Fun for adults and fun for kids are not mutually exclusive ideas. With that in mind, there’s plenty to do this month that should keep the tykes entertained and the grown-ups amused, or at least reasonably comfortable. Some of these are even recommended strictly for the young-at-heart.
1. I’m still inclined to give Batman the No. 1 spot, but who doesn’t want to be the world’s second greatest fictional detective? The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes is setting up shop at the Perot Museum this month, giving visitors a chance to solve their own mysteries in a recreation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Victorian London. Period artifacts, publications, props and costumes from more than a century of Sherlock help make this interactive exhibition anything but elementary. Preview days for members are Feb. 12 and 13 before it opens to the public.
2. Cats were held sacred in ancient Egypt, but our feline friends have long since fallen off their exalted perch. The Internet and the accompanying proliferation of LOL cat memes killed off whatever noble standing the species once had. That’s OK with me, because it gives us shows like The Amazing Acro-cats, a traveling circus of cats skateboarding, jumping through hoops, and bounding around in adorable and coordinated fashion.
3. I’ve always been more of a dog person, but cats seem to be winning the battle for young hearts and minds in this country. Skippyjon Jones, the titular Siamese of a series of popular and award-winning children’s books, bridges the eternal cat-dog gap by looking an awful lot like a Chihuahua and keeping the company of canines. The adventures of Skippyjon and co. have been adapted for the stage in a running performance you can catch at the Dallas Children’s Theater.
4. “Mozart and Company” is an original program featuring the Dallas Opera Orchestra at the Winspear. It’s an introduction to Mozart, a child prodigy whose music (allegedly) makes babies smarter. Listening to Mozart probably makes adults smarter too, for that matter. Arts and crafts and other activities are in the lobby before the show.
5. I was sold on Doom McCoy and the Death Nugget the second I heard the title. The play follows a space-faring cowboy as he explores a frontier more wild than the west. It’s a family-friendly affair showing at UTD, and Thursday night performances are free.
