My New Favorite Thing: Puppetry Festivals!

Hello to all my favorite people,

Fall is steadily approaching! It's almost time for playing in the leaves, apple picking, pumpkin carving and Oh! Halloween! Where you can dress up like spooky, scary things! I'm a monster and supposedly I am scary but Monster is just my last name. I am filled with sweetness like all of you. I use Halloween as an opportunity to show everyone how adorable I am.

However, my absolute favorite thing about Fall is our Fall Fairy tale Festival, which is a collection of fairytale puppet shows presented throughout the season of Fall.

Fall Fairy Tale Festival
September 1 - October 14

To kickstart this year's event is "Cinderella" by Tanglewood Marionettes. The classic story we all know and love told in wit and style, and featuring your favorite characters in a whole new look of lavishly costumed marionettes!

Cinderella by Tanglewood Marionettes
Sat 9/1/2012 & Sun 9/2/2012 | 1pm & 3pm
Buy Tickets!

I am so excited for our upcoming event that festivals are my new favorite thing! So what is a festival and what does it mean to be festive? A festival is a day or period of celebration. We do lots of celebrating at PST for all the performers who put on great shows for everyone. To be festive is to have a joyous or merry mood. I am always full of joy! I think I have been participating in more festivals than I realize... 

If you love celebrating the art of puppetry with merry or joyous people, you might be interested in some of these other puppet festivals.

Puppeteers of America Festivals
September 7-9, 2012
Puppet Festivals are Awesome! They also have great opportunities for performers to do slam pieces, network, and volunteer. There is a regional festival happening this September 7-9 in New York, lets go!


Puppets In The Green Mountains

September 22-30, 2012

Annual Puppet festival held every other year in Sothern Vermont. Check out the site for more info.

The Grand Auditorium Puppet Festival
October 5-7, 2012
Set in Ellesworth, Maine with performances by FrogTown Mountain Puppeteers, Tanglewood Marionettes, Nappy's Puppets and The Manipulators it is the ultimate celebration for any puppet fan. More info at www.grandonline.org.  






In the mean time, lets try and make every day a festival and be merry together!

The always joyous,
         
Bella Monster  

Fall Fairytale Festival 2012 Kick-Off Weekend!

2nd Annual Fall Fairytale Festival

2012-2013 Season Kick-Off Event

this Labor Day Weekend at PST!

Cinderella by Tanglewood Marionettes
Sat & Sun | Sept 1 & 2 | 1pm & 3pm
BUY TICKETS

Join us this weekend for a very special celebration of mythical stories and fantasy lands! The 2nd Annual Fall Fairytale Festival at Puppet Showplace Theatre Kick's off this Labor Day weekend with complementary refreshments provided by Whole Foods Brighton, a special guest balloon-animal artist, and other fun activities! Get ready for a magical time at PST!

About the Festival: (September 1 through October 14) Castles, giants, woodland fairies, talking frogs... do you love fairytales as much as we do? We are proud to once again kick off our season with the annual Fall Fairytale Festival. Experience classics like Cinderella and The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen while discovering original adaptations like Jack Tuesday: Fairytale Investigator. We’ve fit more beanstalks, princesses, and house-building pigs than you can imagine onto our stage.

About the show: Set in the eighteenth century and featuring a dozen lavishly costumed 30” marionettes, this production of "Cinderella" is a Tanglewood Marionettes showpiece. The story unfolds as the pages of a giant book open to reveal each beautifully painted setting--the village square, the rustic kitchen, the magnificent ballroom, plus many more (one of our scenes even “pops” right out of the book!). All your favorite characters are here, from gentle Cinderella to the bumptious stepsisters and the charming Prince, and each marionette is manipulated with precision and grace by our talented puppeteers. Our telling is based on the original beloved tale, but we do offer a few new surprises: Cinderella’s method of conveyance to the ball is NOT your traditional coach-and-four, and, when all hope seems lost, a clever little bluebird saves the day for Cinderella. A classic fairy tale told with wit and style, Tanglewood Marionettes’ production of "Cinderella" is sure to please audiences of all ages.

