Learn How to Build Giant Puppets at PST!

CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND TEENS

THINK BIG: Giant Puppet Construction and Performance Class
Six sessions | March 11 - April 15
Monday nights | 6:30-9:00 pm

REGISTER

Not so little anymore? No need to fret, the bigger you get, the bigger the puppets! We invite teens and adults alike to join us and learn how to build your own larger-than-life puppet. Come and THINK BIG at PST in this empowering workshop.

Register by March 1: $150 + $20 materials fee. After 3/1/13: $175 + $20 materials fee. PST members save 10% on registration!

ABOUT THE CLASS

Participants will learn techniques for designing and constructing giant puppets from simple materials such as cardboard, papier mache, fabric, and recycled objects. Topics will include large-scale designing, flat-to-3D building, cardboard fabrication, strong papier mache, painting, transportation planning, and puppet manipulation. Participants will each complete their own giant puppet, and will have opportunities to perform with Puppet Showplace Theatre in various community art events throughout the year.

WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN BIG PUPPETS?

From "First Night" in Boston to "Wake up the Earth," festival in Jamaica Plain, street protests to community festivals, giant puppets are everywhere! 

"First Night" in Boston

"Wake up the Earth" festival in Jamaica Plain

YOUR INSTRUCTOR 

This workshop is led by PST’s own Artist in Residence Brad Shur. Brad performs almost every month at PST as well as teaches classes and workshops to students aged 3 to adult. For nearly 15 years he has been professionally involved in puppetry since he began as a performer with the Providence puppet and Mask Company Big Nazo. 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.  

PST Artist in Residence, Brad Shur

World Premiere Performance Series starts with Songs and Shadows

Chris Monti and "The Fox"

“Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England” by Brad Shur and Chris Monti
Saturday & Sunday | Jan 19 & 20 at 1pm & 3pm
Monday | Jan 21 at 10:30am and 1pm 

BUY TICKETS

Puppet Showplace Theatre (PST) will present two world premiere performances of puppetry works created by Boston-based artists as part of the theatre’s “New Year, New Shows!” series, running from January 12 – February 3. The series begins with "The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England", by PST Artist-in-Residence Brad Shur and Folk Musician Christopher Monti.  There are additional performances on Monday, Jan 21st at 10:30am and 1pm.  PST is open for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday!  As part of the theatre's shows in repertoire, look for "Yankee Peddler" on our calendar in the spring and beyond- it is sure to become a fan favorite!

Behind the puppet stage: Brad Shur's signature shadow puppets performed on an overhead projector

In this brand new show, two very different types of media come together to create storytelling magic! Both shadow puppetry and live music have a long history and tradition rooted in rich cultures of many peoples all over the globe. Brad Shur’s signature shadow puppetry style uses cut-outs manipulated on a overhead, and then projected onto a large screen.  During the entire show,  Chris Monti is the only performer visible to the audience. This creates a unique interaction between performer, spectators and characters on the puppet screen. Chris as the live performer acts as a go-between to draw the audience into the two dimensional world of the shadow puppets.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN 

Chris Monti and Brad Shur

Puppeteer Brad Shur knew he wanted to make a show with live music, so he tapped folk musician Chris Monti to collaborate on “Peddler.” Comrades and past roommates, this storytelling team is a perfect pairing of sound making and tale-crafting. Together, they scoured songbooks and dusted off folklore anthologies in search of material that would make for good visual storytelling while celebrating life in the Northeast.  Chris dove into the depths of his own repetorie that comes from playing with New England folk musicians and old time musicians. As an example, the song “The fox” comes from the Scotts who compiled a book called “Ballad of America.” The text is a history of America through folk song. 

ABOUT THE STORIES

After narrowing down an enormous list to 10 songs and stories, the result is a collection of unique folktales. All of the stories are pieces of folklore from the New England region. Some are based on historical facts, others express interesting cultural practices, and a few even tell the tall-tales of local mythology folk heroes. Every part of the world has their own arts and stories. New England has its own history with its own flavor, and “Yankee Peddler” reflects those traditions and local culture.

From "The Mammoth Cheese of Cheshire Massachusetts"

One of the stories is a piece of real history about giant cheese. This is clearly the kind of history you can’t ignore! The performers picked stories that had unexpected elements, with a lot of energy, and room for silliness. “The Mammoth Cheese of Cheshire Massachusetts , is the true story about Thomas Jefferson and the gift of a giant piece of cheese. Another historically inspired story is “Letters to Rats” which comes from actual letters found in old houses written by people in colonial times addressed to vermin infesting their homes and eating their food. These stories come from a broad range of social classes, including characters from a mayor to the president, and sailors, and even animals!

Often when we study American History, we first address the Revolutionary War, or the Civil war, but Brad and Chris didn’t want to explore Old New England culture using military history. War is only one small facet of history, and it is not something these performers wanted to glorify. They are instead interested in celebrating a different kind of hero. 

