Know Before You Go: Arts Break

Welcome to Know Before You Go—a blog series to help prepare you and your family for your next big adventure at the New Victory Theater. In this installment, we’re talking about New Victory Arts Break!

Getting ready for a New Victory show? Stop! It’s Arts Break time. New Victory Arts Break videos and activities are designed to have you ready and raring for showtime before you even leave home. Take a look:

1. What is New Victory Arts Break? How do I use it?

To get your family ready for the story, characters and art forms you’ll see on stage, New Victory Arts Break activities include short videos here on our website—look for them on Instagram and TikTok, too—plus written guides with clear instructions, important show facts and pre-show conversation starters, all designed to make prepping your kids for showtime fun and easy. Here’s the format:

• Did You Know? Learn a few key things about the show and watch a video trailer.
• Try It Out! Watch the Arts Break video, where Siobhan from New Victory Education demonstrates a skill or creates something artistic inspired by the show that you can do from home.
• Talk About It! Get in the show mindset with approachable conversation starters.

1.  

2. When should I watch the Arts Break video?

We post Arts Break videos and activities about a week before the first performance of every show. Earlier is better for some kids, especially if they want to return to an activity for repeat fun! Younger kids might get the most out of these activities the day before or the morning of the show. 

Talk About It! conversation starters are best done closer to showtime—on your way to the theater, or even in your seat after you’ve gotten your fill of pre-show lobby activities. You can save them for after the show, too! Sheets with additional reflection questions for post-show chatting will be available in the lobby.

Arts Break activities are also just as much fun after the show, plus we have a whole back catalog of activities and videos to explore for at-home creative playtime anytime.

1.  
2.  

3. Why take the time?

For young (or first-time!) theatergoers, taking a little time to get familiar with the show builds excitement, gets the wheels turning, and sets the stage for a smoother and more memorable experience. What’s more, our research shows that engaging with the show’s themes and art forms beforehand increases the show’s overall impact, sparking creativity, nurturing curiosity and building empathy at higher rates! What better place to start that than at home?

Now that you know the ins and outs of New Victory Arts Break activities, you and your family are set up for theatergoing success. We’ll see you at the next show!