"Pirates & Tales of Sea" by Romper Rhythm & Puppets

THIS WEEKEND AT PST

"Pirates & Tales of the Sea" by Romper Rhythm & Puppets

Sat | June 18th | 10:30am & 1pm

About this show: Pirate Long John Silver and his parrot, Flint find a sea chest full of stories, “How the Whale Got His Throat”, “A Little Mermaid”, and “Ocean Born Mary”. Tales are told with a twist, silly and not scary, using a combination of hand and shadow puppets. The story of “Ocean Born Mary”, the NH pirate legend, is told with hand puppets (pictured), lots of laughs and audience participation and yo ho ho!

About this performer: Diane Kordas has been performing music for children and families since 1992, and puppet shows since 1998. As a registered nurse and later as a mom she started using music and puppets to entertain and educate her patients, friends and family. She learned how to design and sew her own dolls and puppets with instruction from her mother, and enjoys making her own puppet characters for her shows. 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.

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"The Case of the Missing Woodpile" by Gerwick Puppets

THIS WEEK AT PST

"The Case of the Missing Woodpile" by Gerwick Puppets

TWO PERFORMANCES EACH DAY!

Wed & Thurs | June 15 & 16 | 10:30am & 1:00pm

About this show: Marylou and Bruce star in this musical mystery. They’re busy with all sorts of summer activities, when suddenly the pile of wood for a chicken coop they want to build disappears! The audience joins the puppets to solve the mystery! With original music. "Summertime is what you make it, it can be oodles of fun", sings Marylou and her friend Bruce in this summertime frolic. Hand puppets. Check out a sneak-peek preview!

About the performer: Len grew up doing puppet shows. From junior high through college he took hisportable theater by subway to all five boroughs of New York City. He graduated from Pratt Institute, studied at Columbia University, the University of Vienna (Austria) and received a Masters in Art History from the University of Toronto, Ontario. He has been passionate about painting, history, classical music and dance throughout his life. He was and art teacher at Holliston High School in Mass. for nine years before entering puppetry full time. He is the recipient of the Northeast Region of Puppeteers of America's Artistic Achievement Award in 2008. He has been on the board of Puppeteers of America as chair of its Endowment Committee and is currently on the board of The Puppet Showplace in Brookline, Mass. Along with puppetry, he is dedicated to his painting where his work has been shown in galleries in Massachusetts.

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Hansel & Gretel by Wayne Martin Puppets

NEW SUMMER HOURS!
All shows Wed, Thurs & Sat | 10:30am & 1pm

THIS WEEK AT PST
"Hansel & Gretel" by Wayne Martin Puppets
JUN 8, 9 & 11 | 10:30am & 1pm

About the show: The classic Brothers Grimm fairytale is magically presented utilizing gorgeous hand, rod, string and shadow puppetry in this colorful musical production. Hansel, Gretel and of course the wicked old witch are all "on hand" along with a few surprise guests, to bring this beloved story to life for you at the Puppet Showplace Theater. This production will be followed by a selection of variety marionette vignettes from the award winning puppeteer's "Martin's Magical, Musical Revue."

About the performer: Wayne Martin began his interest in puppetry as a hobby at the tender age of three and a half. By age eight, he had formed his own company, The Wayne Martin Puppets and turned full-time professional.

At the top of his profession for nearly forty years now, Wayne’s credits include guest appearances with Symphony Orchestras and work as principal manipulator for industry greats, the Heiken Puppets, Sid and Marty Krofft Productions and Jim Henson’s Muppets, among others.

Martin has been featured in numerous award winning television programs and commercials. These include critically acclaimed educational and training films and his very own television series and specials that have earned him two Emmy Award nominations.

Wayne Martin’s first love remains live performance. He has toured Canada, Europe and Australia and presents his one-man variety revue hundreds of times each year across the United States. His unique style of showmanship has been instrumental in broadening the appeal of the puppet show in this country and it's acceptance as true theatre art enjoyed by adults and children alike. Having designed and built over two thousand puppets to date, Martin's act has appeared with such established artists as Bob Hope, Dolly Parton, The 5th Dimension and The Temptations. More info.

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Playing with Light: the magical art of shadow puppetry

THIS SATURDAY AT PST

Playing with Light: the magical art of shadow puppetry

Family workshop, taught by Brad Shur

Sat | June 4 | 10:30am to 12:30pm

NEW! Our "Summer Saturday" family workshop series kicks off this Saturday, and will take place on the first Saturday of each summer month (June, July, and August). These are participatory workshops where adults and children work together to build and perform with puppets. Space for these workshops is limited, so pre-registration is STRONGLY encouraged. Call the box office at 617-731-6400 today to reserve your space! Cost: $15/adult, $10/child (Member price $13/adult, $8/child).

