Yiddish Folktales at Puppet Showplace!

"Puppets Around the World"

Series of puppetry styles and folktales from across the globe continues with...

"The Magic Soup and Other Stories"
by Artist in Residence, Brad Shur
Mar 27 & 28 (Thu & Fri) | 10:30 am
Mar 29 & 30 (Sat & Sun) | 1 pm & 3 pm

BUY TICKETS

When the things are looking down, how do you find the strength to persevere? Join Brad Shur as he shares one young adult’s story of challenge and triumph, through family history and family dinner.

This collection of yiddish folktales features your favorite stories from the Jewish tradition of Eastern Europe: “The Naked Truth and Resplendent Parable,” “The Egg Seller,” “The Very Small House,” “A Coat for Poverty,” “Pleasing All the World,” and “The Magic Soup." All of the puppetry elements and set pieces are designed and crafted by Brad Shur, Puppet Showplace in Residence.

Resplendent Parable character from "The Magic Soup and Other Stories"

About the Performance

What do you do when your relatives are 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 that it is those with wit, humor and imagination who have the best chance of filling their bellies -- and fulfilling their dreams.

Trickster character, Hershel of Ostropol.

About the Performer

Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to papier mache. As the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theatre he performs regularly and teaches puppetry classes to students of all ages, Pre-K to adult. As protégé of master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, Shur trained extensively in glove puppetry and currently performs two of Davis’ classic shows at venues across New England. In January, he completed production for "Robin Hood," Shur's first original glove puppet show. Shur’s other original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Dr. Doohickey and the Monster Machine," "The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England" and "The Magic Soup and Other Stories," featured at the Puppeteers of America National Festival 2013.

Brad Shur with puppet character, the “Naked Ugly Truth” in “The Magic Soup and Other Stories”.

Prior to becoming the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace, Shur toured the country as a performer with Big Nazo (Rhode Island), Wood & Strings Theatre (Tennessee) and The PuppeTree (Vermont). As a builder Shur has designed and fabricated puppets for American Idol, Dollywood, Avenue Q, and the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. He is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.

Don’t miss the “Naked Ugly Truth” in “The Magic Soup and Other Stories”.

Explore Puppets from Around the World!

WORLD PUPPETRY DAY, 2014

March 21 is World Puppetry Day! Celebrate the rich history and culture of puppetry styles from across the globe. Take a look a upcoming live performances at Puppet Showplace: CALENDAR

Did you know that the first puppet show was performed 3,000 years ago? Or that puppets were often used in religious rituals? That’s a lot of puppet history to cover!

Wayang Puppets (INDONESIA):

Wayang means “Shadow” in Javanese; Wayang puppets are popular shadow puppets used in performances in Indonesia. The first recorded performance in Indonesia was in 930 CE. Wayang puppets usually act out either religious stories, or stories from the “Ramayana,” an ancient epic Hindu poem written in India about 3,000 years ago.

Sicilian marionettes (ITALY):

Also known as the Opera dei Pupi (The Opera of the Puppets), puppet shows became immensely popular in Italy in the late middle ages. The handcrafted wooden marionettes often depicted historical events loosely; medieval knights and their battles were also favored performances. The puppet industry was dominated by several affluent and skilled craftsmen and their families.

Bunraku (JAPAN):

Bunraku is a traditional Japanese puppet style that involves chanting and complex mechanical puppets that have been around since 1684. Bunraku is notable for the sophisticated mechanical design of the heads of the puppets- their mouths, noses, eyes, eyebrows, and sometimes entire faces can be moved and changed. Each puppet requires three puppeteers to operate. Generally a single chanter will sit on a platform on the stage and recite all of the play’s text.

Mua Roi Nuoc (VIETNAM):

Emerging from the common occurrence of rice fields flooding, Mua Roi Nuoc is a Vietnamese form of puppetry that is performed in waist deep water. The rod puppets are built out of wood, then lacquered. Puppeteers manipulate a large rod that supports the puppet from under the water, and are generally hidden themselves behind a screen or other set piece. The illusion created is of a puppet moving by itself across the water. This tradition dates back to the 11th century.

Punch and Judy (GREAT BRITAIN):

Debuting in 1662, Punch and Judy are a married couple whose antics are performed in a series of short scenes that typically have a violent ‘punch’line. Punch and Judy are glove puppets, controlled by a single puppeteer from within a colorful booth. Punch and Judy performances involve a lot of improv- puppeteers add on to the storyline and embellish as they see fit. Though the tradition started in Great Britain, Punch and Judy performances have spread all over Europe.

March Puppet Slam: Puppets Around the World

"Puppets at Night"

Series of evening puppetry performances for adults and teens presents...

Chinese Theatre Works (NYC)

"Puppet Showplace Slam: International Edition"
ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Saturday, March 22 at 8pm

BUY TICKETS

Every other month Puppet Showplace stays open late to deliver the finest in grown-up short form puppetry entertainment. Each cabaret-style piece is performed by a different artist or artists, and the content can be wide-ranging: some acts are elegant or poignant, others are satiric, irreverent, or humorous, and still others can be passionate, political, or spiritual in nature. 

In honor of the World Day of Puppetry, March's Puppet Showplace Slam will bring together puppetry styles and stories from around the globe. Performers include Chinese Theatre Works (NYC), Israeli mask artist Avital Peleg, Margaret Moody of Galapagos Puppets, Puppet Master Jake, Accordionist Ian Theo Mitchell, and more!

Cash bar! Beer and wine will be served.

Celebrate the World Day of Puppetry with Chinese Folktales!

"Puppets Around the World" series of puppetry styles and folktales from across the globe continues with...

Hao Bang-Ya Horse
by Chinese Theatre Works (NYC)
Thurs & Fri, Mar 20 & 21 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, Mar 22 & 23 at 1pm & 3pm

BUY TICKETS

March 21st is the World Day of Puppetry. Come celebrate with us at our final "Puppets Around the World" shows. This week, join Chinese Theatre Works of New York City for a puppet-filled trip through new year traditions.

