More Animal Adventures at Puppet Showplace!

"Animal April"

Series of puppet shows featuring animal characters and nature themes continues with...

“Raccoon Tales” 

by Paul Vincent Davis, Artist in Residence Emeritus

performed by Brad Shur, Artist in Residence
Apr 10 & 11 (Thu & Fri) | 10:30am
Apr 12 & 13 (Sat & Sun) | 1 pm & 3pm

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If you look carefully among the trees and bushes of the forest, you might see a creature peeking from behind the leaves! Meet a trickster raccoon, red coat bushy-tail fox, timber wolf, and brown bear in "Raccoon Tales," a collection of Native American tales from the Seneca tribe of New York. Join us for an exciting week of trickster tales staring the cleverest raccoon around!

Red Coat Bushy-Tail Fox

About the Show:

Get transported into the forest with the trickster Ring-Around-His-Tail Raccoon as your guide! The animals in the forest are always getting into trouble playing tricks on each other. Will they ever learn their lessons? "Raccoon Tales" features three humorous vignettes inspired by the Native American just-so-stories of the Seneca tribe: "How the Fox and the Raccoon Trick Each Other," "Why the Blue Jay is Blue and the Gray Wolf Isn’t" and "Why the Bear has a Stumpy Tail." The show is performed with hand-crafted glove puppets made by Paul Vincent Davis.

About the Seneca tribe:

Seneca is pronounced "SEH-neh-kah." It comes from the name of one of their villages, Osininka. In their own language, the Senecas call themselves Onandowaga, which means "people of the mountain." The Senecas originally lived in New York state.  Many Seneca people still live in New York today, but others were forced to migrate to Oklahoma or Canada.

There are lots of traditional Seneca legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the Seneca Indian culture.

Click for more info!

About the performer:

Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to papier mache. As the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theatre he performs different shows each year in multiple puppetry styles. He also teaches puppetry classes to students of all ages, Pre-K to adult. As protégé of master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, Shur trained extensively in the art of glove puppetry and currently performs two of Davis’ classic shows, "Raccoon Tales" and "Clown Circus," at venues across New England.

Prior to becoming the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace, Brad toured the country as a performer with Big Nazo (Rhode Island), Wood & Strings Theatre (Tennessee) and The PuppeTree (Vermont). As a builder, Brad has designed and fabricated puppets for American Idol, Dollywood, Avenue Q, and the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. Brad is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.

Paul Vincent Davis with Brad Shur, and Robin character from Brad's new glove puppet show, "Robin Hood"

Worldly Folktales at Puppet Showplace!

Puppets Around the World series of puppetry styles and folktales from across the globe continues with...

One World, Many Stories
by Sparky's Puppets

Thur & Fri, March 13 & 14 @ 10:30 am

Sat & Sun, March 15 & 16 @ 1:00 and 3:00pm

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Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Get on board with Sparky’s Puppets for a storytelling adventure that takes you across the globe!

About the Performance: Take a trip around the world with Sparky's Puppets in this delightful, interactive performance featuring funny folktales from Asia, Africa, and Europe. Visit a friendly family of mice in Japan. Laugh at the antics of West African trickster Anansi the Spider. Then, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, meet a mischievous leprechaun who proves very hard to catch!

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!"

Learn more about Sparky’s Puppets here.

Join us for a hilarious show of travelling, magic, and puppets!

Chinese Folktales at Puppet Showplace!

"Puppets Around the World"

Series of puppetry styles and folktales from across the globe continues with...

Tales of a Mysterious Land
by Applause Unlimited
Thurs & Fri, March 6 & 7 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, March 8 & 9 at 1pm & 3pm

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Scene from "Tales of a Mysterious Land" by Applause Unlimited

Last week at Puppet Showplace, Christopher Hudert of Applause Unlimited dazzled audiences with his storytelling and puppetry performance during "Aesop's Fables."  Travel with us this week to China as we explore Chinese Folktales with masks, puppets, and Christopher's signature storytelling performance style!