About this workshop: Shadow puppetry is a fun, inexpensive way for families to create magical worlds and tell stories together. In this workshop, participants will see live and video demonstrations of the centuries-old history of shadow puppets and learn about their amazing variety across cultures. Then, everyone will make their own shadow puppets and learn the basic techniques of bringing them to life. This is a hands-on workshop, where everyone will have a chance to be a shadow puppeteer!

About the artist: 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. 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. He's built and performed with rod puppets, hand puppets, shadow puppets, larger-than-life costume puppets, Japanese bunraku puppets and marionettes. His shows are high energy blends where at least a few of these styles come together with storytelling, original scripts, and lots of audience participation.

You can catch Brad at least twice 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." His shows are high energy blends where at least a few of these styles come together with storytelling, original scripts, and lots of audience participation.

"Brad Shur is a fabulous puppeteer as well as an inspiring teacher. I'm so delighted to be taking (my daughter) to this."

-Review on Ticketleap.com

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Summer Starts June 1st at PST

THIS SUMMER AT PST
New Schedule! Show times for the months of June, July, and August:
Wednesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays 10:30am and 1:00pm
Check out the calendar!

SUMMER SATURDAY WORKSHOPS

Playing With Light: The Magical Art Of Shadow Puppetry
June 4th 10:30-12:30

Big Stories: Paul Bunyan and Participatory Puppet Theater
July 2nd 10:30-12:30

Junk Puppets! A Hands-On Recycled Materials Puppet Building Extravaganza
August 6th 10:30-12:30
Make a reservation.

THIS WEEK
"Turtle's New Home" by Deborah Costine
June 1 & 2 | Wed & Thurs | 10:30 am & 1pm

About This Show: Blanding is an endangered turtle in search of a new habitat. Each spring she leaves her wetland and travels to a nearby sandy hill where she lays her eggs. When a new road is ... built between the wetland and the hill, what will she do? With the help from her friend Castor the Beaver she may just be able to fix her problems!

About the Performer: When Debbie was 10 years old, she made her first puppet. She had no idea how to go about it, but she made a paper mache puppet which sits in her puppet studio today!
Debbie designs and performs shows for young audiences, and was recently awarded an UNIMA Citation of Excellence for her show “Cinderella, A Woodland Fairy Princess”. The UNIMA Citation of Excellence is the highest honor in American puppetry.
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"Little Superheroes" by Talking Hands Theatre

THIS WEEK AT PST!

"Little Superheroes" by Talking Hands Theatre

May 25 & 26 | Wed & Thurs | 10:30am

About the show: Kids can change the world! Ruby Raccoon and Benny Bunny are little superheroes in training. In order to win their superpowers, they'll have to prove that they're super fearless, super helpful, and want to save the world. This show includes information about ways kids can help protect our environment, such as planting a tree and recycling. Appropriate for ages 2-8.

About the performer: Talking Hands Theatre is committed to entertaining children with puppetsby engaging their minds and their imaginations as well as their senses of humor. We perform in schools, libraries, day care centers, parks, theatres, hospitals, and homes throughout New England. Our 5' wide black curtain stage fits easily in any space. We bring our own sound equipment, depending on the size of the audience. The puppets are all handmade rod and hand puppets. Cultural awareness, environmentalism, and generosity are just a few of our themes.Based in Shutesbury, MA, we are one of the only children's puppet troupes serving the Western Massachusetts area that will come to YOU! Whether you are looking for children's party ideas or just a treat for a good classroom, consider a puppet show. More Info.

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The Egyptian Oracle: Virtual Reality Puppet Experience!

THIS FRI AT PST
The Egyptian Oracle by Public VR
Friday, May 20th, 7PM

About the performance: "The Egyptian Oracle" is an immersive educational experience that recreates an important religious event from the Ptolemaic Period. By projecting a Virtual Egyptian Temple onto a wall real space merges with virtual space, creating a shared continuum for audience and actors. The star is a virtual High Priest, controlled by a human puppeteer (PST Artist in Residence Brad Shur) interacting with a live actor (PST staff member Brenda Huggins) and the audience, who role-play as the Egyptian populace. The high priest queries the spirit of the temple god which is embodied in a ceremonial boat carried by eight assistants. Fortunes will be told, judgments made, and blessings given. We will film the event, ask audience members what they learned, and have a general discussion afterward, all totaling 90 minutes. This experimental work was made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the performance venues in Boston and Pittsburgh. More information at http://publicvr.org.