 

About the show: Celebrate the Year of the Horse in this fun and interactive show featuring a jolly selection of hand puppet vignettes based on popular songs and well-known Chinese sayings. Discover both ancient and modern pearls of Horse wisdom, such as: “The fastest Horse can’t catch up to a Promise once given,” “Ma Ma, Hu Hu” (Literally “horse, horse, tiger, tiger,” meaning something that is so-so), and “Patting the Horse’s Rear-End” (flattery gets you nowhere). 

Characters from the Chinese Zodiac

Audiences will also learn about Chinese New Year customs and foods (red envelopes, fish and “nian gao”) and be introduced to other animals of the Chinese zodiac including Tigers, Rabbits, Dragons and Snakes. Sing-alongs, games, and a hands-on post-show hands-on demonstration will make the Chinese language and cultural experience accessible to even the youngest audience members! 

*Some parts of the program are performed in Chinese, with English translations and explanations.

Chinese Theatre Works co-artistic directors, Kuang-Fong & Stephen Kaplin leading a shadow puppet lecture and demo.

About the Performer: Chinese Theatre Works (CTW) was created in 2001 out of the merger of two non-profit institutions with long histories of bringing both traditional and contemporary Chinese performing arts to local, national, and international audiences. Now based in New York City, CTW's mission is to preserve and promote the traditional Chinese performing arts (including opera, shadow theatre, puppetry, dance and music); to create new performance works that bridge Eastern and Western aesthetics and forms; and to foster understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture in audiences, artists students, scholars and educators around the globe.

Learn more about Chinese Theatre Works here.

Learn How to Create Character Voices!

Adult and Teen Classes at Puppet Showplace Theatre

Fundamentals of Silly Voices  

with Brenda Huggins, Teaching Artist
4 sessions, Tuesdays March 25 - April 15 | 6:30-8:30pm

LEARN MORE/ REGISTER ONLINE

Are you a puppeteer, storyteller or librarian? Are you a parent who wants to incorporate character voices into story-time with your little ones? Sign-up for "Silly Voices" and learn how to bring exciting characters to life with your voice. Class starts soon, sign-up today!

About the Class:

In this fun and rigorous class, participants will discover how their voice works and learn how make it work for them. Through interactive vocal warm-ups and exercises, students will explore their own vocal ranges and learn techniques for breath support, projection, and maintaining vocal health. The class will make connections between voice, character, and storytelling using group activities and multiple styles of puppetry and object theatre.

This class is recommended for anyone interested in expanding their repertoire of consistent and expressive character voices, from professional performers to puppetry enthusiasts. 

Participant Testimonial
"Fundamentals of Silly Voices" is a course Brenda Huggins taught at Puppet Showplace Theatre in 2012, and at the 2013 National Puppetry Festival. Here is what a previous student has to say about their experience...

Kaitee Tredway and her puppet, Washburne

"I left Silly Voices with a toolbox: warm-ups, visualization exercises, access to different resonating chambers, and perhaps most importantly, the confidence to experiment and play within my own voice"

- Kaitee Tredway, 

local actor and puppeteer

About the instructor:

Brenda Huggins is a singer, actor, puppeteer, costume designer, theatre and opera director, and teaching artist with an M.A. in Theatre Education from Emerson College. Her background in classical vocal music as a graduate of Western Connecticut State University with a B.A. in Music lead her to develop a unique approach to voice performance that is a combination of techniques from across music and theatre disciplines.

Brenda Huggins with Puppet Playtime character, Bella Monster

Brenda has taught this innovative philosophy in the Greater Boston Area for over 5 years as a private voice teacher and workshop instructor for youth, college students, and adults. Brenda led a workshop of this cross-discipline voice performance technique at the 2013 National Puppetry Conference in Swarthmore, PA. Brenda is the co-creater and puppeteer of Puppet Showplace Theatre's Puppet Playtime, an interactive puppetry performance series with live music for very young audiences. Learn more about PUPPET PLAYTIME.

Learn how to master your own vocal technique in an encouraging classroom environment!

NEW Early Childhood Education Center Opens in Brookline!

Puppet Showplace Theatre is excited to partner with Bright Horizons at Brookline because we both deeply understand the value of early childhood education. Find out more about the opening of Bright Horizons at Brookline, and why dramatic play that encourages imagination and expression is important in early childhood development...

Puppet Showplace Executive Dir. Thom Yarnal, Bright Horizons at Brookline Center Dir. Lindsay McKenzie, and Toddler Education Coordinator Daniel Gonzalez

DRAMATIC PLAY AND CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

by Guest Blogger: Bright Horizons at Brookline Center Director, Lindsay McKenzie

At Bright Horizons we recognize the importance of dramatic play in child development. A child’s pretend play in classrooms or at home is often considered fun and imaginative, but with limited educational value. The truth is, in the midst of creating a doctor’s office or clomping around in grown-up shoes, children are learning to solve problems, coordinate, cooperate, and think flexibly. Similar to the previously mentioned activities, puppetry is a wonderful form of dramatic play.

Through imaginative play with puppets, children easily ascribe feelings and ideas to these ‘people’ and ‘animals’ and often use them to express, explore and work out their own ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Pretending is very important in a child’s development. In every Bright Horizons center, children will find a dramatic play area of the classroom, designed to encourage imagination and expression.

Bright Horizons at Brookline: Now Open

Bright Horizons at Brookline, which opened in March 2014, incorporates dramatic play into their World at Their Fingertips curriculum. The center’s Toddler Education Coordinator, Daniel Gonzalez, is an experienced puppeteer who weaves dramatic play into the children’s activities to encourage the development of important complex social and higher order thinking skills. 

"Dramatic play in a childcare center is just as important as any other areas in the classroom,” Daniel says, “Through the use of various props, children are able to explore and mimic roles they've seen through their parents and other adults. This helps to develop their social and communication skills, and their gross and fine motor skills. It has become an essential piece of the early childhood experience."

Infant classroom, Bright Horizons at Brookline

Bright Horizons at Brookline serves children 6 weeks to 5 years old with Infant through Kindergarten Prep Programs. Center Highlights include Movement Matters Zone with Rock Climbing Wall, SMART Board and Touch Screen computers, Parking, Enrichment Activities and more! To learn more, please click here or call 617-232-0295. The center is currently accepting enrollment in all programs! 

