Run Time: 60 minutes

Recommended for Grades 6-12 

Suggested SOL Connections:

Grade 6: General Music

6.5, 6, 7, 11

Middle School Beginning Instrumental

MIB.3, 5, 6, 7, 11 

Middle School Intermediate Instrumental

MII.3, 5, 6, 7, 11

Middle School Advanced Instrumental

MIAD.3, 5, 6, 7, 11

High School Instrumental Beginning

HIB.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11

High School instrumental Intermediate

HII.3, 4, 6, 7, 11 

High School instrumental Advanced 

HIAD.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 

High School instrumental Artist

HIAR.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 

“Jamming on the Job,” the hit podcast from PBS Kids, turns into an interactive live show! Christina, Andrés, and Pierce Freelon (BoomBox) love traveling but – yikes! They hit a few roadblocks along the way. Young audiences get to learn about all sorts of helpers with cool careers, armed with the skills to solve problems and save the day. With fun visuals and catchy, original songs, this performance explores the world of work. Young audiences and families will jam while they learn about jobs and mindsets that can help us be successful, no matter what we do. Picture yourself in the future with jobs like Fire Manager, Wind Turbine Service Technician, Airport Operations Manager, and more!

Approximate Run Time: 50 minutes

Recommended for Grades K-2 

Suggested SOL Connections:

Kindergarten: Music

K.5, 9, 11

Grade 1: Music

1.5, 9, 11 

Grade 2: Music

2.5, 9, 11

Career Development (From Standards for School Counseling Programs)

EC1.  Understand the concepts of job and career, 

EC3.  Understand the relationship of individual effort, hard work and persistence to achievement, 

EC4.  Understand the importance of teamwork in working towards a common goal,

Aquila Theatre returns with a Sherlock Holmes favorite, The Hound of the Baskervilles, adapted from the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This NY-based company, with origins in London, is one of the foremost producers of classical theater in the United States. Recognized by the National Endowment for the Humanities as a company of distinctive cultural significance in traditional British performance, Aquila merges artists from the UK and USA to bring to life some of our most recognized and beloved stories for today's audiences. This new and suspenseful production promises to be both thrilling and rip-roaringly hilarious. Be prepared to cling to the edge of your seat one moment and laugh aloud the next in this fast-paced fun-filled mystery. You may even get the chance to get in on the act and help solve the case! 

Aquila Theatre Guided Tours performances serve not as a condensed version of the play but rather as an educational performance meant to guide the student audience through the play’s key scenes. The actors break the convention of the “fourth wall” and speak directly to the audience to introduce main characters, themes, fun facts, and a demonstration of how actors double in roles while performing a series of selected scenes. Between scenes, actors give brief explanations of how the story unfolds so a narrative is understood. These scenes are acted out in full costume, often with the full set and props used for an actual performance. 

Approximate Run Time: 60 minutes

Recommended for Grades 6-12 

Suggested SOL Connections:

Grade 6: Theatre Arts

6.3, 5, 11 

Grade 7: Theatre Arts

7.3, 5, 11

Grade 8: Theatre Arts

8.3, 11

High School: Theatre I

TI.3, 4 

High School: Theatre II

TII.3, 4, 11 

High School: Theatre III

TIII. 3, 4, 11

High School: Theatre IV

TIV.3 

Grade 6-12: English 

RL – Reading Literary Text

Can We Dance Here?

A multicultural, all-female trio based in the rhythms of tap, flamenco, and kathak classical Indian dance, Soles of Duende are on a lifelong mission to elevate the joy of collaboration and connection through dance and music. Comprising Puerto Rican American Amanda Castro (tap), Mexican-American Arielle Rosales (flamenco), and South Asian American Brinda Guha (kathak), Soles of Duende is a 2023 Bessie Award nominee that “offers just the kind of art we need right now” (Dance Magazine). The trio uses dance and music to highlight their connection amidst their beautiful differences to uplift the forms they each champion. The performance reminds us that history is never linear, and our intertwined pasts continue to reveal themselves through the rhythms we share.

Approximate Run Time: 60 Minutes

Recommended for Grades 6-12 

Suggested SOL Connections:

Grade 6: Music

6.11 

Grade 7: Music

7.6, 11

Grade 8: Music

8.6, 11

High School Music (Grades 9-12)

HM.6, 11 

High School: Dance I 

DI.3, 4, 5, 6 

High School: Dance II

DII.3, 4, 6 

High School: Dance III

DIII.3, 4, 6, 11 

High School: Dance IV

DIV.3, 4, 6, 11

High School World Geography:

WG.15

Two-time Grammy Award winner Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats  perform a swingin’ interactive and multilingual concert that is sure to make “adults and children alike smile” (New York Family)! Led by Kalantari, the group has been featured on PBS Kids Jam and can often be found topping the charts on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live. Raised in the Dominican Republic, Lucy and friends write songs in English and Spanish to promote accessibility for broader audiences and inspire families to learn about other cultures. Scat and snap along with Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats!

Approximate Run Time: 50 minutes

Recommended for Grades K-4

Suggested SOL Connections:

Kindergarten: Music

K.4, 6, 9, 11

Grade 1: Music

1.4, 5, 6, 9, 11 

Grade 2: Music

2.4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11

Grade 3: Music

3.3, 5, 6, 7, 11 

Grade 4: Music

4.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11

Written by Billy Aronson; lyrics by Kevin Del Aguila; music by Brad Alexander 
Based on the book by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Betsy Lewin

Based on the Caldecott Award-winning book by Doreen Cronin with pictures by Betsy Lewin, this family musical will enchant fans of the beloved story. No more milk and eggs... the cows and hens are on strike! Will Farmer Brown give in to the animals’ demands? Find out in this hilariously moo-ving musical about negotiation and compromise.

Recommended for Grades Pre-K-2 

Suggested SOL Connections:

Kindergarten: Music

K.11 

Grade 1: Music

1.5, 11

Grade 2: Music

2.5, 11

K-2: ELA

RL: Reading Literary Text