Best Off Broadway shows for kids and families

You've heard of merch for musicals; here comes a musical for merch! In Michael David Lee and David L. Tolley's inspired by the logo of the children's apparel brand Mr. Puppy, Joseph Keegan plays a venturesome toy dog—toy as in stuffed, not as in breed—who escapes the store shelf to explore the world beyond. The world premiere is directed and choreographed by Legs Diamond survivor Jonathan S. Cerullo; the multiculti cast also includes Jamiel T. Burkhart, Anja Vasa, Beatriz Coronel and Mariko Kai. 

Mischief Theatre’s long-running slapstick farce finds six amateur British actors (and two crew members who get pressed into service onstage) trying to perform a hackneyed whodunnit amid challenges that escalate from minor mishaps to bona fide medical emergencies and massive structural calamities. Kids with a taste for zany comedy will be rolling in the aisles. Ages 10 and up. 

Husband and wife duo Fan and Ana Yang have traveled world-wide to dazzle their audiences with their self-titled masterpiece, "bubble artistry." As lights flicker and music plays, prepare to catch some of the wonkiest looking bubbles you've ever encountered. Kids and parents alike will love how these soapy spectacles create a can't-miss experience. Ages 5 and up.

For more than two decades, this proudly old-school series is heir to the vaudeville tradition. Many of the acts incorporate comedic elements, and audience participation is common; kids make especially adorable assistants. You get a lot of value and variety for your magic dollar, and in contrast to some fancier magic shows, this one feels like comfort food: an all-you-can-eat buffet to which you’re encouraged to return until you’re as stuffed as a hat full of rabbits. Ages 6 and up.

On select weekend afternoons in the theater district, veteran magic men Jim Vines and Carl Mercurio perform a comedic set of tricks and illusions that is especially tailored to delight young audiences—though the rest of the family is likely to enjoy it, too. And at just $25 a ticket, this is a surprisingly affordable Times Square outing for a larger group. Ages 6 and up.