Kindergarten Prep classroom, Bright Horizons at Brookline

Bright Horizons at Brookline Sponsors Puppet Playtime

Because of the importance of dramatic play in child development, Bright Horizons is a proud sponsor of Puppet Playtime at Puppet Showplace Theatre. This weekly interactive performance for young children fosters the same principle as our dramatic play areas. LEARN MORE.

Performers Phil Berman and Brenda Huggins with Bella Monster in Puppet Playtime lead toddlers in imaginary play at the grocery store

Worldly Folktales at Puppet Showplace!

Puppets Around the World series of puppetry styles and folktales from across the globe continues with...

One World, Many Stories
by Sparky's Puppets

Thur & Fri, March 13 & 14 @ 10:30 am

Sat & Sun, March 15 & 16 @ 1:00 and 3:00pm

BUY TICKETS

Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Get on board with Sparky’s Puppets for a storytelling adventure that takes you across the globe!

About the Performance: Take a trip around the world with Sparky's Puppets in this delightful, interactive performance featuring funny folktales from Asia, Africa, and Europe. Visit a friendly family of mice in Japan. Laugh at the antics of West African trickster Anansi the Spider. Then, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, meet a mischievous leprechaun who proves very hard to catch!

About the Performer: Kathleen “Sparky” Davis began dramatizing stories with hand puppets while working as a children's librarian. Since 1980, Sparky's Puppets have delighted children and family audiences at schools, libraries and festivals throughout New England. Every summer, Sparky creates a special show for the Rhode Island statewide public libraries' summer reading program.

Sparky loves to see children's reactions to their favorite stories brought to life with endearing puppet characters. She is known for her quick wit and hilarious sense of humor. A preschool child at a recent show was heard to say. "It was so funny I burst out laughing!"

Learn more about Sparky’s Puppets here.

Join us for a hilarious show of travelling, magic, and puppets!

Chinese Folktales at Puppet Showplace!

"Puppets Around the World"

Series of puppetry styles and folktales from across the globe continues with...

Tales of a Mysterious Land
by Applause Unlimited
Thurs & Fri, March 6 & 7 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, March 8 & 9 at 1pm & 3pm

BUY TICKETS

Scene from "Tales of a Mysterious Land" by Applause Unlimited

Last week at Puppet Showplace, Christopher Hudert of Applause Unlimited dazzled audiences with his storytelling and puppetry performance during "Aesop's Fables."  Travel with us this week to China as we explore Chinese Folktales with masks, puppets, and Christopher's signature storytelling performance style!

Characters from the Chinese Folktale, "The Long Hair Girl" by Applause Unlimited

About the show: Discover the rich diversity of Chinese folklore through three folk tales brought to life with puppets, masks, and theatrical storytelling. Learn how the waterfall got its name in the story of “The Long Hair Girl.” Then, in “The God of Faces,” meet a talented old painter who finds out that doing your best work has value beyond measure. Finally, silliness ensues in “The Story of the House” when three unlikely characters try to share the same dwelling. Drawn from Buddhist, Tung, and Shui traditions, these stories are sure to stir the heart and stimulate the imagination of audiences young and old!

Christopher Hudert of Applause unlimited in a scene from "Tales of a Mysterious Land"

About the Artist: Applause Unlimited cofounder Christopher Hudert began his theatrical carreer at an early age, performing with The Children's Theater of Richmond, Puppetfest Productions, and other Virginia-based companies. While pursuing a degree in Theater Education, Christopher joined the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus and toured for 9 years across the United States and Japan. After achieving the rank of Boss Clown, he left the circus to create his own company with master puppeteer Terry Snyder. Since its founding, Applause Unlimited has received two UNIMA Citations of Excellence, the highest recognition in American puppetry, and has performed in theaters and at festivals worldwide.

Meet the Man Behind the Sock Puppet

Behind-the-Scenes of “The Joshua Show” with Joshua Holden

Puppets at Night, a series of evening puppetry performances for adult and teen audiences at Puppet Showplace Theatre presents “The Joshua Show” by Joshua Holden, Fri & Sat, Feb 28 & Mar 1 at 8pm. This award-winning performance features classic vaudeville physical humor, original live music, puppets and even tap dancing! Tickets: www.puppetshowplace.org

Interview with Joshua Holden...

How did you become a performer?

I started performing in community theatre at the age of 7 after seeing my first live performance at the North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly. It became very clear to me that this is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. In my junior year of high school i was awarded a scholarship to attend the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick and graduated from there the following year. I feel so proud to be in Boston doing what I love.

How did you create “The Joshua Show”?

I lived a nomadic life for nearly four years while traveling the US with various national tours. At the end of this long chapter of my life, I had no home base and no obligations. I went on a road trip with a friend, and while passing through Chicago, I was invited to perform in a puppet slam. It felt way too scary to create an original piece in such a short amount of time and I initially said, "No, I wouldn't know what to do" My friend responded with, “Well, what do you daydream about?” and I jokingly said, "I want to be the next Mr. Rogers and host my own television show." She said, "then do it!" So, that’s what I did! I made two puppets, and called the piece “The Joy Friends.” It was only 10 minutes long, but people were so excited about what they saw at the puppet slam that I decided that I would continue working on it.

Joshua Holden, puppeteer in "Peter Pan 360"

Who did you collaborate with to create “The Joshua Show”?

I have worked with two very talented musicians: Alex Knapp & Tim Hansen. Tim is an Australian composer that I met in New York about a year and a half ago. When the piece was still in development, we tried out new material at puppet slams and workshops. Tim wrote an adorably awesome song celebrating what it’s like to be a sheep called “When you’re a sheep” back in 2008 and we worked it into the show. He has now since moved back to Australia but when he said he would be in the U.S. this February, I had to have him as part of the performance of “The Joshua Show” at Puppet Showplace!

Joshua Holden with Tim Hansen, composer and musician.

Why do you incorporate puppets and tap dancing in your show?

I present myself in “The Joshua Show” as a gentleman and I create work that is genuinely accessible to both kids and adults. I strive to create work that spreads joy to my audiences. Bringing puppets to the show is a no-brainer because they are instant joy makers. Tap dancing is one of the happiest forms of dancing and it's intergenerational. It pumps up the energy of the show.

