The Princess, The Frog, and the Pea from Goat on a Boat

THIS WEEKEND AT PST

The Princess, The Frog, and the Pea
by Goat on a Boat
Sat & Sun | Jan 21st & 22nd | 1pm & 3pm


Goat on a Boat comes to Brookline all the way from Long Island, New York, to bring a fun new spin on classic fairytales!

About the show: Combining three well-loved stories, The Princess, The Frog, and The Pea delights audiences of all ages. A princess, a witch, an un-enchanted frog, a hoot owl and a neurotic pea who longs to be a hero are the stars of this mixed-up tale. Table top puppets.

Recommended for ages 3 & up.

About the performer: Liz Joyce is an accomplished performer whose puppets have entertained numerous audiences in the New England area. She has also appeared in festivals across the country, from New York to Chicago and even to Minnesota. Besides putting on shows, she serves as Regional Director for the Puppeteers of America and President of the Puppetry Guild of Greater New York.

Liz has also been in TV, appearing on long-running sitcom All My Children as Liz the Puppeteer. Recently she received an UNIMA Citation for her puppet operetta Sing a Song of Sixpence. The UNIMA Citation is the highest award in American puppetry.

Three Billy Goats Gruff This MLK Weekend!

THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND AT PST

Three Billy Goats Gruff
by Pumpernickel Puppets
Sat & Sun | Jan 14th & 15th | 1pm & 3pm
Mon | Jan 16th | 10:30am & 1pm


Local favorite performer, Pumpernickel Puppets of Worcester, MA. returns to our stage this holiday weekend with two performances each day!

About the show: Two classic tales make up this wonderful show. In The Three Billy Goats Gruff, the quick-witted billy goats outsmart the troll, but the troll isn’t really mean – he’s just green, has a snaggletooth, and lives under a bridge. In The Lion and the Mouse, two unlikely friends – one very big and one very small – learn to help each other to solve their problems.
Performed with colorful, friendly hand puppets.

Recommended for ages 3 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.

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.

Raccoon Tales by Brad Shur

THIS WEEK AT PST!

Raccoon Tales by Brad Shur
Wed & Thurs | Jan 11th & 12 | 10:30am


PST Artist in Residence, Brad Shur is back on stage this month with Raccoon Tales!

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. Hand puppets.

Recommended for ages 4 and up.

About the performer:
In the Fall of 2009 the Puppet Showplace Theatre (PST) announced the arrival of Brad Shur as the theatre’s new Artist in Residence. Brad made his debut at PST’s Halloween Extravaganza with his premiere “Doctor Doohickey’s Monster Machine.”Brad Shur has been professionally involved in puppetry for over 10 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.

You can catch Brad at least once 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."

Puppetry Class for Adults!

Body Puppetry and Bharatanatyam
A 2-week movement intensive in stylized storytelling, classical Indian dance-theatre, and the creation of new work.

Instructor: Veronica Barron
Four sessions, January 9 - 19.
Monday and Thursday nights, 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Cost: $145 (PST members save 10%!)


About the class: Physical eloquence is a much sought-after skill across the performing arts. How might the highly stylized forms and storytelling structures of bharatanatyam, a classical dance-theater form from South India, enrich the work we do as puppeteers, theater artists, storytellers?

In this rigorous intensive, participants will work toward increased awareness, specificity, and control of their own movement while getting a taste of a performance philosophy that works from the outside in, using external physical shapes to generate internal emotional experiences for both audience and performer. In the first phase of the class, students will learn a traditional story-dance sequence, practicing eye exercises, mudras (hand shapes), and bhavas (emotional mask shapes). In the second phase, participants will deconstruct this dance sequence, identifying the body vocabulary and narrative tools used in order to use these new tools in conjunction with existing skills. Each participant will then create an original dance-theater composition based on a favorite story or myth. This intensive will leave artists armed with both improved physicality awareness and new tools for the creation of original work.
For ages 16 to Adult.