About the performer:  Peter Schaefer was born into a family of puppeteers and has been performing with hand puppets, rod puppets and marionettes since he was a child. After refining his skills with a local puppet company for several years, Peter purchased a marionette show from a retiring Boston puppeteer and launched his own company: Mountain Marionettes. After touring nationally for two years, in 1993 Peter decided to join with a fellow puppeteer and form a new company: Tanglewood Marionettes.  Over his career, Peter has brought his unique marionette artistry to hundreds of thousands of children and families across the country! 

FALL FAIRYTALE FESTIVAL 2012

Performance Schedule

(Sept 1 - October 14)

BUY TICKETS

The Magic Of Hans Christian Andersenby Applause Unlimited

Cinderella by Tanglewood Marionettes

SEASON KICKOFF EVENT! 

September 1 & 2 | 1pm & 3pm
Marionettes. Recommended for ages 4 & up.

Jack Tuesday: Fairytale Investigator  PST PREMIERE!

by Lionheart Puppet Company
September 8 & 9 | 1pm & 3pm 

Hand and Rod Puppets. Recommended for ages 4 & up.

Jack and the Beanstalk by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre 

September 15 & 16 | 1pm & 3pm

September 17 | 10:30am & 1pm
Mixed styles. Recommended for ages 4 & up.

The Three Little Pigs by WonderSpark Puppets
Sept 22 & 23 | 1pm & 3pm

Three Little Pigs by Wonderspark Puppets

Mixed styles. Recommended for ages 3 & up. 

The Frog Prince by Pumpernickel Puppets 

September 29 & 30 | 1pm & 3pm
Hand puppets. Recommended for ages 3 & up.

The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen

by Applause Unlimited
October 5 | 10:30am & 3pm October 6 & 7 | 1pm & 3pm

October 8 | 10:30am & 1pm
Mixed styles. Recommended for ages 4 & up. 

A Woodland Cinderella by Deborah Costine, Puppeteer! 

October 12 | 10:30am October 13 & 14 | 1pm & 3pm
Hand Puppets. Recommended for ages 3 & up. 

My New Favorite Thing: Dragons

Hi Everyone!
I am so excited for our puppet show this weekend, "Sir George and The Dragon" by Pumpernickel Puppets. What is better to talk about than dragons? I am curious to learn about the history of dragons with all of you. Especially, since they are a kind of monster. Being descendants of my people it is my duty to educate all of us. To the library!

Different stories of dragons appear throughout every culture in history. Dragons were often an answer to the unknown... During the time that the Earth was believed to be flat, people thought that dragons were on the edge of the Earth, waiting to consume anyone who dared travel that far into the sea. This idea stopped people from exploring the unexplored. On maps, these areas had the warning, "Here be dragons" printed on them.

Being one of the more popular fantasy creatures, dragons often appeared in mythology. In most myths, dragons are the keeper of some treasure. To retrieve the prize the dragon must be slain! This is the challenge our character, Sir George faces, in Sir George and the Dragon.

Sir George and The Dragon is a story that began in the Middle Ages and has been retold for centuries! In this version by Pumpernickel Puppets, we meet a clumsy dog, a babysitter named Zelda, a silly bat and a lovable dragon to help George along the way.

Sir George and The Dragon
by Pumpernickel Puppets
August 25 @ 10:30-11:30 am and 1:00-2:00 pm
Buy Tickets!


Dragons are often still portrayed in stories. Here are some of the dragons portrayed by the story tellers of our time.

Uncle Deadly from the Muppet Show

The Muppet Show transforms the idea of fearsome dragons into those who believe in the power of friendship. Jim Henson believed in individuality in the way that Miss Piggy is a pig but she is beautiful. Vincent Price and Uncle Deadly both have a spooky reputation but as Jim believed, don't judge a book by its cover.

Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon

This animation makes everyone want a pet dragon of there own! The animators on this film brought there lovable dragons to life by giving them cat like qualities. They aren't terrifying monsters! Just big cats with wings... that happen to breathe fire. Making the dragons pets, makes them like children. They are innocent and only know how to love, like Toothless, the dragon in this video.

The Hungarian Horntail from Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

The Harry Potter series is known to use ancient myth and folklore as inspiration to create the world of the story. It is clear in this scene of Harry battling what is called, a Hungarian Horntail dragon, that they took the Medieval approach. Never fear! Harry Potter does persevere.

However, a Bella Monster is still the best monster. Don't you agree?

LOVE!
Bella Monster

Puppet Slam Grown-up Fairy tale Edition

Greetings Puppet Enthusiasts,

The time has come for Puppet Showplace Theatre's 2012-2013 Puppets @ Night season kick-off!  The first slam of the season is September 15th: The Fall Fairy Tale Festival Slam for Grown-up Fairy Tales.

What is A Puppet Slam?

It's an evening of short varied theatrical mini-plays for adults that use (or sometimes abuse) puppets for all or part of the drama. 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. The performers range from the seasoned professional to the nascent puppeteer, and often include poets, musicians, dancers, mimes, actors, and other sundry affiliated artists.

The Fall Fairy Tale Festival Slam
Puppet Showplace Theatre
Saturday, September 15 2012, 8:00pm

Buy Tickets!

About the slam: Pieces will be 3 to 10 minutes in length and have some connection to the theme of fairy tales. Performers will use diverse and/or experimental theatrical styles which could include: mask, object theatre, storytelling, crankies, burlesque, etc. as well as traditional puppet styles. We can hardly wait! We hope to see you and your work. More info coming soon!

Happily Ever After Awaits At PST!

THIS WEEK AT PST

Sir George and The Dragon by Pumpernickel Puppets
John McDonough
Aug 25 | 10:30am and 1:00pm

Buy Tickets!

Attention Lords and Ladies we are inviting you to step back in time with us at PST as we travel to medieval lands for this week's puppet show.  Here be good entertainment!

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 loveable dragon. Will Sir George slay the dragon? Not to worry, everything ends happily in this fun show. 

About the Performer: The Pumpernickel Puppets are the creation of John McDonough of Worcester, Massachusetts. Four years old when he saw his first puppet show, John immediately knew that he wanted to be a puppeteer, and he never considered anything else.
By his teens he was presenting shows all over the New England area. The Pumpernickel Puppets have had the honor of appearing at The Puppet Showplace Theatre, Boston Children’s Museum, The Institute of Professional Puppetry Arts at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, The Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., The Cultural Olympiad at The Center For Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, and the prestigious International Festival of Puppet Theatre sponsored by the Jim Henson Foundation at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre in New York.
For each production, John creates all of his own puppets, which range from small hand puppets to larger than life-sized figures. He also manipulates the entire cast alone and
provides the voices as well.

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!

My New Favorite Thing: Dramaturgy

Hello Puppet Fans,

From Left: Phil Berman, the beautiful ME of coarse, and Brenda Huggins,  my puppeteer!

I have really enjoyed writing to all of you these last few weeks with my research and new things I have learned! I was talking with my friend Phil Berman who is a theatre artist and dramaturg, and I wanted to know what a dramaturg IS. He told me that a Dramaturg is someone who researches the background of a play, and the history of the different elements of the story, including performances of the play through out history.

Wait...I'm a dramaturg! I have been researching our shows at PST with all of you! That means we are all dramaturgs! As Puppet Showplace Theatre's Monster in Residence/Dramaturg, I have begun dramaturging our latest show, Jack and the Beanstalk.

Jack and the Beanstalk

by Crabgrass Theatre

August 15-August 18 | 10:30am & 1pm

Buy Tickets!

This premier performance of Jack and the Beanstalk starts tomorrow at PST by Crabgrass Theatre.

Trading his cow for a bag of magic beans, Jack takes a risk for adventure! On his journey he takes a chance on fame and fortune by battling a hungry giant.  This hungry giant is Jacks obstacle in the story and creates tension. Whether it's a film, book, animation or theatre every performance is unique and portrays the giant differently.