Characters from the Chinese Folktale, "The Long Hair Girl" by Applause Unlimited

About the show: Discover the rich diversity of Chinese folklore through three folk tales brought to life with puppets, masks, and theatrical storytelling. Learn how the waterfall got its name in the story of “The Long Hair Girl.” Then, in “The God of Faces,” meet a talented old painter who finds out that doing your best work has value beyond measure. Finally, silliness ensues in “The Story of the House” when three unlikely characters try to share the same dwelling. Drawn from Buddhist, Tung, and Shui traditions, these stories are sure to stir the heart and stimulate the imagination of audiences young and old!

Christopher Hudert of Applause unlimited in a scene from "Tales of a Mysterious Land"

About the Artist: Applause Unlimited cofounder Christopher Hudert began his theatrical carreer at an early age, performing with The Children's Theater of Richmond, Puppetfest Productions, and other Virginia-based companies. While pursuing a degree in Theater Education, Christopher joined the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus and toured for 9 years across the United States and Japan. After achieving the rank of Boss Clown, he left the circus to create his own company with master puppeteer Terry Snyder. Since its founding, Applause Unlimited has received two UNIMA Citations of Excellence, the highest recognition in American puppetry, and has performed in theaters and at festivals worldwide.

Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" at Puppet Showplace!

FINAL SNOWY STORY OF THE SERIES!

"Peter and the Wolf"
by National Marionette Theatre

SOLD OUT: Mon, Dec 30, 10:30am & 1pm
SOLD OUT: Tues, Dec 31, 10:30am
Tues, Dec 31 at 1pm
SOLD OUT: Wed, Jan 1, 10:30am & 1pm
Thurs, Jan 1- 2 at 10:30am & 1pm

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This winter, Puppet Showplace has brought you tales from snowy lands, gingerbread houses, snowflakes, and an underpants snatching squirrel. The final performance of our "Snowy Stories" series this season features the beautifully hand crafted marionettes of "Peter and the Wolf" by National Marionette Theatre of Brattleboro, VT!

Many of the performances during the final days of school vacation week are already SOLD OUT, so advanced reservations are highly recommended!

About the show: Prokofiev’s "Peter and the Wolf" has enchanted audiences since its premier in 1936. Set in turn of the century Russia, this elegant production tells the story of how Peter, along with his animal friends, outsmarts and captures a wolf. Each performance begins with a bumbling conductor who introduces the orchestral instruments and demonstrates--with a bit of slapstick humor--how their sounds represent each character in the story. The production features the beautiful music of Prokofiev’s orchestral score combined with stunning scenery and hand-crafted marionettes.

About the performer: National Marionette Theatre (NMT) is one of the oldest continually-running marionette theaters in the United States. Founded in 1967 By artistic director David A. Syrotiak, this award-winning company has been entertaining and amazing audiences around the world with their imaginative productions for over forty years.

National Marionette Theatre, the Syrotiak family.

Noted for their amazing manipulation technique and imaginative fully staged productions, National Marionette Theater is committed to bringing you the very best in family entertainment.

NMT has performed for a diverse clientele over the years. From elementary schools to the Smithsonian in Washington DC to an outdoor piazza in Italy.

Learn more about National Marionette Theatre on their website: www.nmtshow.com

AHHH!!! There's a Squirrel Thief at Puppet Showplace!

VACA WEEK CONTINUES WITH:

"Squirrel Stole My Underpants"

by Bonnie Duncan

(SOLD OUT) Thurs & Fri, Dec 26 & 27 at 10:30am & 1pmSat & Sun, Dec 28 & 29 at 1pm & 3pm

All shows are performed with a LIVE MUSICAL score!

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Check your knickers, because that pesky underpants-stealing squirrel is back in town! Many of the performances scheduled during the 2013 December vacation week are already SOLD OUT, and advanced tickets are highly recommended. "Squirrel Stole My Underpants" made its debut at Puppet Showplace in January of 2013 during our "New Year, New Shows" series for new work by local artists.

Here's what creator/performer Bonnie has to say about the show:
“I am exploring that delicate time in childhood when you desperately want to be a grown up, but you still need your blanket to make you feel safe,” Duncan said in a press release. “I am using puppetry as a way to fill the world of one lonely girl with many friends, foes, and magical creatures…to bring to life an unordinary world.”

About the show: Sylvie is sent to the backyard to hang up the laundry. The moment her back is turned, a mischievous squirrel steals her favorite piece of clothing and runs off.
When Sylvie gives chase, an entire world emerges from her laundry basket, and curious characters show her the way through mysterious lands. Will our lonely heroine rescue her underpants and discover the magic within herself? Join us on this adventure to find out!

