Saturday Morning Live @ The National Theatre

Saturday Morning Live is a free, educational theater program for children ages 3—6 and their families. The theme of their 2024-2025 season is Beyond Borders: What Brings Us Together?

Celebrating diversity, these live performances will spark imagination and a love of theatre arts. Live shows range from ballet, puppets, and dance to Funkadelic music and storytelling. Each explores courage, connection, and acceptance.

Saturday Morning Live tickets are always free; find them here as they are released, and choose from 2 show times for each performance.

Upcoming performances include:

- - Feb 8, 2025
    Wawa Aba: Toughness & Perseverance
    Taratibu Youth Association, a performing arts program for African American youth, shares inspiring performances that teach resilience, history, and culture. Presented by Taratibu Youth Association in the Helen Hayes Gallery.
  - Mar 8, 2025
    Groovy Nate
    Groovy Nate delivers a fun and educational experience with his unique blend of exotic instruments, comedy, and puppetry, combining learning with entertainment. Performed by Grammy-nominated Groovy Nate in the Helen Hayes Gallery.
  - Apr 5, 2025
    Paper Dreams
    This enchanting performance imagines two friends who live inside a wastepaper basket, discovering the wonders and creativity hidden in crumpled paper. Presented by Imagination Stage on the Mainstage.
  - May 10, 2025
    Silly Smarts
    Ali Oliver-Krueger blends stories from her Japanese-American childhood with traditional Japanese tales in this delightful, east-meets-west storytelling series. Presented by InterAct Story Theatre in the Helen Hayes Gallery.
  - Jun 14, 2025
    A New Work
    Returning favorites, VOCA presents a brand-new play showcasing culturally unique works by Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Black, Indigenous, and People of Color artists. Presented by Visionaries of the Creative Arts in the Helen Hayes Gallery.

THESE EVENTS HAVE PASSED:

- - Jan 11, 2025
    Bixby the Cat
    Geared toward toddlers, “Bixby the Cat” is a gentle and engaging My First Theater Experience, where Bixby learns valuable life lessons through a series of fun adventures. Presented by The Puppet Co. in the Helen Hayes Gallery.
  - Dec 14, 2024
    Happy Birthday, Mon Ami
    In this winner of a 2024 Jim Henson Foundation grant, class, cultures, and expectations collide as Jacques’ American cousin Sam visits Paris for a birthday celebration. Performed by Alex and Olmsted in the Helen Hayes Gallery.
  - Nov 9, 2024
    Grandma’s Stories from the Animal People
    Award-winning storyteller Dovie Thomason, of Native and Scot Traveller descent, shares intertribal animal stories that explore the “what” and “why” questions about the Earth and its animal children. Performed by Dovie Thomason in the Helen Hayes Gallery.
  - Oct 12, 2024
    Shake Your Bones!
    In this playful and highly interactive presentation, Cantaré introduces preschool and kindergarten audiences to Latin America’s songs, rhythms, and instruments. Performed by Cantaré in the Helen Hayes Gallery.
  - Sep 14, 2024
    Don Quixote
    Embark on dreamy adventures across Spain in ballet’s most famous romantic comedy, all in a kid-friendly format designed to introduce your child to the world of ballet. Performed by the Virginia Ballet Company on the Mainstage.