 Here are some of my favorite Giants:

In the first clip,  the giant is extra terrifying because he is after one of our favorite characters of all time (and personal hero) Kermit. We are also led to believe we are watching this live, so we fear for Kermit's life every second as if we are experiencing this with him. When the Giant does appear, his size is unexpected in comparison to Kermit! It is even more surprising that he is human and not a puppet. In the end. the giant says people often come to visit, but they never stay.  Therefore, we are left with the idea that the Giant might not have wanted to eat Kermit and just wanted company.

This next video is a clip from "Mickey and the Beanstalk" by Walt Disney in 1947. In this adaption of Jack and the Beanstalk it is actually Mickey, Donald and Goofy on the adventure instead of Jack. In this version, the Giant has magic powers! These magic powers give him another advantage besides his strength and size over Mickey, Donald and Goofy. However, he isn't smart enough to remember the magic words. Mickey and his friends have intelligence on there side! Brains always wins. 

 This children's musical of "Jack and the Beanstalk" by Celebration Iowa does the opposite of what the first video of Kermit. In this version, all the characters are humans and the Giant is a body puppet. The most villianous part about the character is his voice. This Giant has a deep, dark, booming loud voice to carry across the theatre. Since this is a musical, the use of sound was most important. 

This is an illustration from "Jack and the Beanstalk" from the page of a book. When you read, your imagination creates the scenes in your mind. Nothing is more powerful than the Giant we all dream up in our mind from reading the classic tale ourselves. Here is one representation of the Giant chasing after Jack as he tries to escape down the Beanstalk. To read this version by author Eric Braun and Illustrator Shawna J.C. Tenney go here.

P.S. I cant wait to see how Crabgrass Theatre portrays their giant character. I hope to see you there.

Love,

Bella Monster...PST Monster in Residence/Guest Blogger/Dramaturg! 

Camp is Almost Here!

SUMMER CAMP NEXT WEEK

We are so excited for camp, we just had to tell you about it!  We've been working with the Brookline Rec Department to make sure that everything is all set and ready to go next week for campers.  Here's a few things you should know about next week:

Store Will Be Temporarily Closed - We'll be using our lobby and theatre space for the camp, and the store will be closed during that that time.  We repeat: the store will be closed next week.  Do not despair though, we're still open THIS week, and our regular store hours will resume on the August 28th!

Performance Schedule - Also, although we do normally run shows on weekdays, next week there will be only two performances on Sat of Sir George and the Dragon by Pumpernickel Puppets, with no shows on Wed, Thurs, or Fri. Call ahead and be sure to reserve tickets for Saturday! BUY TICKETS

Talk to the Hand! Puppetry and Performance Skills Camp

Instructor: Jacek Zuzanski 

of Dream Tale Puppets

Date: 8/20 through 8/24, 8:30am to 4:00pm

Age: 7-12

Location: Puppet Showplace Theatre

Cost: $500

To Register: Call the Brookline Rec Department at 617-730-2069. 

There are still a few spots left, so sign up today!

In this one-week summer camp students will explore the manipulation techniques used to bring different styles of puppets to life. In a typical day, students will spend a morning session working with a professional performer to learn tools for expressing themselves ranging from voice acting to storytelling to hand puppet techniques and team puppetry. In the afternoons, students will devise, rehearse, and perform an original play, using the puppetry and performance skills they have acquired. In addition to puppetry activities, campers also will enjoy fun recreational outings led by counselors from the Brookline Recreation Department.

For more information about the camp, Visit Our Website!

Internship Opportunities at PST!

A NOTE FROM OUR INTERN

Education Outreach Intern Krista shares her experience this summer

Finding the right internship can be hard, but I managed to spend the summer at a workplace that was engaging and fun!  The Puppet Showplace Theatre (PST) has been providing entertainment and educational opportunities to the community for 38 years now, and I am happy to have been involved in that process.