About the performer: For the last 14 years, Bonnie Duncan has been creating and performing work as a dancer, puppeteer, and actor. She grew up in the South where she danced and swam competitively. She studied education and theatre in college and grad school where she developed a knack for costume on the cheap and acting in original theatre pieces. She danced around the world for 8 years with Snappy Dance Theater and in 2007, formed They Gotta Be Secret Agents with Tim Gallagher to create work mixing dance, theater, puppetry and circus arts. Her work has been shown in theaters in Boston, Providence, New York City, San Francisco, Austin, TX, Germany, and Czech Republic. Bonnie also has a masters degree in arts integration and teaches drama & movement in elementary and middle schools. She is mom to Jack Ozro (four) and Rex and Adelaide (two and two). And finally, she loves cupcakes. www.the-secret-agents.com

Bonnie gives a post-show demo with musicians after the show!

Brendan Burns (music) is a guitarist and educator rooted in Somerville, MA. He released his debut album TimeStamp (recorded live at the Somerville Theatre) in 2012. Brendan is a founding member of the music and puppetry troupe Elephant Tango Ensemble (nominated for an IRNE award), former director of the house band for Bent Wit Cabaret and a regular contributor with SchoolTree, Kristen Ford Band, Karin Webb, Molly Zenobia, and Brendan Burns' Roadhouse. Brendan holds a Bachelor's Degree from Berklee College of Music and is the guitar department coordinator at Brookline Music School. http://www.brendanburns.com/

Tony Leva (music) is an educator, improvisor, collaborator, and performer. He performs regularly with Bury Me Standing, Jaggery, The Michael Dobeil Quartet and the Junk Kitchen Players. Since 2002 he has been actively studying and performing on the upright bass. He currently teaches bass at the Rockport Community School and is an active collaborator/educator at Tunefoolery, an artist collective of musicians with psychiatric disabilities. Tony also studies the sintir (A North African bass lute) and has occasionally performed on trumpet, melodica, accordion, and clown nose. http://anthonyleva.wordpress.com/

Spring Valley Puppet Theater performs Snowy Stories!

VACATION WEEK IS HERE!

"A Holiday Fantasy" 
by Spring Valley Puppet Theater
Mon & Tues, Dec 23 & 24 at 10:30am & 1pm

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Up next in Puppet Showplace Theatre's "Snowy Stories" series is a lively holiday themed performance by the award-winning Spring Valley Puppet Theater of New Haven, CT.  Enjoy two stories featuring beautifully hand crafted puppets made by Michael Graham, who also performs the entire show solo.  Stay after the show for an exciting demonstration where Michael shares all of the tricks and special effects in the show!

The "Snowy Stories" series at Puppet Showplace is sponsored by Bright Horizions at Brookline.

"A Holiday Fantasy" by Spring Valley Puppet Theater"

About the show: Enchanted toys, fairy magic and a clever mouse are just some of the wonderful characters you will meet in “A Holiday Fantasy,” an original puppet production by Michael Graham’s Spring Valley Puppet Theater. The story unfolds to the beautiful classical music of Massenet, Glazunov, Lecocq and more! Then, what would YOU do if a magical elf gave you three wishes? That’s just what happens to Henry and Gretchen in “The Three Wishes,” a folktale favorite featuring beautifully crafted hand and rod puppets, colorful scenic design, special effects, and plenty of magical plot twists!

A doll dances to life in "A Holiday Fantasy" by Spring Valley Puppet Theater

About the performer: Michael Graham has performed with puppets since he was a young boy. He founded the Spring Valley Puppet Theater in 1977. Since then, he has performed throughout New England, primarily for schools and libraries. His work has been featured numerous times at regional and national festivals of the Puppeteers of America, and he is a recipient of the prestigious UNIMA citation of excellence.

Mouse from "A Holiday Fantasy"

Michael designs and makes all of his puppets by hand, writes his own scripts, creates the scenery, and performs many of the voices. He graduated from Western Connecticut State College with a degree in Elementary Education and Spanish, and has created many bilingual adaptations of folk tales.

