Behind the Scenes at PST: Magic Soup & Other Stories

It's Brad!

Not Just Soup, Magic Soup

It's official, folks.  We are just a few short days away from the biggest of all feasts: Thanksgiving - and what better way to celebrate than to continue this year's Feast of Food and Folktales with The Magic Soup & Other Stories  Put another notch on your belt (or switch to elastic waistband pants) because the show returns to PST the day after Thanksgiving and we'll be adding "soup" to your leftovers.      

About the Show...

The Magic Soup & Other Stories is a collection of six short stories - “The Naked Truth and Resplendent Parable,” “The Egg Seller,” “The Very Small House,” “A Coat Poverty,” “Pleasing All the World,” and “The Magic Soup" - all of which are taken from the vibrant Jewish folk traditions of Eastern Europe.  In these short stories, everybody is looking for something - whether it's a bowl of soup or some peace and quiet - and it is those with wit, a sense of humor, and imagination who have a better chance of making their dreams come true.

...And Its Mechanics

I'm sure you're all familiar with our artist-in-residence, Brad Shur.  Well, since I profiled him for "Behind the Scenes at PST: Dr. Doohickey" just a few weeks ago, I thought it would be neat-o to discuss the work he puts into his puppetry - because it's pretty awesome.

Brad using shadow puppets

As of I mentioned before, The Magic Soup & Other Stories is made up of six short stories and they're all unique in their use of puppetry.  In "The Naked Truth and Resplendent Parable," Brad uses table top and rod puppets.  In "The Egg Seller," shadow puppets.  In "The Very Small House," table top, hand, and mouth puppets.  In "A Coat Poverty," shadow puppets.  In "Pleasing All the World," table top puppets.  And in "The Magic Soup," table top puppets.

Now, having named all these styles, you're probably wondering: how do they work?  Well, let's take a look at a few examples, starting with the shadow puppets.  Brad begins by creating his puppets digitally, designing them on his computer and adjusting their sizes accordingly - comparing one puppet to the other so they can all work together.  After he prints, then cuts them out, Brad places his finished work on the over-head projector, which allows the puppets to create large, blown-up shadows.

The reason why Brad uses shadow puppets in, let's say, "The Egg Seller," is because he wanted to create the broad and abstract locations that exist within the story.  With shadow puppets, he is able to do just that - create a sense of place.

As for table top puppets - which you'll see a lot of throughout the show - Brad uses paper mache cast-over foam, which he shapes into any form he so desires, to create a wide variety of cast members, including monsters!  He constructs them in such a way that he is able to be in control - of one part in particular: the head, which he uses to create simple yet elegant and powerful movements.

One of Brad's puppets: The Ugly, Naked Truth!

And what of the characters in The Magic Soup?  Brad had one goal in mind: to transform the space and make magical things come out of said space.  In other words, he took everyday objects like coats and trash cans and transformed them to make his characters exist in a magical, story land.  And it worked!   Brad engineered different materials to look out-of-this-world.  Trust me - when you come to see The Magic Soup, you will find that mundane objects have become magical.

In honor of the Feast of Food and Folktales (and Thanksgiving), be sure to come on down to PST this week to see Brad perform in The Magic Soup & Other Stories.  It's a show you won't want to miss!  In case you haven't done so already, tickets can be purchase online HERE.

'Till next time, Fellow Readers!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

The Magic Soup at PST!

PST Feast of Food and Folktales 2012!
November 1 - December 2
View Show Calendar

It's official, folks!  It's the week of Thanksgiving and we've got a treat for you: soup!  And not any ordinary soup - magical soup.  Before we get into our winter puppet show season, our Feast of Food and Folktales concludes with...

THIS WEEK AT PST:

The Magic Soup & Other Stories by Brad Shur
Fri Nov 23 | 10:30 AM & 1 PM
Sat Nov 24 & Sun Nov 25 | 1 PM & 3 PM
And then the following week...
Thur Nov 29 & Fri Nov 30 | 10:30 AM
Sat Dec 1 | 1 PM & 3 PM
Sun Dec 2 | 1 PM

BUY TICKETS

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 us 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 Shur, PST's artist-in-residence, has been professionally involved in puppetry for over 10 years.  He first began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while he was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design and has toured nationally with Wood & Strings Theatre, a marionette company out of Tennessee.  As a teaching artist, he teaches workshops and classes for students of all ages. 

Behind the Scenes at PST: The Day It Snowed Tortillas

It's Snowing...Tortillas?

Get ready, folks.  We're hopping into our time machine and travelling eight months into the future.  That means we'll be going to July, where (more like when) we'll be meeting a poor woodcutter and his wife - both of which are desperate to get rich.  How will they earn that extra cash?  We've got the scoop, much thanks to Crabgrass Puppet Theatre.

About the Show...

The Day It Snowed Tortillas is a show by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre, which we added to our Feast of Food and Folktales repertoire because it's - you know - about tortillas.  Well, it's not just about tortillas.

The show, which is based on the story of the same name, explores the lives of a poor, uneducated woodcutter and his wife.  One day, on his way from work, the woodcutter finds three bags filled with gold.  He takes them home to his wife and she is thrilled, until she realizes the bags most likely belong to someone else and they will come looking for them.  Regardless, she decides to keep them.  Problem is - they would have to keep it a secret, but the husband is a huge blabbermouth!

What to do, what to do?  The wife begins to plot.  She sends her husband to get 100 pounds of flour and later that night, she makes countless tortillas and throws them on the grounds outside their home.  When the husband wakes up the next morning and tells his wife about the tortillas, she says that it must have snowed tortillas.

Some time later, three robbers turn up and demand the wife give them their gold back.  The wife explains she knows nothing about any gold, but the robbers insist her husband told the whole village about the gold.  Again, the wife denies everything and the robbers decide to wait for the husband to return home from school - as his wife sent him there to get an education.  When the husband returns home, the robbers ask him and his wife about the gold.  The wife says she knows nothing about any gold and the husband says, "Don't you remember?  It was the day before it snowed tortillas. I returned home with three bags containing gold, and the next morning, you sent me to school."  Upon hearing this, the robbers assume the husband is crazy and they leave.

...And the Performer

It's no secret: Crabgrass Puppet Theatre is a frequent visitor to PST - and we love it!  In case you didn't know, Crabgrass was founded by Jamie Keithline and Bonny Hall.  They met in 1979 while performing in Laughingstock!, a puppet-and-actor production at the University of Connecticut, in which Bonny played Jamie's father.  Three years later, they moved to California and founded Crabgrass Puppet Theatre.  