As an Intern for the Puppet Showplace Theatre, I worked on a variety of projects including assisting with puppetry camps and workshops, reaching out to schools and summer camps, ushering the shows, and generally lending a hand where it was needed.  With such a wide range of responsibilities, I had something new to look forward to every day.  When assisting with classes, I enjoyed interacting with the kids and helping to plan activities.  In reaching out to school and camp groups I gained many office and computer skills.  When ushering the shows, I helped theatre run smoothly and got to watch a new artist perform every week for free!

At the Puppet Showplace Theatre, I really enjoyed learning about how a non-profit organization operates.  The performing arts are definitely important to me, and I value PST’s dedication to providing a variety of educational opportunities to the community.  Their performances, workshops for students, and classes for educators are all focused on sharing knowledge about puppets and performing.   As an Education Outreach intern, my main objective was to establish and maintain new relationships with educators in the community. 

Lastly, one of my favorite things about working at PST was the atmosphere.  For me, the idea of working alone in a cubicle is not an agreeable one.  However, office and computer skills come in handy in nearly any line of work. Whether it be communicating via email, blogging, creating spreadsheets, or keeping files in order; where better to gain experience with the basics than in a colorful environment?  The walls are painted brightly and puppets are displayed throughout the lobby.  I was always welcome to try out puppets, to create a new display board, or to participate in events like the Puppet Slam.  I definitely did not want an internship where I would be ignored.  At PST I felt that the staff encouraged me to be involved and if I needed assistance, were glad to answer any questions.

So if you are interested in an internship that is enriching and entertaining, I wholeheartedly recommend applying to the Puppet Showplace Theatre.  They are now accepting applications for the Fall.  For more information about internships, Click Here.

-Krista, Education Outreach Intern Summer 2012

Fortune Favors The Brave In This New Show!

THIS WEEK AT PST

Jack and the Beanstalk PST PREMIERE!
by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre
Wed-Sat | Aug 15-18 | 10:30am, 1pm & 3pm  

Buy Tickets!

Follow your instincts with Jack as he embarks on his journey of fame and fortune by risking it all, and enjoy giant sized entertainment for the whole the whole family. Climb up the magic beanstalk with us this week at PST as we reach for our dreams! 

About the show: Sent to the market to sell his old cow, Jack returns home with a measly handful of beans. Jack is in disgrace until. . . the beans become a beanstalk, the beanstalk leads to adventure, and Jack has a chance at fame and fortune. All he has to do is outwit a very hungry giant! Crabgrass Puppet Theatre's hilarious retelling of the tallest of tales is full of fun and loaded with laughs. Colorful scenery, exciting puppetry and a delightful musical score combine to create a giant-sized entertainment for all ages.

About the Performer: The Crabgrass Puppet Theatre is an award-winning touring puppet theatre founded in 1982 by Jamie Keithline and Bonny Hall. Jamie and Bonny met in 1979, while performing in Laughingstock!, a puppet-and-actor production at the University of Connecticut in which Bonny played Jamie's father. They have been working together ever since! 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. Crabgrass Puppet Theatre continues to perform more than 200 shows each year, reaching over 100,000 people throughout the US.

Post-Show Reception: Join us after the 10:30am show on Sat, Aug 18th for a post-show reception sponsored  by the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry to celebrate this exciting new production by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre! Enjoy refreshments and chat with the performers in the PST lobby after the show.

New Member Savings in 2012-2013 Season!

New Season, New Prices!
Members save big during the 2012-2013 season...

Adam Courville (PST Board President) and Roxanna Myhrum (PST Artistic Director)...and puppet.

Dear Puppet Fans,

Puppet Showplace Theatre's Board of Directors recently approved a proposal to introduce new ticket prices for the 2012-2013 season, beginning in September.  Although general admission prices will change to $12.00/ticket, member ticket prices will remain the same at only $8.00/ticket. That's twice the current savings! 

Members will also have phone service fees waived, and will benefit from an  improved online ticketing system.  