About Public VR: PublicVR is dedicated to the advancement of virtual reality in education, the arts, and human factors research. They produce free software, supporting materials, and conduct research studies reported in scholarly publications. They also support installations in museums, art galleries, and research facilities. PublicVR is a non-profit (501c3) corporation funded by grants, donations, and volunteer efforts.

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Elephant Tango at Incubator This Week!

THIS TUES NIGHT AT PST

Incubator!

May 17 | 7pm to 9pm

About Incubator: Every other Tuesday, PST hots a "drop-in" session where emerging artists, veteran puppeteers, teachers, and puppet enthusiasts gather to discuss and develop creative ideas in a casual, informal environment.

Here artists of all media and genres, experienced or not, can experiment with new puppetry ideas, materials and styles. It's a place where knowledge is shared, constructive critiques is the norm, and collaborations are born. This event is a free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $5.

What's happening this week: Don't miss the chance to see a preview performance of "Elephant Tango Tales" by the Elephant Tango Ensemble! This PST premiere features old stories and new creations that fill an exciting hour of puppetry & music! With Aesop's Fables (Mice in Council, Mountain In Labor & The Lion's Paw), The Couch (an original story of a child's imaginative adventures by Jill Gibson), and a series of delightful vignettes by the adorable Baby Zombie. All shadow puppetry, ball & scarf puppetry, projector puppetry and hand puppetry is accompanied by a live music ensemble!

About the performer: Founded in August of 2008, the Elephant Tango Ensemble is a collective of musicians, actors, puppeteers, designers and dancers striving for creative excellence through making puppets, composing music, and preserving story time.

The Elephant Tango has performed at the Cloud Club, Brookline Music School, Club Oberon, Perishable Theatre, Puppet Showplace Theatre, Boston Playwright's Theatre, and is available for entertainment and educational events in New England. More info.

Also this week: This is the final Incubator before the Adult Puppet Showplace SLAM! and we are looking forward to seeing many of our SLAM performers there. Emcee Jon Little and PST Artist in Residence Brad Shur will be on site to help give feedback on everyone's work.

Adult Puppet Showplace SLAM! Saturday, May 21st at 8pm.

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"Singing Turtle" By Brad Shur

THIS WEEK AT PST!

Sat & Sun | May 14 & 15 | 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Wed & Thurs | May 18 & 19 | 10:30 a.m.

About the show:
A young, hard working farm boy, Taro, is desperate to earn money to buy medicine for his mother. He is helped by an amazing turtle in this Japanese folk tale.
Hand puppets. 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.

Brad is thrilled to be here as the Artist in Residence of the Puppet Showplace Theatre!

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PST Summer Workshops and Classes

REGISTER NOW FOR CLASSES AT PST!
Coming this spring and summer, PST has brand new education programming for youth, families, and adults alike! Classes will fill up fast, so grab your spot today!

All classes and workshops will be taught by Brad Shur, our artist in residence.

Youth Class:

Think Big! Giant Puppet Construction and Performance Class
July 18 - July 23
Monday through Friday, 3:30 to 5:30 pm
At the Puppet Showplace Theatre
Public performance Saturday July 23, at 8:00 pm

Join us in July for a week of bringing giants to life! Students will learn how to dream big and work with others to make their visions a reality. In addition to acquiring technical construction and performance skills, students will learn the basics of project planning and how to work as a team. Their work will be presented for our audiences at the July 23rd adult Puppet Showplace Slam (8:00 pm on July 23rd)!

Only $125 per participant! Ages 8 and up
Click here to register online, or call the Box office at 617-731-6400


Family Workshop Series:
Our "Summer Saturday" family workshop series takes place on the first Saturday of each summer month (June, July, and August).
These are participatory workshops where adults and children work together to build and perform with puppets.

Space for these workshops is limited, so pre-registration is STRONGLY encouraged.
Call the box office at 617-731-6400 today to reserve your space!

Cost: $15/adult, $10/child (Member price $13/adult, $8/child).