Travelin' Jack & Company by Applause Unlimited

THIS WEEK AT PST
Travelin' Jack & Company
by Applause Unlimited

Jan 4 & 5 at 10:30am | Jan 7 & 8 at 1pm & 3pm


Happy 2012! Winter Puppet Adventures continues into the new year with Applause Unlimited's unique performance of american folk tales all week long. See you at the theatre!


About the show: An itinerant puppeteer with a hand puppet booth and a knack for tall tales entertains family audiences in this original show, much as puppeteers did in America's colonial days. Three American folk-tales are told with hand puppets by a single puppeteer who serves as both narrator and character in the show. Based on a Jack tale, a slave story-song, and a morality tale, these stories reflect the depth, scope, and humor of early American storytelling. The first story, "Foolish Jack", is a Jack tale about Jack's adventures when he first leaves home. The second story is the story of "Why Dogs Chase Cats". The final story is "A Bundle of Troubles" and, like most morality tales, teach us a valuable life lesson: count your blessings, not your troubles. As contemporary as it is classic, this show is a delight for the whole family.

Recommended for ages 3 & up.

Vacation Week Programing...

SPECIAL VACATION WEEK SCHEDULE:

Mr Punch's Christmas Carol
|Tues&Wed| Dec 27- 28|10:30am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm
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Hansel & Gretel
|Thu&Fri| Dec 29-30|10:30am,1:00pm, 3:00pm
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The Velveteen Rabbit
|Sat&Sun| Dec 31- Jan 1| 1:00pm & 3:00pm
|Mon| Jan 2| 10:30 & 1:00
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Winter Vacation is officially here and we are off to a great start! Today we were so fortunate to have a lovely donation of cupcakes from Party Favors to give away to everyone in the theater (That's Bella with her delicious treat) . In fact for the rest of our vacation programing( thru the 31st) a different bakery will be donating some a treat to our patrons. We are so lucky to have such amazingly generous businesses right here in our neighborhood! and providing our friends with a holiday treat is just our way of saying thanks for all your support.

Looking forward to next week... There are so many puppet shows!! Kicking us off on Tuesday and Wednesday Crabgrass Puppet Presents
" Mr. Punch's Christmas Carol." There are three shows scheduled for both days to allow maxim puppet viewing possibilities!

Then, on Thursday and Friday, check out the National Marionette Theatre with their performance of "Hansel and Gretal," again with three shows per day. Finish off 2011 and start the new year with Applause Unlimited's performance of " The Velveteen Rabbit" on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 and 3:00 pm and Monday at 10:30am and 1:00pm. WOW That is a lot of Puppets!!!! Just a reminder, since vacation week is a very busy we definitely recommend ordering your tickets ahead of time and showing up at least 15 minutes before the start of the show. See you at the Theater!

Get Into The Holiday Spirt With " Christmas Mouse" by Wayne Martin Puppets

Wed - Sat| Dec 21-24 | 10:30am|

Christmas almost here,
Enjoy the season with a holiday puppet show! Come into puppet showplace this week for "Santa Mouse" and get into the spirit. During our vacation week programing (starting Fri Dec 23rd) we will also be offering free baked goods to our patrons that have been generously donated by local bakeries. Let the holidays begin!

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About The Show:
"Santa Mouse," the timeless and beloved Michael Brown story, is magically brought to life through the artistry of award winning puppeteer Wayne Martin. Martin’s beautifully crafted puppets tell the charming tale of the little mouse with no name, living in great big house who upon giving a special gift to Santa one Christmas Eve becomes Santa Mouse, the helper Santa could never do without!

Following this charming yuletide tale you’ll board the North Pole Express and meet Rudolph, Peter and Penelope Penguin, Frosty and Martin’s trademark Juggling Christmas Tree, who breathlessly lights up and illuminates the way for the jolly old elf himself! All of these oversize hand puppets and marionettes perform special tricks in this festive open stage production!

Restrictions:

Recommended for ages 3 and up.

New Puppets Have Arrived!

