Pied Piper of Hamelin
A comedic, updated adaptation of the traditional folktale, told with multiple puppetry styles, and plenty of dancing rats!
Artist: John and Megan Regan, CactusHead Puppets — the Resident Touring Company of Puppet Showplace!
Length: 40 minutes, plus Q&A after the show
Age Group: 4 - 10
Puppetry Styles: Hand, Rod, and Shadow Puppets
Curriculum Connections: Community problem solving, music, shadow & light
-
The town of Hamelin has a rat problem, and there's only one person who can help! CactusHead Puppets brings the story of the Pied Piper to life in this kid-friendly comedic adaptation of the traditional folktale. Not only does the town find a musical solution to pest control, but the kids of Hamelin make a new friend and teach the grownups a lesson about generosity. This production features multiple puppetry styles, a silly hat contest, and plenty of dancing rats!
-
Space Requirements
A smooth, flat area at least 11 ft. wide by 8 ft. deep. with at least 8 ft. high ceilings to set up our stage. The audience seating area must be at least 4 ft. away from the front of the stage for good sight lines.
Access to one nearby electrical outlet
Pied Piper can be performed indoors only, and is not available for in-home shows.
Lighting Requirements
Pied Piper can be performed in general room lighting, dimmable lighting is preferred.
-
Arrival & Setup
Set up time: Performers will arrive 1 hr and 15 minutes before the show to load in and set up.
Turn around time: Performers will need at least 15 minutes between performances.
Strike and Load-Out
Break down time: Performers will need 45 min after the show to break down/load out
About the Artist
CactusHead Puppets was started in 2010 by John and Megan Regan. Known for their playful performance style and exuberant creativity, they have created six fun family shows including The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Bremen Town Musicians, and Magnificent Monster Circus. They tour throughout the Northeast and are affiliated artists with the Puppet Showplace Theater. Both Megan and John are graduates of the University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts program, and were interns at Puppet Showplace Theater way back! Megan is originally from the Kansas City area, where she worked with Paul Mesner Puppets, now known as What is Puppets. John is from western Massachusetts, and is honored to be performing in some of the same venues where he saw puppet shows growing up.