One such hero in “Yankee Peddler” is the famous Stormalong who battles with his own demons and whose hero status emerges because of his determination- and also his enormous girth! Stormalong is part of the same tradition as Paul Bunyan and John Henry who found fame in being very good at the thing they loved, and putting their passion into it. Have you ever seen Stormalong face-off with the Kracken, a giant octopus sea creature? Now is your chance! 

From "Cluck Old Hen"

Other stories in the show feature man’s connection to nature. Living more closely to the grand out doors was a huge part of life in old New England. In “Yankee Peddler”, expect to see forest creatures galore, like “The Fox” who dives into his den, and a bear who needs a little help getting dressed in “Jenny Jenkins”, some rats who love to eat cheese and crackers with jam in “Letters to Rats”, and the fastest egg-slinging hen in the east in “Cluck Old Hen.”




ABOUT THE MUSIC 

Chris Monti rehearsing in the PST lobby

All of the music in the show is performed live by Chris Monti.  The orchestration is mainly vocals, harmonica, guitar, kazoo and a few other noise makers like a triangle and symbol crashes for those pointed moments requiring special effects. Chris composed original music and adapted licks from fiddle tunes for incidental music that underscores about half of the shadow puppets stories.   Other visuals in the show are entirely based on the songs themselves.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

“Yankee Peddler” has benefited a lot from wonderful feedback of other local puppeteers and performing artist during its development. Scenes from the show were workshopped in 2010 at the Eugene O’Neil Puppetry Conference in Connecticut, as well as at PST’s own Incubator program for the development of new works. The show received support from the Harris Grant Program of the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America.

TAKE A SNEAK-PEEK!

Rehearsal footage from "Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs of Old New England"


STRAIGHT FROM THE PUPPETEER'S MOUTH

“This is Americana, but a different kind of Americana. It will make you proud to be a New Englander for reasons you never thought!” –Brad Shur

Brad Shur created over 100 shadow puppets for "Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England"

Behind the Scenes at PST: Magic Soup & Other Stories

It's Brad!

Not Just Soup, Magic Soup

It's official, folks.  We are just a few short days away from the biggest of all feasts: Thanksgiving - and what better way to celebrate than to continue this year's Feast of Food and Folktales with The Magic Soup & Other Stories  Put another notch on your belt (or switch to elastic waistband pants) because the show returns to PST the day after Thanksgiving and we'll be adding "soup" to your leftovers.      

About the Show...

The Magic Soup & Other Stories is a collection of six short stories - “The Naked Truth and Resplendent Parable,” “The Egg Seller,” “The Very Small House,” “A Coat Poverty,” “Pleasing All the World,” and “The Magic Soup" - all of which are taken from the vibrant Jewish folk traditions of Eastern Europe.  In these short stories, everybody is looking for something - whether it's a bowl of soup or some peace and quiet - and it is those with wit, a sense of humor, and imagination who have a better chance of making their dreams come true.

...And Its Mechanics

I'm sure you're all familiar with our artist-in-residence, Brad Shur.  Well, since I profiled him for "Behind the Scenes at PST: Dr. Doohickey" just a few weeks ago, I thought it would be neat-o to discuss the work he puts into his puppetry - because it's pretty awesome.

Brad using shadow puppets

As of I mentioned before, The Magic Soup & Other Stories is made up of six short stories and they're all unique in their use of puppetry.  In "The Naked Truth and Resplendent Parable," Brad uses table top and rod puppets.  In "The Egg Seller," shadow puppets.  In "The Very Small House," table top, hand, and mouth puppets.  In "A Coat Poverty," shadow puppets.  In "Pleasing All the World," table top puppets.  And in "The Magic Soup," table top puppets.

Now, having named all these styles, you're probably wondering: how do they work?  Well, let's take a look at a few examples, starting with the shadow puppets.  Brad begins by creating his puppets digitally, designing them on his computer and adjusting their sizes accordingly - comparing one puppet to the other so they can all work together.  After he prints, then cuts them out, Brad places his finished work on the over-head projector, which allows the puppets to create large, blown-up shadows.

The reason why Brad uses shadow puppets in, let's say, "The Egg Seller," is because he wanted to create the broad and abstract locations that exist within the story.  With shadow puppets, he is able to do just that - create a sense of place.

As for table top puppets - which you'll see a lot of throughout the show - Brad uses paper mache cast-over foam, which he shapes into any form he so desires, to create a wide variety of cast members, including monsters!  He constructs them in such a way that he is able to be in control - of one part in particular: the head, which he uses to create simple yet elegant and powerful movements.

One of Brad's puppets: The Ugly, Naked Truth!

And what of the characters in The Magic Soup?  Brad had one goal in mind: to transform the space and make magical things come out of said space.  In other words, he took everyday objects like coats and trash cans and transformed them to make his characters exist in a magical, story land.  And it worked!   Brad engineered different materials to look out-of-this-world.  Trust me - when you come to see The Magic Soup, you will find that mundane objects have become magical.

In honor of the Feast of Food and Folktales (and Thanksgiving), be sure to come on down to PST this week to see Brad perform in The Magic Soup & Other Stories.  It's a show you won't want to miss!  In case you haven't done so already, tickets can be purchase online HERE.