Joshua Holden with puppet character from "The Joshua Show"

What was your experience at the 2013 National Puppetry Festival?

Applying for the National Puppet Festival was scary but exciting. I only had a 10 minute piece when I applied. I was accepted to perform at the festival under the agreement that I would expand the piece to 45 minutes in length. Over the course of a year I traveled all over the country from New York City, to Chicago, Philadelphia and even Reading, MA adding more material with each performance. When I finally got to the festival, I was overwhelmed with the national puppet community and the abundant talent surrounding me. When I was awarded “Fan Favorite” and “Best Performance” at the awards ceremony, I was shocked and incredibly proud that all my hard work had paid off.

Who inspires and influences your creative work?

I often find myself looking at classic children's television hosts. Mr. Rogers is my biggest influence. Everyone was affected by him as a humanitarian and everyone's best friend. Yes, he was a bit sappy, but he made you feel so good about yourself and his positive messages resonated with everyone. When I look at what’s happening in today's entertainment, we don’t have that classic host with a cast of characters. I want to create a platform similar to Mr. Rogers and talk about the issues we are dealing with in todays world.

Joshua Holden with Mr. Nicholas in "The Joshua Show"

What do you hope to communicate to the audience?

This show is 100% from my heart. It's about celebrating our differences and finding joy in everyday life and about respecting your feelings and the feelings of others. It's about loving this awesome life we get to live each and every day.

What is next for the Joshua show?

I'm currently creating new material for "The Joshua Show" that I will be filming and putting on my YouTube channel in attempts to expand my audience and reach as many people as I can. I'm greatly honored to announce that in the spring of 2015 I will be performing at The Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA for thirteen shows.

More Puppets Around the World!

Aesop's Fables
by Applause Unlimited

Thurs & Fri, Feb 27 & 28 at 10:30 am
Sat & Sun, Mar 1 & 2 at 1:00 & 3:00pm

BUY TICKETS

From "The Country Mouse and The City Mouse", "Aesop's Fables" by Applause Unlimited

Up next in the “Puppets Around the World"series...Aesop’s Fables!

Though little is known about the mysterious Aesop, a poor man in ancient Greece, his stories have stayed with us for centuries. Enduring the test of time, Aesop’s fables have been passed down through different generations and cultures to take on the form they exist in today. Short, imaginative tales, Aesop’s fables utilize animals and nature to reveal greater truths of the human condition, and convey morals for humankind to accept.

Renaissance era depiction of what Aesop may have looked like.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Applause Unlimited's production includes three of Aesop’s classic stories: “The Ant and the Grasshopper” in which a busy ant teaches us the importance of being prepared; “The Country Mouse and the City Mouse” in which we learn that some risks aren’t worth taking; and “The Tortoise and the Hare” in which a wise tortoise teaches us that boasting will not win a race.

ABOUT THE PERFORMER:

Christopher Hudert (Applause Unlimited) began his theatrical career at an early age, performing with The Children's Theater of Richmond, Puppetfest Productions, and other Virginia-based companies. While pursuing a degree in Theater Education, Christopher joined the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus and toured for 9 years across the United States and Japan. After achieving the rank of Boss Clown, he left the circus to create his own company with master puppeteer Terry Snyder. Since its founding, Applause Unlimited has received two UNIMA Citations of Excellence, the highest recognition in American puppetry, and has performed in theaters and at festivals worldwide. 

Christopher Hudert (Applause Unlimited) performing "The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen"

We invite you to revisit these classic tales through the magic of puppetry, and join us as Aesop’s fables come alive on stage at Puppet Showplace Theatre!

More Adult Classes at Puppet Showplace!

PUPPET BUILDING 101
with Brad Shur, Artist in Residence

8 sessions, March 3 - April 28 

(No class April 21)
Mondays, 6:30-9pm
Members save 10% on registration!

REGISTRATION INFO

A wise man once said there is no greater joy on earth than working with one’s hands. Get busy with yours by designing and building your own puppet with the guidance of artist Brad Shur, and bring your puppet to life from the very first design. Class starts soon, sign-up today! 

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Brad has been professionally involved in puppetry for almost 15 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.

Brad Shur, Artist in Residence

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.

Learn about Brad's touring performances.

Adult students working on their puppets at Puppet Showplace Theatre. For more pictures of Brad’s adult class last year check out our flickr photos here.

ABOUT THE CLASS: 

Puppets are moving sculptures carefully crafted to be brought to life. Engineering and design play crucial roles in shaping a puppet character's personality and movement abilities. In "Puppet Building 101" participants will create their own original sculpted rod puppet from scratch. To begin, class members will learn how to turn their ideas into drawn designs, ready to be produced. From there, participants will sculpt plasticine, apply paper mache, pattern and sew fabric, and apply other materials to turn their designs into fully functional, performance-ready works of art! Although the puppet made in class will be a rod puppet, the skills and techniques used are applicable to many types of puppet construction.

This is an intro-level class. Lessons are cumulative so consistent attendance is important. Participants will be expected to work on projects outside of class time.

Get creative, and bring your original puppet design to life!

Find more info about upcoming spring and summer classes at Puppet Showplace ON-LINE

Travel Around the World this Vacation Week!

Puppets Around the World Kicks-Off This February

Puppet Showplace Theatre presents a series of puppet shows celebrating world culture and puppetry styles, "Puppets Around the World" from Feb 18-March 30. First up in the series is "An Arabian Adventure" by Tanglewood Marionettes. We are presenting two performances a day, Tues-Thurs during February Vacation week! VIEW FULL SCHEDULE

"An Arabian Adventure" 
by Tanglewood Marionettes
Tues-Thurs, Feb 18-20 at 10:30am & 1pm

BUY TICKETS

About the show: “An Arabian Adventure” tells the tale of a Persian prince who is thrown into a dungeon because of his love for a beautiful princess. Facing danger at every turn, the courageous prince must battle his way out of the underground prison to save his princess from a tragic fate. The production features over a dozen beautifully hand-crafted marionettes, exquisite “story-book” style scenery, and a soundtrack that combines traditional Western and Middle Eastern music.