Michael has been a guest instructor at the University of Connecticut Puppet Arts program, the Institute of Professional Puppetry Arts (IPPA) at the O'Neill Theatre Center, and has presented casting and hand puppet construction workshops for puppetry guilds in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

www.springvalleypuppets.com

December Vacation Week is ALMOST HERE!

Puppet Showplace Theatre's Snowy Stories series continues with...

"Hansel and Gretel" 

by Tanglewood Marionettes
Thurs & Fri, Dec 19 & 20 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, Dec 21 & 22 at 1pm & 3pm

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It's the last week of school before winter break, and we have quite a line-up of holiday fun in store for you! Follow Hansel and Gretel into the forrest for an exciting gingerbread adventure performed by Tanglewood Marionettes this Thursday, Dec 19 through Sunday, Dec 22.

Take a look at all of our upcoming school vacation week performances: VIEW CALENDAR

About the show: In this original adaptation of the classic fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel need to work together, using both brains and bravery, to find their way out of the woods. This beautifully hand-crafted production by Tanglewood Marionettes begins with an interactive puppet demonstration and features enchanting music from Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel" opera.



About the performer: Founded in 1993 by Peter and Anne Schaefer, Tanglewood Marionettes is a nationally touring marionette company whose unique productions have been seen by hundreds of thousands of children and families across the country. With seven shows currently in their repertoire, the company performs year-round at venues ranging from school assemblies to renowned cultural institutions.

Performer Peter Schaefer was born into a Boston-area family of puppeteers and has visited Puppet Showplace since he was a child. After apprenticing with the Bennington Puppets, Peter launched his own company, “Mountain Marionettes,” before joining with Anne Schaefer and fellow Bennington puppeteer Stephen Hancock to form Tanglewood Marionettes.

Performers Jennifer Tebo and Peter Schaefer

Performer Jennifer Tebo discovered her love of puppetry while pursuing a degree in Theater and Classical Studies at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She has been touring with Tanglewood Marionettes since 2004 and plans to spend a lifetime in puppetry.

The company has received two UNIMA awards, puppetry's highest honor, for their productions An Arabian Adventure and The Dragon King.

Tanglewood Marionettes believes above all that a performance is a communal experience, with connections established not only with the performers, but also between members of the audience themselves as they laugh together, gasp together, and cheer together when the good guys prevail! More info: http://tanglewoodmarionettes.com/

Here Come the Clowns!

CIRCUS SPECTACULAR!

Nov 7-24: VIEW FULL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

UP NEXT: "Clown Circus"

by Paul Vincent Davis, 
performed by Brad Shur, artist in residence 

Sat & Sun, November 16-17 @ 1 & 3 pm

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From silly characters to not-so-ferocious lions, "Clown Circus" features a high energy cast of clowns in hilarious vaudeville bits that will have audiences in stitches! The show was created by award-winning puppeteer, Paul Vincent Davis, Puppet Showplace Theatre's artist in residence emeritus.

Our current artist in residence, Brad Shur performs "Clown Circus," passing on the traditions from the artist in residence before him. As protégé of master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, Shur trained extensively in glove puppetry and currently performs many of Paul's classic shows at venues across New England.

About the show: Clowns come in all shapes and sizes, but everything about them is larger-than-life. Join Dusty and his friends Pierrot, Zany and Guffaw for this fun, interactive variety show that features circus-inspired singing, dancing, storytelling, lion-taming, and more.

This colorful performance, originally created by master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, is a favorite for young audiences (and their grown-ups).

About the show's creator: Master Puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis is widely recognized as one of America's foremost glove puppeteers. For over 30 years he served as Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theatre where he and founder Mary Churchill worked tirelessly to establish a home for puppetry in New England. Throughout his career, Paul was a dedicated member of the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry.

Davis created over a dozen full-length puppetry productions and received four prestigious UNIMA Citations of Excellence for his work. He was honored with the President's Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Puppeteers of America. Now retired from performing, Davis remains active as a teacher and mentor in the New England puppetry community. He is the subject of the bookPuppeteer by Kathryn Lasky and is currently writing his own book about the art and philosophy of glove puppetry.

About the performer: Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to papier mache. As the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theatre he performs regularly and teaches puppetry classes to students of all ages, Pre-K to adult.

Brad with a character from "Clown Circus"

Shur’s original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Dr. Doohickey and the Monster Machine," "The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England" and "The Magic Soup and Other Stories," recently featured at the Puppeteers of America National Festival 2013.