Family Workshops Offered:

Playing with Light: the magical art of shadow puppetry
June 4 | 10:30 – 12:30
Shadow puppetry is a fun, inexpensive way for families to create magical worlds and tell stories together. In this workshop, participants will see live and video demonstrations of the centuries-old history of shadow puppets and learn about their amazing variety across cultures. Then, everyone will make their own shadow puppets and learn the basic techniques of bringing them to life. This is a hands-on workshop, where everyone will have a chance to be a shadow puppeteer!
Register Online

Big Stories: Paul Bunyan and participatory puppet theater
July 2 |10:30 – 12:30
Did you ever wonder how puppeteers tell such big stories with such small characters? Celebrate American Independence by bringing to life the classic American Folk Tale, Paul Bunyan! Families will learn how puppeteers use movement and sound to bring multiple styles of puppets to life. All participants will get to practice manipulation exercises with simple puppets provided by the instructor. Then, together we will put on a show! Junk Puppets!
Register Online

A Hands-On Recycled Materials Puppet Building Extravaganza
August 6 | 10:30 – 12:30
Puppets can bring junk back to life! Participants will begin by learning what a puppet is and some of the basic skills of puppet construction. Then, everyone will create their own puppet using recycled materials. We’ll have plenty on hand, and participants are welcome to bring their own materials as well (water bottles, toilet paper tubes, etc). Our artist in residence will guide the creative process and assist with construction. Once the puppets are complete, we’ll get a crash course in making them come to life with voice, movement and story-telling techniques.
Register Online



Adult Classes:

Introduction to Puppetry Arts
Four Thursday Evenings
May 19 - June 9 | 7PM - 9PM
Ages 16 and up
What makes a great puppet show? Participants will be introduced to the exciting and multifaceted world of puppetry through hands-on exploration of the materials and performance methods used by professional puppeteers. The class will study and discuss the work of great including Richard Bradshaw, Burr Tillstrom, and Sergey Obraztsov, and learn what core elements unite traditional Punch and Judy shows with the Muppets and the giant puppets of Royale de Luxe. Participants will survey basic construction methods and will build their own puppets and make them come to life.

This is an adult workshop; ages 16 and up.

Introduction to Puppetry Arts Registration info Introduction to Glove Puppetry
Four Thursday Evenings
July 28 - August 14 | 7PM - 9PM
Ages 16 and up
How does a puppeteer bring a character to life? Glove puppetry is an immensely creative and challenging art form that has been practiced for centuries around the world as a way to bring stories to life. Students will examine the history of glove puppet performance from Punch and Judy to Mr. Rogers. Starting with basic exercises for manual dexterity and expressiveness and progressing to 2-character interactions, students will build a vocabulary of movement that will allow them to express almost any emotion or action. Finally, participants will learn a durable method for creating their own glove puppets from scratch.

This is an adult workshop; ages 16 and up.

Introduction to Glove Puppetry Registration info

Questions? Feel free to contact our box office for more details about these and other upcoming events at 617-731-6400.

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"Little Red Riding Hood" by WonderSpark Puppets

THIS WEEK AT PST!

Wed & Thurs |May 11 & 12 | 10:30 a.m.

About the show:
Little Red is sent into the big woods to deliver a basket of goodies to her sick Grandmother, but is hounded by a hungry wolf who wants the basket for himself. Will Little Red be able to outsmart the wolf and save her Grandmother? The wolf is not overly scary, but children under 3 may be too young for this tale.
Little Red & The Wolf uses hand-held puppets on 3 tables, and is great for larger spaces like schools and theaters. The show is 45 minutes long and is fun for ages 4 and up.
About the performer:
Located in New York City, WonderSpark Puppets performs award-winning puppet theater in all sorts of venues. Theaters, schools, libraries, children's museums, and even your living room, you never know where WonderSpark Puppets will be appearing next.
Founded by husband and wife team Chad Williams and Lindsey "Z." Briggs, WonderSpark Puppets infuse fun and whimsy into all their performances. WonderSpark is happy to perform puppet shows for kids and adults alike. WonderSpark Puppets Website
WonderSpark Puppets Facebook

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"Here Come the Clowns" by Brad Shur

THIS WEEK AT PST!
Wed & Thurs | May 4 & 5 | 10:30AM & 1PM
Sat & Sun | May 7 & 8 | 1PM & 3PM

About the show: With a beep, a honk, and a snap, happy clowns caper out of a tiny car to perform humorous vignettes from around the world. Dusty rolls out the red carpet, Pierrot plays on his hobby horse, and Zany rows, rows, rows his boat towards a “big surprise”! Join us for laughter and fun in this wonderful show!

