http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/19/arts/spare-times-for-children-for-dec-19-25.html 2014-12-19 20:58:12 Spare Times for Children for Dec. 19-25 A selected guide to cultural events for children, teenagers and families in New York City. === ‘Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas’ Trying to persuade small children that the holidays are more about giving than getting can be harder than commuting in New York the morning after a two-foot snowfall. Certain stage productions often try to teach the point, especially those starring either Scrooge or the Grinch. But families shouldn’t overlook another theatrical messenger, one who might seem the least likely to extol the season’s simpler pleasures: Fancy Nancy. The petite heroine of Fortunately, there’s more to Nancy than her airs, and much more to “ In the show, Nancy longs for an elaborate top ornament for her family’s Christmas tree and holds a tag sale to earn the cash to buy it. Her little sister, JoJo, falls in love with an old rhinestone necklace at the sale, and later becomes convinced that Nancy will give it to her for Christmas. But Nancy has already sold it to purchase the ornament. Spurred by filial devotion and a guilty conscience, she tries frantically to undo the mess. Two young women play the siblings. Kaitlyn Sage gives a spirited performance as Nancy, but her fanciness is often no match for Gabrielle Petrosino’s feistiness. As JoJo, Ms. Petrosino (far left, with, from left, Taylor Coriell, Nicholas Carroll and Ms. Sage) steals the show with “No No JoJo,” a jazzy solo. Delivered during JoJo’s timeout for misbehavior, it turns the audience members into sympathetic confidants. You want her to get her way, showy ornament be damned. Not surprisingly, everyone learns the true meaning of the holiday. But what makes “Splendiferous Christmas” winning is that it dares to be a little naughty as well as nice. (Through Jan. 4 at the McGinn/Cazale Theater, 2162 Broadway, at 76th Street, fourth floor, 212-579-0528, For Children ‘The Amazing Max’ ‘Archaeology Zone: Discovering Treasures From Playgrounds to Palaces’ ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ 50th-Anniversary Celebration With Live Music ‘A Christmas Carol’ Cirque Zíva ‘Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical’ Father Goose Film Forum Jr.: ‘Mary Poppins’ ‘The Gazillion Bubble Show: The Next Generation’ ‘Great White Shark’ ‘Hansel and Gretel’ Hot Peas ‘N Butter ‘Into the Third Dimension: 3-D Printing for Young Artists’ ‘Jazzed! The Changing Beat of 125th Street’ ‘Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!’ ‘Keith Michael’s The Nutcracker’ ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ ‘Monday Night Magic’ ‘Oran Etkin’s Timbalooloo’ ‘Peace, Love, and Cupcakes: The Musical’ ‘Seven in One Blow, or the Brave Little Kid’ ‘Somebody Come and Play: 45 Years of “Sesame Street” Helping Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder’ ‘Swamp Juice’ ‘Tunes With Tina’ ‘A Voyage Through Jewish History’ ‘Weave a Tale’ West End Synagogue Hanukkah Celebration ‘The Wind in the Willows’