Dear Friends of Puppet Showplace Theater,
We—the new leadership team—are honored to step into our roles as co-directors of this historic 47-year-old organization. After the unprecedented challenges that Puppet Showplace endured these past 16 months, we are energized by all of you who heroically came forward in your own times of crises to make a donation, send support and kindness, and share trust where trust had been lost.
It is thanks to you—the artists and puppeteers, the families young and old, patrons past and present, community supporters, local businesses, and so many dear friends—that Puppet Showplace is entering this new era stronger than ever! We believe that Puppet Showplace founder Mary Churchill would be proud to know that her vision continues to be shared by so many.
And now, allow us to introduce ourselves!
Hannah Swartz, Managing Director
“My name is Hannah Swartz and I am the new Managing Director. An experienced arts administrator, I have built my career working at the intersection of artistic presentation, education, and fundraising, mainly in the museum world. A Toronto native, and most recently a resident of New York City, I spent most of my adult life in the Greater Boston area and will be moving to Brookline with my husband and two young kids, who are already enthusiastic fans of puppetry.
The first time I attended Puppet Showplace was for Puppet Playtime with Harry and Good News Gus. I watched my toddler roll over with the most gleeful belly laugh I’d ever seen. He instantly fell in love with the silly voices, familiar songs, and playful sleight of hand, while I was taken by the welcoming feeling of the space, the intimacy of the experience, and the remarkable talent. Although I am myself fairly crafty and even performative on occasion, on a day-to-day basis I use my creativity to manage teams and solve problems in support of artists and audiences. I’m deeply dedicated to making storytelling and the arts accessible and affordable to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
I look forward to witnessing a whole new generation of will-be puppetry lovers and storytellers experience the same joy that my son felt.”
Leslie Burton, Artistic Director
“My name is Leslie Burton, and I am the new Artistic Director. As a theater-maker, arts facilitator, scholar, and puppeteer, I have made my way around the USA and Europe pursuing a multiplicity of perspectives on puppetry arts. Though I am new to Brookline and the Boston area as a whole, I am struck by a profound sense of home-coming: I'm returning to this country after living for a decade in southern Ireland, and in joining the Puppet Showplace team, I feel that I have landed in the right spot to keep exploring and sharing the many possibilities of this enchanting medium.
As passionate as I am about the art form of puppetry itself, I am equally devoted to sharing it with as many people as possible. In 2014, whilst studying in Ireland, I presented a show that I wrote, designed, built, and directed. As any puppeteers reading this might guess, I was also a performer, so by the end of the run, I was absolutely exhausted. I don't remember that, though; what I remember instead are two pieces of feedback. One came from a woman in her 60s, who with a soft voice and a childlike sparkle in her eye took me aside and said, “I had no idea puppetry could do that!” The other came from an 8-year-old boy, via his father. At the end of the show, his son had turned to him and, with the air of a seasoned critic, informed him that “that was an excellent puppet show.”
Inspiring that sense of wonder in adults and expertise in children is now my mission. I can't wait to get started.”
We are ever so eager to reopen our door to the public and welcome each one of you back into the theater: to draw the red curtains, lift our puppets, and see you smile and laugh together as a chorus.
A theater is more than a space to enjoy performances—it is also a treasure trove of memories and hopes for the future. At its best, a theater is a gathering place that invites an end to separation, offering common touch-points of experience that transform individuals into communities. What draws us to the theater is the promise of connections between friends and strangers, between children and their caregivers, between artists and audiences.
Stay tuned for announcements about our spectacular Saturday summer series and the theater’s official reopening. We look forward to welcoming everyone back into this space that belongs to all of us. Expect both familiar faces and brand new surprises just around the corner!
Until we meet in person, please get in touch with your questions and concerns at the email addresses below. Contact Hannah at business@puppetshowplace.org with queries about sponsorship, funding, and other ways to support the theater, and contact Leslie at artistic@puppetshowplace.org about artists, program content, and school and community partnerships. Now is a great time to update your contact information with us as well.
Sincerely,
Hannah & Leslie
P.S. To read our bios, visit our Staff page!
