Events for Children in NYC This Week

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Our guide to cultural events in New York City for families with children and teenagers.

‘BEFORE THE SUN AND MOON’ at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine The artist and director Ralph Lee may present some rather dark work — consider his annual Procession of the Ghouls at Halloween — but he also fills his family productions with light. His latest, an adaptation of a Korean folk tale, explains how the luminous orbs in its title came to be. Featuring Mr. Lee’s signature masks and enormous puppets, the show, performed in the cathedral’s garden by his Mettawee Theater Company, relates the adventures of Kungsan and Myeoung, whose love is thwarted when a rival suitor tricks Kungsan. Stranded on an island, he finds his way back only after a crane rewards him for saving her chicks. Reunited through some subterfuge of their own, the couple finally become the sun and moon spirits. Written by Kristine Haruna Lee (not related to Mr. Lee), with original music by Neal Kirkwood, the production itself will unfold under the stars, Friday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m. (The rain location is Synod Hall.)
212-929-4777, mettawee.org

CAMPFIRE CONVERSATIONS FOR KIDS: ‘BEING BRAVE’ at Lefferts Historic House (Sept. 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m.). A campfire is often a place for telling spooky stories, but not this one: All the discussion will be about courage and confidence. Acknowledging that going back to school can be scary as well as exciting, the Prospect Park Alliance and the Brooklyn Public Library have created this free program (a donation is suggested) at Lefferts, the 18th-century house museum in Prospect Park. The storyteller Tammy Hall and the musician Lucy Kalantari (of Lucy and the Jazz Cats) will lend their talents to the occasion, at which children will learn how to build an outdoor fire, how to make s’mores and, most important, how to face challenges with a positive attitude. (An online R.S.V.P. is requested.)
718-789-2822,
prospectpark.org/lefferts

GO FISH! FEATURING DAN ZANES AND FRIENDS in Wagner Park (Sept. 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). It’s hard to say what will excite children more: landing the fish they’ll find in the Hudson or catching the rollicking tunes of the Grammy-winning Dan Zanes and his compatriots. This free event, presented by Battery Park City Authority, revolves around catch-and-release fishing, in which the quarry is caught with barbless hooks and returned to the river after observation. Young mariners, who will learn about local ecology, can also go on a bird-watching tour at 11 a.m. and take part in an art workshop to make musical instruments from recycled materials. Those will come in handy at noon, when Mr. Zanes and his fellows will entertain with classic hits and songs from their latest album, “Lead Belly, Baby!”
212-267-9700, bpcparks.org

‘LUPIN THE 3RD: THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO’ (Sept. 14 and 19, 7 p.m.). A dashing thief, an evil count, a princess in distress — this animated adventure has them all, but even more important, it has the talents of Hayao Miyazaki, the extraordinary Japanese filmmaker, who made his feature debut with this title in 1979. The comedy-drama, which is not for small children — it has violence and mild profanity, with a PG-13 rating — has never before been released nationwide in the United States. A caper involving a wily hero and an abundance of counterfeit cash, the film will be presented in select theaters by Fathom Events in both its dubbed version (Thursday) and in Japanese with English subtitles (Sept. 19).
fathomevents.com

PAPER-ART WORKSHOP FOR ROSH HASHANA at Yeshiva University Museum (Sept. 10, 1:30-4 p.m.). Marna Chester views paper the way some artists view clay or marble: as a sculptural material. In this family program, intended for the visually impaired as well as for those with normal sight, Ms. Chester will teach techniques that will help participants create two- and three-dimensional greeting cards for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. To help inspire young artists, this Manhattan museum will show historical cards from its own collection.
212-294-8330, yumuseum.org

‘POPUPMANIA!’ at Brooklyn Expo Center (Sept. 10, 1 p.m.). The Brooklyn Antiquarian Book Fair may focus on old books, but it is certainly not just for old people. On Sunday the collector Ellen G. K. Rubin, known as the Pop-up Lady (she specializes in pop-up books), will present a reading of a pop-up version of “The Three Little Pigs.” It will be followed, at 1:30, by “Cut, Fold & Repeat,” a workshop at which the children’s author and illustrator Matthew Reinhart, himself a master of pop-up books, will show how to make three-dimensional objects and characters from paper. You could say that the fair, which runs Friday evening through Sunday, is also where the Wild Things are: In its new Works on Paper section, it offers “The Magical World of Maurice Sendak,” a show and sale of original work by those creatures’ celebrated creator.
brooklynbookfair.com

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