About the performers: Founded in 1993 by Peter and Anne Schaefer, Tanglewood Marionettes is a nationally touring marionette company whose unique productions have been seen by hundreds of thousands of children and families across the country. With seven shows currently in their repertoire, the company performs year-round at venues ranging from school assemblies to renowned cultural institutions.

Jennifer Tebo and Peter Schaefer of Tanglewood Marionettes

Performer Peter Schaefer was born into a Boston-area family of puppeteers and has visited Puppet Showplace since he was a child. After apprenticing with the Bennington Puppets, Peter launched his own company, “Mountain Marionettes,” before joining with Anne Schaefer and fellow Bennington puppeteer Stephen Hancock to form Tanglewood Marionettes.

Performer Jennifer Tebo discovered her love of puppetry while pursuing a degree in Theater and Classical Studies at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She has been touring with Tanglewood Marionettes since 2004 and plans to spend a lifetime in puppetry.

The company has received two UNIMA awards, puppetry's highest honor, for their productions "An Arabian Adventure" and "The Dragon King."

UNIMA Awarding-Winning production of "The Dragon King" by Tanglewood Marionettes

Tanglewood Marionettes believes above all that a performance is a communal experience, with connections established not only with the performers, but also between members of the audience themselves as they laugh together, gasp together, and cheer together when the good guys prevail!

"Poste Restante" at Charlestown Working Theater

Squirrel Stole My Underpants Creator Performs for Adults

by Guest Blogger: Bonnie Duncan, (They Gotta Be Secret Agents)

Bonnie Duncan and Tim Gallagher in "Poste Restante"

Poste Restante: A madly inventive mix of acrobatics, paper, laughter, dance, flight, puppetry, longing, and film…all stuffed neatly into a box.

Before creating "Squirrel Stole My Underpants" at Puppet Showplace, I focused my performing work on adult audiences.  "Poste Restante", a piece I made with my dance partner Tim Gallagher, is returning to Boston Feb 20-23rd at Charlestown Working Theater. 

Beyond being a lovely piece of theater, here are the...

Top 5 Reasons you should go see Poste Restante:

1.  If the child in you enjoyed Squirrel Stole My Underpants, the adult in you will be charmed, wowed, and touched by Poste Restante.  It’s the perfect date-night piece of theater.  Or, bring the kids to our Sunday, Feb 23rd show at 2:00 pm---it’s family-friendly!

2.  You can have it all:  Soulful Acrobatics!  Cheeky Theatre!  Refreshing Dance, Puppetry, & Film!  Tim Gallagher and I perform a brilliantly imaginative form of physical theater, effortlessly moving back and forth between acrobatics, puppetry and dance. Our poetically beautiful, absurdly logical show is by turns funny, dazzling, and, in the end, surprisingly poignant.

3.  Poste Restante brings communication down from a high-tech, instant, "now,now, now" process to a more tangible, visceral level where letters and boxes travel through real space and time, and survive countless potential mishaps along the way.  “The charming performance piece is a love letter to the deep human need we have to connect and the terrible trouble we have in succeeding.” – Culture Map Austin

4.  We perform under the name “They Gotta BeSecret Agents” which is apt, considering how we usually spend our daily lives:  I am the mother of 3 kids under the age of 5, living in Jamaica Plain; Tim is finishing up medical school in New York City and will begin a 4 year residency in Emergency Medicine in June.  We created and currently rehearse this show on the weekends, traveling between cities, mailing various items and ideas through the mail.

5.  This show won “Best Touring Show” (Austin Critic’s Table), “Best of the Fringe” & “Best Physical Comedy” (San Francisco Fringe).  It’s received standing ovations from audiences across the US and Europe.  The Prague Post called Poste Restante "Inspired choreography that is so stark and evocative... this crowd pleaser is not to be missed.”  It was developed with support from the Jim Henson Foundation, Puppeteers of America Endowment grant, Cambridge Arts Council, and the Mass Cultural Council. 

See you and your friends there!

- Bonnie

TICKETS:  http://www.charlestownworkingtheater.org/

MORE INFORMATION:  http://www.the-secret-agents.com

Learn Mouth and Rod Puppetry at Puppet Showplace!

Furry Monsters 101 with Jonathan Little, Little's Creatures

4 sessions, February 25 - March 18

Tuesdays, 6:30-9:00pm
Members save 10% on registration!

MORE INFO/ REGISTER ONLINE

Some characters are too good to keep bottled up. Let out your inner monster with the "Furry Monsters 101" class at Puppet Showplace Theatre taught by master puppeteer Jonathan Little of Little's Creatures. This class is for adults and mature teens ages 16 and up.

Students practicing with puppets made by Little's Creatures at Puppet Showplace.

Take a page of the Muppet, Sesame Street, or saucy Avenue Q handbook and create your own character through the use of a professional hand and rod puppet. Work with “Little Creatures” puppet company founder Jonathan Little, and give life to your inner characters. Will your puppet character be sassy? Meek? A childhood hero or an inner demon? Explore an exciting, visual storytelling medium in a supportive classroom environment with fellow adventurers.

Jon Little of Little's Creatures, Fury Monsters 101 instructor at Puppet Showplace

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Jonathan Little is the founder of Little’s Creatures, a full service puppet company based in Medford, MA. Little’s Creatures has built puppets and performed for individuals and companies across the United States and abroad. Current puppetry projects include the Time Machine Guitar TV series and the National Fire Prevention Association’s “Sparky the Fire Dog” fire safety videos. Jon has been a Puppet Showplace teaching artist since 2011.

Jon and Chris Little, Little's Creatures performing Sparky the Fire Dog.

He received his own puppetry training from some of the nation’s best television puppeteers including Muppeteers Martin P. Robinson, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Tyler Bunch, Tim Lagasse, and Jim Kroupa. For the past four years, Jon has worked as the teaching assistant in Jim Kroupa’s mechanism workshop at the Eugene O’Neill National Puppetry Conference. In addition to performing, Jonathan is skilled in the fine arts, including sculpture, film, video, drawing, and painting. He holds a degree from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He is a skilled dancer, with over 14 years of ballet training (Red Shoes Ballet, South Shore Dance, and Boston Ballet). He has also trained in comedy improv with ImprovBoston.

