Coming this week... " Raccoon Tales" by Brad Shur

Wed & Thurs| Nov 16 and 17| 10:30 am

Wed | Nov 23| 10:30 am

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On Wednesday and Thursday Brad Shur, PST's very own artist in residence, presents: Raccoon Tales

Come in and check it out. After all, At The Puppet Showplace we believe no week is complete without a puppet show!

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.

Restrictions:

Recommended for ages 4 and up.

Open House at Puppet Showplace!

1st Light Festival!

Nov 17th, 5pm to 8pm

Brookline's annual 1st Light Festival is coming this Thursday, November 17th. Puppet Showplace is so excited to be a part of the fun again this year!

What is 1st Light? This annual festival in Brookline is a great chance to support local business. The event is full of scavenger hunts, handouts, giveaways, and... Puppet Performances! You can check out the full schedule of the events here.

Open House at PST!

When you come out to the festival, stop by Puppet Showplace for our 1st Light Open House. From 5:00pm to 8:00pm there will be a free puppet show every half hour! Meet the staff and take a look at all of the beautiful puppet displays in the lobby and in the theatre.

Also: Mom.com will be in the lobby at Puppet Showplace with free give aways! They are a super awesome website that provides deals on all kinds of great stuff parents might need. As an added bonus, for every person who signs up for the Mom.com email list, they will donate $2 to Puppet Showplace Theatre! What a great way to support our theater!

Can't make it to the event, but still want to sign up? Click here!

So to recap...Festival , Free Giveaways, Free Puppet Shows... SO MUCH FUN!!

Healing With Arts And Humor

This weekend, in addition to our Puppets Shows we have an amazing event for our adult community:

The Consulate General of Israel to New England and Puppet Showplace Theatre Present: Healing With Humor and Art

A presentation and workshop by Israeli Master Artists Alina Ashbel and Vally Kulas

Saturday Nov 12th

The event is split into to parts including a morning lecture and and afternoon workshop ( limited to 15 participants). Both sections of the event are free! and will be extremely interesting. To find out more and to register, visit our website

While your there check out our other Adult class offerings, and Puppet Slam schedule. Remember, everyone (adults included!) needs puppets in their lives!

This Veterans Day Weekend...The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Coming this Fri, Sat & Sun: more Tucker's Tales!

That's right everybody, this week we have a Tucker's Tales invasion. On Wednesday and Thursday come see "The Goose is Loose." Then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday come out for another dose of Tucker's Tales with "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." Wow, that's five chances to see a puppet show this week at PST How exciting!!!

About the Show:

The castle of an evil magician is a dangerous place for a young boy with uncontrolled curiosity. Our youthful hero must cope with some pretty messy predicaments after he is apprenticed to his wicked master. Can Rusty save the wood-nymphs and overcome the power hungry sorcerer? Will he be able to free the forest from the spell of darkness?

The Brothers Grimm classic fairy tale comes to life on the stage of Tuckers’ Tales Puppet Theatre in this presentation, bringing you about as much fun as you can have in the dungeon of an old castle.

Restrictions: Recommended for ages 5 and up.

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Coming This Week To Puppet Showplace...

This week at puppet showplace a real treat: The Premiere of a new Show

by Tucker's Tales:" The Goose Is Loose"

This wonderful new show by Tucker's Tales, set in the Land of Mother Goose, features beautiful crocheted puppets modeled after the designs of our theater's founder Mary Churchill. A puppet performance not to be missed!

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About the show:

How can Mother Goose have lost her Goose? And where in the land of Nursery Rhymes did she wander? Poor Mother Goose must enlist the aid of her many friends as she seeks to find poor Lucy Goosey. Will her search through the Nursery Rhymes be successful? Can Simple Simon find a simple solution? Is a clue hiding under Miss Muffet’s tuffet?
Join Tuckers’ Tales and many of Nursery Land’s most famous characters as we travel through the beloved Nursery Rhymes of Mother Goose and solve the mystery of Lucy Goosey’s disappearance.

Restrictions:

Recommended for ages 3 and up.

About the Performers:

TUCKERS’ TALES PUPPET THEATRE, the Performing division of Puppet Perceptions, Inc., is a Philadelphia area based performing company founded in 1981. Co-directors Marianne and Tom Tucker have performed at puppet, folk, ethnic and street festivals, and at craft fairs, shopping centers, theaters and schools around the country. Audiences from small children to senior citizens have enjoyed the variety of styles skillfully displayed in their interesting programs.