Jamie and Bonny in 1983

Their first show, What a Clever Ideal, had giant puppets that measured eight feet tall and was selected to perform at the 1983 Pacific Southwest Puppetry Festival.  Their other shows have also featured a variety of innovative and unusual puppets, both large and small.  In Follow That Rabbit, they had a seven-foot crocodile.  In A Renaissance Miracle, they had a smoke-breathing dragon.  And in Crabgrass Uprising!, they has an animated garbage heap.

In 1989, Jamie and Bonny returned to Connecticut.  While there, they re-established their connection with the University of Connecticut, which paid dividends when UConn graduate David Regan joined the company in 1996 to design and perform in The Frog Prince and The Princess and the Pea, a contemporary take on two of the classic tales.

Past Performances

Crabgrass Puppet Theatre has 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 - twice (once in 2001 and again in 2005).  In 2008, Bonny received a Commendation for Design in the Puppet Theatre from the Arlyn Award Foundation. 

They have given many performances in schools, libraries, museums, and arts festivals - and have performed at over two dozen regional, national and international puppetry festivals.  Some of their venues have included the World Trade Center, the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, the Philadelphia Museum, Paper Mill Playhouse, the North Carolina Museum, the New York State Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, the California Academy of Sciences, the Detroit Institute for the Arts, and hundreds of schools, museums, and theaters across the country. 

Crabgrass Puppet Theatre continues to perform more than 200 shows each year, reaching over 100,000 people throughout the United States.  And this week, we're lucky to have 'em back for The Day It Snowed Tortillas.  Make sure you buy your tickets HERE - because it's going to be a blast!  

Till next time.  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

The Day It Snowed Tortillas at PST!

PST Feast of Food and Folktales 2012!
November 1 - December 2
View Show Calendar

With Thanksgiving just a few short weeks away, we know you're getting hungry.  So, doesn't it make sense to come on down to PST to see yet another food-related show?  We think so!  Our Feast of Food and Folktales continues with...

THIS WEEK AT PST:

The Day It Snowed Tortillas by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre
Thursday Nov 15 & Friday Nov 16 | 10:30 AM
Saturday Nov 17 & Sunday Nov 18 | 1 PM & 3 PM

BUY TICKETS

About the Show:  A poor woodcutter and his wife have the chance of a lifetime – to become rich! All they have to do is keep a secret. Trouble is, the woodcutter is the biggest blabbermouth south of the border. “We have to keep this a secret!” the wife tells him. “Absolutely!” says her husband. “I won't tell anyone. . . except my brother . . . and my best friend . . . and my mother . . . and . . .” “Enough!” says his wife. She cooks up an ingenious plan to divert any unwanted attention. All she has to do is make it snow . . . in July . . . in Mexico! The recipe for this hilarious folktale includes fantastic puppets, hysterically funny action, marvelous music, and one ridiculous chicken.
Rod and table-top puppets, recommended ages 4 & up

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!

Storyteller, Doria Hughes on PST Partnership with massmouth inc.

GUEST BLOGGER- DORIA HUGHES

Doria Hughes

On October 18th, massmouth hosted our first Adult Folk Tale Slam at Puppet Showplace Theatre. Our theme was "Grimm & Twisted," in honor of the bicentennial of the publication of the Grimm brothers' famous collection of folktales, and the Slam was a blast. Folks at the show may not have known it, but returning to PST as co-host of the Grimm & Twisted Adult Folk Tale Slam was a kind of Homecoming for me.

MEET THE PUPPETS!
I couldn't have been older than six years old when I first walked into the Puppet Showplace Theatre. I was aware of a high ceilinged room, made of cozy brick walls festooned with colorfully painted papier maché characters. Children and adults swirled about and laughed, waiting eagerly to pass through the enticingly curtained doorway to whatever lay beyond. Once through, the performance space felt well contained, rows of comfortable benches and cushions cradled between the embracing bricks and the modest stage. The walls gave an impression of softness, decorated with fanciful examples of the puppeteer's art, frozen in the midst of mysterious motion. The lighting was warm and inviting, not harsh the way other theater spaces had always felt to me. I felt fearless and thrilled, with no notion of what to expect, other than the certainty that I would like it.

Circa 1980, with my Dad, who read folk tales  and fairy tales aloud to me all the way through High School, and who took me to  Puppet Showplace Theatre.

When the show began, I noticed straight off that the grownup who made the magic happen remained unobtrusive in the background, instead of dominating the stage, as was usually done in the theater shows I’d been to. The other children and I in the audience weren't fooled; we knew that the intricately fashioned creatures cavorting and speaking for our amusement were neither alive, nor independent of human agency. However, our understanding didn’t lessen our delight. In fact, it was enhanced; we enjoyed being allowed to view the arcane relationship of the dancing strings to the buoyant puppets and their clever master.

Beyond the beauty and clever movements of the puppets, I was struck by how well and truly the art of Puppetry served the art of Storytelling. And I was awed by the humility of the puppeteer, who lived only, it seemed to me, to serve the puppets, who in turn told and acted out the Story. I had always loved stories, which I had (and still do) eagerly read in books, but it was not until my first visit to the Puppet Showplace Theatre that I realized how beautiful and magical live Storytelling could be. My experience at PST taught me that books did not represent the limit of story transmission. In fact, books are a starting point, a key to an exciting and limitless world: the world of Storytelling.

MOUTHING OFF
Skip forward 25 years and I found myself a Professional Storyteller, with little more than a website and some homemade business cards to prove it. I was the rookie in a gang of four storytellers who meant to drag our ancient art form, kicking and screaming if need be, into the 21st century. Norah Dooley, Andrea Lovett, Stu Mendelson and I co-founded the Storytelling organization massmouth. Our goal was to spread the Gospel of Story beyond the traditional venues of libraries and schools, into more adult haunts - pubs, night clubs, and the web.

Telling at massmouth’s first Story Slam, in 2009

We launched an ambitious first series of Adult Story Slams and Mouth Offs throughout greater Boston. Story Slams offered ordinary people 5 minutes to share a personal story in public. The response showed that we had clearly tapped a vein of need in our community.

As gratifying as the popularity of the Slams has been, we didn’t want massmouth to be limited to the genre of Personal Narratives. Our passion for folktales had driven us to start massmouth, and we wanted to get those stories told - and heard. How? An Adult Folk Tale Slam series. Lots of folks were itching to tell those stories, and audiences wanted to hear them. But where would the magic happen?

MATCH MADE IN (PUPPET SHOWPLACE) HEAVEN!
Our Story Slams are often held in restaurant bars, following the unerring logic that personal stories and beer are old friends and belong together. But what about folk tales, where could they find a home? And, even more importantly, could folks still have a drink while enjoying them?? Norah, a Brookline resident, suggested the Puppet Showplace Theatre as a perfect venue for an evening of Adult Folk Tale Telling. I loved the idea, but worried they’d think we were a bunch of weirdos, somewhere between zebra feeders and bassoon repairmen. We introduced the idea of co-hosting a Slam series to Roxie, PST's Artistic Director, and were received with open arms - huzzah! While going over details, Roxie let slip that PST had recently acquired a liquor license, and could serve beer and wine at shows. Norah and I exchanged mental high-fives and tried hard not to grin like a pair of crazy Storytelling lushes. Which, to be clear, we're not, by any means.