ABOUT THE CLASS:

In Furry Monsters 101, participants will learn the proper technique of hand and rod puppetry. Professional puppeteers know how to make these characters appear as living, breathing beings with their own thoughts, desires, and motivations. After learning the basics (breathing, lip-synch, focus, and body position), participants will also be able to bring their own characters to life too. Their hands will start to have minds of their own!

For samples of last year’s students’ creations in the Furry Monsters class checkout Little’s youtube page:



Participants will also cover essentials such as character interpretation, rhythm and timing, storytelling, puppet-assisting , working with props, creating a puppet film, improv and comedy, television monitor technique, and puppet/actor interactions. This is an ideal class for actors, comedians, die-hard Muppet fans, dancers, animators, or anyone interested in learning puppetry.



For those ready to embark on the hilarious, rewarding adventure of bringing your own puppet character to life, “Furry Monsters 101” is the perfect opportunity!

You can find more info about upcoming classes at Puppet Showplace online. CICK HERE.

Behind the Scenes of "The Great Red Ball Rescue"

The Challenges and Rewards of Developing New Work

by Guest Blogger: Sarah Goone, Artistic Intern

Puppet Showplace Artistic Intern Sarah Goone shares her experience assisting local artist Faye Dupras with the creation of "The Great Red Ball Rescue." The show is part of the 2014, "New Year, New Shows" series of world premiere performances by local artists. VIEW CALENDAR

I started working with Faye Dupras on "The Great Red Ball Rescue" a few weeks ago at her studio in her home, which was such a wonderful experience. She let me design and build some important props for her show based off of my own artistic ideas, and really encouraged me to do what I felt was right for the show.

Props created by Sarah Goone for "The Great Red Ball Rescue"

It was another situation in which I would be allowed to have the opportunity to play such a big role and hold so much responsibility for the set of a show. I think that it challenged me as an intern, a student, and an artist in taking the risks to trust my own instincts and skills to create something for another artist’s piece.

Set piece painted by Sarah Goone for "The Great Red Ball Rescue"

Once we moved the show to the Puppet Showplace Theatre for tech week, I helped Faye with her pre-set and am now running the light board for the rest of the shows while I am here. It’s really interesting for me to work the lights because I have only ever been involved in theater as an actor or in stage/costume crews, never in the sound or light area. It’s also great because I get to see the show so many times, and as a new piece of work, I can witness the changes that keep happening.

Sarah Goone and her "The Great Red Ball Rescue" display.

Puppets and Tap Dancing at Puppet Showplace!

Puppets At Night for Adults and Teens presents...

"The Joshua Show" by Joshua Holden
TWO NIGHTS ONLY!
Fri, Feb 28 at 8pm
Sat, Mar 1 at 8pm

BUY TICKETS

Puppets At Night, a series of provocative puppetry performances for adult and teen audiences returns this February with an award-winning production by North Shore native, Joshua Holden! Join us for the amazing vaudeville infused puppets and tap dancing extravaganza that is "The Joshua Show," winner of the 2013 National Puppetry Festival "Fan Favorite," and "Best Performance" awards.

About the show:

Mr. Nicholas, a sock puppet and Joshua’s soulmate, makes an unnerving self-discovery that causes him to spiral down a path of loneliness and hopeless despair. How do you cheer up when life gets you down? Is it possible to be so different from everyone that you are truly alone? Explore these ideas as a world full of whimsy, magic, and abundant joy unfolds before you. The Joshua Show provides audiences with a loving friend to cheer them up and an acknowledgement that when life gets tough, they are not alone.

Blending puppetry, an original score of live musical numbers, physical comedy, and a smattering of tap dancing, the show empowers people of all ages to celebrate their differences. Joshua’s beautifully hand-crafted puppets help us understand the vulnerable feelings associated with the human experience and uncover the immense joy that surrounds us every day.

Joshua Holden in "The Joshua Show"

About the performers:

Joshua Holden is an award winning puppeteer, actor, and joy-maker based in New York City.
Most notably, he was on the Broadway national tour of Avenue Q, and was the Lead Puppeteer on the national tour of Peter Pan 360. Most recently, Joshua worked with international artist Banksy on his controversial NY "Sirens of the Lambs." In August 2013, Joshua was one of 24 puppeteers representing American puppetry at The Puppeteers of America’s National Festival, with The Joshua Show. This proud Massachusetts native is an alumni of the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and has a B.F.A. in Acting from The Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University.

Tim Hansen, composer/musician in "The Joshua Show"

Tim Hansen (b.1978) is an Australian composer and teaching artist. He has had pieces performed in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Belgium, France and Mexico, and has been a composition fellow at the Bang on a Can Summer Institute and the Norfolk Contemporary Music Festival. In addition to being short listed for the APRA Professional Development award in 2010 and 2013, he has been awarded the Frank Ponton Memorial Prize, the Darwin International Guitar Festival Composition Prize and an ArtStart Grant from the Australia Council for the Arts. He is a founding director of both ExhAust New Music and the W4 New Music collective in New York.

Behind-the-Scenes of "Robin Hood" at Puppet Showplace

DIVING INTO THE "PUPPET WORLD"

by Guest Blogger: Sarah Goone, Artistic Intern

Puppet Showplace intern, Sarah Goone shares her experience working with Artist in Residence Brad Shur on his new production of "Robin Hood." The show premiered this January as part of the theater's "New Year, New Shows" series, an annual event that showcases new work by local artists.  VIEW SHOW CALENDAR

Sarah Goone, Artistic Intern at Puppet Showplace

Hello! My name is Sarah Goone and I am currently the Artistic Intern at Puppet Showplace Theatre for about 7 weeks this winter. I kicked off the season on literally the first day of the year at First Night, where I first met Roxie, who’s acting as my supervisor while I’m at Puppet Showplace, and many other amazing people from the theater and from other puppet theaters. It was a crazy, long first day, but I knew right away that I was in the right place.

Robin's clothes on the clothes line made by Sarah in "Robin Hood" by Brad Shur

Right after the crazy First Night, I started working with Brad Shur on his original production, "Robin Hood." My first assignment was to design and sew tiny clothing items to go on a clothesline in the "Robin Hood" set. I was very grateful that he gave me so much freedom to do so. I am very experienced in sewing but have never made a pattern before, and Brad just told me to try something out and see what I could do. I worked for the day on some little knickers, a few shirts, and a few pairs of socks. It really was not that difficult, and I was pretty happy with what I had come up with, as was Brad.

