Family concerts, shows the topic of my Wednesday TV segment

We have a good number of family shows coming up in the next couple of months, including the Christmas shows that I wrote about earlier. (Add to that Theatre in the Park's "A Christmas Carol." Tickets are now on sale). 

Also now on sale: The Laurie Berkner Band stops at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts in Raleigh for an 11 a.m., Feb. 28, show. Tickets now are on sale to see this long-time leader in children's and family music. I have a Q&A with Berkner today.

WRAL-TV's own Elizabeth Gardner will team up with the N.C. Symphony for The Snowman at 3 p.m., Nov. 26, which is the day before Thanksgiving. Gardner will narrate the performance of this children's story.

This weekend, Raleigh Dance Theatre will present its annual Storybook Tales, a less expensive way to expose kids to ballet. It's at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts in Raleigh. The pre-professional program features young dancers performing in pieces based on books such as "Alice in Wonderland" and "Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet." Robin Preiss Glasser, the illustrator behind the Fancy Nancy books, will be at all performances to personalize books purchased through Raleigh Dance Theatre. This performance, which lasts about 90 minutes and has one intermission, is best for ages 3 and up and their families. Performances are at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday, and 3 p.m., Sunday. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 on the day of.

The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, long a home for up-and-coming family artists, will host Farmer Jason on Nov. 29. on the weekend after Thanksgiving when many of us are looking for something to do. He is a considered a pioneer of modern Americana and alt-country, who now is focusing primarily on his family music. His concert is part of The ArtCenter's SuperFun series which also includes critically acclaimed family acts such as Elska and Gustafer Yellowgold this season. Check my earlier post for details.

"Mirandy and Brother Wind" continues at the Raleigh Little Theatre through Nov. 16. Read my earlier feature of Maya Hamer, a Enloe High School senior and cast member, and her mom to learn more about this family show.

And the Durham Performing Arts Center has some family shows coming up as well. They include "Cinderella," which opens Nov. 18. Tickets are available for this, but parents should know that the performance is only for ages 6 and up. And "Annie" opens Dec. 9. Tickets are very limited for this one.