November 17, 2023 – Puppet Showplace Theater is thrilled to introduce its new Executive Artistic Director, Veronica Barron. With a dynamic organizational and artistic vision for the future of Puppet Showplace, Veronica will lead the theater into its 50th year.

“Puppet Showplace helped me to become the artist and leader I am today,” said Veronica. “I am honored and excited to work with the theater in this new capacity, building toward a strong future for this little powerhouse of a theater.”

Fans of the theater will recognize Veronica from her long history at Puppet Showplace, most recently as Interim Managing and Programming Director (March - October 2023). Her connection with the theater dates back to 2011, when she first performed at a Puppet Showplace Slam. Since then, Veronica has developed her craft as a puppeteer, working nationally and internationally as a puppeteer with Liars and Believers, Kid Koala, the Maison Internationale des Arts de la Marionnettes, and others. In February 2023, Veronica directed and designed her first first full-length show, Magic Pearl, which premiered through the Puppet Showplace Incubator program, supported by previous Artistic Director Roxanna Myhrum.

“We are delighted to have Veronica join us in this new, permanent role of Executive Artistic Director,” said John Lechner, President of the Board of Trustees. “She is a skilled manager, a strategic thinker, a strong communicator, and a talented artist, and we feel very lucky to have her. We also thank Hannah Swartz and Leslie Burton for their outstanding work in leading us out of the pandemic and into a bright future. Although they have moved on to other pursuits, they will always be part of the Puppet Showplace family.”

“Veronica speaks the language of artists, while having a deep understanding of how mission-driven nonprofit organizations tick,” said Board of Trustees Vice President Amy West. “She steps into this new role with passion, creativity, curiosity, a strong commitment to the community, and an impressive resume. Puppet Showplace is in excellent hands.”

“As Puppet Showplace moves toward our 50th anniversary next year, we’re expanding our work to make puppetry accessible and affordable to everyone,” said Veronica. “We’re deepening our investment in artists, including artists of diverse identities and experiences, so that all audience members can see themselves in the wide-ranging stories we present.”

To help implement this vision, Veronica has established a role of Visiting Artistic Associate, and Puppet Showplace is delighted to welcome Ash Winkfield in this new role. Ash is an accomplished puppeteer who was a member of the 2023 Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers cohort and also puppeteered in Magic Pearl at Puppet Showplace. Most recently, Ash has returned from tours with Basil Twist and a 9-week U.S. tour as a puppeteer with Little Amal, a giant puppet of a Syrian refugee child. Ash will help to curate exceptional puppetry for Puppet Showplace's 50th anniversary season, and will help to build and deepen relationships with artists, audiences, and partners.

“We are making sure that we’re creating art and bringing in work that’s about all of our different experiences in this world,” said Ash.

This new artistic team, along with the Board of Trustees, will lead Puppet Showplace Theater into an exciting 50th anniversary season, to be celebrated from June 2024 to June 2025. 

Puppet Showplace’s 50th anniversary plans include a renovation project to modernize lights and sound, and create more comfort for audiences and artists. The theater was recently awarded $138,000 in a matching grant through the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s (MCC) Cultural Facilities Fund in support of the renovations.

“The Puppet Showplace Theater is the only puppet theater in the Commonwealth, and it brings incredibly talented artists to the region,” said State Representative Tommy Vitolo, a longtime supporter and member of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development. “In supporting the theater we demonstrate the importance of the arts here in Brookline and across the Commonwealth. I look forward to working with Veronica in her new role as Executive Artistic Director.”

“We really appreciate knowing that we have folks at the state level — at the MCC, among our representatives — who understand that arts and culture are important at the local level,” said Veronica. “What happens between audiences and artists goes way beyond our little hundred-seat theater — it builds a stronger community for all of us.”

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Media Contact: Hannah Anderson-Baranger

Marketing & Communications Manager, Puppet Showplace Theater

info@puppetshowplace.org