COMING HOME
The night of the first Slam, I was nervous, excited, and all the other things you are when you're about to perform in a place that is more of an iconic archetype than a simple theater space. Yet the moment I stepped foot inside PST, all the old memories and impressions came rushing back in an instant. There was the high ceilinged entry space, the alluring curtain, the puppets all around, and those beloved brick walls! It all looked just as I remembered it from childhood, lovingly preserved in all its sweet and colorful glory. Only now, for the first time, it was my privilege to step onto that modest stage, and tell a story. In the heady rush that is my personal experience of Storytelling, it felt so good to feel the Puppet Showplace Theatre simultaneously all around me and beneath my feet, florid and fragile as a puppet, solid and warm as a brick. I could have sworn one of the puppets on the wall winked at me, as if to say, Welcome Home!

On stage at PST for the first Folk and Fairytale Slam, 2012!

Want to experience Adult Folk Tale telling at PST? Our next Slam is on Thursday November 15th, from 7 to 9pm. The theme will be "Feast & Famine," co-hosted by Danielle Shulman and Laura Packer. Doors open at 6:30, and incidentally, beer and wine are available for purchase. Click here for more details.





Want to be a guest blogger for the Puppet Showplace Theatre blog? Please contact Brenda Huggins for details. 617-731-6400 x 201 info@puppetshowplace.org
www.puppetshowplace.org

Puppet Slam Returns to PST!

THIS WEEK AT PST...

NOVEMBER "VOTE FOR PUPPETS" SLAM!
Saturday Nov 10, 2012 8:00 PM 
BUY TICKETS

Are you reading this?  Are you an adult?  Well, then - do we have something for you: rude, crude (and therefore hi-larious) puppets!  

About the Show: Join us for 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 musicians, dancers, mimes, actors, and other sundry affiliated artists.

About the Performers:  Just to name a few...Britt Juchem and Ariel Gregory - a.k.a. Bat Honey Puppeteers - have collaborated on stop-motion animations, murals, children’s books, board games and puppet shows.  Evan O'Television has been dazzling and perplexing audiences with his one-man-double-ac and video ventriloquism since 1995.  And Tom and Marianne Tucker - a.k.a. Tuckers' Tales Puppet Theatre - have performed at puppet, folk, ethnic and street festivals, and at craft fairs, shopping centers, theaters and schools around the country. 

From the PST Vault: Aesop's Fables

Mary performing her rendition of Aesop's

Aesop's Past...

Greetings, Readers!  Welcome to the PST Vault.  Feels pretty cozy, right?  That's because you're surrounded by lots of fun facts and what not.  Yes, get ready, because you're about to learn about (*drumroll, please*) the woman who founded PST, Mary Churchill!

Now, you may be wondering: what's the connection between Mary and Aesop's Fables?  Well, in addition to being a very skilled puppeteer, Mary was also a visionary educator.  She believed that puppet shows are a great way to educate young children about everyday issues.

You see the connection?  Mary believed in education and Aesop's Fables is all about educating its audience.  You know the stories, I'm sure.  Take a look at "The Ant and the Grasshopper" and "The Tortoise and the Hare."  One is about the virtues of hard work and planning for the future and the other is about how ingenuity and trickery (rather than doggedness) are employed to overcome a stronger opponent.  These are just some of many lessons Mary considered to be valuable when performing for children.  Why?  Because, in a way, morals like these help boys and girls grow into fine men and women.

Mary's puppets

Also - just for fun - did you know that Mary had a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon-like relationship with a very special person?  You know The Muppets, I'm sure.  What about the man behind The Muppets, Jim Henson?  Well, he visited PST once and took a liking to some of Mary's puppets.  Take a look:

Jim Henson (*Oh my god!*) with the Lion

Did you just die and go to heaven?  Me, too!  How cool is that - Mary knowing Jim Henson way back when?!  I mean, what a woman, right?  Thanks to her, we puppet enthusiasts here at PST are able to look back and revisit a wonderful history she left behind - and we love her for that.

And Aesop's Present...

Aesop's Fables by Tuckers' Tales

Now, this week we welcome back Tuckers' Tales as they perform Aesop's Fables for the PST Feast of Food and Folktales.  We hope you're just as excited as we are because not only is this show a fun and interactive sing-a-long, but it's also a steal - three stories in one: "The Fox and the Crow," "The Ant and the Grasshopper," and "The Tortoise and the Hare" - all of which are guaranteed to teach the wee ones several valuable lessons.

In case you didn't know - Tuckers' Tales Puppet Theatre is the performing division of Puppet Perceptions, Inc., a Philadelphia based performing company founded in 1981.  Co-directors Marianne and Tom Tucker have performed at puppet, folk, ethnic and street festivals as well as craft fairs, shopping centers, theaters and schools around the country.  In addition to Aesop's Fables, they've also performed Three Bears!, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and Peter Rabbit Tales.

The Tuckers themselves!

Tuckers' Tales Past Performances

Yes, be sure to come on down to PST this week and see the Tuckers perform their version of Aesop's Fables (BUY TICKETS).  We promise you this: it's going to be a blast!

Till next time!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

Aesop's Fables at PST

PST Feast of Food and Folktales 2012!
November 1 - December 2
View Show Calendar

It's official, folks.  Halloween's over - has been for a few days now.  So we hope you're in food-and-folktales mood because the feast continues with - drumroll, please...

THIS WEEK AT PST:

Aesop's Fables by Tuckers' Tales
Thursday Nov 8 & Friday Nov 9 | 10:30AM
Saturday Nov 10 & Sunday Nov 11 | 1PM & 3PM
Monday Nov 12 | 10:30AM & 1PM

BUY TICKETS

About the Show: Aesop, one of the greatest storytellers of the ancient world, also had a great sense of humor. And it's a good thing, because when Tuckers' Tales tells his stories, they take a few unexpected twists! Learn a lesson or two from the Fox & the Crow, prep for the winter with the Ant & the Grasshopper, and cheer on the Tortoise & the Hare in this fun, interactive, sing-a-long show!

About the Performer: Tuckers' Tales Puppet Theatre - the Performing division of Puppet Perceptions - Inc., is a Philadelphia based performing company founded in 1981. Co-directors Marianne and Tom Tucker have performed at puppet, folk, ethnic and street festivals; and at craft fairs, shopping centers, theaters and schools around the country. Audiences from small children to senior citizens have enjoyed the variety of styles skillfully displayed in their interesting programs.

