World Premiere by Local Artist!

NEW YEAR, NEW SHOWS SERIES CONTINUES!

Puppet Showplace Theatre is proud to present ANOTHER brand new puppetry production in 2014 for family audiences by local artist, Faye Dupras of Somerville, MA. VIEW CALENDAR

"The Great Red Ball Rescue"

by Faye Dupras, 

Foreign Landscapes Productions

Feb 1-17, Sat & Sun at 1 & 3pm

Feb 7, Fri at 7pm: Reception to Follow

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One breezey summer afternoon, puppeteer and mom, Faye Dupras took her son to the beach...

The events of the day inspired "The Great Red Ball Rescue", an exciting story about a boy who's red ball is lost in the waves of the ocean. The real-life adventure of Faye's son on the Massachusetts coastline is just the beginning of this magical adventure told with mixed-puppetry styles and a new original musical score by Dana Colley (think indie rock band "Morphine", awesome right?)

What would it be like to dive into the ocean and discover the mysteries of the sea?  Told through the imagination of a 5 year old boy, "The Great Red Ball Rescue" explores the limitless adventures within the beautiful world of the deep blue sea.

About the show: Red alert! A family trip to the beach goes awry when a young boy's favorite red ball gets whisked away by the tides. Can he summon the courage to get it back? Join Jasper, a timid kid with a big imagination, as he sets out on an adventure across the ocean, under the waves, and up into the clouds. Along the way, he meets fantastical fortunetellers, thieving fishermen, and many mysterious creatures of the deep. Will he ever reclaim his favorite Red Ball from the clutches of the sea? Find out in this visually stunning production featuring multiple styles of puppetry, an original score, and lots of sea-faring fun!

About the Artist: Faye Dupras grew up doing art and theater but it wasn’t until she accidentally stumbled upon a puppet exhibition in rural Ontario in the mid 90’s that she decided to become a puppeteer. Luck was on her side, and within the month she was apprenticing under the exhibit’s curator, Canada’s acclaimed puppeteer Noreen Young.

To broaden her training Faye continued to work as a puppeteer while completing a BFA in “Theater and Development” from Concordia University in Montreal Canada followed by an MFA in “Puppetry Arts” from the University of Connecticut. This allowed for many diverse experiences: performing around the world (France, Costa Rica, Spain, Brazil) and designing, directing, and building for numerous puppet and theater companies. Since 2004 Faye has been the artistic director of Foreign Landscapes Productions under which she has created several award-winning performances, including "By The Willow," which received an UNIMA-USA citation of excellence, the highest recognition in American puppetry.

Recent professional highlights include working for the Canadian Opera Company as a shadow puppeteer on Atom Egoyan’s production of "Salome" (Toronto ’13); puppet design and direction for Liars and Believer’s critically acclaimed production of "Icarus" (Boston/NY ‘13); and co-developing and implementing Humber College’s inaugural Puppet Intensive that drew participants from across Canada (Toronto ’13). Faye is pleased to have an ongoing relationship with Underground Railway Theater's as one of their "go to" puppet artists. Critics have described Faye’s work as “spellbinding,” “imaginative,” and “powerful.” This is her first full-length production for young children. www.fayedupras.com

About the composer: Dana Colley is a musician and producer who first appeared on the Boston, Massachusetts indie Rock scene playing saxophone with the group Three Colors. In 1989, Colley co-founded "Morphine" which signed with major label DreamWorks Records in 1996. After the sudden end of Morphine he joined forces with Billy Conway and Laurie Sargent to form the trio Twinemen. Colley has made guest appearances with Primus and Lilium. 

He’s played saxophone and bass clarinet on Dan Brenner's 2011 CD Little Dark Angel, produced by Jay Newland. In 2012 he played in Italy with the Italian band Rudy and the M.O.B. He was a featured performer on ”Wild Things,” and “Just Your Luck.” He composed for documentaries “Radical Jesters,” “System Is Broken” and “Condo Painting.”

World Premiere performance of "Robin Hood!"

NEW YEAR, NEW SHOWS! Series at Puppet Showplace
Puppet Showplace is proud to present two puppetry productions by Boston-based artists in their world premiere performances this January and February 2014! VIEW CALENDAR

"Robin Hood" by Brad Shur, Artist in Residence

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
Fri, Jan 17 at 7pm 
(Opening night performance, with reception to follow)

Sat & Sun, Jan 11-19 at 1pm & 3pm
Mon, Jan 20 at 10:30am & 1pm
(Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend!)

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Join us at Puppet Showplace for our second annual series showcasing new work for youth and family audiences. Past productions have gone on to tour across the Northeast to venues such as La Mama ETC’s puppet festival in New York City, Boston’s Outside the Box Festival, and Maine’s Mostly Puppets Festival. Each year the artists receive production support through the theatre’s Incubator program.

First in the line-up of new shows by Boston-based artists is the classic tale of "Robin Hood" created and performed by Brad Shur, Puppet Showplace Artist in Residence. Get ready for a rollicking adventure through Sherwood Forest with your favorite hero who's watching out for the little guy.  This imaginative re-telling gives thematic story elements an updated twist told against the classic backdrop of late 18th century England. The performance features an original score by composer, Paul Watkins.