“We are excited to announce substantial savings for PST members that reflect our commitment to affordability and community access,” says President of the PST Board of Trustees Adam Courville. “We hope these new ticket prices will both attract more patrons to become members at the theatre, and generate additional revenue that allows us to make investments in artistic quality, professionalism, and customer service.”

“Everyone, including our artists and professional staff, are energized about the coming season” says PST Artistic Director Roxanna Myhrum. “From the moment you reserve a ticket to the moment you leave the theatre, we have worked to deliver the best audience experience possible. We can’t wait to share our season with New England’s puppetry fans.”

Information about the coming season and online ticketing are now available on the PST show calendar.  Membership discounts will be made available online for the 2012-2013 season beginning Friday, August 17th.  Until then, members receive special concierge ticketing service at the box office by calling 617-731-6400 x 101. Questions about ticketing or membership at Puppet Showplace Theatre can be directed to Operations and Audience Services Manager Bradley Diuguid at boxoffice@puppetshowplace.org. 

Thank you for your patience as we transition to our new ticketing system, and for supporting the work we do at Puppet Showplace Theatre! 

Sincerely,

The Puppet Showplace Theatre Board and Staff

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.

Calling All Performers!!

Behind the scenes with Brad Shur,  PST Artist -in-Residence.

PARTICIPATE IN PST's SEPTEMBER PUPPET SLAM
Fall Fairytale Festival Slam: "Grown up Fairytales"
Saturday September 15, 2012
8:00 pm at Puppet Showplace Theatre

Are you a performer?  If not, would you like to be?  PST is now accepting proposals to perform in our upcoming September Puppet Slam! From the uproarious and farcical, to the melancholy and insightful, our Puppet Slams have featured some wonderful pieces in the past.  For information about our Puppet Slams,
Check Out Our Website!


What We're Looking For - The theme for the evening is "Grown Up Fairytales". We hope to have performances that showcase diverse styles of puppetry and theatre while fracturing, adapting, and riffing on the theme of classic fairytales. Performance pieces should be 3-10 minutes in length and have some connection to this theme.  Otherwise, all styles of theatre, puppetry, and musicianship are welcome to be a part of the show.  If you have a full act prepared, great!  If you have an unfinished work, or even just a concept, we'll help you!  As long as your performance can be ready by the performance date, September 15th, we will consider it.  We would love to have a wide range of subject matter, so please feel free to send us anything you've got! 

Submit a Proposal - The deadline to submit a proposal has been EXTENDED TO AUGUST 13, 2012.  Performers will then be notified by August 15th if they have been selected.  For any questions, email artistic@puppetshowplace.org  Click Here to submit your proposal.

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

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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: Middle Eastern Music

Welcome Puppet Fans!                                                                
I am here to give you your weekly addition of me, Bella Monster with my new favorite thing. An Arabian Adventure is playing this week at PST! This is a tale of a Persian Prince imprisoned for his love of a beautiful princess who must stop at nothing to save her from a terrible fate. The soundtrack for the show is traditional Middle Eastern music that transports you to another time and place entirely new. Join me on this adventure!

An Arabian Adventure 

Aug 1, 2012 - Aug 4, 2012 

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The music is hypnotizing and exotic. I wondered what made it so different from the music I am familiar with? My curiosity led me to my new favorite thing, Middle Eastern music! Here's what I learned. Traditional Eastern music uses what is called, Maquams, melodic modes which are said to evoke a different emotion in each listener. Each time we hear these maquams we all feel a different feeling, unique to who we are! Isn't that amazing that we can all hear the same sound but have a different feeling?

Our music or Western music uses chords but traditional Eastern music will have one instrument carry the melody while the others layer melody scraps or rhythm segments over it. When we listen to this we are absorbing new musical rhythms, musical notes and melodies. Listen to the arabic instruments in this video below. How do these new sounds make you feel?

Here are some of the most popular instruments in traditional Middle Eastern music seen in the video. 

Oud - A string instrument with 11 strings and no frets.

Riq- The Arabic tambourine.

Darbuka- A popular percussion instrument.

