Awkward Stage

Wednesday July 9

School’s out. Yee haw! If kids aren’t avidly studying to retake their FCAT or getting a taste of the real world by working at a full-time job (like Mom and Dad!), what’s to keep them from knocking over convenience stores during the dog days of summer? The Miami Children’s Theater, that’s what. The local troupe of thespians welcomes kiddies and young adults between the ages of 8 and 21 who want to participate in full-scale productions and perform all over town. Works have run the gamut from TV takeoffs (The Beverly Hillbillies) to Shakespearean classics (Much Ado About Nothing) to bombastic Broadway belt fests (Les Miserables). Chicago and Grease will be on the playbill soon. But for two days this month and next, variety adds a little spice to the life of MCT members when they offer their Summer Blowout Stage Extravaganza. See David Blaines-in-training mesmerize with magic tricks, junior Jane Krakowskis dazzle in dance numbers, and baby Bernadette Peterses croon catchy tunes. — By Nina Korman

The Miami Children’s Theater Summer Blowout Stage Extravaganza takes place at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Coral Gables Youth Center (405 University Dr) and Thursday, July 10, at the Mary Anne Wolfe Theater, FIU Biscayne Bay Campus (3000 NE 151st St, North Miami). Admission is free. Call 305-233-2206.

Thursday July 3

Since when is a playground surrounded by a shark-filled moat? When the Miami Seaquarium (4400 Rickenbacker Cswy.) unleashes its new Salty’s Pirate Playground, as part of its splashtacular summer. Kids ages 5 to 12 can board the split-level, 31-foot pirate ship and tackle its booty — water blasters, punch bags, a spiral slide, and a cargo net. Or they can entertain themselves in two play areas, featuring a possibly politically incorrect inflatable killer whale slide. While kids revel in the fun, parents can chill at Salty’s picnic area. Playground-goers can take the splashtacular summer online by signing up for the Seaquarium’s Kids’ Club (kids.miamiseaquarium.com), offering games, downloads, contests, and discounts. Admission ranges from $19 to $24. Call 305-361-5705. — By Leah Gliniewicz