Behind the Scenes at PST: Puppet Slam!

NOVEMBER "VOTE FOR PUPPETS" SLAM!

Saturday Nov 10, 2012
8:00 pm at Puppet Showplace Theatre
BUY TICKETS

First Thing's First...

What is a puppet slam?  Well, for those of you who don't know, a puppet slam is a contemporary short-form puppet-and-object theatre experience for adult audiences.  They're often performed late at night in small venues like nightclubs and art spaces.

What's it like at PST?  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 musicians, dancers, mimes, actors, and other sundry affiliated artists.

Gathering influence from vaudeville, burlesque, and performance art, puppet slams are rude, crude, and downright hi-larious!

PST'S Recent Puppet Slam History

You didn't know?  Just a few weeks ago, we hosted a puppet slam - better known as "Puppets @ Night" - here at PST and it was a huge success.  Full house, basically.  We think the reason why it was such a huge success is because we were able to showcase a wide variety of vignettes for our audience, including "The Golden Stoat" - the story of a royal princess and her dyslexic lover - which featured PST's very own Communications Director, Brenda Huggins, who served as the story's narrator and the Executioners.

Brenda Huggins in "The Golden Stoat."

Who knew the late hours of the night could bring out the "crazy" in these performers (in a good way).  It's a good thing, though, because without crazy, puppet slams are not as entertaining.

This Week...

In addition to celebrating the holiday season with the Feast of Food and Folktales, PST will also be hosting yet another puppet slam.  For those of you who attended our last one, you know what you're in for (kind of), but for all you first timers?  This will be a great break from the norm.

Featuring the Iron Will Tate puppet show by Bat Honey Puppeteers plus new works by Evan O'Television, and musical guests Tom and Marianne Tucker - this month's puppet slam is sure to be just as hi-larious as our last.

About the Performers...

Let's start with duo of Britt Juchem and Ariel Gregory (a.k.a. Bat Honey Puppeteers).  They have collaborated on stop-motion animations, murals, children’s books, board games and puppet shows.  Britt Juchem was raised in Pennsylvania.  Loving the excitement and close proximity of the East Coast, Britt would draw inspiration from the unique sights and sounds of the city and the crowds.  Ariel Gregory was raised in New Mexico.  A lad armed with a spear and the wide open desert, Ariel’s work reflects a boy’s wild imagination.

An example of Bat Honey

Next is Evan O'Television.  He's been dazzling and perplexing audiences with his one-man-double-ac and video ventriloquism since 1995.  Evan also serves as a co-founder and resident Artistic Co-Director of the underground performing arts space, Pan 9.  In 2007 he was profiled in An Encyclopedia of Vaudeville Performers by Routledge Press.  Evan’s full-length solo theatrical work - “Double Negatives” - premiered at the Perishable Theatre in March 2008 and will be appearing in new venues throughout 2009.

An example of Evan O'Television

And Tom and Marianne Tucker.  You may know them better as the team behind Tuckers' Tales Puppet Theatre, the Performing division of Puppet Perceptions, Inc., which is a Philadelphia-based performing company founded in 1981. Both Marianne and Tom Tucker have performed at puppet, folk, ethnic and street festivals, and at craft fairs, shopping centers, theaters and schools around the country. Audiences from small children to senior citizens have enjoyed the variety of styles skillfully displayed in their interesting programs.  They also teach workshops in puppetry and construct puppets as requested.

An example of Tuckers' Tales

What a colorful cast of characters, eh?  Just imagine what the performers are like...at night.  Oh, the comedic genius is endless.  They will all razzle and dazzle you.

Finally...

Be sure to come on down to PST the night of November 10th.  Once the sun goes down and the moon rises, PST will host the craziest (therefore funniest) of performers you can ever imagine.  Tickets may be purchased HERE.  

Till next time!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.  

PST Thanks Our Members This Thanksgiving!

Turkeys and Tortillas: A Puppet Party for All Ages!
Exclusive Members Event!*

Saturday Nov 17 | 4:00PM 

FREE Admission! Fun for all ages!

Join us the Saturday before Thanksgiving for a special, members and donors only event, following the 3:00 performance of Crabgrass Puppet Theatre's show, The Day It Snowed Tortillas (BUY TICKETS).

This event is our way of saying THANK YOU to our wonderful members and donors who support Puppet Showplace Theatre.

Featuring: Refreshments!Music!Puppet making activities!Performance activities!Prizes!

A special THANKS to Anna's Taqueria for providing yummy food and drinks!

*Donors who are not members, please call the box office at 617-731-6400 x101 to register.  Or...if you would like to become a member, CLICK HERE.  

Remember: your membership helps us continue our mission, plus you'll receive great benefits including: (1) up to 33% off the price of tickets, (2) discounts on workshops, products, and special events, (3) exclusive members-only newsletter and events, (4) VIP treatment and reserved seating

Behind the Scenes at PST: Raccoon Tales

Paul Vincent Davis, creator of Raccoon Tales

Raccoon Tales, Not Tails

Greetings, Readers!  In honor of Thanksgiving - which we all know is tied for "Best Holiday of the Year" with Christmas because you get to sample so many different kinds of pies (*insert happy "YAY!" here*) - we're bustin' out some of our favorite stories, each seasoned with a dash of food-themed fun.

We begin the yummy, finger-lickin' season with Raccoon Tales by Paul Vincent Davis, performed by PST artist-in-residence Brad Shur, which, we think, will inspire you to create a family folklore of your own - with the help of some tribal tricksters, of course.

About the Show...

What better way to bring in the holiday season with a show inspired by Native American tales of the Seneca Tribe?  That's right!  Thanksgiving's (basically) just around the corner and we're celebrating with Raccoon Tales.  Based on tales such as "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," Raccoon Tales is guaranteed to get you in a "thankful" mood.

Yes, see what happens when the animals from the forest play tricks on each other. Will they learn their lessons? Boy, we hope so because!

Its History...

Although our artist-in-residence Brad Shur is performing Raccoon Tales this week, the show was first created by Paul Vincent Davis in the late 60's - one of the six shows commissioned by the New York Town/Park Department.  Drawing inspiration from a humorous collection of Native American tales called Skunny Wundy, written by Arthur C. Parker, Paul prepared the show in a year, with puppet making help from friend, Karen Larson.

The "Inspiration"

Of course, the show due at PST this week is Paul's third revision.  That's right.  Paul loved Raccoon Tales so much - more than the other five shows he was commissioned to do - that he thought, "Let me make some changes.  So, how did the show change?  Well, it used to be that the puppets were glove puppets with Styrofoam heads, but then Paul changed them into glove puppets with paper mache heads - all handcrafted with faux fur.