Guard costume built by Sarah for "Robin Hood" by Brad Shur

After that, he just kept giving me a lot of projects to either completely construct props by myself, or to help prime and sand different props and scenery items that were in the process of being built. My favorite project was to completely re-sew the Guard’s costume because it again challenged my patterning skills, but this time for an actual puppet to wear. It also was a very challenging knit fabric to work with, so finishing the costume felt like I had really accomplished something great. 

Maid Marion's mask, details painted by Sarah for "Robin Hood" by Brad Shur

When I saw one of his shows on the opening weekend, it was so exciting to point out all the things I had made to my roommates who came to see the show with me. I never thought, going into the internship, that I’d be able to say I helped build the set and even got to mend and create some costumes!

Overall, I had an amazing time working with Brad, and enjoyed the times when we’d both be working in the same space so he could tell me about how he got into puppetry, which is very similar to how I did, and he gave me some neat insights into the “puppet world”.  -Sarah

For more information about becoming an intern at Puppet Showplace: VIEW INFO

World Premiere by Local Artist!

NEW YEAR, NEW SHOWS SERIES CONTINUES!

Puppet Showplace Theatre is proud to present ANOTHER brand new puppetry production in 2014 for family audiences by local artist, Faye Dupras of Somerville, MA. VIEW CALENDAR

"The Great Red Ball Rescue"

by Faye Dupras, 

Foreign Landscapes Productions

Feb 1-17, Sat & Sun at 1 & 3pm

Feb 7, Fri at 7pm: Reception to Follow

BUY TICKETS

One breezey summer afternoon, puppeteer and mom, Faye Dupras took her son to the beach...

The events of the day inspired "The Great Red Ball Rescue", an exciting story about a boy who's red ball is lost in the waves of the ocean. The real-life adventure of Faye's son on the Massachusetts coastline is just the beginning of this magical adventure told with mixed-puppetry styles and a new original musical score by Dana Colley (think indie rock band "Morphine", awesome right?)

What would it be like to dive into the ocean and discover the mysteries of the sea?  Told through the imagination of a 5 year old boy, "The Great Red Ball Rescue" explores the limitless adventures within the beautiful world of the deep blue sea.

About the show: Red alert! A family trip to the beach goes awry when a young boy's favorite red ball gets whisked away by the tides. Can he summon the courage to get it back? Join Jasper, a timid kid with a big imagination, as he sets out on an adventure across the ocean, under the waves, and up into the clouds. Along the way, he meets fantastical fortunetellers, thieving fishermen, and many mysterious creatures of the deep. Will he ever reclaim his favorite Red Ball from the clutches of the sea? Find out in this visually stunning production featuring multiple styles of puppetry, an original score, and lots of sea-faring fun!

About the Artist: Faye Dupras grew up doing art and theater but it wasn’t until she accidentally stumbled upon a puppet exhibition in rural Ontario in the mid 90’s that she decided to become a puppeteer. Luck was on her side, and within the month she was apprenticing under the exhibit’s curator, Canada’s acclaimed puppeteer Noreen Young.

To broaden her training Faye continued to work as a puppeteer while completing a BFA in “Theater and Development” from Concordia University in Montreal Canada followed by an MFA in “Puppetry Arts” from the University of Connecticut. This allowed for many diverse experiences: performing around the world (France, Costa Rica, Spain, Brazil) and designing, directing, and building for numerous puppet and theater companies. Since 2004 Faye has been the artistic director of Foreign Landscapes Productions under which she has created several award-winning performances, including "By The Willow," which received an UNIMA-USA citation of excellence, the highest recognition in American puppetry.

Recent professional highlights include working for the Canadian Opera Company as a shadow puppeteer on Atom Egoyan’s production of "Salome" (Toronto ’13); puppet design and direction for Liars and Believer’s critically acclaimed production of "Icarus" (Boston/NY ‘13); and co-developing and implementing Humber College’s inaugural Puppet Intensive that drew participants from across Canada (Toronto ’13). Faye is pleased to have an ongoing relationship with Underground Railway Theater's as one of their "go to" puppet artists. Critics have described Faye’s work as “spellbinding,” “imaginative,” and “powerful.” This is her first full-length production for young children. www.fayedupras.com

About the composer: Dana Colley is a musician and producer who first appeared on the Boston, Massachusetts indie Rock scene playing saxophone with the group Three Colors. In 1989, Colley co-founded "Morphine" which signed with major label DreamWorks Records in 1996. After the sudden end of Morphine he joined forces with Billy Conway and Laurie Sargent to form the trio Twinemen. Colley has made guest appearances with Primus and Lilium. 

He’s played saxophone and bass clarinet on Dan Brenner's 2011 CD Little Dark Angel, produced by Jay Newland. In 2012 he played in Italy with the Italian band Rudy and the M.O.B. He was a featured performer on ”Wild Things,” and “Just Your Luck.” He composed for documentaries “Radical Jesters,” “System Is Broken” and “Condo Painting.”

There's a Puppet Pandemic at Puppet Showplace!

PUPPET SHOWPLACE SLAM: Featuring Puppet Pandemic

ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Sat, Jan 18 at 8pm

BUY TICKETS

The Puppet Showplace Slam returns! January's slam features "Puppet Pandemic" performers, aka alumni of the O'Neill National Puppetry Conference. Acts include "Goldilocks and the Three Kraken" by Broderick Jones, "The Bread Death" performed and created by Gavin Cummins (age 40) and narrated by Chanz Kalstrom (age 5), "Stealium" by Matt Witham and Christine Dempsey, an excerpt from Bonnie Duncan's acclaimed dance/puppetry production "Poste Restante" and many more!

RAFFLE: You'll also have a chance to win awesome puppet-themed raffle prizes. Proceeds from the raffle go to the O'Neill's Alumni Scholarship Fund.

CASH BAR: Beer and wine will be served through out the night thanks to our beer sponsor for the evening, Berkshire Brewing Company!

