"Sparky's Puppets"

Mother Goose in Brookline this May!

"Puppeteers of New England"
Series of puppet shows that celebrate exciting and diverse 
work by puppetry artists from the Northeast.

It's a weekend filled with your favorite Mother Goose rhymes at Puppet Showplace...or rather...FATHER Goose!  Join Jim Napolitano of Nappy's Puppets from New Haven, CT for hilarious renditions of your favorite nursery rhymes. His signature shadow puppet style will have you in stitches!


If that's not enough laughs for you, then join us Saturday, May 17 for two special performances of "Mother Goose and Friends" by Sparky's Puppets from Providence, Rhode Island.  Help us celebrate these two amazing performers from New England during our "Puppeteers of New England" series. VIEW FULL CALENDAR

"Father Goose's Tales" by Nappy's Puppets
Thurs & Fri, May 15 & 16 at 10:30am
Sun, May 18 at 1 & 3pm


About the show: There is trouble in the nursery! Mother Goose has taken the day off, and Father Goose must do all of her chores, including the storytelling! But try as he might, Father Goose just can't get the stories quite right. "Father Goose's Tales" is a hilarious modern retelling of favorite nursery rhymes, stories, and children's songs that will delight audiences of all ages. Each performance includes a puppet demonstration and lots of audience interaction!



About the performer:

Jim Napolitano, a.k.a. “Uncle Nappy,” is a Connecticut native and one of America’s most-loved shadow puppeteers. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut’s Puppet Arts program, and has taught puppetry to students of all ages throughout New England. For over 20 years Nappy’s Puppets has toured nationally to theatres, festivals, libraries, and museums, delighting audiences of all ages with quality shadow theatre productions.

Jim has also worked extensively as a freelance artist and puppeteer. As a member of Bits and Pieces Puppet Theatre he performed musicals with giant puppets across the country and around the world, including at the National Cultural Center in Japan and the National Theatre in Taiwan. His television credits include Between the Lions, The Book of Pooh, and segments for Nickelodeon, Scholastic Home Video, and HBO Pictures. He currently resides in Connecticut with his wife and two children.

"Mother Goose and Friends" by Sparky's Puppets
Sat, May 17 at 1 & 3pm


About the show: See your favorite tales come to life in this fun and interactive show, with the one and only Mother Goose as your guide! Watch Grandmother teach a wolf some manners in "Little Red Riding Hood." Then, help the hard-working "Little Red Hen" bake a loaf of bread. Meet "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" and "The Three Little Pigs." Finally, bring a "Gingerbread Man" to life with some make-believe ingredients...and a pinch of magic!


About the performer: Kathleen “Sparky” Davis began dramatizing stories with hand puppets while working as a children's librarian. Since 1980, Sparky's Puppets have delighted children and family audiences at schools, libraries and festivals throughout New England. Every summer, Sparky creates a special show for the Rhode Island statewide public libraries' summer reading program.

Sparky loves to see children's reactions to their favorite stories brought to life with endearing puppet characters. She is known for her quick wit and hilarious sense of humor. A preschool child at a recent show was heard to say. "It was so funny I burst out laughing!"



Behind the Scenes at PST: Tales From Snowy Lands

Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Greetings, readers! In case you haven't noticed, there hasn't been much snow lately, which is both shocking and sad because this is New England and we deserve our very own Winter Wonderland, right? Well, I guess if Mother Nature refuses to do her job, then we'll just have to find someone else to make it snow - oh, wait!  We've already got someone: Sparky Davis, who returns to PST to perform Tales From Snowy Lands, Dec 13-16. BUY TICKETS

From Story Lover to Storyteller 

A scene from Aesop's Fables
If this is your first time seeing a show by Sparky's Puppets, then I have but one thing to say to you: you are in for a treat because Sparky is a gifted storyteller!  For over thirty years, she has been "wow-ing" children and adults alike throughout the New England area - in schools, libraries, festivals, etc.  She has passed through very well-known venues such as The Boston Children's Museum, First Night Providence, The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum, and our very own PST. 

A scene from Old favorites
Thanks to an impressive education - degrees in English (B.A., Mt. Holyoke College), Education (M.A.T., Brown University), and Library Science (M.L.S., University of Rhode Island) - Sparky developed a love for storytelling way before she started doing puppet shows.  It was while she was working as a children's librarian that she decided to go into entertainment.

What a great transition, huh?  Going from librarian to entertainer - story lover to storyteller.  Yes, it's because she has such a vast background in stories that Sparky's able to perform such delightful shows for her audiences.

Some of her adaptations include: Aesop's Fables, The Gingerbread Man, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Three Little Pigs - all of which have been very well received, which is no surprise because Sparky has mastered her craft, not only because she's performed for so long but because she loves what she does.  It's her love of stories that makes her such a wonderful storyteller.