Robin Hood, hand-made glove puppet by Brad Shur

About the show: Get ready to occupy Sherwood in this rollicking retelling of the classic Robin Hood tale. When the new Sheriff of Nottingham starts uprooting villagers' homes as part of a grand castle expansion scheme, the starry-eyed Robin sees an opportunity to save the day and fulfill his dream of becoming a hero. Of course, he'll need a little help from his friends. Join Maid Marion, Little John, and some unexpected puppet characters for this exciting forest adventure.

From the studio: characters from "Robin Hood," The Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin and Maid Marion

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. As protégé of master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, Shur trained extensively in glove puppetry and currently performs two of Davis’ classic shows at venues across New England. 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 Shur, Artist in Residence with Maid Marion puppet right from the mold!

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.

Meet the production team! Brad Shur was joined by a team of incredibly talented artists to put the world premiere production of "Robin Hood" on its feet.  This includes stage director, Roxanna Myhrum and composer Paul Watkins.

Roxanna Myhurm, Stage Director with deer character from "Robin Hood" by Brad Shur

Stage Director: Roxanna Myhrum is the Artistic Director of Puppet Showplace Theatre in Brookline, MA. In Boston, she has recently been puppetry director at the Huntington Theatre Company (Ryan Landry's M), Company One (She Kills Monsters), the Lyric Stage Company of Boston (IRNE award, Avenue Q), Underground Railway Theatre (Roots of Liberty), and Gloucester Stage Company (Carnival). Myhrum is a graduate of Harvard University and a former resident company member of the Eugene O’Neill National Puppetry Conference.

Paul Watkins, Composer

Composer: Paul Watkins is a composer and trombonist from San Jose, CA. He holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in music and psychology from the University of California, Davis, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. His music has been performed by Fifth House Ensemble, Freya String Quartet, Meridian Arts Ensemble, flutist Erinn Frechette, pianist Adam Marks, mezzo-soprano Jen Beattie, and the UC Davis Summer Symphony, among others.

At UC Davis, he was the recipient of the President’s Undergraduate Fellowship, the Outstanding Senior Award, and the Olga Brose Valente Memorial Prize for excellence in Music Composition (twice). His primary composition teachers include Kurt Rohde, Ross Bauer, Laurie San Martin, John Morrison, and Paul Brust. In his music, he has taken interest in exploring dense counterpoint, non-linear structures, visual and theatrical elements, improvisation, and forced audience participation.

The "Snowflake Man" returns to Puppet Showplace!

SNOWY STORIES, Dec 5-Jan 2
A series of snowy tales and holiday themed fun at Puppet Showplace this winter!

VIEW FULL PERFORMANCE CALENDAR

UP NEXT: "The Snowflake Man" by Puppetkabob
Thurs & Fri, December 12 & 13 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, Dec 14 & 15 at 1pm

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Snowy Stories continues with the exciting TRUE story about the world's first pioneer of snowflake photography. Wait, how do you take a picture of an ice crystal? Find out in this UNIMA award-winning production by Puppetkabob!

AND...After the show on Sat & Sun, you can make your very own pop-up theatre for endless puppet fun at home! The "Make Your Own Pop-up Puppet Theatre" begins at 2pm: MORE INFO

About the show: "The Snowflake Man" is an award-winning puppet production inspired by New England inventor Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, the self-educated farmer and scientist who attracted world attention when he became the first person to photograph a single snow crystal. “The Snowflake Man” swings audiences into the historic 1920s through creative storytelling, intricately designed Czech-style marionettes, and a striking pop-up book of water color scenery. This memorable performance combines art, science, and a little known piece of New England history to magical effect!

Funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.

About the performer: Puppetkabob is an award-winning touring puppet company founded in 2001 by artist Sarah Frechette. Sarah is a puppeteer, artist and arts educator whose work has been experienced in Theaters, Museums, Art Galleries, TV and Film.

Sarah studied in Germany with Legendary Master Puppeteer Albrecht Roser absorbing his theories on Zen and the art of puppetry. She earned her BFA from UConn's Puppet Arts Program. Sarah plays “Penny Pup” on the children's television series “Seemore's Playhouse”, seen on PBS.

 
Puppetkabob's show "The Snowflake Man" was inspired by two New England spirits: that of Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley, pioneer of snowflake photography, and Sarah's Grandfather. Behind all of the puppet shows Sarah creates is the memory of her Vermont heritage, her grandparents and relatives who work with their hands and with their hearts.

Sarah Frechette in her workshop!

The performance of "The Snowflake Man" blends czech-style marionettes, miniatures, pop-up paper art, music and live storytelling to convey historical information that is dramatic and personal. Puppetkabob was awarded the UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence for the production of "The Snowflake Man." The show was recently pictured in the New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer!