Puppet Showplace's Puppet Store is Stocked

Christmas is about a week away, Hanukkah starts on Tuesday night...You need gifts!! Well luckily, just in the nick of time Puppet Showplace has gotten in a new shipment of puppets that are now on sale in our lobby. We have new Folkmanis puppets and adorable marionettes with removable strings for easy disentanglement.
We have Fun finger puppets. We have peepers ( yes, you can make a puppet with only your hand and a pair of eyeballs as our intern Paul's hand is displaying in the picture to the right)... Wow we have a lot of potential presents!

Puppets are wonderful gifts for children of all ages. They encourage strong development of hand eye coordination, fine motor skills, story telling, and imagination. Whether you are looking for a beautiful hand puppet or a small finger puppet to top the perfect present, we have what you need. The store is open Tuesday thru Sunday so come on in and check out our puppets!

This week at PST...Let it Snow with The Snowflake Man by Puppet Kabob



Wen & Thurs | Dec 14 & 15| 10:30|
Sat & Sun| Dec 17 & 18|1: 00 & 3:00|
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Ever Wanted to Take a Picture of A Snowflake? Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley did. This week Puppet Showplace Theatre presents The Snowflake Man by Puppet Kabob a show tells the story of the first man to ever photograph a snow flake!

About the Show:

The story of "The Snowflake Man" is inspired by Wilson Bentley. This self-educated farmer and scientist attracted world attention in 1885 when he became the first person to capture the image of a single snow crystal with a camera he connected to a microscope. "The Snowflake Man" is a unique trunk show of Czech-style marionettes and props backed by a pop-up book of water color paintings telling the story of "Snowflake" Bentley.
This show combines art, science, and New England history to magical effect. The Snowflake Man was awarded a 2011 UNIMA Citation of Excellence. This show is sponsored in part by a Creation Grant from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Recommended for ages 5 and up

Experience The A.R.T. This Winter!



The Snow Queen
Presented by American Repertory Theater
December 10, 2011 - December 31, 2011

Hey Puppet Showplace Folks, it's me again, your favorite pink monster reporting to you from Harvard Square, Cambridge! I just went to see The Snow Queen at the A.R.T., and it was EPICALLY AWESOME- a beautiful storybook adventure for the whole family filled with puppets, masks and more!

About the Show: Hans Christian Andersen's beloved fairy tale "The Show Queen" comes to life in this delightful new stage adaptation for children and their families. When a young boy named Kai is taken away by a wicked enchantress, his best friend Gerda must embark on a perilous journey to the north pole to rescue him. Using puppets, music and magic, this exuberant, heart-warming production will take you on a theatrical journey to a magical kingdom and the Snow Queen's icy palace.

Directed by Allegra Libonati, with original puppets by Michael Kane and featuring members of the ART Institute Class of 2012. Dec. 10-31. American Repertory Theater, Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge. $15. 617-547-8300.

Learn More: Find more info, rehearsal photos, activities and more on the A.R.T. website!

The Clowns Are Coming To Town!

This Week at PST:

Clown Circus by Brad Shur
Wen & Thurs | Dec 7 & 8| 10:30|
Sat & Sun| Dec 10 & 11|1: 00 & 3:00|
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This week our Artist in Residence Brad Shur presents Clown Circus! Come on in and watch his cast of clowny characters as they bring songs & stories to excite and entertain. With shows on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, there are plenty of chances to come in and clown around with this PST favorite!

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!

Restrictions:

Recommended for ages 3 and up.

This Weekend at Puppet Showplace... The Elves and the Shoemaker with the Gingerbread Man!


Sat & Sun| Dec 3 & 4 | 1:00 & 3:00
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Our winter season continues to roll forward this weekend with The Elves and the Shoemaker with The Gingerbread Man by Romper Rhythm & Puppets. This wonderful collection of classic holiday folktales is fun for the whole family.

About the Show:

In this classic Grimm's folk tale, two Elves help a poor shoemaker get back in business. The fun continues when a Gingerbread boy arrives on the scene! Lots of humor, live music, and audience participation make this show a great seasonal choice.

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.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 the Romper Rhythm WEBSITE

"Puppets at Night" is BACK!