Paul's Hand Puppets

You may be wondering: why glove puppets?  Well, in case you didn't know, they're Paul's signature - his "thing."  For the longest time, he's been fascinated by glove puppets because they're the hardest puppets to manipulate.  Seems strange, right, to enjoy something so challenging?  Wrong.  Paul loves a challenge - and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.  As a puppeteer, he believes in communicating through movement - to use a puppet's entire body to showcase what it feels about what it's saying - and it takes a lot of work to do so with glove puppets.  Of course, Paul's so invested in his work - studying his art - that he's, in a way, mastered it.

Paul, performing an earlier version of Raccoon Tales

Now, when Paul handed down Raccoon Tales to Brad, he was a little nervous, not because he thought Brad was a "bad" puppeteer but because he was asking him, this other person, to do the show in his voice.  One of the reasons why Paul was so invested in Raccoon Tales during its earlier run was because he wrote the script using his own sense of humor - his own voice.  Of course, after meeting Brad and seeing how much of a fast-thinker he is, Paul gave him his blessing.

And the Man Behind the Raccoon...

Paul is widely recognized as one of the foremost hand puppeteers in the country.  Not to mention, he's a great artist, writer, etc.

One of Paul's sketches

Paul joined the PST team in 1977 as its artist-in-residence and has been part of its history since then.  He has received many awards, including four "Citations of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry" from UNIMA-USA (the highest award given in puppetry) and the distinguished President's Award from Puppeteers of America.  In addition to performing, Paul has taught at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.  Pretty impressive, eh?  Well, he's also served as a faculty member and on the Board of Overseers for the Institute of Professional Puppetry Arts at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.  With a resume like this, we're proud to call Paul "family!"

Paul, surrounded by clowns (literally)

Oh, and be sure to keep your eyes open!  Paul's been writing a book - working title Glove Puppets: Fantasy and Realism Hand in Hand.  "It's almost done," he says.  There was a minor setback when his computer lost the pages, but our wonderful artist-in-residence Brad Shur saved every file.  The finished work is being proofread, so we hope to see it on shelves soon!

And Finally...

Be sure to come on down to PST this week to see Raccoon Tales.  Tickets can be purchases online HERE.

Till next time!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

Food and Folktales at PST!

PST Feast of Food and Folktales 2012!
November 1 - December 2
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With our Halloween Extravaganza coming to an end, we're getting ready for Thanksgiving - a special time that brings families together to share stories while enjoying yummy food!  Take a seat at our table as we present some of our favorite stories, each seasoned with a dash of food-themed fun!

THIS WEEK AT PST:

Raccoon Tales by Paul Vincent Davis, performed by Brad Shur, PST Artist-in-Residence
Thursday Nov 1 | 10:30 AM
Friday Nov 2 | 10:30 AM & 3 PM
Saturday and Sunday Nov 3 & 4 | 1 PM & 3 PM

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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." Recommended ages 4 & up. Hand puppets. Tickets: $12/general admission, $8/PST members.

About the Artist: Brad Shur, PST Artist-in-Residence, has been professionally involved in puppetry for over 10 years.  He first began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while he was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design and has toured nationally with Wood & Strings Theatre, a marionette company out of Tennessee.  As a teaching artist, he teaches workshops and classes for students of all ages. 

Behind the Scenes at PST: The Witch Who Wasn't

The Witch Who Wasn't...Scary?

Guess who's flyin' over to PST for Halloween weekend?  A witch!  But don't worry.  She's just an itty-bitty witch...unlike some (*ahem* Wicked Witch of the West).  Yes, that's right.  If you're not interested in a gory Halloween and you just want to have some fun, then we suggest you come on down to PST and see The Witch Who Wasn't.

A History Of Witches...

We all know - witches are no strangers to Massachusetts.  Anyone remember the Salem Witch Trials?  It's not exactly something you could ever forget - one of the most notorious cases of mass hysteria in human history.  You know, because so many innocent people were executed at the hands of paranoid ministers, governors, and whatnot.

A courtroom, during the Salem Witch Trials

The question is: why?  Why did so many people feel the need to rid of these so-called "witches?"  It could be because, since who knows how long, witches have been viewed as evil creatures - evil creatures who perform black magic.

Wicked Witch of the West (above), Witches of Macbeth (bottom)

Of course, not all witches are evil - at least, they don't have to be.

Hermione Granger (above), Samantha Stephens (bottom)

What we learn from The Witch Who Wasn't is this: there is a difference between an evil witch and a witch who just wants to scare in the spirit of Halloween.

About The Show...

The Witch Who Wasn't is a delightful tale about a little witch who can't do anything - emphasis on anything - scary.  And because of this, she dreads attending her first Halloween Witches Convention.  Fortunately, she's not alone on this journey.  Her short story is followed by visits from a happy juggling pumpkin, a roller-skating demon, and a compliment of scarecrows, witches, ghosts, and silly monsters.

...And The Man Behind The Witch

Wayne Martin and The Witch Who Wasn't

Believe it or not - Wayne Martin founded his company, The Wayne Martin Puppets, when he was just eight years old!  Pretty impressive, huh?  I think so!  Imagine what he's accomplished since then.

Over the course of forty-plus years, Wayne's developed a hefty credits list, which includes guest appearances with Symphony Orchestras and work as principal manipulator for industry greats such as the Heiken Puppets, Sid and Marty Krofft Productions, and Jim Henson's Muppets (just to name a few).

And it doesn't end there.  Wayne has also appeared in many 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 nominations.  Yes, I said it - Emmy nominations.

Of course, Wayne's first love remains live performance.  He has toured Canada, Europe, and Autralia - as well as presenting his one-man variety revue hundreds of times each year across the United States.

Some of Wayne's Puppets

The Witch Who Wasn't is a childhood favorite of his, written by Jane Yolen, that his mother had read to him when it was first published in the early sixties.  He decided to produce his version of the story for a "Breakfast With The Witch" promotion with McAlpin's Department Stores in 1978.  He worked with a writer at the time, one who would take his ideas and story suggestions and write the scripts for him.  They would then go into a studio and record all of the voices and music, which he would play back during live performances.

When The Puppet Showplace approached him to present a show during the month of October, Wayne immediately thought of The Witch Who Wasn't. It runs just over 12 minutes and will be followed "Halloween Spooks," his thirty-plus minute Halloween trick-marionette variety revue. 

Yes, come on down to PST and celebrate with us as we begin our Halloween Extravaganza with The Witch Who Wasn't.  If you haven't done so already, tickets can be purchases HERE.Till next time!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

Behind the Scenes at PST: Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine

Reginald the Rabbit, the monster!

Doohickey M.D.?