ABOUT THE O'NEIL NATIONAL PUPPETRY CONFERENCE

The National Puppetry Conference located at the Eugene O'Neil Theater Center in Waterford, CT creates contemporary works of theater that defy imagination and confound expectations. Over the course of just eight days, Conference participants collaborate with nationally and internationally renowned puppet artists, and each other, to produce innovative plays and productions that push the boundaries of puppetry’s definitions and dare participants to challenge themselves and their audiences. 

FEATURED PERFORMERS:

Gavin Cummins is a puppeteer and graduate student at University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts program. He first started performing with puppets in Seattle with Thistle Theater and Brain Kooser Productions before co-founding The Fussy Cloud Puppet Slam and the creating the ubiquitously named Puppet Show: The Puppet Show. Gavin has performed around the country and was honored to be selected as part of the 2013 National Puppet Slam.

"The Bread Death" by Gavin Cummins

In "The Bread Death," black light puppets help to bring to life a spooky story told by a 5 year old boy.  Narrator and storyteller Chanz is a young friend of Gavin's who in September asked him "What are you doing?" and when Gavin replied, "Trying to think of a Halloween story" he answered with "I have a Halloween story…" The recording used in "The Bread Death" is verbatim and unedited.

"Stealium" by Matt Witham and Christine Dempsey

"Stealium" by Matt Witham and Christine Dempsey is a humorous toy theater piece about helium shortage. It was developed and created at the 2013 O'Neil Pre Conference in the Toy Theater track taught by John Bell. The piece was conceived, written, and built, in three days.

"Stealium" by Matt Witham and Christine Dempsey

Matt Witham is an animator, designer, and puppet builder based out of Astoria, New York. He has animated on the hit children’s television show, Nick Jr.’s “The Wonder Pets!” and various stop motion music videos for LEGO. He is currently the lead designer and animator on the children’s app, “Addimal Adventure.” You can hear his voice in the app as the constantly annoyed character, “Junior Possum.”

World Premiere performance of "Robin Hood!"

NEW YEAR, NEW SHOWS! Series at Puppet Showplace
Puppet Showplace is proud to present two puppetry productions by Boston-based artists in their world premiere performances this January and February 2014! VIEW CALENDAR

"Robin Hood" by Brad Shur, Artist in Residence

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
Fri, Jan 17 at 7pm 
(Opening night performance, with reception to follow)

Sat & Sun, Jan 11-19 at 1pm & 3pm
Mon, Jan 20 at 10:30am & 1pm
(Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend!)

BUY TICKETS

Join us at Puppet Showplace for our second annual series showcasing new work for youth and family audiences. Past productions have gone on to tour across the Northeast to venues such as La Mama ETC’s puppet festival in New York City, Boston’s Outside the Box Festival, and Maine’s Mostly Puppets Festival. Each year the artists receive production support through the theatre’s Incubator program.

First in the line-up of new shows by Boston-based artists is the classic tale of "Robin Hood" created and performed by Brad Shur, Puppet Showplace Artist in Residence. Get ready for a rollicking adventure through Sherwood Forest with your favorite hero who's watching out for the little guy.  This imaginative re-telling gives thematic story elements an updated twist told against the classic backdrop of late 18th century England. The performance features an original score by composer, Paul Watkins.

Robin Hood, hand-made glove puppet by Brad Shur

About the show: Get ready to occupy Sherwood in this rollicking retelling of the classic Robin Hood tale. When the new Sheriff of Nottingham starts uprooting villagers' homes as part of a grand castle expansion scheme, the starry-eyed Robin sees an opportunity to save the day and fulfill his dream of becoming a hero. Of course, he'll need a little help from his friends. Join Maid Marion, Little John, and some unexpected puppet characters for this exciting forest adventure.

From the studio: characters from "Robin Hood," The Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin and Maid Marion

About the performer: Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to papier mache. As the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theatre he performs regularly and teaches puppetry classes to students of all ages, Pre-K to adult. As protégé of master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, Shur trained extensively in glove puppetry and currently performs two of Davis’ classic shows at venues across New England. Shur’s original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Dr. Doohickey and the Monster Machine," "The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England" and "The Magic Soup and Other Stories," recently featured at the Puppeteers of America National Festival 2013.

Brad Shur, Artist in Residence with Maid Marion puppet right from the mold!

Prior to becoming the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace, Shur toured the country as a performer with Big Nazo (Rhode Island), Wood & Strings Theatre (Tennessee) and The PuppeTree (Vermont). As a builder Shur has designed and fabricated puppets for American Idol, Dollywood, Avenue Q, and the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. Shur is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.

Meet the production team! Brad Shur was joined by a team of incredibly talented artists to put the world premiere production of "Robin Hood" on its feet.  This includes stage director, Roxanna Myhrum and composer Paul Watkins.

Roxanna Myhurm, Stage Director with deer character from "Robin Hood" by Brad Shur

Stage Director: Roxanna Myhrum is the Artistic Director of Puppet Showplace Theatre in Brookline, MA. In Boston, she has recently been puppetry director at the Huntington Theatre Company (Ryan Landry's M), Company One (She Kills Monsters), the Lyric Stage Company of Boston (IRNE award, Avenue Q), Underground Railway Theatre (Roots of Liberty), and Gloucester Stage Company (Carnival). Myhrum is a graduate of Harvard University and a former resident company member of the Eugene O’Neill National Puppetry Conference.

Paul Watkins, Composer

Composer: Paul Watkins is a composer and trombonist from San Jose, CA. He holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in music and psychology from the University of California, Davis, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. His music has been performed by Fifth House Ensemble, Freya String Quartet, Meridian Arts Ensemble, flutist Erinn Frechette, pianist Adam Marks, mezzo-soprano Jen Beattie, and the UC Davis Summer Symphony, among others.

At UC Davis, he was the recipient of the President’s Undergraduate Fellowship, the Outstanding Senior Award, and the Olga Brose Valente Memorial Prize for excellence in Music Composition (twice). His primary composition teachers include Kurt Rohde, Ross Bauer, Laurie San Martin, John Morrison, and Paul Brust. In his music, he has taken interest in exploring dense counterpoint, non-linear structures, visual and theatrical elements, improvisation, and forced audience participation.