About the performer: Brad Shur, artist in residence at PST, has been professionally involved in puppetry for nearly 10 years. As a fan of all types of puppetry, Brad has built and performed with rod puppets, hand puppets, shadow puppets, larger-than-life costume puppets, Japanese bunraku puppets and marionettes. His shows are high energy blends where at least a few of these styles come together with storytelling, original scripts, and lots of audience participation.

You can catch Brad at least twice 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."

Brad is also an experienced teacher and offers workshops and classes for all ages on site at PST or private bookings in addition to extended residencies. This programming includes shadow, hand, and rod puppets, or custom workshops. Click here for more info!

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"Leopard Learns a Lesson" by Magpie Puppets

THIS WEEKEND AT PST
Saturday & Sunday | April 29 & May 1 | 1PM & 3PM

About the show: This story is adapted from an African tale from Malawi. Leopard is always bullying and frightening smaller animals until Rabbit turns the tables on her with the help of the jungle’s two largest beasts, Elephant and Rhinoceros. The audience learns, along with Leopard, that cooperation works better than intimidation. With original music by Alison Reid!

Hand puppets. Recommended for ages 3 & up.

About the performer: Maggie Whalen, Director of Magpie Puppets, a one-woman hand puppet theater, has been performing puppet shows for children and adults since 1969. In 1971, she founded and directed Poor People's Puppets in NYC, which performed in its own storefront theater from 1971 - 1974. She has worked with the Bread & Puppet Theatre in Vermont and Theater for the New City in New York.

Magpie Puppets is committed to innovative children’s entertainment, free of stereotypes and violence. Performances include taped or live music, one-of-a-kind hand puppets, extensive audience participation, and inventive staging.

Maggie Whalen is also a trained pediatric occupational therapist. As an artist and therapist who works with children every day, she is uniquely qualified to understand the developmental and emotional needs of children, and their need for joyous participatory fun.

For more info: www.magpiepuppets.com

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"Raccoon Tales" by Brad Shur

THIS WEEK AT PST
Wednesday & Thusday | April 27 & 28(SOLD OUT) | 10:30AM
Tickets still available for Wednesday!

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 & up.

About the performer: Brad Shur, artist in residence at PST, has been professionally involved in puppetry for nearly 10 years. As a fan of all types of puppetry, Brad has built and performed with rod puppets, hand puppets, shadow puppets, larger-than-life costume puppets, Japanese bunraku puppets and marionettes. His shows are high energy blends where at least a few of these styles come together with storytelling, original scripts, and lots of audience participation.

You can catch Brad at least twice 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."

Brad is also an experienced teacher and offers workshops and classes for all ages on site at PST or private bookings in addition to extended residencies. This programming includes shadow, hand, and rod puppets, or custom workshops. Click here for more info!

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Vaction Week Continues at PST with "Turtle's New Home"

PST PREMIER!
"Turtle's New Home"
By Deborah Costine

Friday, April 22 |10:30 a.m. & 1 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, April 23 & 24 |1 p.m. & 3 p.m.

About the show: Blanding is an endangered turtle in search of a new habitat. Each spring she leaves her wetland and travels to a nearby sandy hill where she lays her eggs. When a new road is ... built between the wetland and the hill, what will she do? With the help from her friend Castor the Beaver she may just be able to fix her problems! Hand puppets.

Recommended for ages 4 and up.

"The children at the Wellesley Nursery School in the Hills were mesmerized by Deborah Costine's newly developed puppet show, Turtle's New Home. This creative and educational puppet show not only captures the childrens' interests but gives them very important information about making new friends, treasuring old friends and being respectful of animals within their habitats." -- Ginny Smith Alterio, Wellesley Nursery School, Pre-K

About performer: Debbie grew up in northern New Hampshire, graduated from Plymouth State College, and attended Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. She taught puppetry at Northeastern University, Boston, Mass., Worcester State College and Plymouth State. She has conducted workshops in voice and sculpting at regional and national puppetry festivals. Her character voices are heard on the Verizon website (superthinkers.com). Deborah is the author of The Twig Family in the Oak Tree, a gentle nature story for young children. In 2008 she was a recipient for the Northeast Region of Puppeteers of America's Artistic Achievement Award. In 2009 she won the prestigious U.N.I.M.A. USA Citation for Excellence in Puppetry for her show, A Woodland Cinderella.

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Vacation Week Continues with "A Wild & Furry Puppet Adventure!"