Brad with a character from "Clown Circus"

Shur is currently working on a new adaptation of "Robin Hood," set to open in January 2014. Prior to becoming the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace, Shur toured the country as a performer with Big Nazo (Rhode Island), Wood & Strings Theatre (Tennessee) and The PuppeTree (Vermont). As a builder Shur has designed and fabricated puppets for American Idol, Dollywood, Avenue Q, and the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. Shur is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.

For more shows by Brad Shur, CLICK HERE

The Circus comes to BROOKLINE!

CIRCUS SPECTACULAR
Nov 7-24: VIEW FULL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Swing on the trapeze and dance down the high-wire at Puppet Showplace this November! This week, we unfurl our first “Circus Spectacular” series with four circus-themed puppet shows for audiences of all ages, and new puppetry classes/workshops for adults and teens.

UP NEXT: TICK-MARIONETTES!

"The Fairy Circus" by Tanglewood Marionettes

VETERAN'S DAY WEEKEND!
Thurs & Fri, Nov 7 & 8 at 10:30 am
Saturday & Sunday, Nov 9 & 10 at 1 pm & 3pm
Mon, Nov 11 at 10:30 am & 1pm

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About the show: Tanglewood Marionettes invites you to be a spectator at this dazzling display of circus acts performed in an enchanted garden. "The Fairy Circus" is a showcase for turn-of-the-century style trick puppetry, performed by over 20 beautifully handcrafted marionettes. Fairies, field mice, and other small critters dance, play instruments, juggle, contort, transform, and fly through the air with the greatest of ease, all to the music of favorite classical composers. Each performance includes an interactive puppetry demonstration before and after the show!

About the artist: Founded in 1993 by Peter and Anne Schaefer, Tanglewood Marionettes is a nationally touring marionette company whose unique productions have been seen by hundreds of thousands of children and families across the country. With seven shows currently in their repertoire, the company performs year-round at venues ranging from school assemblies to renowned cultural institutions.

Peter and Anne Schaefer, Tanglewood Marionettes

Performer Peter Schaefer was born into a Boston-area family of puppeteers and has visited Puppet Showplace since he was a child. After apprenticing with the Bennington Puppets, Peter launched his own company, “Mountain Marionettes,” before joining with Anne Schaefer and fellow Bennington puppeteer Stephen Hancock to form Tanglewood Marionettes.

The company has received two UNIMA awards, puppetry's highest honor, for their productions An Arabian Adventure and The Dragon King. 

Tanglewood Marionettes believes above all that a performance is a communal experience, with connections established not only with the performers, but also between members of the audience themselves as they laugh together, gasp together, and cheer together when the good guys prevail! More info: www.tanglewoodmarionettes.com

Summer Kickoff Weekend is HERE!

Sir George Slays the Heat During Summer Puppet Adventures 

SUMMER PUPPET ADVENTURES
KICKOFF WEEKEND EVENT
Games, treats and more!

This weekend, July 6-7, Puppet Showplace will be presenting the first of a succession of family puppet shows as part of our Summer Puppet Adventures this July and August. Join us for what one parent blogger called "pure, air conditioned fun!"

First up is "Sir George and the Dragon" by Pumpernickel Puppets. After watching the show, enjoy free frozen treats donated by Whole Foods Market Brighton.

PLUS other FREE games, prizes and more!
  
MEET OUR NEW E.D. THIS WEEKEND!

Executive Director, Thom Yarnal

Our new Executive Director, Thom Yarnal, is an arts administrator, stage director and teacher with diverse performing credits who has spent the past 30 years creating and producing live cultural events in venues such as theaters, state correctional facilities, and international arts festivals.  

Thom will be at the theatre both Friday and Saturday, July 5 and 6! Enjoy a puppet show, snack on some free treats and get to know our new Executive Director. 

 KICKOFF WEEKEND PERFORMANCE

"Sir George and the Dragon"

 by Pumpernickel Puppets  

 Fri & Sat, July 6 & 7

10:30 AM & 1:00 PM

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About the show: Join an adventurous princess as she journeys to Mystery Mountain to visit the Great Green Dragon. Along the way you’ll meet Zelda the babysitter, a silly bat, Sir George and his clumsy dog, and of course the lovable dragon. Will Sir George slay the dragon? Not to worry, everything ends happily in this fun show. Hand puppets. Recommended for ages 3 & up.