Dr. Doohickey may not have a degree from the Yale School of Medicine, but that's ok.  You're not in need of any health-related advice.  You're in need of a good show - nay, a great show!  Well, guess what?  Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine is just that - a great show.

About the Show...

Halloween's just around the corner and you're all probably wondering: what makes Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine so spook-tacular?  Well, for one thing, the words "Doctor" and "Monster" are in the same title. Take a look at Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Both have taught us that when doctors and monsters mix, they result in Halloween-worthy stories.

Reginald and Friends

Of course, Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine is not grotesquely scary like most of today's scary stories, movies, etc.  It's Halloween fun that everybody can enjoy, including the wee little children.

With the help of his assistant, Reginald the Rabbit, Dr. Doohickey embarks on a quest.  Using music, machines, and a little bit of magic, he sets out to prove that the world would be a much more exciting place if people were a little bit more like monsters.  Actually, not like monsters.  Dr. Doohickey tries to turn people into monsters, which makes sense, right?  What else is one supposed to do with a monster machine?

Now, Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine is very different from most puppet shows that pass through PST.  We're so used to seing so many small hand puppets that we forget they can be big.  Take Reginald the Rabbit, for example.  He's pretty big - almost the size of a real-life person.  And his mouth moves, too!  So, it's almost like he is a real person, even though he's kind of a "thing."  

Also, he's not the only puppet - or should I say, "person" - on stage.  Brad actually performs as Dr. Doohickey.  And there are, of course, a few shadow puppets here and there!  What a perfect Halloween-related factor, right?  Shadow puppets.  What could be more "Halloween-y?" 

Doctors, Monsters, and everything in between - how did Brad Shur come up with such an amazing show?  Hmm...perhaps it's because he's super talented.  Yeah, I think it's that.

...And the Man Behind Dr. Doohickey

I don't know if you knew this, but Brad Shur is the Artist-in-Residence here at PST.  Since he first started in 2009, Brad has performed a variety of shows on our stage, including three of Paul Vincent Davis' original shows (The Singing Turtle, Raccoon Tales, Clown Circus) and some of his own, like Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine, The Carrot Salesman and Magic Soup & Other Stories.

Brad in The Carrot Salesman

Brad also brings the magic of puppetry to schools, libraries, and other venues.  Yes, that's right.  He's a touring performer as well as an in-house performer.  Also, people find themselves so intrigued by how Brad constructs his shows, from script to stage, they often enroll in some of the teaching classes he offers here at PST.  Last summer, for example, Brad offered a workshop called "Junk Puppets," in which he taught puppet enthusiasts how to make puppets from recycled materials.

Brad, teaching "Junk Puppets"

As for the year before, Brad performed The Carrot Salesman at the Huntington Arcade, presented by The Kid's Stage in Barnes & Noble Booksellers.  This event - "Puppets Take Prudential" - occurred at the Prudential Center, where the Boston skyline was lit up with PST's signature orange color in honor of the theatre's month-long "31 Nights of Light," which was everyone's way of celebrating local non-profit organizations.

Brad, doing "Puppets Take Prudential"

Of course, what about before and outside PST?  In 2003, Brad graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Film, Animation, and Video.  Pretty impressive, right?  Well, it doesn't end there.  After, he was a workshop leader for Wood and Strings Theatre, where he performed in full-stage, nationally touring shows.  Also, he built the interactive show Escape From the Zoo.  

Brad, making puppets for Escape From the Zoo

Then, he was an art teacher at the Providence After School Alliance, teaching grades five through seven.  His students created masks, comics, a collaborative video game, and a short film - which you can see HERE.

In between all this, he founded Little Bee Puppets, where he created and performed shows for children and adults alike throughout Nashville, TN and Providence, RI.

And if all of this isn't enough to "wow" you - Brad also designed, built, and performed body puppets for an American Idol commercial, headed by Ford.  Check it out:

Yes, it's no secret: Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine is guaranteed to bring a smile to audiences of all ages with many thanks to our super talented Artist-In-Residence, Brad Shur.  Be sure to come on down to PST and join us as we launch our two week-long "Halloween Extravaganza" this Friday, October 19th. 

In case you haven't done so already, tickets for Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine can be purchased online (HERE).

Till next time!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

Silly Ghosts and Ghouls come to PST!

PST HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA 2012!

PST Halloween event, 2011 "Spooky Story Station"

October 19-28

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For two weeks this October, Puppet Showplace Theatre will be taken over by sweet and silly spooks. The “Halloween Extravaganza” will take place on October 19 - 28, featuring two different Halloween themed puppet shows, and an off-site appearance at the Brookline Lincoln School’s annual “Pumpkinfest.” 

Audience members are welcome to attend performances in costume! 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Dr. Doohickey’s Monster Machine by Brad Shur, PST Artist in Residence

Friday October 19 | 10:30am Saturday and Sunday October 20 & 21 | 1pm & 3pm 

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Dr. Doohickey thinks that the world would be much more exciting if people were a little more like monsters, don’t you? Join the doctor and his assistant Reginald the Rabbit as they use music, machines and a little magic to bring funny monsters to life. Moving-mouth and shadow puppets. Recommended for ages 4 & up. Tickets: $12/general admission, $8/PST members. 

About the artist: Brad Shur, PST Artist in Residence has been professionally involved in puppetry for over 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. As a teaching artist, he teaches workshops and classes for students of all ages.

The Witch Who Wasn’t by Wayne Martin Puppets

Friday October 26 | 10:30am Saturday and Sunday October 27 & 28 | 1pm & 3pm 

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“The Witch who Wasn’t” is a delightful tale about a little witch who can’t do anything the least bit scary and who dreads attending her first Halloween witches convention. Her short story is followed by visits from a happy juggling pumpkin, a roller-skating demon, and a compliment of scarecrows, witches, ghosts and silly monsters all performing unique tricks for your treat in this hilarious Halloween-themed variety revue. Hand puppets, rod puppets and marionettes. Recommended for ages 4 & up. Tickets: $12/general admission, $8/PST members.

About the artist: Wayne 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. At the top of his profession for nearly forty years, 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. 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.

SPECIAL EVENT

Pumpkinfest @ Lincoln School Sunday October 21, 12-4pm 

Click for event info

Bella Monster sure could use YOUR help to get into the Halloween Spirit!

Join Puppet Showplace Theatre artists at Brookline’s Lincoln School for an afternoon of FREE monster-related puppet activities and crafts. Learn about mouth puppetry, make your own monster puppet, and meet some of our favorite furry monsters including Bella, PST’s “Monster in Residence.”  

Behind the Scenes at PST: Senseless!

A 2011 performance of Senseless!

Playing With The Senses in Senseless!