'Till next time, Fellow Readers!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

The Magic Soup at PST!

PST Feast of Food and Folktales 2012!
November 1 - December 2
View Show Calendar

It's official, folks!  It's the week of Thanksgiving and we've got a treat for you: soup!  And not any ordinary soup - magical soup.  Before we get into our winter puppet show season, our Feast of Food and Folktales concludes with...

THIS WEEK AT PST:

The Magic Soup & Other Stories by Brad Shur
Fri Nov 23 | 10:30 AM & 1 PM
Sat Nov 24 & Sun Nov 25 | 1 PM & 3 PM
And then the following week...
Thur Nov 29 & Fri Nov 30 | 10:30 AM
Sat Dec 1 | 1 PM & 3 PM
Sun Dec 2 | 1 PM

BUY TICKETS

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 us 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 Shur, PST's artist-in-residence, has been professionally involved in puppetry for over 10 years.  He first began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while he was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design and has toured nationally with Wood & Strings Theatre, a marionette company out of Tennessee.  As a teaching artist, he teaches workshops and classes for students of all ages. 

Behind the Scenes at PST: Raccoon Tales

Paul Vincent Davis, creator of Raccoon Tales

Raccoon Tales, Not Tails

Greetings, Readers!  In honor of Thanksgiving - which we all know is tied for "Best Holiday of the Year" with Christmas because you get to sample so many different kinds of pies (*insert happy "YAY!" here*) - we're bustin' out some of our favorite stories, each seasoned with a dash of food-themed fun.

We begin the yummy, finger-lickin' season with Raccoon Tales by Paul Vincent Davis, performed by PST artist-in-residence Brad Shur, which, we think, will inspire you to create a family folklore of your own - with the help of some tribal tricksters, of course.

About the Show...

What better way to bring in the holiday season with a show inspired by Native American tales of the Seneca Tribe?  That's right!  Thanksgiving's (basically) just around the corner and we're celebrating with Raccoon Tales.  Based on tales such as "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," Raccoon Tales is guaranteed to get you in a "thankful" mood.

Yes, see what happens when the animals from the forest play tricks on each other. Will they learn their lessons? Boy, we hope so because!

Its History...

Although our artist-in-residence Brad Shur is performing Raccoon Tales this week, the show was first created by Paul Vincent Davis in the late 60's - one of the six shows commissioned by the New York Town/Park Department.  Drawing inspiration from a humorous collection of Native American tales called Skunny Wundy, written by Arthur C. Parker, Paul prepared the show in a year, with puppet making help from friend, Karen Larson.

The "Inspiration"

Of course, the show due at PST this week is Paul's third revision.  That's right.  Paul loved Raccoon Tales so much - more than the other five shows he was commissioned to do - that he thought, "Let me make some changes.  So, how did the show change?  Well, it used to be that the puppets were glove puppets with Styrofoam heads, but then Paul changed them into glove puppets with paper mache heads - all handcrafted with faux fur.

Paul's Hand Puppets

You may be wondering: why glove puppets?  Well, in case you didn't know, they're Paul's signature - his "thing."  For the longest time, he's been fascinated by glove puppets because they're the hardest puppets to manipulate.  Seems strange, right, to enjoy something so challenging?  Wrong.  Paul loves a challenge - and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.  As a puppeteer, he believes in communicating through movement - to use a puppet's entire body to showcase what it feels about what it's saying - and it takes a lot of work to do so with glove puppets.  Of course, Paul's so invested in his work - studying his art - that he's, in a way, mastered it.

Paul, performing an earlier version of Raccoon Tales

Now, when Paul handed down Raccoon Tales to Brad, he was a little nervous, not because he thought Brad was a "bad" puppeteer but because he was asking him, this other person, to do the show in his voice.  One of the reasons why Paul was so invested in Raccoon Tales during its earlier run was because he wrote the script using his own sense of humor - his own voice.  Of course, after meeting Brad and seeing how much of a fast-thinker he is, Paul gave him his blessing.

And the Man Behind the Raccoon...

Paul is widely recognized as one of the foremost hand puppeteers in the country.  Not to mention, he's a great artist, writer, etc.

One of Paul's sketches

Paul joined the PST team in 1977 as its artist-in-residence and has been part of its history since then.  He has received many awards, including four "Citations of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry" from UNIMA-USA (the highest award given in puppetry) and the distinguished President's Award from Puppeteers of America.  In addition to performing, Paul has taught at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.  Pretty impressive, eh?  Well, he's also served as a faculty member and on the Board of Overseers for the Institute of Professional Puppetry Arts at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.  With a resume like this, we're proud to call Paul "family!"

Paul, surrounded by clowns (literally)

Oh, and be sure to keep your eyes open!  Paul's been writing a book - working title Glove Puppets: Fantasy and Realism Hand in Hand.  "It's almost done," he says.  There was a minor setback when his computer lost the pages, but our wonderful artist-in-residence Brad Shur saved every file.  The finished work is being proofread, so we hope to see it on shelves soon!