"A Wild & Furry Puppet Adventure" by
Theatre of Life

TUES, WED, & THURS | April 19, 20, & 21 | 10:30AM & 1PM

About the show: Sammy Snail would rather watch TV and play videos than play outside. A crazy set of events sends Sammy on a wonderful adventure into the natural world, and encourages recycling, preserving habitats and outdoor nature exploration. With lots of songs and audience interaction!

An Upbeat musical opener will have audience singing and signing our connection with the natural world and conservation of resources. This show encourages families to turn off lights and appliances, carpool, take a bus, ride a bike or walk. Plant a tree. Buy locally. Recycle & conserve through local food choices are some of the ways to be a good steward of the Earth. There is growing evidence linking the lack of nature in children's lives and the rise of obesity, attention disorders and depression.

About the performer: Lesley Smith is a renowned ventriloquist, puppeteer and singer/songwriter employing the vehicles of humor, dynamic vocals and puppetry to entertain corporations, festivals, school children and their families across the country. As a New England Foundation for the Arts touring artist, the Theatre of Life Puppets has become a premier educational entertainment troupe.

Lesley was chosen from puppeteers across the world to attend the Eugene O'Neill Puppetry Conference in 2005 as an Emerging Artist. This is the same conference that launched Tony Award winning "Avenue Q". That same year, their website www.sammysnail.com won the 2005 NH internet awards for Best Children's Site and top honors as Best of Show out of 200 nominated sites and agencies represented in the contest. Sammy Snail's website was designed by the creative team of Hatchling Interative Studios.

Lesley's early career was in theater, starring in many productions at Durham Center Stage, regional theater, commercials and industrials. She toured professionally as a lead vocalist and bass player in bands of every description, genre and style and still had time to work full time as Director of Recreation Programs and Parks for the town of Newmarket NH for nine years. Lesley's passion is singing gospel and spiritual music in churches across the U.S. Lesley resides with her husband Mark Abramczyk, three sons; Trey, Rowan and Bo and their 110 lb dog Gracie in Durham NH.

Theatre of Life Puppets provides workshops, artist-in-residencies, keynotes and special events for elementary and middle school students, adult groups, organizations and businesses. They specialize in one-of-a-kind comedy skits and in conflict resolution, bully prevention, tobacco prevention, social competency skills, nutrition and environmental education.

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INCUBATOR TUES: "The Egyptian Oracle" by Public VR

THIS WEEK AT PST
Incubator!
TUES | April 19 | 7pm to 9pm

About Incubator: Every other Tuesday, PST hosts a "drop-in" session where emerging artists, veteran puppeteers, teachers, and puppet enthusiasts gather to discuss and develop creative ideas in a casual, informal environment.

Here artists of all media and genres, experienced or not, can experiment with new puppetry ideas, materials and styles. It's a place where knowledge is shared, constructive critique is the norm, and collaborations are born. This event is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $5.

What's happening this week:
Preview of "The Egyptian Oracle", by Public VR- an immersive educational experience that recreates ... an important religious event from the Ptolemaic Period. By projecting a Virtual Egyptian Temple onto a wall real space merges with virtual space, creating a shared continuum for audience and actors. The star is a virtual High Priest, controlled by a human puppeteer (PST Artist in Residence Brad Shur) interacting with a live actor (PST staff member Brenda Huggins) and the audience, who role-play as the Egyptian populace. The high priest queries the spirit of the temple god which is embodied in a ceremonial boat carried by eight assistants. Fortunes will be told, judgments made, and blessings given.

We will film the event, ask audience members what they learned, and have a general discussion afterward. This experimental work was made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the performance venues in Boston and Pittsburgh.

About PublicVR: PublicVR is a Non-Profit (501c3) organization dedicated to free software and methods for using Virtual Reality in education and research. They are particularly interested in interactive learning games based on virtual worlds, and on projection-based displays which visually immerse the student in the learning space. The use of Virtual Reality is no longer the stuff of science fiction. PublicVR projects are in use for education, skills training, and even for the medical therapeutic treatment of balance disorders.

More information at http://publicvr.org

EGYPTIAN ORACLE | PERFORMANCE AT PST
Friday | May 20 | 7:00pm
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Upcoming Incubators:

May 3, 17, 31 June 14, 28

July 12, 26 August 9, 23

Click here for more info, call 617.731.6400, or email us at artistic@puppetshowplace.org with "incubator" in the subject.

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National Day of Puppetry, 2011, this Saturday!