You know how we puppet-loving PST employees love to bring joy to children?  Yeah, well, we like doing that for adults too, which is why we thought we'd add Senseless! to our fall lineup.  Before you see the show, take a moment to read about it.

The Show...

Let's begin with the story.  Senseless! is a send-up of classic old time radio melodramas.  Using puppets and live Foley sound effects, the performers create a Film Noir-like world, in which Brick Foley: Blind Detective must stop a series of murders at the Helen Keller School of Music and win the heart of the woman he lost years before.  Sounds great in print, I know, but check out a clip from their premiere below:

Take a moment to let that soak in.  Did you do it?  Do you agree that it's awesome - like nothing you've ever seen before?  Ok, good.  Let's continue.  

Senseless! premiered as part of the Puppet Lab series at the renowned St. Ann’s Warehouse in New York City, where it received nothing but praise, of course.  Since then, it has been performed at the Voice 4 Vision Puppet Festival and the New Orleans Fringe Festival, where the NOLA Defender had this to say about it: "a nearly flawless performance" - which we agree to. 

Yes!  Inspired by the shows of the Golden Age of radio and by live performances of NPR's Prairie Home Companion, Senseless! brings the exciting and chaotic sound effects props table to life with object-theatre puppetry.

And The Performer(s)... 

You know what they say: "story and character are key."  Senseless! has both for sure.  You've read about (even seen) some of the story.  Now let the colorful characters (a.k.a. the performers behind 'em) do some of their magic.

Let's begin with Elizabeth Hara, the mastermind behind Senseless!.  With a resume that highlights past work like "puppet builder for the Jim Henson Company, Sesame Street, and Avenue Q," you know she's guaranteed to bring the mother of all shows to the PST stage.

And then there's her team, which features the performing talents of Brendan Yi-Fu Tay (The Puppet Kitchen,) Sarah Lafferty (Castleton Opera Festival,) Katrina Denney (Fundamental Theatre Group), Emmy Award-winner Michael Schupbach (Sesame Street, Johnny and the Sprites) Eric Wright (The Puppet Kitchen, The Metropolitan Opera, The Public Theatre) and David Brown (Poor But Sexy).

Just a small number of the Senseless! Performers

Now, just a reminder: Someone is killing the students at the Helen Keller School of Music - and the poor kids never saw it coming. Only Brick Foley: Blind Detective can save the school and the woman he loves from the senseless murders.

If you want in on this adventure, then you better come on down to PST this weekend because the more the merrier.  Plus, you don't want to let Brick Foley go about this all by his lonesome self, do you?  I didn't think so.  In case you haven't done so already, you can buy your tickets HERE, as well as the PST Box Office.

Till next time!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

Behind the Scenes at PST: A Woodland Cinderella

It's Not Just Cinderella, It's A Woodland Cinderella

Deborah and Cinderella

Hellooo, Readers!  This week at PST, we conclude the 2012 Fall Fairytale Festival with A Woodland Cinderella, which, we promise, is a fitting send-off for the first half of our magical fall season.

Deborah Costine: Puppeteer!

All right, folks.  Let's meet the woman responsible for A Woodland Cinderella.  That's right.  I'm talkin' bout Deborah Costine!

Deborah's first puppet

Deborah grew up in a region of Lancaster, NH known as "The Great North Woods."  Unfortunately back then, there were no visiting assembly programs, so the only puppet Deborah knew was "Bunny Rabbit" on Captain Kangaroo.  Of course, that all changed when she made a puppet of her own, a papier mache clown that sits in her studio to this day.  Does it surprise you that such a creative child grew up to be a master puppeteer?  Right.  I didn't think so.  And you know what?  The creativity didn't end there.

Since 1974, Deborah has been one-half of the well-known Gerwick Puppets, touring throughout New England at schools, libraries, museums, and events such as First Night Boston.  She writes the scripts with her partner-in-crime, Lenny Gerwick, and makes all the puppets - over two hundred to this day!

Deborah, with Lenny Gerwick

Yes, Deborah's quite the busy bee.  You don't believe me?  She has presented over 5,000 performances to over a million children.  Productions include: Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Pilgrim Adventure in America, Inside the Haunted House, and Midwinter Magic - just to name a few.  And in addition to her work with Gerwick Puppets, Deborah has designed, constructed, and performed solo shows such as the upcoming Woodland Cinderella, The Three Pigs and Other Tales, and The Twig Family in the Oak Tree.

And then, there's her teaching job.  Deborah has taught puppetry classes at Plymouth State University, Worcester State College, and Northeastern University.  It's almost like she's running on a never-ending battery.  She's always up and running, trying to spread the joys of puppetry, not just to students but to everyone around her, which is great news for us all because she is just delightful!

Deborah Costine: Puppeteer!

A Woodland Cinderella vs. Every Other Cinderella

Now, some of you may be wondering: what makes A Woodland Cinderella different from, let's say, Disney's Cinderella?  Well, I'll tell ya.

In 1950, Disney released their version of Cinderella, one of their best - not to mention one of the greatest adaptations of all time.  Though, back then, it was considered a major gamble.  The story goes: if Cinderella had failed at the box office, then Disney Studios would have shut down forever.  Luckily for them, it was a huge hit, one of their first since Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, which they released in 1937.  So imagine that - it took Disney Studios thirteen years to get back on top.  Hard to imagine, right?  Considering they're very much on top of their game today.

Disney's Cinderella (1950)

Anyway, you know the story: Cinderella is the much-loved daughter of a widowed aristocrat.  Feeling that his daughter needs a mother's care, he marries Lady Tremaine, a proud woman with two daughters from her first marriage, Drizella and Anastasia, both plain and socially awkward and bitterly envious of the beautiful and charming Cinderella.  After Cinderella's father dies, Lady Tremaine takes over the estate and she and her daughters (even their cat, Lucifer) mistreat her out of jealousy.  Regardless, Cinderella grows up to be a kind woman and she gets the happily-ever-after-ending.  You know, the one with a gorgeous pair of shoes and that sweet, sweet Prince Charming.

Deborah Costine's A Woodland Cinderella

Yes, it can't be denied: Disney's Cinderella is a lovely adaptation, but I'm more interested in Deborah Costine's version, A Woodland Cinderella.  Why?  Because it's a one-woman show!  Every detail that went into making this show - the script, the puppets, the set - it's all Deborah's doing.  She put a lot of thought into.  And it's not just the beautiful set design or the elaborate puppetry that make A Woodland Cinderella so different (in fact, better) than most versions of Cinderella.  It's the theme: that it's not how beautiful you are on the outside or how much stuff you have that makes you a beautiful person.  It's "the goodness in your eyes."

