As savvy muchachos know, Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer is the number one preschool show on commercial television, and que nice! -- it's bilingual. In each episode of the program, which you might think of as a cross between a Nancy Drew mystery and Que Pasa, USA?, Dora and her friends Boots and Tico the Squirrel embark on a mysterious adventure in their tropical home, inviting viewers to help them solve puzzles and learn Spanish words. This weekend the teeny Latina and her pals come to the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts (1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach) for a musical show called Dora the Explorer Live! -- Search for the City of Lost Toys. During the interactive performance, children and their families can help Dora on her search, and the audience will be encouraged to sing along to songs from the TV program and recite Spanish words along the way -- undoubtedly in the best accents on the show's 32-city tour! The musical runs from Friday, June 27, to Sunday, June 29. Shows take place at 7:00 p.m. Friday, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and a Saturday performance at 5:00 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $25. Call 305-673-7300. -- By Judy Cantor
Monday June 30
Lil' Art Akademy
Kreative whiz kidz lern erly
The furst rool 4 u to lern in art skool iz to brake all rools. At the Muzart Kidz Konnection, yur toddler will get to kraft hiz or her way out of the pre-skul erly educayshun box. Yur little tyke is promissed a hed start in paynting and art and singing and muzik classes. Not only will u get a collection of krazy kool kids finger paintingz, u might jest have the nekst Amerikun Idoll. Its never 2 erly to start, now iz it? The klasses begin at 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at 17096 W. Dick-see Hwy. Admishun iz free. Call 305-609-6045. -- By Juan Carlos Rodriguez
