Just because you’re stuck at home during the COVID-19 shutdown doesn’t mean you can’t explore the greater world. Here’s a sampling of family-friendly shows, concerts, activities and more streaming over the next several weeks.
BATS Improv Online Shows: This San Francisco-based improv group will stream free shows each week to bring a little improv magic into homes via Zoom. At 7:30 p.m. on the night of each show, click the link next to the show you want to see to connect to the BATS virtual theater. www.improv.org/online-shows/
Bay Area Children’s Theatre Creativity Corner: This virtual “playborhood” offers kids stories that unfold via video, plus follow-up activities they can do on their own, inspired by the make-believe they’ve seen. Parents can submit their children’s creations to BACT, which is planning to share examples online. https://bactheatre.org
Beat the Lock Escape Room: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Solve a virtual escape room with your friends via an audio/video call and live feed that lets you play by instructing a game master to search for clues. $25. www.beatthelock.com
Bringing BADM to You: Bay Area Discovery Museum offers a series of fun, engaging learning experiences to enjoy as a family. Explore three different themes — science and math, body and brain and talk and play — designed to develop skills for children to succeed in school and life. Within each theme, you’ll find both step-by-step videos and activities with written-out instructions. https://bayareadiscoverymuseum.org/bringing-badm-to-you
Broadcast Platform, Marshstream: 7:30 p.m. nightly. Programming varies by night with offerings including short performances, book/writer discussions, sing alongs, storytelling, game nights and more. Find more information at: www.themarsh.org.
18 Reasons Cooking School: Check out a slate of new online classes. You may not have everything listed in the equipment and shopping list, but instructors will give you guidance on how to adapt their recipes to what you have access to. Learn new recipes and techniques. https://18reasons.org/
Festival Napa Valley’s Remote Ensemble Project: This virtual performance of the “Va, Pensiero” chorus from Verdi’s opera “Nabucco” features instrumentalists and singers from 26 states, eight countries and five continents. They represent two dozen orchestras, ensembles, opera companies and music conservatories, such as the Juilliard School, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and San Francisco Opera Orchestra. The performance can be seen on Festival Napa Valley’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/jHV9wLvNYxA
Full Moon Fridays — Live Cabaret Series: 8 p.m. Fridays. Featuring live cabaret style performances. https://www.facebook.com/42ndStreetMoon/
Funkmode Dance Studio Digital Workouts: Offering free dance videos, including breakdance, hip hop, youth dance party and more. Find the videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/FUNKMODE
Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Sheltering Music: 7:30 p.m. June 1. A concert of duets and solos selected by the chamber ensemble musicians that can be practiced and performed in the shelter of one’s home. Classic works from Beethoven, Blavet and Robert Schumann will be performed along with contemporary pieces by Elliott Carter, Veronika Krausas, Jörg Widmann and others. The program will be streamed live from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and musicians’ homes. Find details at www.leftcoastensemble.org.
Livermore Shakes Educates: A Shakespeare resource webpage for kids and parents, this is an extension of the company’s “So Wise So Young” program for second, third and fourth graders. http://livermoreshakes.org/educates/
Magical Bridge Foundation Virtual Concerts and Sing-A-Longs: Enjoy free family-friendly, multigenerational and sensory-friendly shows at noon daily on the Magical Bridge Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pg/MagicalBridge/events/
Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center 2020 Art & Writing Challenge: Middle and high school students in Contra Costa County are invited to submit visual art (any medium), creative writing and essays on the topic of “Our Connected Planet.” No fee. http://tinyurl.com/mdpjc-artandwriting2020
National Geographic Live Backstage: 10 a.m. Wednesdays through May 27. Meet and interact with National Geographic Explorers streaming live from their homes around the world. The lineup includes underwater photographer Brian Skerry, photographer and filmmaker Bertie Gregory, Egyptologist Kara Cooney, wildlife filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade, and carnivore ecologist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. www.hammertheatre.com
National Theatre At Home: 4 p.m. select Sundays through May. Featuring comedies and dramas filmed during performances in London’s West End, with a new show released each week. Live online post-show discussions moderated by a San Jose State faculty member. An announcement with viewing instructions and details on the post-show discussion will be sent out by email on Thursdays, and can also be found at www.hammertheatre.com.
Opera San Jose — Free Live Stream of Idomeneo, Re Di Creta: Featuring a cast of 73 singers, with 41 chorus members, 14 ballet dancers, 180 Cretan costumes and an elaborate three-story-high set inspired by Crete’s ancient history. Idomeneo will be available to stream on www.operasj.org, through May 18.
Randall Museum’s Bug Month Online: Through the month of May. Celebrate bugs at home with hands-on, insect-inspired science and art activities, games, demonstrations and more. There will be a new bug-related theme each week. Free. Facebook: www.facebook.com/randallmuseum/. Instagram: www.instagram.com/randallmuseum/. YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCBufFN_Upugd5xQGc-msKZA
Ruth Bancroft Garden & Nursery: Weekly online classes and content for you to enjoy. Prices vary. https://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/events/
School of Rock Remote Lessons: School of Rock is a performance-based music school for ages 5 to adult. Learn to play drums, guitar, keyboard, bass guitar and vocals by putting on seasonal rock shows. The school is offering a combination of one-on-one remote lessons and access to master classes on music theory, songwriting, instrument exploration and genre journeys. Cost varies. schoolofrock.com/sanramon
Sketch Comedy Drop-In Writers Room: 3-6 p.m. Saturdays through May 23. Bring in a five-page sketch or a pitch to this virtual writers room and work it out with Peabody Award-winning and four-time Emmy nominated writer and producer Rich Talarico. Student registrations will close at 3 p.m. on the Thursday preceding each session. Registration for auditors will open at 4 p.m. on the Thursday preceding each session. Find more information at www.dragonproductions.net/classes.
Smuin’s Virtual Classes: Dancer of all levels participate in Zoom-based drop-in lessons covering styles from ballet to contemporary, to hip-hop. All classes are “pay what you can”. https://bit.ly/smuinclasses
Square One Yoga: Stay fit and grounded practicing live, interactive yoga. Check out the schedule of classes available at bayareane.ws/2yfH3oc.
TheatreWorks, Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin: Performed live from Florence, Italy, 5 p.m. May 10. This solo show pays tribute to America’s greatest songwriter. Proceeds will benefit TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. $50 per household. www.theatreworks.org
Town Hall Theatre — The Song of the Nightingale Video: Through May 19. A magical, musical romp for the whole family that reminds us that true beauty and worth is always found within. Pay-what-you-can. www.townhalltheatre.com/town-hall-video-archives
