Release Date: October 4, 2012

Fall Family Programs Feature a Play Inspired by Pop Artist Roy Lichtenstein, Children's Films, and More at the Family-Friendly National Gallery of Art

Washington, DC—Framed!, a new one-act play for children by internationally recognized playwright and director Mary Hall Surface, will launch the fall 2012 season of free family-friendly programs at the National Gallery of Art. The specially commissioned play will premiere at the Gallery on November 3 and 4 in celebration of the exhibition Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective. The season is rounded out by Hansel and Gretel, a live-action adaptation of this classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, on October 13 and 14, and Powers of Ten, a program of shorts by the famous furniture designers Charles and Ray Eames, on December 10 and 11.

The film program presents a broad range of recently produced films selected for their appeal to youth and adult audiences, and helps foster an understanding of film as an art form. Age recommendations are intended to guide parents in selecting emotionally and intellectually stimulating films for their children.

For a closer look at the Gallery's own works of art, families may explore the collection using the children's audio and video tours. Designed especially for children ages 7 to 12, the audio tour highlights 50 masterpieces on display in the West Building Main Floor galleries. The children's video tour encourages users to engage with these renowned paintings both at the museum and at home.

With a full fall schedule of free activities, as well as creative toys and gifts in the Children's Shop and casual dining in the Cascade Café, the National Gallery is a dynamic destination for families to enjoy and explore great works of art.

For more information about family programming, visit www.nga.gov/programs/family.

Film Program for Children and Teens

All film programs are shown in the East Building Auditorium. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups are welcome. Food and drink are not permitted. Programs are free and subject to change without notice. For up-to-date information on the current month's films, please call (202) 789-3030. Feature films are in English, unless otherwise noted.

Hansel and Gretel
Saturday, October 13, 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, October 14, 11:30 p.m.
Ages 8 and up
Remaining faithful to the story by the Brothers Grimm, the film delivers a haunting live-action adaptation of this classic fairy tale that will delight audiences of all ages. In keeping with the original story's sinister tone, this version features a creepy witch and nail-biting scenes, while its outstanding cinematography captures the fable's eerie atmosphere and lush forest setting. (Anne Wild, Germany, 2006, 76 minutes)

Powers of Ten
Saturday, December 1, 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, December 2, 11:30 a.m.
Ages 6 and up
The Gallery presents a program of iconic American shorts by designers Charles and Ray Eames and computer programmer and mathematician Al Jarnow. The Eames' Powers of Ten (1977) depicts the relative scale of the universe in factors of 10. Other Eames titles in this program include Toccata for Toy Trains (1959) and Tops (1969). Screened by episode on early childhood television series such as Sesame Street and 3, 2, 1 Contact, Jarnow's animations are as familiar as his name is unknown. Classic titles from the 1970s include Cosmic Clock, Autosong, and Paper Origami. Total running time 55 minutes.

Family Performance

Framed!
Saturday, November 3, 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 4, 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Ages 6 and up
The Gallery presents the premiere of the play Framed!, written and directed by Mary Hall Surface. Inspired by the art of Roy Lichtenstein, Framed! introduces audiences to the ideas behind pop art through an engaging story of two characters exploring the language of art. With live jazz music, this dynamic show will delight children and adults. Surface, a Helen Hayes Award recipient, is an internationally recognized playwright and director specializing in theater for families. She wrote and directed the play Who's in the Hopper? An Art Mystery Adventure, performed at the Gallery in honor of the 2007–2008 exhibition Edward Hopper. Approximately 60 minutes. Seating is offered on a first-come, first-served basis; doors will open 30 minutes before each performance. The auditorium seats 450 people.

Children's Audio Tour: West Building Highlights
Acoustiguide Desk, West Building Main Floor, Rotunda
Explore 50 paintings in the West Building with an audio tour designed especially for children ages 7 to 12. To reserve audio tours for groups of 10 or more, call (202) 842-6592.
The National Gallery of Art Children's Audio Tour is made possible through the generous support of the MSST Foundation.
Free of charge

Children's Video Tour: West Building Highlight
The video tour allows children to explore works of art on display in the West Building of the National Gallery of Art through an online tour featuring 50 videos. Find the Children's Video Tour at www.nga.gov/education/timetravel/index.htm.

Family Guides: Italian, Dutch, and American Art at the National Gallery of Art
Gallery Information Desks
Designed for families with children ages six and up, each free family booklet includes activities to guide visitors' exploration of the Gallery's Italian, Dutch, and American collections and questions to encourage group discussions. Also available to download at www.nga.gov/ginfo/index.htm#visitor.
The guides are made possible through the generous support of the MSST Foundation.

NGAkids Online

An entertaining and informative introduction to art and art history, NGAkids online (www.nga.gov/kids) offers a variety of art-making tools, games, and narratives suitable for children of all ages.

The Children's Shop

The Children's Shop on the Concourse offers an array of art-inspired items for children, including books, games and puzzles, toys, artists' supplies, and DVDs. To browse a selection online, visit http://shop.nga.gov.

Cascade Café

East Building, Concourse
Monday–Saturday, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
The Cascade Café offers a selection of soups, salads, specialty entrees, wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, and desserts. For those with limited time, prepackaged lunch boxes containing a sandwich, chips, cookie, and a beverage may be ordered in advance. For information about boxed lunches and group lunch vouchers, call (202) 712-7458.

Espresso & Gelato Bar

East Building, Concourse
Monday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
In addition to tea, coffee, and specialty espresso beverages, the Espresso & Gelato Bar offers 19 flavors of house-made gelato and a selection of fresh sandwiches, salads, pastries, and desserts.