Puppet Showplace Celebrates the 5th Anniversary of the Incubator Program with Shows, Exhibits, Workshops, and More! 

A world premiere! A Boston debut! Our newest production, back by popular demand!

This January, Puppet Showplace launches our annual New Year! New Shows! series, and there is a lot to celebrate! The 2017 series features two new works developed by local artists, and one never-before-seen show by a visiting company. 

2017 also marks the 5th anniversary of the Incubator Program, which has supported the development of 9 new productions since it launched in the 2012-2013 season. 

The original Incubator started in 2001 under artistic director Karen Larsen. Local artists met bi-monthly to swap skills, share works-in-progress, and experiment with new ideas. When Artistic Director Roxanna Myhrum joined the theater in 2010, she recognized the need for Puppet Showplace to support local artists  by partnering with them to create full-length shows. In 2012, Bonnie Duncan and Brad Shur became the first Incubator Artists, and set to work on "Squirrel Stole My Underpants" and "Tall Tales: Stories and Songs from Old New England." The new Incubator program started small by granting rehearsal space, providing fiscal sponsorship, and presenting artists in an extended theatrical run. Then, in 2014 thanks to a major gift from the Sakharoff Family Trust, Puppet Showplace was able to provide artists with small Incubator production grants. 

Incubator artists have gone on to tour nationally and internationally. Shows developed through this program have been featured at the National Puppetry Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and at major cultural organizations including the Boston Children's Museum, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Strong Museum of Play. 

To mark this anniversary, Puppet Showplace will present a retrospective exhibit featuring artifacts and work-in-progress from past Incubator productions. The display will be open throughout the New Year! New Shows! series January 14th - February 12th, and will feature work by Resident Artist Brad Shur, The Gottabees, Faye Dupras, and CactusHead Puppets. Admission to the exhibit is free during open hours. 

Renowned Incubator artists The Gottabees will also host a FREE clinic entitled The Sound of Imagination, exploring the ins-and-outs of interdisciplinary collaboration between puppeteers and musicians. This will take place on Monday January 23rd from 6:30 - 8:30 pm (Link to register coming soon!).

Finally, the official Opening Night and Reception for "I Spy Butterfly" by Faye Dupras will take place on Friday January 27th at 7pm, with refreshments sponsored by the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry. Tickets to this performance, and all New Year! New Shows! events are available here. 

We at Puppet Showplace are thrilled to celebrate this important milestone, and look forward to supporting more innovative works by local artists. We look forward to seeing you at the shows!