And Finally...

Be sure to come on down to PST this week to see Raccoon Tales.  Tickets can be purchases online HERE.

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

Food and Folktales at PST!

PST Feast of Food and Folktales 2012!
November 1 - December 2
View Show Calendar

With our Halloween Extravaganza coming to an end, we're getting ready for Thanksgiving - a special time that brings families together to share stories while enjoying yummy food!  Take a seat at our table as we present some of our favorite stories, each seasoned with a dash of food-themed fun!

THIS WEEK AT PST:

Raccoon Tales by Paul Vincent Davis, performed by Brad Shur, PST Artist-in-Residence
Thursday Nov 1 | 10:30 AM
Friday Nov 2 | 10:30 AM & 3 PM
Saturday and Sunday Nov 3 & 4 | 1 PM & 3 PM

BUY TICKETS

About the Show: The animals in the forest are always getting into trouble, playing tricks on each other. Will they learn their lessons? Three humorous tales inspired by the Native American tales 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." Recommended ages 4 & up. Hand puppets. Tickets: $12/general admission, $8/PST members.

About the Artist: Brad Shur, PST Artist-in-Residence, has been professionally involved in puppetry for over 10 years.  He first began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while he was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design and has toured nationally with Wood & Strings Theatre, a marionette company out of Tennessee.  As a teaching artist, he teaches workshops and classes for students of all ages. 

Behind the Scenes at PST: Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine

Reginald the Rabbit, the monster!

Doohickey M.D.?

Dr. Doohickey may not have a degree from the Yale School of Medicine, but that's ok.  You're not in need of any health-related advice.  You're in need of a good show - nay, a great show!  Well, guess what?  Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine is just that - a great show.

About the Show...

Halloween's just around the corner and you're all probably wondering: what makes Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine so spook-tacular?  Well, for one thing, the words "Doctor" and "Monster" are in the same title. Take a look at Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Both have taught us that when doctors and monsters mix, they result in Halloween-worthy stories.

Reginald and Friends

Of course, Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine is not grotesquely scary like most of today's scary stories, movies, etc.  It's Halloween fun that everybody can enjoy, including the wee little children.

With the help of his assistant, Reginald the Rabbit, Dr. Doohickey embarks on a quest.  Using music, machines, and a little bit of magic, he sets out to prove that the world would be a much more exciting place if people were a little bit more like monsters.  Actually, not like monsters.  Dr. Doohickey tries to turn people into monsters, which makes sense, right?  What else is one supposed to do with a monster machine?

Now, Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine is very different from most puppet shows that pass through PST.  We're so used to seing so many small hand puppets that we forget they can be big.  Take Reginald the Rabbit, for example.  He's pretty big - almost the size of a real-life person.  And his mouth moves, too!  So, it's almost like he is a real person, even though he's kind of a "thing."  

Also, he's not the only puppet - or should I say, "person" - on stage.  Brad actually performs as Dr. Doohickey.  And there are, of course, a few shadow puppets here and there!  What a perfect Halloween-related factor, right?  Shadow puppets.  What could be more "Halloween-y?" 

Doctors, Monsters, and everything in between - how did Brad Shur come up with such an amazing show?  Hmm...perhaps it's because he's super talented.  Yeah, I think it's that.

...And the Man Behind Dr. Doohickey

I don't know if you knew this, but Brad Shur is the Artist-in-Residence here at PST.  Since he first started in 2009, Brad has performed a variety of shows on our stage, including three of Paul Vincent Davis' original shows (The Singing Turtle, Raccoon Tales, Clown Circus) and some of his own, like Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine, The Carrot Salesman and Magic Soup & Other Stories.

Brad in The Carrot Salesman

Brad also brings the magic of puppetry to schools, libraries, and other venues.  Yes, that's right.  He's a touring performer as well as an in-house performer.  Also, people find themselves so intrigued by how Brad constructs his shows, from script to stage, they often enroll in some of the teaching classes he offers here at PST.  Last summer, for example, Brad offered a workshop called "Junk Puppets," in which he taught puppet enthusiasts how to make puppets from recycled materials.

Brad, teaching "Junk Puppets"

As for the year before, Brad performed The Carrot Salesman at the Huntington Arcade, presented by The Kid's Stage in Barnes & Noble Booksellers.  This event - "Puppets Take Prudential" - occurred at the Prudential Center, where the Boston skyline was lit up with PST's signature orange color in honor of the theatre's month-long "31 Nights of Light," which was everyone's way of celebrating local non-profit organizations.

Brad, doing "Puppets Take Prudential"

Of course, what about before and outside PST?  In 2003, Brad graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Film, Animation, and Video.  Pretty impressive, right?  Well, it doesn't end there.  After, he was a workshop leader for Wood and Strings Theatre, where he performed in full-stage, nationally touring shows.  Also, he built the interactive show Escape From the Zoo.  

