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

Hold Onto Your Underpants...

Squirrel On the Loose at Puppet Showplace!

Back by Popular Demand: "Squirrel Stole My Underpants" by Bonnie Duncan

Just when you thought you were having a bad day, nothing makes things more complicated than losing your underpants. However, you did not lose them by accident; they were stolen! In this exciting journey through the imagination, performer Bonnie Duncan takes us on little Sylive's adventure to retrieve her favorite pair of underpants from a silly sneaky squirrel.

Bonnie combines puppetry, dance, original music, and mime in a way that might just knock your socks off- or even your underwear! Will our lonely heroine rescue her underpants and discover the magic within herself? Join us on this adventure to find out!

Showtimes:

August 7-10
Wed-Sat
10:30am & 1pm
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About Bonnie Duncan...

Bonnie Duncan has come a long way since her days growing up in the south competing in dance and swimming competitions. After studying theatre and education in college, Bonnie continued into grad school learning how to make her own costumes while acting in original theatre pieces. The solo puppeteer creates her own award winning productions which she brings to theatres, museums and festivals across the country.

With every performance during her last visit to Puppet Showplace SOLD OUT, it goes to show that Bonnie Duncan's performances are not ones you want to miss!

LIVE MUSIC!

Every performance of "Squirrel Stole My Underpants" this week will be accompanied by live music.  What a special treat!

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!