If you want spectacle, go see The Lion King. If you want your kids to experience the wonder of honest stories brought to life on stage, get tickets for Atlantic for Kids, the youth theater arm of the Atlantic Theater Company. The company produces one full-scale production for young audiences during its Off Broadway season, usually geared to school age children. Elephant & Piggie’s: We Are In a Play, which opens on December 13, marks a bit of a departure in that it’s geared to a younger audience, ages 3-7, and their families. “Historically, our shows have been for slightly older audiences, second to fourth grade,” said Alison Beatty, artistic director of Atlantic for Kids. “This is an effort on our part to bring in kids and families at an earlier age.”

The musical, which is based on the popular early reader book series by Mo Willems, premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in 2013. Willems authored the script and lyrics; the music is by Deborah Wicks La Puma, who collaborated with Atlantic for Kids on She Persisted, The Musical in 2020. Beatty, a mom of two, is also a huge fan of the elephant, Gerald, the pig, Piggie and their adventures. “I find the books clever, charming and full of giggles. Off the page, the book lends itself adaptation. It made sense to me that it was developed into a live theatrical production.”

Audiences seem to agree. Elephant & Piggie’s first two weekends have nearly sold out. Thankfully, the show is scheduled for a six-week run. Its central theme, the meaning of friendship, embedded in a show filled with humor and great music, appeals to kids and adults. “Elephant and Piggie aren’t always perfect,” said Beatty. “There’s moments of them coming back together and working through their relationship which is important.”

The common denominator for all the shows Atlantic for Kids stages is truthfulness. Productions in the recent past have included El Otro Oz, a Mexican folk musical inspired by the Wizard of Oz, and a coming-of-age musical, The Big One-Oh!, based on the book by Dean Pitchford. “We want kids to recognize themselves in the characters they’re seeing on stage in a way that resonates and is personal,” said Beatty. “It’s really a privilege that we get to program and make shows for our New York City and tri-state family audiences.”

Elephant & Piggie’s We Are In a Play runs through February 1. Tickets are $41.50 for adults, $21.50 for children which includes the service fee. Showtimes are 11am and 4pm at the Atlantic Stage 2, 330 W. 16th Street, Chelsea. For tickets and further information, visit atlantictheater.org.