Check Out Their Website

Hanging Out at the Theater

Even when there are no shows PST is still filled with puppety goodness. Yes thats right, no performances, but Puppet Showplace Theater is open on Fridays. Never been here before? stop in and say hi or check out the puppets for sale in our lobby. As we are doing our office work we are listening to Labyrinth and getting excited for our next puppet show ( Sir George & The Dragon) that starts tomorrow. For those who are not familiar with Labyrinth here is a sample of this amazing Henson Movie from the 80's. You should definitely check it out!

(warning although this movie is for children, there are some parts of the film that are a little scary so it might be best for older children)

Coming This Weekend To The Puppet Showplace...:

Sat & Sun| Nov 6 and 7| 1:00pm &3:00pm

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Thats right! the weekend is here!! Time for another Puppet Show at PST. Coming this weekend:

Sir George & the Dragon by Romper Rhythm & Puppets

About the show:

A fun and exciting medieval tale with Diane’s trademark humor and audience participation to update this classic. The knight Sir George rescues the Princess Petunia from a very hungry baby dragon. No swords here, but Sir George subdues the dragon just the same!

Restrictions:

Recommended for ages 3 and up.

About the Performer:

Diane Kordas has been performing music for children and families since 1992, and puppet shows since 1998. As a registered nurse and later as a mom she started using music and puppets to entertain and educate her patients, friends and family. Today, her classic and original stories with puppets, music, humor and audience participation are enjoyed by children and families at libraries, schools, outdoor events, parties, daycares and preschools throughout New England.

Find out more on her website

Bella Monster at Arts Emerson!

Hi everyone, it's your favorite pink monster reporting from Boston's Theatre District! Tonight I went to see Mabou Mines Dollhouse at Arts Emerson, and it was a BLAST!

They are happy to offer patrons of Puppet Showplace Theatre $5.00 off each ticket when you use

DISCOUNT CODE: PSTDH5

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NOV 01 – 06
Cutler Majestic Theatre

Mabou Mines DollHouse

The production is playing This Week Only—Ending the 9-Year World Tour in Boston! How exciting! This means it is your last chance ever to see the world-renowned reinterpretation of Ibsen’s classic.

“THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE IS SO FASCINATING, THRILLING HERE, CONFOUNDING THERE, THAT IT MUST BE SEEN.”

—THE NEW YORK TIMES

About the show: The dollhouse is a man’s world and only doll-like women, who allow their men to feel grand, can hope to live in it. You may think you’ve seen Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, but acclaimed director and MacArthur Fellow Lee Breuer gives this world of patriarchy and pretense a new twist—the all-powerful male characters are less than 4 ½ feet tall and the women 6 feet tall. Here, Ibsen’s feminism is metaphorically rendered as a parable of scale, and this unusual take on the physical world of the play results in startling insights and unexpected humor. This production is perhaps the most celebrated among a range of experimental, contemporary interpretations of classic works.

Note to parents: This incredibly colorful, energetic, and fantastical production is meant for an adult audience. (and monsters, I had a wonderful time!)

EXTRAS: Post-Performance Discussion with the Cast, Sunday, NOV 6. Following the final performance Sunday @ 2pm, join cast members for a look back on the production’s extraordinary journey.

Enjoy the show!

-Bella :)

The Carrot Salesman by Brad Shur

Coming to PST...

Wed & Thur| Oct 22 and 23 | 10:30am

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Start November with a puppet show!! Coming to the Puppet Showplace this Wednesday and Thursday

" The Carrot Salesman" by Brad Shur our artist in residence

About the Show:

Join Mr. Bunni, the door-to-door vegetable salesman as he journeys beneath the earth, into the sea, and even to outer space in search of new customers. Through his unsuccessful efforts to sell carrots to elephants, jellyfish, moles, and robots, he discovers a way to help all of the animals. This colorful 2D table-top performance features plenty of audience interaction! Recommended for ages 3 and up.

My Day at King Richard's Faire

My name is Stacey Polishook and I am a marketing intern at PST. That's me in the pirate hat :-) From time to time I would like to share with you interesting puppet facts, puppets sighting’s in the community and other puppet fun! So without much ado...My first Puppet Post:

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the last day of King Richard's Faire in western MA. For those of you who don't know, King Richard's is a Renaissance Faire, i.e. a crazy place where

people dress up in renaissance and medieval garb and engage in sword fights, perform juggling acts, sell bodices, potions, and a variety if other medieval wares. Of course another thing your are likely to find at King Richard's is the errant puppet or two, and this year's faire did not disappoint. I saw quite a few people who had brought puppets into their costumes or performances but there were two of note that I wanted to share.

The first was an amusing bit done by a few "doctors" who were carting around an ailing woman and offering "plague shots" to protect against the affliction that had taken down the unfortunate lady.