Of course, you'll have to see it to believe it.  With Christmas just 'round the corner, we thought it would be best to invite Sparky's Puppets back to the PST stage to put on a holiday-themed show.  You won't wanna miss it because it'll get you in a festive mood!

Tales From Snowy Lands

Tales From Snowy Lands is one of Sparky's three holiday-themed shows - the other two being Halloween Harvest and Easter Fun.  Just in time for the holidays, this show brings together several beloved tales - a.k.a. your favorite holiday classics, including "Jack Frost" and "The Shoemaker and the Elves."  And what would a holiday show be without Santa and his favorite reindeer friend, Rudolph?  Yes, that's right.  Santa makes an appearance, too!

So, if you're looking to escape to a marvelous Winter Wonderland, then we suggest you come on down to PST this week to see Sparky's Puppets perform Tales From Snowy Lands.  It'll be a wonderful treat.  In case you haven't done so already, tickets can be purchased online HERE.

Till next time.  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

Tales From Snowy Lands at PST!

THIS WEEK AT PST...

Tales From Snowy Lands
by Sparky's Puppets
Thurs & Fri Dec 13 & 14 10:30 AM
Sat & Sun Dec 15 & 16 | 1 PM & 3 PM

BUY TICKETS

With just a few short weeks to go till Christmas, we thought it would be best to invite some of our holiday friends to PST, including Jack Frost.

About the ShowSparky's Puppets perform a lively medley of stories that take place on a winter's day. Watch Jack Frost's magic bring a snowman to life.  Find out what happens when a boastful bear goes ice fishing.  And laugh at the antics of three pesky goblins as they visit a toy maker's show on a cold and snowy day.
Hand puppets, recommended ages 3 & up

About the Performer: Sparky Davis began dramatizing stories with hand puppets while working as a children's librarian. Since 1980, Sparky's Puppets have delighted children and family audiences at schools, libraries and festivals throughout New England. Every summer, Davis creates a special show for the statewide public libraries' summer reading program. She loves to see children's reactions as their favorite stories are brought to life with endearing puppet characters. A preschool child at a recent show was heard to say. "It was so funny I burst out laughing!"

"Aesop's Fables" by Sparky's Puppets

THIS WEEKEND AT PST
Saturday & Sunday| April 9 & 10| 1pm & 3pm

About the show: Join in the fun as Sparky’s Puppets perform selected stories adapted from Aesop’s Fables. In The Tortoise and the Hare, watch an exciting race between a sassy rabbit and a plodding tortoise. See what happens when a huge lion threatens a tiny mouse, then learn an important lesson from a boy who cries “wolf” too many times. After, join in with the grasshopper’s song in The Grasshopper and the Ant. This show is performed with hand puppets.

This performance is recommended for Ages 3 & up.

About the performer:
Sparky’s Puppets have been delighting children throughout New England for over 20 years. Sparky Davis, the puppeteer, has degrees in English, education, and library science. She began dramatizing children’s literature while working as a school librarian, and now performs these tales in schools, libraries, and festivals.

Performances by Sparky Davis are perennial favorites at Puppet Showplace Theatre. Her gentle approach, lively sense of humor, unique interpretations of familiar tales, and imaginative original characters make for a wonderful show!

BUY TICKETS

More About... Sparky Davis and Sparky's Puppets


We're excited to welcome back Sparky Davis and Sparky's Puppets to the Puppet Showplace Theatre stage, tomorrow and Thursday, with their show Tricksters and Noodleheads.

Sparky Davis first performed here at the Puppet Showplace Theatre in the early 1980s and has been an audience favorite ever since! We think it's her gentle approach, her lively sense of humor, her unique interpretations of familiar tales, and her imaginative original characters that engage children and delight audiences of all ages.

Sparky began dramatizing children's literature while working as a school librarian, and now performs these tales all around New England in schools, libraries, and festivals.

A limited supply of tickets are still available for this week's performances. Call our friendly Box Office at 617-731-6400 or click here for more information!

Happy New Year from PST!

The Puppet Showplace Theatre will be closed December 31st and January 1st. This does not mean that you will have a week without puppets. We encourage you to buy your First Night buttons to see some of our regular performers. This year we have performers presenting in three local cities Boston, Worcester, and Providence.

Our performers in Boston are Galapagos Puppets, The Gerwick Puppets, Magpie Puppets and our friends Wayne Martin Puppets, Dan Butterworth Marionettes and the Puppeteers Cooperative. For more info visit www.firstnight.org

Our performer in Worcester is Sylvia and the Magic Trunk. If you missed her at PST on December 28th this is your opportunity to see her. For more info visit www.firstnightworcester.org.

Our performer in Providence is Sparky’s Puppets and our friends Big Nazo. For more info visit www.brightnight.org.

Have a safe and fun evening and we will see you in 2009!!