Family valued 8.11.04

Stompin’ at the Planetarium

When Princess Diaries
2 opens this week, there will finally be a G-rated movie playing in town.
Two weeks ago, the fact that there wasn’t infuriated us when we tried to take a
mess of kids under 10 to a movie. Good thing we
remembered Pulse: A
Stomp Odyssey, playing at the StrasenburghPlanetarian at RMSC. It’s actually been there for a couple
of months, and I’ll bet you haven’t been yet. What’s up with that?

            From the
opening scene of the Stomp cast members jamming on boxes out the windows of a
tenement set, everyone in our crowd — ages 2 to 38 — was completely
enthralled. The idea is that the Stomp folks play a bit, then
pass us off to another part of the world, where we see and hear their
influences. The premise might be thin, but the edits are clever and the pace
is, well, pulse-pounding.

            Not a
single scene even approaches dullness, from the spectacular quintet of master
drummers in Les Percussions de Guinée to the
Winchester Cathedral Bellringers to the Stomp guys on
bicycles. In the planetarium, the drumming, dancing, and mouth percussion quite
literally surrounds you. The virtuosic moments — notably Indian tabla player Shafaatullah Khan
and Spanish flamenco dancer Eva Yerbabuena — will
astonish even the most jaded in the crowd.

            Pulse has several shows every day of the
week, is free for RMSC members ($7 adults, $5 children non-members), and runs
less than an hour. You’ve got till the end of November; don’t miss it.

— Adam Wilcox

THIS WEEK FOR FAMILIES:

Arts in Action for TweensAug 16-20. For 10- to 12-year-olds, HochsteinSchool, 454-4596, www.hochstein.org

Brighton Memorial Library Drop-in storytimes: Mondays, toddlers, 10:30 a.m.; Mondays, preschoolers, 11:30 a.m., Thursdays, families, 7 p.m. | 2300 Elmwood Ave. 784-5300

City Summer Kids Club
Mon-Fri through Sept 3. For ages 6-10, various recreation centers, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $50 per week. 428-6767,
www.cityofrochester.gov

Cool Kids Thurs,
Aug 12: Empty Hats, 7-9 p.m. | Fri,
Aug 13: Blarney Blast, 7-8 p.m. | SagawaPark, Main
and Erie Sts, Brockport. Free.
637-3984

ECO
Camp Mon-Fri, Aug 16-20. For kids grades 6-8, Tinker Nature
Park/Hansen Nature Center, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
$50. 461-1000

Henrietta
Public Library toddler storytime, Wed, Aug 11, 10:30-11 a.m. | preschool storytime, Thurs, Aug 12, 11-11:30 a.m. | American Red Cross babysitter training, Tues, Aug 17, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. $30. | Summer celebration, Fri, Aug 13, 2 p.m. | 455 Calkins Rd. 359-7093

Kids
Café Mon-Thurs through Aug 19.Meal program for
kids up to age 17, Church of Love Faith Center, 700 Exchange St, 11:30
a.m.-1 p.m.

Kids Club Mon-Fri,
Aug 16-20. For kids grades K-5, St. Mark’s and St. John’s,
1245 Culver Rd, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $25. 654-9229

Kids Safety Day Wed,
Aug 18. ID cards, Eckerd Drug, 550 Stone Rd, Greece, 2-7 p.m. 242-0900

Make Your Own SundaeGarden Party Sun, Aug 15. SonenbergMansions, 151
Charlotte St, Canandaigua, 3-5 p.m. $8.50

RMSC
Strasenburgh Planetarium657 East Ave.A Trip to Saturn and Pluto: 1 p.m. Mon-Sat; Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey: 2, 3, 4 p.m. Mon-Sat; 11 a.m. Tues-Fri; 8 and 9 p.m.
Sat; I See the Sky: 9:30 a.m. Sat; The Sky Tonight: 10:30 a.m.
Sat; The Beatles in Laser Light: 10 p.m. Sat. Reserve seats. Tix:
$4-$7. 271-1880

