"Aladdin", New York

Actor, philosopher, and all-around Renaissance man Johannes Galli has spent more than 25 years adapting age-old stories for the modern child. Taking the grim out of Grimm's Fairy Tales, each of his shows engages audiences with colorful onstage action, capturing youthful attentions while sneaking in important lessons about the power of kindness or the gradual extinction of witches. Pint-sized viewers aren't expected to sit quietly, either. Actors interact directly with their audience, mixing with the crowd and even inviting wee ones on stage to aid in the storytelling.