Ney - Resembles the flute in instrument and sound but is very difficult to play.

I can't wait to experience the exciting arabian tale this week at PST with the beautiful instruments I just learned about. Hope to see you there! 

Love,

Bella Monster

Magic, Adventure and Marionettes at PST!

THIS WEEK AT PST:
An Arabian Adventure by Tanglewood Marionettes
Wed- Sat | Aug 1st - 4th | 10:30am &1pm
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Hop onto your magic carpet, and take an adventure to the magical land of the Middle East this week at Puppet Showplace Theatre.

About the show: Featuring over a dozen beautifully hand-crafted marionettes and exquisite "story-book" style scenery, "An Arabian Adventure" tells the tale of a Persian prince who must battle his way out of a dungeon to save his beloved princess from a tragic fate. Long: Featuring over a dozen beautifully hand-crafted marionettes and exquisite “story-book” style scenery, “An Arabian Adventure” tells the tale of a Persian prince who is thrown into a dungeon because of his love for a beautiful princess. Facing danger at every turn, the courageous prince must battle his way out of the underground prison to save his princess from a tragic fate.

The soundtrack features professional acting set to the background of classical music from favorite composers, as well as traditional Middle Eastern music.  The program is presented with the marionettists in full view, so that the audience can witness firsthand the mechanics of puppet manipulation.  Replete with clever stage illusions and lighting effects, “An Arabian Adventure” is an action-packed drama that is sure to delight audiences of all ages while introducing them to the magical world of puppet theater.

About the performer: Peter Schaefer was born into a family of puppeteers and has been performing with hand puppets, rod puppets and marionettes since he was a child. After refining his skills with a local puppet company for several years, Peter purchased a marionette show from a retiring Boston puppeteer and launched his own company: Mountain Marionettes. After touring nationally for two years, in 1993 Peter decided to join with a fellow puppeteer and form a new company: Tanglewood Marionettes.Over his career, Peter has brought his unique marionette artistry to hundreds of thousands of children and families across the country! More Info.

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

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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.

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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!

Kids Ages 7-12 Learn from Master Puppeteer!

TALK TO THE HAND!  PUPPETRY AND PERFORMANCE SKILLS CAMP

August 20th-24th

8:30am-4:00pm

Ages 7-12
For more information about the camp, See Our Website!

PST is so excited about our upcoming camp in August!  So excited in fact, that we want to introduce you to the wonderful master puppeteer who will be teaching for the week:

Who is the puppet master?

Jacek Zuzanski will be the man behind the puppets leading this one-week camp for kids ages 7-12.

Where is Jacek from?

Jacek is from Poland, where there is a strong tradition of puppetry! In Poland, there are many professional theaters that produce shows for children. He has studied several types of theatre, including, you guessed it, puppetry. His diverse education and experience makes him a captivating educator. 

What makes Jacek a master puppeteer?

Jacek earned his MFA from The Ludwik Solski’s State Theatre School in Krakow, Poland, and obtained The Ministry for Art and Culture’s Stage Directing Certificate. He is a theatre artist and certified acting teacher with over 30 years experience! Since coming to the US in 2001 he has cooperated with numerous schools, art organizations, and libraries. He is now the founder, designer, leading performer, and director of Dream Tale Puppets.

Why is Jacek so excited to lead this camp?

Jacek is an enthusiastic teacher who believes in the importance of strengthening imagination. Concerning his work with Dream Tale Puppets, Jacek has said, "We believe in the value of asking questions, as children do, and in the inquisitive creativity found in children’s play. By emulating the creative improvisations of children’s play, we learn traditional theatrical languages and we create new languages."

How will young minds benefit from this camp?

In this camp, Jacek will focus on fostering children's creativity while teaching them tools that they can use to express themselves. From voice acting and storytelling to hand puppet techniques and team puppetry, the skills taught in this class are centered on learning to communicate--all through the fun of puppets!  

Register today to learn from the master! Call the Brookline Rec Department today at 617-730-2069. Only 15 spots available. Sign up early to guarantee your spot!