Rochester Museum and Science Center657
East Ave. Challenger Center, Sat, Aug 14, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $14, $11 kids. | Surprise! It’s Science, through May
2005. | Rochester’s Frederick Douglass,
through January 2006. | Live Science! demos and
theater, 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m.
Mon-Fri. Wed 2 p.m. show
sign-interpreted. | Ongoing exhibits include: AdventureZone, Carlson Inquiry Room, At the Western Door. | Hours: Mon-Sat 9
a.m.-5 p.m., Sun 12-5 p.m.Tix: $5-$7. 271-1880, www.rmsc.org.

SenecaPark Zoo 2222 St Paul St. BugZoo, through Wed, Aug 18. | In Praise of Predators, Sat,
Aug 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Penguin
Awareness Day, Sat, Aug 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
| Common Folk Singers performance, Sun, Aug 14, 3
p.m. | Hours: daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Tix: $5, $4 seniors, $2
kids. 467-9453, www.senecazoo.org.

Seussical the MusicalThurs-Sat, Aug 12-14.Pittsford
Summer Enrichment Institute, MendonHigh School,
Rte 64, Pittsford, 7:30
p.m. Thurs-Sat, 2 p.m. Sat. $8.
218-1185

Springdale Farm Camps Advanced farm camp and Springdale
camp for kids, various dates in August. 352-5320, www.springdalefarm.org

Strong
Museum1 Manhattan Square. Long-term exhibits include National Toy Hall of Fame,Can You Tell
Me How To Get To Sesame Street?andSuper
Kids Market. Hours: Mon-Thurs 10 a.m.-5 p.m.;
Fri 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun 12-5 p.m.Tix: $7; $6 seniors,
students; $5 children. 263-2700

Summer
Food Service Program Free lunch and breakfast for kids under 18, Mon-Fri,
various sites. Call for registration and info. 428-7872, 325-1440

Twilight Campfire
Tales Thurs, Aug 12. Stone-Tolan House, 2370 East
Ave, flashlight tour and games, 7:15 p.m., stories, 8:15 p.m. $6 adults, $3
kids. 546-7029, www.landmarksociety.org

Volunteers of America
Universal Pre-K Programs Openings available, for 4- and 5-yr-olds, free to
city residents, 100 State St or 214 Lake Ave, 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 647-1344,
263-3103

Through the past darkly with some stones

Are your kids begging to see the new horror movie The Village? Mine sure are. I’ve told
them they can see it. After they complete an exhaustive study of its
19th-century American setting, that is.

            We’ll get
started Thursday, August 12, at the Sixth Annual Twilight Campfire Tales at the
Stone-TolanHouseMuseum.
It’s sponsored by The Landmark Society of Western New York, so you know it’ll
be a classy experience.

            This event
is perfect for American Girl and Little House on the Prairie enthusiasts.
Sure, the Stone-Tolan House, located at 2370
East Avenue, is a far cry from the prairie. But I
for one appreciate the convenience. And the authenticity can’t be beat.

            The evening
starts at 7:15 p.m., with an hour of
pioneer lawn and table games and a fun flashlight tour of the Stone-Tolan House. You’re invited to bring a flashlight from home
to help shed some light on the past.

            Next, a
costumed storyteller will spin tales by a campfire in the orchard.
Lantern-bearing guides will make sure everyone is seated safely on bales of
straw. Remember to BYOB (bring your own blanket) for extra comfort.

            After the
stories, enjoy light refreshments in the barn. If you want heavy refreshments,
stay in the 21st century and load up on some of those carbs
everyone’s shunning like poor Hester Prynne.

            Advance
ticket purchase is recommended. Tickets are $6 (adults) and $3 (children).
Members are $5 and $2.50. For more information call 546-7029 or go to www.landmarksociety.org

— Linda Kostin (www.junkstorecowgirl.com)

This article appears in Aug 11-17, 2004.