"The Snowflake Man" was a featured at the following 2013 Festivals: Outside the Box Festival in Boston, MA; the Puppeteers of America (r)Evolution National Puppetry Festival in Swarthmore, PA; the Puppets Take Long Island Festival in Garden City, NY: and at the 10th International Toy Theater Festival in DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY.

Build Your Own Pop-Up Puppet Theatre!

Sat & Sun at December 14 & 15 at 2pm

MORE INFO

About the workshop: Bring your own snowy story to life in this fun family workshop. Using simple art materials, participants will learn how to create their own paper puppets and table-top scenery inspired by the colorful pop-up book art of "The Snowflake Man." Award-winning puppeteer and artist Sarah Frechette, a graduate of the University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts program, will provide guidance and answer puppetry-related questions throughout. Need an extra holiday-season incentive? Pop-up puppet theatres make great family gifts! 

Workshop participant

Animal April Concludes with Anansi the Spider!

Anansi, Spiderman of Africa
by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre

Thurs | April 25 | 10:30 AM
Fri | April 26 | 10:30 AM & *3:30 PM
Sat & Sun | April 27 & 28 | 1 PM & 3 PM
*Join us for a special post-show demonstration with Crabgrass Puppet Theatre, and enjoy a free puppet-making activity to take home after the 3:30pm performance on Friday, April 26.

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A side-splitting selection of famous folktales from Africa starring Anansi the Spider, whose appetite always overrules his intellect. Anansi loves to eat and hates to work, so he tries to trick other animals out of their food. But there's no free lunch for Anansi, because all of his schemes leave him hungrier than ever! Anansi is one of the classic trickster characters in world folklore. These comical African folktales are both entertaining and instructive; because he puts his own desires ahead of the needs of his community, Anansi often ends up exiled to the corner of the room. Anansi, Spiderman of Africa was awarded the 2000-2001 Citation of Excellence from the American Center of the Union Internationale de la Marionette, the highest honor in American puppetry. Recommended for ages 4 and up.

Crabgrass Puppet Theatre: Jamie Keithline and Bonny Hall  CRABGRASS PUPPET THEATRE is an award-winning, touring puppet theatre founded in 1982 by Jamie Keithline and Bonny Hall. After graduating from the University of Connecticut, Bonny and Jamie toured the East Coast with the Pandemonium Puppet Company. After completing that they created their first together, “What a Clever idea!” which had giant puppets that grew to eight feet tall. Crabgrass Puppet Theatre has twice been awarded the prestigious Citation of Excellence from the American Center of the Union Internationale de la Marionette (UNIMA-USA), the highest honor in American puppetry, in 2001 and again in 2005. In 2008, Bonny Hall received a Commendation for Design in the Puppet Theatre from the Arlyn Award Foundation. They have given many thousands of performances in schools, libraries, museums, and arts festivals, and have performed at over two dozen regional, national and international puppetry festivals.  Who is Anansi the Spiderman? A book collection of Anansi Stories by Gerald McDermott, does your local library have a copy!? Have you ever heard of Anansi, the trickster Spiderman? Anansi the spider is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore.  A spider with many names! He is also known as Ananse, Kwaku Ananse, and Anancy; and in the Southern United States he has evolved into Aunt Nancy.  Although he is a spider, Anansi often often acts and appears as a man. Anansi store are similar to trickster tales found in many Native American cultures about the coyote, raven or Iktomi.  Where do Anansi Stories Come From? The Anansi tales are believed to have originated from the Ashanti people in Ghana. (The word Anansi means "spider" in Akan.)  There is even a story in the collection of Anansi stories about WHERE the stories came from: Once there were no stories in the world. The Sky-God, Nyame, had them all. Anansi went to Nyame and asked how much they would cost to buy. Nyame set a high price: Anansi must bring back Onini the Python, Osebo the Leopard, the Mmoboro Hornets, and Mmoatia the dwarf. Anansi set about capturing these. First he went to where Python lived and debated out loud whether Python was really longer than the palm branch or not as his wife Aso says. Python overheard and, when Anansi explained the debate, agreed to lie along the palm branch. Because he cannot easily make himself completely straight a true impression of his actual length is difficult to obtain, so Python agreed to be tied to the branch. When he was completely tied, Anansi took him to Nyame. To catch the leopard, Anansi dug a deep hole in the ground. When the leopard fell in the hole Anansi offered to help him out with his webs. Once the leopard was out of the hole he was bound in Anansi's webs and was carried away. To catch the hornets, Anansi filled a calabash with water and poured some over a banana leaf he held over his head and some over the nest, calling out that it was raining. He suggested the hornets get into the empty calabash, and when they obliged, he quickly sealed the opening. To catch the dwarf he made a doll and covered it with sticky gum. He placed the doll under the Odum (Tree of Life) where the dwarfs play and put some yam in a bowl in front of it. When the dwarf came and ate the yam she thanked the doll which of course did not reply. Annoyed at its bad manners she struck it, first with one hand then the other. The hands stuck and Ananse captured her. Anansi handed his captives over to Nyame. Nyame rewarded him with the stories.