ADD A DASH OF DRAMA

Costumed storytellers can be a hit with younger children. The Broadwaykids & Company School of Performing Arts in Niantic hosts birthday parties which include an hour of fun learning— singing, dancing and/or acting that accompanies the party’s theme. And you can arrange for Cinderella or Belle (FromDisney’s “Beauty and The Beast”) to make an appearance. The cost is around $200 for up to 15 children, and families bring the refreshments, paper goods and decorations.

Themes from Broadway include “Wicked,” “Hairspray,” and “The Lion King,” and the company offers general themes as well: princesses and pirates, 50’s Sock Hop, Hip Hop, American Girl, Dress Up Tea Parties and others. Visit www.broadwaykidsandcompany.com to learn more.

The Connecticut Storytelling Center in New London provides a directory of local storytellers online at www.connstorycenter.org. There you’ll find a diversity of published authors, musicians, award-winning artists and voice actors. There are folks who specialize in humor, poetry, legends and myths, science, games and puppetry; as well as African, AfricanAmerican, Cuban, Kurdish, Jewish and Irish folktales.

One note: Not every storyteller listed is available for parties so check the artist’s full profile before you make a call.

Some sites provide paper goods, cutlery and small gifts for your guests. Find out in advance what your party package includes. Also find out how many parents/supervisors the site expects you to have on hand. Some area fire laws prohibit the lighting of indoor candles in these venues, so plan accordingly. And tell your guests to wear comfortable clothing.