Brad, making puppets for Escape From the Zoo

Then, he was an art teacher at the Providence After School Alliance, teaching grades five through seven.  His students created masks, comics, a collaborative video game, and a short film - which you can see HERE.

In between all this, he founded Little Bee Puppets, where he created and performed shows for children and adults alike throughout Nashville, TN and Providence, RI.

And if all of this isn't enough to "wow" you - Brad also designed, built, and performed body puppets for an American Idol commercial, headed by Ford.  Check it out:

Yes, it's no secret: Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine is guaranteed to bring a smile to audiences of all ages with many thanks to our super talented Artist-In-Residence, Brad Shur.  Be sure to come on down to PST and join us as we launch our two week-long "Halloween Extravaganza" this Friday, October 19th. 

In case you haven't done so already, tickets for Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine can be purchased online (HERE).

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

Silly Ghosts and Ghouls come to PST!

PST HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA 2012!

PST Halloween event, 2011 "Spooky Story Station"

October 19-28

View Show Calendar

For two weeks this October, Puppet Showplace Theatre will be taken over by sweet and silly spooks. The “Halloween Extravaganza” will take place on October 19 - 28, featuring two different Halloween themed puppet shows, and an off-site appearance at the Brookline Lincoln School’s annual “Pumpkinfest.” 

Audience members are welcome to attend performances in costume! 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Dr. Doohickey’s Monster Machine by Brad Shur, PST Artist in Residence

Friday October 19 | 10:30am Saturday and Sunday October 20 & 21 | 1pm & 3pm 

BUY TICKETS

Dr. Doohickey thinks that the world would be much more exciting if people were a little more like monsters, don’t you? Join the doctor and his assistant Reginald the Rabbit as they use music, machines and a little magic to bring funny monsters to life. Moving-mouth and shadow puppets. Recommended for ages 4 & up. Tickets: $12/general admission, $8/PST members. 

About the artist: Brad Shur, PST Artist in Residence has been professionally involved in puppetry for over 10 years. He first began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while a student at the Rhode Island School of Design and has toured nationally with Wood & Strings Theatre, a marionette company out of Tennessee. As a teaching artist, he teaches workshops and classes for students of all ages.

The Witch Who Wasn’t by Wayne Martin Puppets

Friday October 26 | 10:30am Saturday and Sunday October 27 & 28 | 1pm & 3pm 

BUY TICKETS

“The Witch who Wasn’t” is a delightful tale about a little witch who can’t do anything the least bit scary and who dreads attending her first Halloween witches convention. Her short story is followed by visits from a happy juggling pumpkin, a roller-skating demon, and a compliment of scarecrows, witches, ghosts and silly monsters all performing unique tricks for your treat in this hilarious Halloween-themed variety revue. Hand puppets, rod puppets and marionettes. Recommended for ages 4 & up. Tickets: $12/general admission, $8/PST members.

About the artist: Wayne Martin has been featured in numerous award winning television programs and commercials. These include critically acclaimed educational and training films and his very own television series and specials that have earned him two Emmy Award nominations. At the top of his profession for nearly forty years, Wayne’s credits include guest appearances with Symphony Orchestras and work as principal manipulator for industry greats, the Heiken Puppets, Sid and Marty Krofft Productions and Jim Henson’s Muppets, among others. Having designed and built over two thousand puppets to date, Martin’s act has appeared with such established artists as Bob Hope, Dolly Parton, The 5th Dimension and The Temptations.

SPECIAL EVENT

Pumpkinfest @ Lincoln School Sunday October 21, 12-4pm 

Click for event info

Bella Monster sure could use YOUR help to get into the Halloween Spirit!

Join Puppet Showplace Theatre artists at Brookline’s Lincoln School for an afternoon of FREE monster-related puppet activities and crafts. Learn about mouth puppetry, make your own monster puppet, and meet some of our favorite furry monsters including Bella, PST’s “Monster in Residence.”  

After-school Activities: PST's After-school Show Series Returns

PST announces Fall 2012  After-school Show Line-up

Starting Friday, October 5, Puppet Showplace Theatre is bringing back its after-school show time series for youth and family audiences. For the remainder of the Fall 2012 season, PST will present a 3:00pm show the first Friday of every month (October 5, November 2, and December 7).

Behind-the-scenes Access:

Ever wonder what goes into a puppet show? Well, you're in luck! Each performance will include a post-show behind-the-scenes puppet demonstration and a Q&A session with the puppeteer. According to Brad Shur, Artist-in-Residence at PST, “These performances are a great opportunity for kids to meet with artists, ask questions, and see how a professional puppet show works!”

Puppet-making Activity:

Following each performance, audience members are also invited to enjoy a FREE puppet making activity. All the materials will be provided by PST, and every child can make their own puppet to take home.

Tickets cost $12 General/$8 PST members/$8.50 for groups of 20 or more.

View Calendar

2012 Fall After-school Puppet Show Season Line-up:

The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen by Applause Unlimited – PST Premier!

