From April 10-26, the Big Umbrella Festival returns with nearly three weeks of free and pay-what-you-can performances, workshops and installations, all tailored for neurodivergent audiences. Big Umbrella, which launched in 2018, was the first large-scale performing arts festival of its kind and it's only grown more ambitious since. This year's edition spans dance, theater, comedy, music, visual art and outdoor installations, welcoming kids, adults, families and first-time arts-goers into spaces designed to be flexible, relaxed and judgment-free.
The Friday night dance party is geared toward older kids and teens and takes place at the David Rubenstein Atrium at 7:30 pm. It's a DJ-led dance party with music by DJ Gia Fu, set in a loud, high-energy, standing-room environment, and is best suited for teens who enjoy music and dancing. If you have younger children with early bedtimes, skip this and save your energy for Sunday.
The show, which has built a downtown following through sold-out runs at The Paradise Factory in past years, reimagines Clara's journey as a downtown-meets-uptown fever dream set in performer Pearls Daily's first New York apartment on Christmas Eve in Harlem. Cabaret, burlesque, comedy, dance and original shadow puppetry all come out to play in the 90-minute spectacular that's guided-sometimes gently, sometimes not-by Tchaikovsky's score.