Boston-area debut of THE HOARDING SHOW at PST

Fri & Sat | December 9 & 10 | 8pm

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Puppet Showplace Theatre presents “The Hoarding Show” by Carole D’Agostino as part of its newly revived “Puppets at Night” adult series. Performances will take place on Friday and Saturday, December 9-10 @ 8:00 pm. Reservations strongly recommended.

The Hoarding Show is about the clutter we keep, mentally and physically, in our lives. This multi-puppet, one woman show, designed and performed by Carole D’Agostino, features three separate tales of hoarders: the story of the infamous Collyer Brothers told with intricate shadow puppets; a renter facing eviction depicted with miniatures, and an object theatre satire that markets the positive aspects of hoarding. The Hoarding Show will be presented with Trash: A Love Story, an original work by Boston-based artists Woellert & Clark.

Carole D’Agostino is a puppet performer and builder for television, film, and stage. Television: PBS’s SeeMore’s Playhouse, MTV2’s Crank Yankers, IFC’s Greg the Bunny, Noggin’s Upside Down Show. Theater: John Tartaglia’s ImaginOcean, Avenue Q, Shrek! The Musical, The Ohmies, Thomas the Tank Engine Life2, and Arias with a Twist. Web: The Weekly Daily News, Funny of Die: Frank the Horse. She recently appeared at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Tucker John’s Best Birthday Ever.

Woellert & Clark is a shadow puppet company based in Jamaica Plain. Matthew Woellert and Jonathan Clark grew up together in Columbus, Ohio. In Boston they have performed at The Boston Center for the Arts, Puppet Showplace Theatre, the Democracy Center, and numerous bars and galleries around town.



Tales From Snowy Lands by Sparky's Puppets!


Wed & Thur| Nov 30 & Dec 1| 10:30
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The Winter Season at PST kicks off on Wednesday, November 30th, with Tales From Snowy Lands. Let this show transport you to realm of frosty fun.

About the Show:
Watch a snowman come to life, see a bear go ice fishing and visit a toymaker on a wintry day in this seasonal favorite by Sparky's Puppets.

Restrictions:

Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Winter Is Here

Let The Adventures Begin...

You might not know it with the weather we have been having but maybe your memories of a great Thanksgiving feast this past Thursday let you know, the winter season is upon us!

With that in mind Puppet Showplace Theatre is proud to present our winter season:“ Winter Puppet Adventures.” Puppets? Adventures? Exciting? You bet it is!!!!!! Our winter season will feature not only amazing holiday programing, but also shows featuring puppets from around the world. Now how cool is that?

This season, Puppet Showplace Theatre takes you to snowy lands for holiday fun, then around the globe with stories and puppetry styles from distant cultures. Puppetry is a world-wide art form, and we hope you enjoy this opportunity to explore the terrain. Engage your imaginations! We're ready to fly!

Ever wanted to see Chinese hand puppets? Japanese Noh style masks ? African Trickster Tales? You can experience this and more at PST through the winter. Check out our Calendar for the season on our Website. We offer puppet performances every week on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, with extra shows for the weeks of winter vacation.Lets be honest. It is gonna get cold out there. There is no better way to keep warm and entertained on a chilly day than to snuggle up with those you love and watch a puppet show!

Give the Gift of Puppetry This Holiday Season!


Happy Holidays from PST!

It may be hard to believe, but the Holiday season is upon us. As the fall draws to a close so does our Fall Membership Drive so it seems like the perfect opportunity to remind everyone of this great opportunity to support a wonderful local theater and become a member.

Thinking about gifts for the Holidays? What could be better than the gift of puppet theater for those you love. Gift certificates are available, and Memberships make a great gift as well!

Members enjoy:
Priority Seating
Discounted tickets on all performances and classes.
Complimentary tickets*
Discounts on our puppet store purchases
discounts on birthday party rentals**

New Membership Drive: For anyone becoming a member for the first time, in addition to all the advantages to membership you will be supporting a wonderful nonprofit theater that has been bringing quality theater to children and adults for 37 years. Through November, all new members purchasing membership at the family level or above, will be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to Legal Sea Foods ( one of our wonderful season sponsors).