October 5 at 3pm

Applause Unlimited celebrates one of the 20th century’s greatest storytellers - Hans Christian Andersen - with this magnificent UNIMA award-winning show. Sometimes serious and heartwarming, sometimes downright silly, but always fun, the show features storytelling and song as well as multiple styles of puppets in three of Andersen’s best loved tales: “The Ugly Duckling,” “Thumbelisa,” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Recommended for ages 4 & up.

BUY TICKETS!

Raccoon Tales by Paul Vincent Davis, performed by Brad Shur, PST Artist-in-Residence.

November 2 at 3pm

The animals in the forest are always getting into trouble playing tricks on each other. Will they learn their lessons? Three humorous tales, inspired by just-so-stories of the Seneca tribe, combine in this delightful show: 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. Hand puppets. Recommended for ages 4 & up

BUY TICKETS!

Tales of Beatrix Potter by Applause Unlimited – PST Premier!

December 7 at 3pm

A solo puppeteer/storyteller explores the fantasy world of one of Victorian England's best-known authors and illustrators. Set in an old-fashioned nursery, this performance includes three favorite Beatrix Potter stories as seen through the eyes of a young English girl growing up at the beginning of the twentieth century. As she pursues the everyday activities of playing and learning, the tales of "Two Bad Mice", "Jeremy Fisher", and "Jemima Puddleduck" seem to grow from her imagination. Hand, Rod, and Shadow puppets. Recommended for ages 4 & up.

Tickets Coming Soon! 

Announcing Fall Adult Classes 2012

PST HAS THREE UPCOMING CLASSES FOR ADULTS!
LEARN MORE/ REGISTER

Puppet Shorts!
Six sessions, September 10th - Oct 15th
Monday Nights, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Cost: $150/ $125 before September 1st!
Click Here to register online, or call 617-731-6400

Introduction to Puppetry Arts
Four sessions, October 9th - 30th
Tuesday Nights, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Cost: $125/ $105 before October 1st!
To register, call 617-731-6400

Introduction to Shadow Puppetry
Five sessions, November 12th - December 10th
Monday Nights, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Cost: $150/ $125 before November 1st!
To register, call 617-731-6400

Our artist-in-residence at PST, Brad Shur, will be teaching these three new classes for adults starting in September!  Brad has been professionally involved in puppetry for almost 15 years.  Creating and performing with his own puppets, he is equipped with an incredibly broad knowledge of various forms of puppetry and performance techniques.

Puppet Shorts! -  How do you get better at making puppet shows?  Practice!  Any great writer will tell you that in order to write well, one must write as often as they can.  The same is true with puppetry.  This class is designed to stretch a puppeteer's creativity and skill through a variety of projects.  Using different puppetry styles each week, participants will create six short performances.  With the help of the instructor, the class will also learn formal critique methods to analyze and improve each others' work.

Introduction to Puppetry Arts - Learn about the basics behind the scenes!  If you have always admired puppets from a seat in the audience, maybe it's time you got a closer look.  This class will teach the basic materials and performance methods used by professional puppeteers.  In addition, the class will study and discuss the work of great puppeteers such as Richard Bradshaw, Burr Tillstrom, and Sergey Obraztsov.  From constructing your first puppet to understanding the concepts of what makes an excellent puppet show, the subjects covered in this class are vital to a beginner puppeteer.

Introduction to Shadow Puppetry - Tap into the power of playing with light!  Shadow puppetry can be a wonderful way to tell stories, and at the heart of it, all you may need is a light, some paper, and a screen.  From the simple fun of playing with light, to more complex and diverse styles of shadow puppetry, this class is for anyone interested in this beautiful art form.  Through the use of building exercises and performance assignments, participants by the end of this class will have the tools to create their own shadow puppet plays.


Any questions about class content may be directed to instructor Brad Shur: bshur@puppetshowplace.org.  For more information about all of our Adult Classes, please Visit Our Website!

Crabgrass Puppet Theatre Stops by for some Magic Soup

From Left: Roxanna Myhrum (PST Artistic Director), Jaime Keithline (Crabgrass), Brad Shur (PST Artist-in-Residence),  and Bonnie Hall (Crabgrass) on the set of "Magic Soup."

As New England's oldest and only puppet theatre open all year round, Puppet Showplace Theatre is also an important center to support the work of local puppetry artists, and where puppeteers come to support each other's work.

On Thursday, August 9th, Crabgrass Puppet Theatre from Halifax Vermont came to Brookline to take a special behind the scenes look at PST Artist-In-Residence, Brad Shur's newest production, "The Magic Soup and Other Stories".  This puppet show is on stage for one more day this month, Saturday August 11th with performances at 10:30am and 1pm  BUY TICKETS and will return to the stage during Thanksgiving week for PST's "Feast of Food and Folktales" this November.

Jaime and Bonnie of Crabgrass have been creating puppet theatre together since 1982, and were impressed with Brad's new show.  Here's what they had to say about the performance: "What a great show! It is so exciting to see that young puppeteers like Brad are making such strong new work" and "Brad is a wonderful actor, and the design is beautiful and well done."