John McDonough with some of his vivacious hand puppets

ABOUT THE ARTIST

For over thirty five years the Pumpernickel Puppets have captivated audiences of all ages. John McDonough and his puppets present over two hundred fifty shows a year at schools, libraries and private parties throughout the New England area. The Pumpernickel Puppets have had the honor of appearing at The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, The Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta, GA and the prestigious International Festival of Puppetry sponsored by the Jim Henson Foundation in New York.

SEE YOU AT THE THEATRE!
The staff at Puppet Showplace is excited to begin the summer series under the direction of our new Executive Director, Thom and kickoff the season with a delightful performance by Pumpernickel Puppets. Join us for this exciting celebration of summer and puppetry!

Vacation Week is Almost Here with Aesop's Fables!

Aesop's Fables! 
by WonderSpark Puppets

Thurs | April 11 | 10:30 AM

Fri  | April 12 | 10:30 AM

Sat | April 13 | 1 & 3 PM

Sun | April 14 | 1& 3 PM

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Are you counting the days until April School Vacation Week like we are? Before our Vaca-week programing is in full swing, stop by the theatre for the delightful performance of "Aesop's Fables" by WonderSpark Puppets! What better way to teach and entertain than with Aesop’s fables! Join us for a great time while learning lessons from these classic tales including "Lion and the Mouse" and "Tortoise and the "Hare."

About the Show:  A hilarious spin on Aesop's Fables with tabletop puppets performed by WonderSpark Puppets. This highly interactive performance of timeless moral stories includes 'The Lion and the Mouse', 'The Ant and The Grasshopper' and the 'Tortoise and the Hare.' Along the way, we also learn the four seasons, the power of kindness and good sportsmanship.

About the Performers: WonderSpark Puppets (New York City, NY) was founded by husband and wife team, Chad Williams and Lindsey “Z” Briggs who infuse fun and whimsy into all their performances. Z Briggs has worked as a professional puppeteer for the last 7 years as a performer and builder on numerous projects including most recently Alissa Hunnicutt's The Kid Inside, Jonny Clockworks' Edward Lear's Absurd Ditties, Lone Wolf Tribes' Bride (2009 UNIMA Award), and the character Lottie Lamb on the PBS kids show Seemore's Playhouse. Chad Williams is a filmmaker turned puppeteer, having shot and edited two puppetry documentaries: Puppet Fest '09 and Puppet Rampage.  http://wondersparkpuppets.com/

Where do the tales of Aesop come from? Who is Aesop? 

Legend has it, the tales known as Aesop’s fables were created by an ancient Greek slave who earned his freedom. The stories were some of the world's first morality tales, originating in the sixth century B.C. Aesop's fables use animal characters to mock human folly and are also the source of many enduring cultural images and idioms.

Spring at PST Kicks off with Tales from Africa!

"Leopard Learns a Lesson" by Magpie Puppets

Fri | Mar. 1 | 10:30 AM

Sat & Sun | Mar 2, 3 | 1 PM & 3 PM

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ABOUT THE SHOW:

This is Magpie Puppets newest performance! The story is adapted from an African tale from Malawi. Leopard is always bullying and frightening smaller animals until Rabbit turns the tables on her with the help of the jungle’s two largest beasts, Elephant and Rhinoceros. The audience learns, along with Leopard, that cooperation works better than intimidation. The show features hand puppets, plus original music by Alison Reid! Recommended for ages 3 and up.

A GREAT LESSON:

What a great lesson to learn! You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. You and your children will be greatly entertained well also reinforcing the wonderful lesson of teamwork.  

ABOUT MAGPIE PUPPETS:

Maggie Whalen, Director of Magpie Puppets, a one-woman hand puppet theater, has been performing puppet shows for children and adults since 1969. In 1971, she founded and directed Poor People's Puppets in NYC, which performed in its own storefront theater from 1971 - 1974. She has worked with the Bread & Puppet Theatre in Vermont and Theater for the New City in New York. In addition to performing, Maggie has taught puppet-making workshops at schools, community centers and even at Club Med!

