PALACE THEATRE
Sesame Street Live – Elmo Makes Music Feb. 20-22: Jenny the music teacher found her way to Sesame Street, but lost track of her instruments on the way. Fortunately, Elmo, Big Bird, and the rest of Sesame Street’s inhabitants make their own music using rubber duckies, trash-can lids, and cookie jars, teaching kids that with a little resourcefulness, they too can have fun without expensive toys. The musical combines old-time hits like “The Hustle” and “Rockin’ Robin” with Sesame Street classics like “The Alphabet Song” and “C is for Cookie” — and that’s alright with us.
Fri. 10:30 a.m. & 7 p.m., Sat. 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. & 5:30 p.m., Sun. 1 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. $15-$32.
19 Clinton Ave., Albany. 518-465-3334 or www.palacealbany.com
RHINEBECK CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Dog on Fleas Feb. 14: Who needs an entire day of all that lovey-dovey stuff? For the cootie-fearing kid in your life, the 14th of February brings Dog on Fleas, a freewheeling children’s band whose name conjures up images of dirty canines and gross insects, not cute little hearts and Cupid. Dog on Fleas’ upbeat reggae-calypso numbers are chock-full of creative lyrics and frenzied fun.
11 a.m. $8, $6 children.
661 Rte. 308, Rhinebeck. 845-876-3080 or www.centerforperformingarts.org
BARDAVON OPERA HOUSE
Goodnight Moon & Runaway Bunny Feb. 21: Eleven o’clock in the morning may seem like a strange hour to take in a few bedtime stories, but given the staying power of the popular children’s books on which this one-hour adaptation is based, any time of day should suffice. Goodnight Moon features a young rabbit wishing everyone and everything under the stars a good night, while Runaway Bunny tells the tale of a mother bunny who loves her little one too much to let him leave home. Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia makes the stories come to life using puppets and original music.
11 a.m. $20, $10 under 12.
35 Market St., Poughkeepsie. 845-473-2072 or www.bardavon.org
WESTCHESTER ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTER
Children’s Culinary Class — Dolci di Carnevale Feb. 7: Now that the holidays are over and kids’ toy demands are momentarily satisfied, they’ve likely taken to pleading for their other demand of choice — sweets (Halloween was like a million years ago, after all). Rather than hauling them off to the candy store, though, give them the gift that keeps on giving — a cooking lesson. In this kid-friendly class, professional chefs help participants create the sweet Italian treats pizzelle, chiacchere, and ciambelle, just in time for the pre-Lenten, Mardi Gras-esque festival Carnevale. Mangia! Recommended for children 5-12.
2 p.m. $38, $30 members.
One Generoso Pope Place, Tuckahoe. 914-771-8700 or www.wiccny.org
RIVERSPACE
Casey Carle’s Bubble Time: The Dawn of Undiluted Joy Feb. 1: Who doesn’t love bubbles? Just saying the word is enough to bring a smile to your face. Go ahead, try it — bubbles. See? If you do fancy yourself a bubble lover, check out this 50-minute show, hosted by renowned bubbleologists and Ringling Bros. Clown College graduates Casey Carle and Doug Rougeux. The two veteran entertainers combine theater, music, and vaudeville with — you’ve got it — bubbles. Look out for old standards like the square bubble, the child-in-a-bubble, and — everyone’s favorite — the bubble-in-a-bubble. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
2 p.m. $12, $8 students.
119 Main St., Nyack. 845-348-1880 or www.riverspace.org
ORANGE HALL THEATER
City That Drinks The Mountain Sky Feb. 8: Saugerties-based theater troupe Arm-of-the-Sea uses puppets and masked characters to tell the story of the amazing aqueduct-and-reservoir system used to keep New York City residents hydrated, tracing the drinking water from its source in the Catskills to the nine million people in the Big Apple who need it to survive. While it may not sound like the most likely plot for a family play, this innovative and educational staging has remained popular with Valley audiences for a decade now, and was performed in Central Park on Earth Day 2006.
2 p.m. $8, $4 under 16.
SUNY Orange. 115 South St., Middletown. 845-341-4891 or www.sunyorange.edu/lyceum