One arm was a fake and was doctored to look as if it was decaying. Meanwhile, a crow puppet ( activated by her real hand concealed under a blanket) surreptitiously snacked on the the decayed "flesh."The effect was very subtle and extremely effective! (photo right)

The next puppet of note was an amazing

monster/ creature. The operator wrote a costume of fur over his entire body. To enable him to see, the puppeteer's face was slightly exposed with a fencer's mask. This mesh mask was barely visible however due to the long beard and neck of his creature which came up over his back. Controls were hidden under his massive fur costume. The illusion was fantastic. The neck moved very naturally and the mouth of the creature had the ability to open and close.

So there you have it. King Richards Faire is unfortunately closed for the year but will reopen next September. If you missed out this year, here is a video! Enjoy!

New Marionettes at the Puppet Store!

PST has a Puppet Store?

That's right! Puppet Showplace Theatre is not only the center for puppetry arts in New England where you can catch a different puppet show each week, or take a puppet making class. We also have a store where you can take home your very own puppets! The store selection ranges from colorful finger puppets by Mary Meyer to beautiful stage puppets by Folkmanis. There is quite a selection to choose from!

New this week in the Puppet Store are marionettes by Sunny Puppet Company! In addition to favorites including the Ballerina and Wizard marionettes, now we have a Fireman, Clown, baby elephant, baby tiger, baby schnauzer (sooo cute!) and many others!

COMING SOON

We are expecting these awesomely colorful frogs within the next couple of weeks! Sunny marionettes are the perfect way for your little ones to practice and play with marionettes at home. They are designed for little and big hands alike to manipulate and come to life!

Store Hours: Tues through Sun, 10am to 4pm.

FALL IS IN THE AIR...KICK OFF THE YOUR HALLOWEEN FUN THIS WEEK WITH THE MARVELOUS...THE MAGNIFICENT... DR. DOOHICKEY'S MONSTER MACHINE!!!!

Wed & Thurs | Oct 26 and 27 | 10:30am

Sat & Sun| Oct 29 and 30 | 1pm & 3pm

Its getting cold out there and October is nearing its end. Halloween is close at hand...There is no better time to see a puppet show! Come

kick off Halloween week at The Puppet Showplace Theater with a monstrously appropriate puppet production of Doohickey's Monster Machine performed by our artist in residence Brad Shur.

About the show:

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.

Restrictions:

Recommended for ages 4 and up.

And kids, don't forget! we want your reviews of Dr. Doohickey!!! So come out, see the show, go to our Facebook Wall and tell us what you thought. You have the chance to become our featured reviewer and have your review posted on our blog. Who knows you you might just start your journalism career right here at PST!

Calling all kids: Puppet Show Reviewers Wanted!

Do you like seeing puppet shows? Are you good at show and tell? Have you ever thought about writing reviews?

…Well, guess what! Puppet Showplace Theater would LOVE to have you review our Halloween week shows!

Here’s the deal:

Step 1. Come out to see Dr. Doohickey’s Monster Machine

Step 2. Write a review of the show. What was the best part of the story? Who was your favorite character? Was the show funny? Scary? Who else might like to see this show? If you want to include a picture or drawing as well, please do!

Step 3. Post your review on our Facebook Wall by Monday October 31st at 5pm

We will select one reviewer to be featured on our website following the show!

Photo by Meredith Pomeroy. Keep an eye out at PST for this awesome red practice puppet who has traveled the world with No Strings International. Thanks to head puppeteer Ronald Binion for letting us borrow him!

The Frog Prince by Pumpernickel Puppets

Coming this weekend To PST...

Sat & Sun| Oct 22 and 23 | 1pm & 3pm

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Our fairytale fall continues this weekend with another classic story "The Frog Prince" by Pumpernickel Puppets this Saturday and Sunday.

About the Show:

Young Prince Tad has been caught teasing the forest creatures again. A magic tree turns the prince into a frog to teach him a lesson. Along the way he meets a princess who could turn him back with a kiss. Yuck! Will she do it? All ends happily as the characters learn about being kind and keeping promises.

Recommended for ages 4 and up.

About the Performer:

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.

More Info

Spooky Story Station!

COMING SOON TO PST....A SPOOKY STORY STATION FOR YOU AND ME. COME OUT AND MEET OUR SPOOKTACTLAR FRIENDS. AT THE PUPPET SHOW PLACE THE FUN NEVER ENDS. AN ENCHANTED TRAIN TAKES YOU TO DISTANT LANDS, NOT TO BE MISSED IN YOUR HALLOWEEN PLANS.....