Crabgrass Puppet Theatre will be on stage next week, August 15th through 18th, with a brand new performance of "Jack and the Beanstalk." More Info.  Join us for a special post-show reception to meet the performers and enjoy refreshments sponsored by the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry after the 10:30am show on Saturday, August 18th.

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

BUY TICKETS

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.

My New Favorite Thing: Glove Puppetry!

Hello Puppet fans,
It's your favorite time of the week, "My New Favorite Thing" from me, your favorite puppet, Bella Monster! This week I want to tell to you about glove puppetry. Glove puppetry is totally awesome! It's one of the most recognizable and common forms of puppetry. Being one of the oldest forms of theatre, you might recognize it as one of the most famous puppetry acts, Punch and Judy.

Brad Shur, my friend and artist in residence here at PST, is teaching a class for adults this Summer on glove puppetry. (photo right)  I wanted to know what glove puppets are all about, and boy did I find out!


Glove Puppetry Boot Camp
Instructor: Brad Shur, Artist in Residence





I took the class and can now unleash the expressive power of my hands in glove puppetry, like a pro. I also got to interview my pal, Brad for all of you to become experts on glove puppetry too. 







Here is what the glove puppet master had to say:

Me: Hi Brad!
Brad: Hey Bella

Me: When did you know you wanted to be a puppeteer?
Brad: I grew up watching the Muppets and the Fraggles and Dark Crystal, and I always loved to act and write and make things. By the time I got to high school, I realized that I could do all those things in one job as a puppeteer and be a part of the art form that I'd loved so much.

Me: What is a glove puppet?
Brad: A glove puppet is a very old style of puppet that fits over the puppeteers hand. The fingers are used to move the head and hands of the puppet. It's called a glove puppet because it fits over your hand like a glove.

Me: I'm a mouth and rod puppet, what's the difference between a glove puppet and the kind of puppet that I am?

Brad: Glove puppets mostly don't move their mouths like you do. They use body language like clowns or mimes do. That's how they communicate. A mouth and rod puppet like you takes two hands to manipulate, but I only need one hand for a glove puppet, so I can perform two puppets at a time, and that's a show!

Me: What was the first glove puppet show you saw?

Brad: The first one I remember was Liz Joyce's Punch and Judy show. Punch and Judy is a show that began in England hundreds of years ago. People perform it all over the world today. I'm not quite that old. I saw the show about twelve years ago and loved it.

Me: What was the name and personality of your first glove puppet?

Brad: I made a puppet in college named Oatmeal because he was made from brown paper the color of oatmeal. He didn't really have his own personality, I used him in different stories and he would become the character the story needed.

Me: How do you prepare before a show?

Brad: I'll go through the show in my head to make sure I remember everything and all the puppets and props are set up where they need to be.

Me: How do you start creating your awesome characters for your puppet acts?

Brad: The idea comes first. I think of the story that I want to tell, and then I figure out what characters I need to make to tell it.

Me: Thanks for letting me interview you!

Brad: Thank you! I've never been interviewed by a monster before.

Now that you love glove puppets as much as I do, check out Clown Circus performed by Brad Shur this week: Wed, July 25th through Sat, 28th, performances as 10:30am and 1pm!  The show and all of the glove puppets are hand made by Paul Vincent Davis, and Brad brings the characters to life with silly voices and lots of laughs! See you at the theatre!

Love,


Bella Monster

Clown Circus by Paul Vincent Davis

Performed by Brad Shur, PST Artist in Residence

July 25th-28th | 10:30am & 1pm

BUY TICKETS!

The Clown Circus - only at PST!

THIS WEEK AT PST!

Wed	July 25	10:30am & 1pm
Thu	July 26	10:30am & 1pm
Fri	July 27	10:30am & 1pm
Sat	July 28	10:30am & 1pm

Step right up, and join us for a Circus this summer at PST! This isn't just an ordinary circus - it's a clown circus with beautiful and colorful hand crafted glove puppets made by PST's Artist in Residence Emeritus, Paul Vincent Davis.

BUY TICKETS

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 and more!

Recommended for ages 3 & up.

About the performer: Brad has been professionally involved in puppetry for nearly 10 years. He first began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while a student at the Rhode Island School of Design and has toured nationally with Wood & Strings Theatre, a marionette company out of Tennessee. Brad recently finished working with the Vermont PuppetTree as a freelance puppet designer and performer.

He has experience in teaching workshops and classes for students of all ages and hopes to be known in the future as an Arts Educator. Brad has a passion for performance and describes his style as “carnival barker” driven by interactive audience dialogue.

He is thrilled to join the Puppet Showplace Theatre as its Artist in Residence!

Raccoon Tales by Brad Shur

THIS WEEK AT PST

"Raccoon Tales" by Brad Shur

Weds, Thurs, & Sat | July 20, 21, & 23 | 10:30 am & 1 pm

$8/Members, $10/General Admission

BUY TICKETS

About the show: The animals in the forest are always getting into trouble playing tricks on each other. Will they learn their lessons? The show includes three humorous tails inspired by the Native American tales of the Seneca Tribe: How the Fox and the Raccoon Trick EachOther; Why the Blue Jay is Blue and the Gray Wolf Isn't; and, Why the Bear has a Stumpy Tail.