You know it would be a shame to waste a wonderful opportunity like this - to see Deborah, whose fairytale puppets will be sure to please you.  Take my word for it: A Woodland Cinderella is funny, touching, and everything in between.  Be sure to come on down to PST to see a performance, starting October 12 (BUY TICKETS).  And for more information on Deborah and her amazing puppetry, please go to her website: http://www.deborahcostinenaturepuppets.com/.

Till next time!  Your's truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

A Woodland Cinderella Comes to PST!

THIS WEEK AT PST

The Second Annual FALL FAIRYTALE FESTIVAL concludes with... 

A Woodland Cinderella
by Deborah Costine, Pupeteer!

Fri Oct 12 | 10:30 AM 
Sat Oct 13 | 1 PM & 3 PM
Sun Oct 14 | 1 PM & 3 PM
BUY TICKETS

This past month, we've met many colorful characters, including: a fairytale investigator, giants living on top of a beanstalk, a big, bad wolf hungry for three little pigs, princes (or frogs that became princes) and princesses, an emperor, a little girl (and we mean that literally), and an ugly duckling.

This week, we invite you to the conclusion of the Second Annual Fall Fairytale festival with Cinderella: A Woodland Fairy Princess - before we officially get into the spirit of Halloween with our "Halloween Extravaganza," beginning October 19th through October 28th.

About the Show: In this original, UNIMA award-winning version of Cinderella, the King of all Woodland Fairies wants his son to marry a fairy princess, but he knows they are very hard to find, so he hosts a great ball and commands all the young fairy maidens to attend - with hopes that the missing Fern Fairy Princess will come. The question is: will she?
Hand puppets, recommended for ages 3 & up

About the Performer: When Deborah was a mere 10-years-old, she made her first puppet. She had no idea how to go about it, but she made a papier mache puppet, which sits in her puppet studio to this day!  Deborah also designs and performs shows for young audiences and was recently awarded a UNIMA "Citation of Excellence" for her show Cinderella: A Woodland Fairy Princess in 2009. The UNIMA "Citation of Excellence" is the highest honor in American puppetry.

Behind the Scenes at PST: The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen

Applause Unlimited: Give 'Em a Round of Applause

Chris, in The Tales of Beatrix Potter

Greetings, Readers!  Back for another "behind-the-scenes" adventure?  Good!  Because this week at PST, we welcome Applause Unlimited with open arms as they perform not one but three classic Hans Christian Andersen tales: The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelisa, and The Emperor's New Clothes.  Yes, it's true what they say - three's a magical number.  Hope you Hans and Honeys are ready for some kickin' storytellin' because that's what you're going to get with Applause Unlimited's show!

The Company...

You'd think after receiving not one but two "Citations of Excellence" from the Union Internionale de la Marionette, these guys would take a break.  Luckily, for us puppet enthusiasts at PST and audiences alike, they don't.

In addition to performing in schools, museums, theaters, and festivals in and around their hometown, Richmond, VA, Applause Unlimited has toured up and down the entire east coast, making a few stops here and there, including: The Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA, The Puppet Co. Playhouse in Glen Echo, MD, The National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD, The Wetlands Institute in Cape May, NJ, and The Smithsonian Discovery Theatre in Washington D.C.

...And The Shows

Pretty impressive, right?  Well, that's because Applause Unlimited offers a wide range of performances featuring fresh interpretations of classic tales like The Velveteen Rabbit, Peter and the Wolf, Puss in Boots, and The Tales of Beatrix Potter (due at PST this December).  Using masks, music, and comedy, they entertain audiences as much as they educate 'em.  So, in other words, they put the "fun" in "learning can be fun."

The Velveteen Rabbit (left) and Peter and the Wolf (right)

Puss in Boots (left) and The Tales of Beatrix Potter (right)

Let's Meet the Performer

Now, you may be asking - who's the man behind the puppets?  The answer is: Christopher Hudert, a versatile artist whose many skills include script writing, sculpting, set and puppet construction, puppetry, clowning, stilt walking, and juggling.

Chris, between Siegfried & Roy - 1991

Christopher began his career in theatre at an early age, performing with The Children's Theater of Children and Puppetfest Productions.  Later, he put his Theatre Studies on hold to attend Ringling Bros. Clown College.  He was such a good student, they offered him a chance to join the Circus, which he, of course, accepted (who wouldn't?!).  Much thanks to his clown contract, Christopher went on tours across the United States and Japan, which goes to show - if you have dreams of traveling the world, you should pack your bags and go to Clown College.

Chris (right), in "A Duck Walks into a Bar" - Puppetry Slam at the Puppet Co. Playhouse in Glen Echo Park

To this day, Christopher - now a veteran of Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus - has performed for millions of people and has appeared in TV shows, commercials, magazines, and newspapers in both the United States and Japan.  He was Boss Clown for Ringling Bros. before leaving to join Master Puppeteer Terry Snyder in the creation of Applause Unlimited.  He is also the Stage Consultant and the Youth Services Coordinator for Puppeteers of America and serves on the Board of The National Puppetry Guild.

Oh, and if you're ever in need of a Clown College instructor, Christopher's doing that, too!

So, need to laugh a little?  Well then, be sure to come one down to PST to see Applause Unlimited perform three of Hans Christian Andersen's beloved tales in The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen, beginning Friday October 5th and running until Monday October 8th (BUY TICKETS).

'Til next time!  Yours truly, Esra Erol - marketing intern at PST.

The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen coming to PST

THIS WEEK AT PST

The Emperor, Thumbelisa, and The Ugly Duckling

The Second Annual FALL FAIRYTALE FESTIVAL continues with...

The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen
by Applause Unlimited 

Fri Oct 5 | 10:30am & 3:00pm
Sat Oct 6, Sun Oct 7 | 1:00pm & 3:00pm
BUY TICKETS

All hans on deck for a celebration of Hans Christian Andersen! Whether dealing with ducklings, a (very) little lass, or an emperor's wardrobe malfunction, the Danish fairytale author could find meaning and morals in everything. Check it out this week at PST.

About the show: Applause Unlimited celebrates one of the 20th century’s greatest storytellers - Hans Christian Andersen - with this magnificent UNIMA award winning show. Sometimes serious and heartwarming, sometimes downright silly, but always fun, the show features storytelling and song as well as multiple styles of puppets in three of Andersen’s best loved tales: “The Ugly Duckling,” “Thumbelisa,” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
Hand puppets, rod puppets, and marionettes, recommended ages 4 & up

About the performer: Applause Unlimited offers a wide range of performances featuring fresh presentations of classic tales.  Their approach includes masks, storytelling, music, and comedy in a unique combination that quietly educates as it entertains.  Applause Unlimited has performed at festivals and in theaters worldwide.  Their shows have been acclaimed by audiences, educators, producers, and sponsors of children's and family entertainment - receiving two Citations Of Excellence from the Union Internionale de la Marionette.