Magpie Puppets is included in the Massachusetts Cultural Council Performing and Touring Roster and is a participant in the New England States Touring Program.

My New Favorite Thing: Yiddish Folk tales

Me and my new friend "Truth", a character from one of the  Yiddish folk tales in "Magic Soup & Other Stories."

Attention Puppet Fans,

I, Bella Monster, have discovered something amazing that I need to share with all of you. It's my new favorite thing, Yiddish folk tales! They are imaginative and entertaining stories that have been passed down from generation to generation in Jewish culture. What makes them different from other folklore is they also help teach you about life, family and community in the Jewish tradition.

These stories are told at festive occasions like weddings or at synagogues and also at home with close friends. Storytelling was a favorite past time among the community. Anyone could tell them, but some people gained reputations as the best storytellers.

I found these stories very interesting because I come from a Monster background. Growing up in my family, my monster parents always told me stories about my people, like the Lochness Monster and Big Foot. What kind of stories did your family tell you about your culture? Please tell me in comments, I love to learn new things!

If you're interested in experiencing traditional Yiddish Folktales, puppet style, come to PST this week! The traditional Yiddish folk tale, "The Magic Soup", teaches us that those with wit, humor and imagination can fulfill their dreams.

Magic Soup & Other Stories
by Brad Shur, PST Artist-in-Residence
August 8-11 | 10:30am &1pm
Buy Tickets



Here are a few more Yiddish stories:

The Instruments: There was a great pipe made of reed in the Jerusalem Temple. The pipe dated back to ancient times and played exquisite music. The King, knowing how valuable the pipe was, ordered it to be covered in gold. But after it was, it no longer played great music. So they took the gold off, and it once again played well.

Story of Chelm: The town of Chełm decided to build a new synagogue. So, some strong, able-bodied men were sent to a mountaintop to gather heavy stones for the foundation. The men put the stones on their shoulders and trudged down the mountain to the town below. When they arrived, the town constable yelled, "Foolish men! You should have rolled the stones down the mountain!" The men agreed this was an excellent idea. So they turned around, and with the stones still on their shoulders, trudged back up the mountain, and rolled the stones back down again.

The Pants: A Rabbi commissioned a tailor to make him a new pair of pants. Six days later, the tailor delivered it to him in person.  “Thank you for the pants,” he said to the tailor. “But allow me to ask this question: Since it took the Lord six days to create this entire vast universe, how is it that it took you six days just to make a single pair of pants!”

“Rabbi,” the tailor replied, “that is easy to explain. Just look around you at the mess that the Lord made. And now look at this exquisite pair of pants!”

If you are interested in even more stories, here are some other traditional Yiddish folk tales that you can read about! Collected from people of all walks of life "Yiddish Folktales" has over 200 tales by research associate at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York, Beatrice Weinreich. 

As Always, Love,

Bella Monster

The Perfect Recipe for an Awesome Puppet Show!

THIS WEEK AT PST

Magic Soup and Other Stories
by Brad Shur, PST Artist-In-Residence
Wed-Sat | August 8-11 | 10:30am & 1pm

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PST is thrilled to welcome our Artist-In-Residence back to the stage this month with his newest show:"Magic Soup and Other Stories", a collection of Yiddish folk tales told with great humor and exciting mixed puppetry styles.  What ever your favorite ingredient for good theatre, Brad's "Magic Soup" is sure to make you laugh, clap and have a great time!

About the show: Uncle Murray is coming over for dinner, but there's no food in sight! A young man's search for a family recipe ends up bringing folk tales to life...in his kitchen. Based on a collection of traditional Yiddish stories, "The Magic Soup" teaches that it is those with wit, humor and imagination who have the best chance of filling their bellies -- and fulfilling their dreams.

About the performer: Brad has been professionally involved in puppetry for almost 15 years. He began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while studying film and animation at the Rhode Island School of Design. He has worked in various capacities with Wood & Strings Theatre (Tennessee), and Vermont PuppetTree, and as a builder has designed and fabricated puppets for American Idol, Dollywood, and other theaters and performers from Austin, Texas to Boston, Massachusetts.  Brad performs almost every month at PST and teaches classes and workshops to students ages 3 to adult.

All of the puppets Brad uses in his performances come from his workshop, where he builds them by hand from wood, paper, plastic, foam and fabric.