Already members? Refer someone to become a member and you too will be entered to win. So here's the deal... You need great gifts for the holiday, a membership to Puppet Showplace Theater make a great gift, you will be donating to a worthy nonprofit that provides cultural enrichment to children and adults in the local community, you don't need to wait in line at 12am on friday morning to get it!

HOLIDAY PARTIES! In keeping with the holiday season spirit, this year we are opening the theater for holiday parties. Want to host a holiday party at a truly festive location? Give us a call for more info 617.731.6400

* Number of complimentary tickets varies depending on level of membership
** For family level memberships and above

Thanksgiving Week at PST


RACCOON TALES
|Wed| Nov 23| 10:30am

JACK & THE BEANSTALK
| Fri| Nov 25| 10:30am & 1:00pm|
| Sat & Sun| Nov 26 & Nov 27| 1:00pm & 2:00pm

Thanksgiving is almost here! Hope everyone is getting excited for a day of food, fun, family, and friends. And what could be more fun for the holiday than a trip with your loved ones to the Puppet Showplace. This week's schedule is special for Thanksgiving. On Wednesday come on over and watch Raccoon Tales by Artist in Residence Brad Shur. Then come back in the day after Thanksgiving for Spring Valley Puppet Theater's award winning.

Jack and The Beanstalk. For the long weekend we will have shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! In addition, to show our thanks to our members for being a part of our family, members who attend one of our performances of Jack and The Beanstalk will be entered to win a free membership to the Wenham Museum. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

About Jack and the Beanstalk:

Can beans make wishes come true? They can and do in "Jack and the Beanstalk," the award-winning puppet production of Michael Graham's Spring Valley Puppet Theater.

This popular classic features beautifully crafted hand and rod puppets, colorful scenic design, special effects and an original script in which Jack, with the help of a clever Chicken, saves the day! The Spring Valley Puppet Theater production of "Jack and the Beanstalk" holds many surprises in this new approach to this old favorite

recommended for ages 3 and up

For more information on the Spring Valley Puppet Theater visit their website




This Weekend at Puppet Showplace... Snow White & Other Tales by Perry Alley Puppet Theatre


Sat & Sun| Nov 19 & 20| 1:00pm & 3:00pm
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Come To Puppet Showplace this weekend for more fall fairy tales with " Snow White and Other Tales"
presented by Perry Alley Puppet Theater!

About the Show:
Sometimes kids just won't eat their dinner until their food comes to life and tells them a story. In this imaginative production, Dad gets his daughter Trinket to eat her dinner by performing Snow White in a most unusual way. Two other surprise fairy tales by Perry Alley Puppet Theatre will complete this wonderful puppet potpourri!

Restrictions:

Recommended for ages 5 and up

Puppets For Adults!

Sat| Nov 19| 8:00pm

This coming Saturday, the 19th of November, in addition to our regularly scheduled children's performances PST will present our November " Puppet Slam" featuring Puppet Pandemic! What is a " Puppet Slam?" you may ask. Well let us explain...Too many of people think of puppets as a form of entertainment for children. Well here at PST we ask the question " Why should kids have all the fun?" Adults need puppets too!! In that spirit every other month we bring you our "Puppet Slam," An evening of puppet vignettes designed for an older crowd ( recommended for ages 16 and up). Each piece is performed by a different artist or artists, and the content can be wide-ranging; some are elegant or poignant, others are satiric, irreverent, or humorous, and still others can be passionate, political, or spiritual in nature. If you have never been to a "Slam" before you should know it is really an experience not to be missed. If you are a seasoned "Slam" aficionado you know where you should be this Saturday! for more info and for the schedule of all upcoming slams at PST check out out website. Just a warning, this event tends to sell out so buy your tickets today!!
 
 

Our Mission

Puppet Showplace Theater is dedicated to presenting outstanding puppetry to diverse audiences through performances, workshops, and community outreach activities.

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Puppet Showplace Theater is supported by...

 

Puppet Showplace Theater is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts through the New England Arts Resilience Fund, part of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund, an initiative of the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations and the Mellon Foundation, with major funding from the federal CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan from the National Endowment for the Arts.