NATIONAL DAY OF PUPPETRY
Saturday | April 23, 2011

The National Day of Puppetry was started in 1999 by the Puppeteers of America as a way to celebrate the art of puppetry. This year it will be held on Saturday April 23rd. Puppet Showplace Theatre, and the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry are teaming up with performers and presenters across the area to present a full day of fun puppetry events. Join us by attending any of the events below or by notifying us about your own puppetry performance by sending and email to artistic@puppetshowplace.org.

NEWS FLASH! Governor Deval Patrick has issued an official proclamation declaring April 23rd the Massachusetts Day of Puppetry! Join us on Boston Common at Noon on Saturday, April 23 to hear the proclamation read aloud in the company of giant puppets and Boston-area puppeteers.

2011 Massachusetts Day of Puppetry Schedule:

ALL DAY
Barnes & Noble Bookfair to benefit Puppet Showplace Theatre
Barnes & Noble, Prudential Center, Boston & bn.com

Looking for that great new book? Or a spot to grab a coffee after the Puppet Procession? Help support the Puppet Showplace Theatre while you shop! Stop by Barnes & Noble's Prudential Center Mall location and let any cashier know your are there to support Puppet Showplace Theatre on the National Day of Puppetry. Ten percent of your entire purchase will go to support the Mary Churchill Fund for undeserved children. Help us spread the magic of puppetry to everyone!

Can't make it to the store? You can still support the theatre when making purchases online! Just go to bn.com on April 23rd and use code 10447183 when ordering!
10:00AM - 11:00AM
Behind the Mask Studio and Theatre
6 Campbell Park Place, West Somerville, Davis Square T Stop (Red Line)

Visit the studio and see the magical creations of acclaimed mask-maker Eric Bornstein. Note: Behind the Mask welcomes visitors to borrow masks for the puppet procession. Participants will walk through Davis Square and travel by T to downtown Boston.
E-mail behindthemask1@gmail.com for more information.

10:00AM - 12:00PM
Families Creating Together Puppetry Arts Workshop
Nate Smith House, 155 Lamartine Street, Jamaica Plain, Stonybrook T Stop (Orange Line)

Spontaneous Celebrations Families Creating Together is a Visual Arts and Storytelling Program that welcomes and includes children/youth with disabilities, siblings, friends, parents/grandparents in a accessible setting. Workshops are in English and Spanish.
Call Ed Pazzanese for details: 617-524-6373.

10:30AM
Film: "The Never Ending Story" with introduction by Jon Little
The Coolidge Theatre, 290 Harvard Street, Brookline, Coolidge Corner T Stop (Green Line)

A troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book. Featuring giant puppet characters. Featuring pre-show puppet introduction by local performer Jonathan Little of Little's Creatures.

NOON: PUPPET PARADE!
Puppet Procession on Boston Common and Reading of Governor Deval Patrick's "Massachusetts Day of Puppetry" Proclamation
Boston Public Gardens & Boston Common, Arlington & Park Street T Stops (Green Line)

Big puppets, little puppets, parade puppets and musicians all come together for a fantastic impromptu parade through Boston's Public Gardens and Boston Common, culminating outside the State House with a reading of the Governor's Proclamation announcing the Massachusetts Day of Puppetry! Featuring special guests Big Nazo (Providence, RI), Behind the Mask Studio and Theatre (Somerville, MA), The Second Line Social Aid & Pleasure Society Brass Band (Somerville, MA), and the Puppeteer's Cooperative (Boston, MA).

Note: in case of inclement weather, this event will be canceled.

Be a part of the parade! Volunteer performers will meet at 11:00 am at the entrance to the Taj Hotel, 15 Arlington Street, and proceed to the back alley entrance of the Boston Giant Puppet Lending Library. OR, volunteers can bring their own puppets and chart their own route through downtown Boston, arriving on Boston Common by noon. Help us create a "Pied Piper" effect and draw attention to the fine art of puppetry in downtown Boston!

1:00PM & 3:00PM
World Premier of Turtle's New Home by Deborah Costine, Puppeteer!
Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station Street, Brookline, Brookline Village T Stop (Green Line)

About the Show: Blanding is an endangered turtle in search of a new habitat. Each spring she leaves her wetland and travels to a nearby sandy hill where she lays her eggs. When a new road is built between the wetland and the hill, what will she do? With the help from her friend Castor the Beaver she may just be able to fix her problems! Hand puppets.
Recommended for ages 4 and up.