The leaves are finally changing and the air is getting cooler. All signs that we are nearing one of our favorite fall festivals...Halloween! And What better way to celebrate than with Puppet Showplace's Spooky Story Station!!!!!!!!! On October 31st our theater will be transformed into a enchanted train station filled with spooky, strange, and silly creatures. All aboard for Halloween fun! Join friendly ghosts, baby zombies, and furry monsters as they welcome trick-or-treaters. More spectacular than scary, the Spooky Story Station will be your most memorable stop on Halloween Night. All visitors get to take home a finger puppet! For trick-or-treaters aged 5 to 105!!!!!!! Check out the performers on our website

HALLOWEEN NIGHT, October 31, 2011

Open for visitors 5:00 to 8:00 PM

Pay-what-you-can-admissions (suggested $5 to $20 per family)

A Woodland Cinderella by Deborah Costine

Coming Soon!

Wed & Thurs | Oct 19th and 20th | 10:30am

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More Fall Fairy Tale fun continues with "A Woodland Cinderella" by Deborah Costine next wednesday and Thursday.

About the Show:

In this new version of the classic story, Cinderella is a fairy who lives with her stepmother and stepsister in an enormous old tree in the forest. The King of all woodland fairies wants his son to marry a fairy princess, but none can be found. So the King hosts a great ball and commands that every single fairy maiden in the land must attend. He knows the secret to identifying a true fairy princess!

Recommended for Ages 3 and up

About the Performer:
Deborah is co-founder of the award-winning Gerwick Puppets, a company that has been performing throughout New England since 1974. “A Woodland Cinderella” is a 2008 winner of the coveted UNIMA USA CITATION OF EXCELLENCE and was selected for a series of performances at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta in 2010

Puppet Film Night: Handmade Puppet Dreams, Volume II Coming to PST!

Puppets are not just for the stage! Sesame street,

the Muppet Show, Labyrinth... there are so many amazing example of puppets who have leaped off the stage and entered a career in film. Come to Puppet Showplace this weekend and check out some amazing puppet cinematography in Handmade Puppet reams, Volume II this Saturday, Oct 15th.

This unique collection features not one, but ten puppet films in one night! Come see why this series, put together by Heather Henson (daughter of Muppet creator Jim Henson), has been loved by audiences across the country. These movies range from silly to beautiful, poignant to absurd. Together, they showcase the "next generation" of puppeteers who embrace film as their medium.

The show starts at 8:00pm and popcorn is included in the price of admission ( Who doesn't like FREE FOOD!). There will also be a special appearance by alumni of the "Furry Monsters 101" class.

So to recap...Saturday October 15th, 8:00pm, 10 Puppet films, A Furry Monster performance, and free popcorn!!! You really can't afford to miss this event so you better reserve your tickets today! Just remember this show is for older puppet enthusiasts and is recommended for ages 16 and up. Check out this preview...

Want to learn more about this film ( including a list and decription of the short films included in this volume of puppets dreams) and other Handmade Puppet Dream productions? Check out this link to their WEBSITE

Fairy Circus by Tanglewood Marionettes

Coming This Week!

Wed & Thurs |Oct 12 & 13|10:30am

Sat & Sun |Oct 15 & 16| 1:00am & 3:00pm

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About this show:

You’re invited to an enchanted garden with surprises around every corner! The Fairy Circus features classic trick puppets and beautifully handcrafted marionettes. The puppets will dance, play instruments, juggle, contort, transform, and fly through the air with the greatest of ease, all to the music of favorite composers!

Recommended for ages 4 and up.

About the performers:

Founded in 1993 by Anne Ware and Peter Schaefer, Tanglewood Marionettes is a nationally touring marionette theater based in New England. Our repertoire consists primarily of classic tales performed by skilled puppeteers who have spent many years perfecting their art.

more info

PuppetPalooza!!!

PuppetPalooza!!!! need I say more...ok, maybe I do....Wenham Museum is hosting an exhibit entitled PuppetPalooza from October 7th thru January 16th. The description on the website states:

"Explore the wild and wonderful world of puppets—from tiny finger puppets to huge street puppets—in this playful and highly interactive exhibit. Become a puppeteer—make a dragon street puppet slither through the gallery, cast a puppet's shadow across a screen, pull the strings of a marionette, or put on a show with hand puppets." READ MORE

Sounds pretty amazing! To top it all off, the exhibit features puppets created by PST's Artist in Residence Emeritus, Paul Vincent Davis as well as puppets of Mary Churchill, the founder of Puppet Showplace. Want more PUPPETY FUN? This Sunday, October 16th, you can attend a PuppetPalooza Exhibition Party free with admission Now how cool is that!

Cultural Care Au Pair at Puppet Showplace

Looking for an au pair? Cultural Care Au Pair is going to have a small table in the lobby at Puppet Showplace on Columbus Day between 11am and 1pm. Come check them out!

Want to learn more about the organization?

Have a look at their website.