Hand Puppets, Recommended for ages 4 +

About the performer: Brad Shur, artist in residence at PST, has been professionally involved in puppetry for nearly 10 years. As a fan of all types of puppetry, Brad has built and performed with rod puppets, hand puppets, shadow puppets, larger-than-life costume puppets, Japanese bunraku puppets and marionettes. His shows are high energy blends where at least a few of these styles come together with storytelling, original scripts, and lots of audience participation.

You can catch Brad at least twice monthly at Puppet Showplace Theatre, performing any one of six shows in his repertoire: "Raccoon Tales," "Here Come the Clowns," "The Singing Turtle," "Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine," "The Carrot Salesman," and his newest production "The Magic Soup and Other Tales."

Brad is also an experienced teacher and offers workshops and classes for all ages on site at PST or private bookings in addition to extended residencies. This programming includes shadow, hand, and rod puppets, or custom workshops. Click here for more info!

(Brad Shur and participants from Summer Saturday Workshop Series, July 2011)

"Singing Turtle" by Brad Shur, PST Artist in Residence

THIS WEEK AT PST
Wednesday & Thursday | April 6 & 7 | 10:30am

About the Show: A young, hard working farm boy, Taro, is desperate to earn money to buy medicine for his mother. He is helped by an amazing singing turtle in this Japanese folk tale.

Featuring beautiful handmade hand puppets. Recommended for ages 3 & up.

About the Performer: Brad Shur, artist in residence at PST, has been professionally involved in puppetry for nearly 10 years. As a fan of all types of puppetry, Brad has built and performed with rod puppets, hand puppets, shadow puppets, larger-than-life costume puppets, Japanese bunraku puppets and marionettes. His shows are high energy blends where at least a few of these styles come together with storytelling, original scripts, and lots of audience participation.

You can catch Brad at least twice monthly at Puppet Showplace Theatre, performing any one of six shows in his repertoire: "Raccoon Tales," "Here Come the Clowns," "The Singing Turtle," "Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine," "The Carrot Salesman," and his newest production "The Magic Soup and Other Tales."

Brad is also an experienced teacher and offers workshops and classes for all ages on site at PST or private bookings in addition to extended residencies. This programming includes shadow, hand, and rod puppets, or custom workshops. Click here for more info!

BUY TICKETS

More about… “The Magic Soup & Other Tales” by Brad Shur

Saturday and Sunday | February 5 & 6 | 1PM & 3PM
Wednesday and Thursday | February 9 & 10 | 10:30AM

About the show: The Magic Soup presents stories taken from the rich Jewish folk tradition of Eastern Europe. In these six short tales, everyone is looking for something, whether it’s a bowl of soup, a bit of peace and quiet, or the perfect pair of shoes. It is those with wit, humor and imagination who have the best chance of finding their dreams.

Performed with mixed styles of puppetry, including rod, shadow and tabletop. This show is recommended for ages 4 and up.

About Brad Shur: Brad has been professionally involved in puppetry for nearly 10 years. He first began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while a student at the Rhode Island School of Design and has toured nationally with Wood & Strings Theatre, a marionette company out of Tennessee. Brad recently finished working with the Vermont PuppetTree as a freelance puppet designer and performer.

He has experience teaching workshops and classes for students of all ages and hopes to be known in the future as an Arts Educator. Brad has a passion for performance and describes his style as “carnival barker” driven by interactive audience dialogue.

He is thrilled to be with the Puppet Showplace Theatre as its Artist in Residence!

BUY TICKETS

More about… “The Carrot Salesman” by Brad Shur

Wednesday and Thursday | January 19 & 20 | 10:30AM
Saturday and Sunday | January 22 & 23 | 1PM & 3PM

About the show: The Carrot Salesman is the original story of a door-to-door carrot salesrabbit who is not very good at his job. But through his unsuccessful efforts to sell carrots to elephants, jellyfish, moles, and robots, he discovers a way to help all of the animals.

Performed with colorful two-dimensional table-top puppets and fun audience interaction. This show is recommended for ages 3 and up.

About Brad Shur: Brad has been professionally involved in puppetry for nearly 10 years. He first began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while a student at the Rhode Island School of Design and has toured nationally with Wood & Strings Theatre, a marionette company out of Tennessee. Brad recently finished working with the Vermont PuppetTree as a freelance puppet designer and performer.

He has experience teaching workshops and classes for students of all ages and hopes to be known in the future as an Arts Educator. Brad has a passion for performance and describes his style as “carnival barker” driven by interactive audience dialogue.

He is thrilled perform at the Puppet Showplace Theatre as its Artist in Residence!

BUY TICKETS

Happy 4th of July!

You may have seen this before, but it still makes us laugh.

Come by and join us for our own show on the Fourth: Brad Shur's "Raccoon Tales" at 1:00pm