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After this performance, families are encouraged to explore Massachusetts wildlife habitats at nearby Olmstead Park.

4:00PM - 6:00PM
Spontaneous Celebrations Open House
Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth Street, Jamaica Plain, Stonybrook T Stop (Orange Line)

From stilt-walking to mask-making, find out about how you can get involved in festival arts programming in your community! Visit Spontaneous Celebrations for more information.

5:00PM
"RETROSPECTACLE"
Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth Street, Jamaica PlainStonybrook T Stop (Orange Line)

Learn about the history of Spontaneous Celebrations in this spectacular puppet retrospective. Questions? Please contact our box office for more details about these and other upcoming events at 617-731-6400.

9:00PM
Puppet Showplace Theatre Late Night Muppet Movie Festival (Adult Event)
Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station Street, Brookline| Brookline Village T Stop

Excerpts from old-school Muppet TV appearances will be followed by a screening of The Muppets Take Manhattan. Rocky-Horror-style crowd participation is welcome. Hosted by Jonathan Little of Little's Creatures. FREE with suggested donation for popcorn and puppet punch.

To learn more about getting involved with puppetry in the Greater Boston Area, please visit:
Puppet Showplace Theatre

Boston Area Guild of Puppetry

Vacation Week Begins at PST!

"A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"
by Spring Valley Puppets

Saturday & Sunday| April 16 & 17 | 1PM& 3PM
Monday | April 18 | 10:30AM & 1PM

We kick off our school vacation week programming with the beautiful classic tale A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Spring Valley Puppets. Vacation week shows are at 10:30am and 1pm Monday through Friday, and at 1pm and 3pm on Saturday and Sunday. And YES, we are open on Easter Sunday!

About the show: This performance features two delightful stories! The first is The Three Wishes, in which Henry and Gretchen must choose wisely when they are granted three wishes. Nest is the title story, A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, where a hungry wolf tries to outwit the savvy shepherd and make a meal of the helpless little lamb. Helpless? Maybe not! Adapted from the Aesop fable, this popular story is enlivened with a colorful Mexican setting, a humorous communication gap and a surprise ending! Hand puppets.

This show is recommended for Ages 3 & up.

About the performer: Michael Graham, puppeteer and director of Spring Valley Puppet Theater, has been performing since 1966 throughout New England, primarily for schools and libraries. He has performed at regional and national festivals of the Puppeteers of America.
He designs and makes his puppets, writes his own scripts, creates the scenery, and does a number of the voices. Michael graduated from Western Connecticut State College, and studied with the renowned puppeteer Albrecht Roser from Stuttgart, Germany, at the University of Connecticut. Learn more about Spring Valley Puppets at www.springvalleypuppets.com

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"Hungry Caterpillar" by Rompmer Rhythm and Puppets

THIS WEEK AT PST

Wednesday & Thursday | April 13 & 14 | 10:30AM

About this Show: Diane weaves 3 engaging tales for younger children - “The Hungry Caterpillar”, about the development of a butterfly; “The Bear and the Beehive”, a story of strength in numbers; and “The Rabbit and the Moon”, a charming tale of friendship, sharing, and the rewards of helping someone in need. Diane’s trademark humor, music, lovely puppets and effects make this fun for the family.

“I wanted to thank you for the wonderful performance this week. All the children were awestruck and thoroughly entertained. The adult comments were equally favorable. The plays were aged appropriately for our young audience, and the business end of the experience was easily handled. All in all a very good experience for Bartlett School.”
-Judith LaPlante, Teacher, Josiah Bartlett Elementary School, Bartlett, NH

About the performer: Diane Kordas, Romper Rhythm and Puppets produces quality theater performances that entertain and educate audiences. Diane’s puppet shows feature beautifully crafted stages and well designed gorgeous puppets. A live theater atmosphere is created that engages and invites appropriate audience participation, drawing them into the story. The stories are derived from children’s literature, folk tales, legend and myths from around the world.

Diane Kordas has been performing music for children and families since 1992, and puppet shows since 1998. 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.

Diane Kordas is a member of Puppeteers of America, Boston Area Guild of Puppetry, UNIMA, and Children’s Music Network. Diane’s CD, “Dinosaur Stomp”, has been chosen Winner of the Children’s Music Web Award 2005 for Best Recording for Younger Children ages 5 to 8, and Best Educational Seasonal or Religious Recording for Younger Children ages 5 to 8.

Diane is a member of the NH State Council on the Arts Touring roster and the New England Foundation for the Arts. Check out her website!

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