COMMUNITY

The smash hit show Baby Shark Live! is coming to the Raising Cane’s River Center Theater on Thursday, March 1 at 6 p.m. “We’re excited to start 2022 on a great note for families by bringing Baby Shark Live!: 2022 Splash Tour to stages all over the country,” says Stephen Shaw, tour producer and co-president of Round Room Live. This fully-immersive concert experience launched in Fall 2019 and has been performing in sold-out theaters across the country since then. It is based on Pinkfong’s song, “Baby Shark,” which went viral in 2018 and amassed over 9 billion views on YouTube, marking it the most viewed video on YouTube to date. The show will feature iconic songs and dances including “Five Little Monkeys,” “Jungle Boogie,” and, of course, “Baby Shark!” ■ babysharklive.com

Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health recently announced the acquisition of McMains Children’s Developmental Center, which will bring the expertise of occupational therapists, educational therapists, physical therapists, and other support for children with developmental needs. McMains also offers an adaptive therapy program for children with neuro-motor disorders that teaches them how to do household tasks with assistive technology. “We are excited for this transition that will better serve our patients and their families,” says Anne Hindrichs, the Executive Director of McMains. ■ ololchildrens.org

LASM is now hosting, In Empathy We Trust, an art exhibition by the duo known as E2. The artists (Elizabeth Kleinveld and Epaul Julien) based their work on mutual experiences and developed it into figures of varying genders and races to challenge art history and represent a different outlook on iconic works of art. “What E2 has created with their series serves as a catalyst for the examination of history, society, and self,” says Lexi Adams, the curator of LASM. “It expands the lens of art history beyond the picture plane and allows the viewer to pause and consider the individuals who were present when these works were originally created and the role they may have held.” The exhibition will be open until October 30. ■ lasm.org

Audubon Nature Institute’s Education department is launching a new Virtual Animal Visits program. The program includes one Zoom login. These 20-minute presentations feature an exclusive, up-close encounter with a wild friend along with an Audubon Educator for a live Q&A. This virtual experience will be offered twice a day on Thursdays and Saturdays until May 14. “Creating opportunities for people to connect with nature is an important part of Audubon’s mission,” says Audubon Nature Institute’s Director of Education Llewellyn Everage. “These virtual experiences are a great way for zoos and aquariums to interact with and inspire people who might not otherwise be able to come to our facilities.” ■ audubonnatureinstitute.org

Due to the most recent surge of COVID-19, Woman’s Hospital has rescheduled its annual BUST Breast Cancer fundraiser event to Wednesday, March 30. The fundraiser features cancer survivors modeling local artists’ bra-art designs at L’Auberge Baton Rouge, and it includes a silent and live auction along with food from local restaurants. BUST Breast Cancer also helps fund Woman’s Mobile Mammography program, which provides access to mammograms for thousands of women in the area through two mobile mammography coaches that provide life-saving breast cancer screenings to churches, workplaces, and community centers. In 2021, the program provided over 3,700 screening mammograms. ■ womans.org/bbc

BREC recently announced its fourth Zoo Director, Jim Fleshman, after searching nationwide for five months. Fleshman has played a crucial role in the development of the Zoo’s master, strategic, and business plans which is guiding the biggest construction project in BREC history to renovate the Baton Rouge Zoo. He has over 30 years of zoological experience and worked hard to develop plans to reimagine the Baton Rouge Zoo as its Deputy Director since 2019. “Jim has played an integral role in the Baton Rouge Zoo,” says BREC Superintendent Corey K. Wilson. “I am confident that he will continue to work every day to take our Zoo to the next level and provide the Baton Rouge community with a worldclass facility.” ■ brzoo.org

The Down Syndrome Awareness Group of Baton Rouge will gather on Saturday, March 26 for the Down Syndrome Awareness Group (DSAG) Buddy Walk. This fundraiser is open to all who would like to participate and make a donation. The event begins at 9 a.m. at A.Z. Young Park, and the walk will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You must register online if you plan to attend the event. However, if you cannot attend but would still like to make a donation to the DSAG of Baton Rouge, you can go the website and make a donation to the group or to an individual team. DSAG provides parent support and public awareness to improve the quality of life for those with Down syndrome. ■ ds-stride.org/dsagbuddywalk The traveling exhibit Cinema Judaica: The War Years, 1939-1949 will be on display at the USS KIDD Veterans Museum until March 31. Thanks to the Louisiana Veterans Museum Foundation in partnership with the USS KIDD, the exhibit will illustrate how the motion picture industry fought against the isolationism movement in America, advocated going to war against the Nazis, and influenced post-war perceptions of the Jewish people using Hollywood film posters. The museum added photographs that show military units watching movies to emphasize the significance of motion pictures. The USS KIDD Veterans Museum is open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ■ usskidd.com

For its season finale, The Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre will be performing Rapunzel on Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27 at 2 p.m. in the newly renovated Raising Cane’s River Center Theatre for the Performing Arts. Choreographed by Rebecca Acosta and Jonna Cox, the story of Rapunzel and her iconic, long hair was originally performed by Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre in 2017 and received rave reviews. The full-length storybook ballet performance is appropriate for all ages and will feature two professional dancers from Oklahoma City Ballet: Paige Russell as Rapunzel and Henrique Neumann as the Prince. They duo will be dancing with a 17-foot-long braid, too! You can purchase tickets online, in person at the River Center Box Office, or by calling (225) 766-8379. ■ ticketmaster.com

Children’s Hospital New Orleans celebrated the opening of their Child Life Center, a new 7,000 square-foot facility dedicated to providing a fun and safe space for children at the hospital. The Center includes a child playroom, a teen activity room, a multipurpose room, and a sensory room. Each area promotes wellness through games, music, art, and other activities, and the multipurpose room is designed to host special events. “We believe that kids should be kids even when they are sick, and Child Life programs not only lead to better overall patient and family experiences, but also support improved quality and better patient outcomes,” says Chief Experience Officer Scott Macicek, MD. ■ chnola.org

On Saturday, March 5, One Book One Community will be hosting its kick-off party from 4-6 p.m. at the EBR Main Library on Goodwood. This free event will celebrate Gwen Roland’s 2006 memoir, Atchafalaya Houseboat, featuring two discussions with the author herself and other book discussions with Danny Heitman, author of A Summer of Birds, and Marybeth LIma, author of Adventures of a Louisiana Birder.

Each year, One Book One Community strives to bring Louisianians closer to their culture and help them develop an appreciation for their home state. The event is open to all ages, so bring your family for food, drinks, crafts, live music, and film screenings. ■ readonebook.org

With the Dr.Seuss Deluxe Books app, you can have 17 best-selling Dr. Seuss books in one place. Featuring The Lorax, The Cat in the Hat, Oh, the Place’s You’ll Go! and more, this app encourages young readers to learn and play along as they read. The app’s tools include word association techniques, educational activities, and fun animations. With this interactive reading experience, your child will learn important skills such as spelling, rhyming, and phonics. You can download the app for free from the Apple App Store, and the download includes free access to Yertle the Turtle. Additional books will cost up to $3.99, or you can purchase the entire collection for $41.99. ■ apps.apple.com