More Winter Transformations: An Enchanting Cinderella Story!

This week only we are hosting the Tanglewood Marionettes and their gorgeous production of Cinderella! This is a must-see production for anyone who is a fan of the classic fairy tale. Tickets are already SOLD OUT for Thursday December 18th, and there are only 3 more days of performances, so get your tickets now!

SHOW DATES & TIMES:

Thursday, December 18th @ 10:30am SOLD OUT!!
Friday, December 19th @ 10:30am
Saturday, December 20th @ 1:00pm & 3:00pm
Sunday, December 21st @ 100pm & 3:00pm

PURCHASE TICKETS

ABOUT THE SHOW

"Cinderella" is the classic story of a young woman whose good heart transports her from rags to royalty. Set in the eighteenth century and featuring a dozen lavishly costumed 30” marionettes, this production of “Cinderella” is a Tanglewood Marionettes showpiece. All of your favorite characters are here, from gentle Cinderella to the bumptious stepsisters and the charming Prince. This telling is based on the original beloved tale, with a few unexpected surprises!

ABOUT TANGLEWOOD MARIONETTES

Founded in 1993, Tanglewood Marionettes is a nationally touring marionette theater based in New England. Large, beautifully hand-crafted marionettes, colorful sets, and integrated lighting and sound create a fully immersive theatrical experience. Their highly skilled puppeteers have spent many years perfecting their art, delighting audiences of all ages as they bring our repertoire of classic tales to life. They are the recipients of two UNIMA awards, puppetry's highest honor, for their productions An Arabian Adventure and The Dragon King.

PURCHASE TICKETS

Up Next: "The Velveteen Rabbit"

If you love the book as much as we do, then you'll love Applause Unlimited's production of The Velveteen Rabbit! Featuring colorful hand puppets, this production is a great fit for the young and young at heart.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Margery Williams' classic children's book comes to life through puppetry, storytelling, song, and a magic trick (or two!) in this gentle, heartfelt production. "The Velveteen Rabbit" tells the story of a young boy and his favorite stuffed animal as they grow up together in the nursery. Although the other toys snub the rabbit for being simple and old-fashioned, the boy's love makes the rabbit feel real. A popular show for the young and young at heart, it will be loved by anyone who has ever had a favorite toy.

SHOW DATES & TIMES:

Thursday, December 11th @ 10:30am
Friday, December 12th @ 10:30am
Saturday, December 13th @ 1:00pm & 3:00pm
Sunday, December 14th @ 1:00pm & 3:00pm

Tickets are $12 for General Admission and $8 for Members. Stop by our box office or give us a call at 617-731-6400 ext. 101, or of course you can order online!

Also, don't forget about our Puppet Store when doing your holiday shopping! We have finger puppets, hand puppets, marionettes, and much more that will delight everyone on your list. As always our prices are super affordable and there is tons of variety to choose from, so stop in today!

Lastly, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PuppetShowplace and invite your friends to Like us on Facebook! We have so many shows this month but they are only running for one week each, so we want to make sure that everyone gets the chance to see them!

Thanks for reading and stay warm out there,

-Katie B, Puppet Showplace Marketing Intern :)

Feeling out Felt!

Needle Felting for Puppeteers

Instructor: Nicol Wander, Wanderful Creations

Thursday, December 11 at 6:30-9:30pm

Puppet Showplace Theater is Boston's favorite place to learn the art of puppetry! We are thrilled to present a new workshop perfect for beginners or for experienced puppeteers and artists looking to experiment a new fiber-based medium.

About the Workshop: Take the plunge and learn how to create a detailed puppet head in only 3 hours using wool, needles, and the amazing "felting" technique. See incredible examples of felted hand puppets and marionettes, then have fun creating a one-of-a-kind character of your own. Each participant will receive two felting needles, a spherical wool puppet head "base," and dyed merino wool for sculpting features. In addition to a finished puppet head, you will also take home detailed instructions, a supplies list, and all of the knowledge and you need to continue creating felted puppets. 

About the Artist: Nicol Wander, MFA, has been felting for over a decade and has created many "Wanderful" felted puppet characters, figures, dolls, birds and animals. Learn more at www.wanderfulcreations.com.

Register online or call the Box Office at: 617-731-6400 x101

Winter Transformations

December is here and that means a very busy month for Puppet Showplace! This month we kick off our Winter Transformations Series as part of our 40th Anniversary Season. We have six--that's right, SIX--different shows in the series, starting this week with King Midas by Liz Joyce and A Couple of Puppets! There are only six performances so make sure to get your tickets fast!

VIEW SHOW CALENDAR

As always, buy tickets at puppetshowplace.org or call the box office at (617) 731-6400 x 101.

"King Midas" by Liz Joyce and a Couple of Puppets
Thursday and Friday, December 4 & 5 @ 10:30am
Saturday and Sunday, December 6 & 7 @ 1:00pm and 3:00pm

About the show: A greedy king learns lessons of love in this delightful musical performance, inspired by the famous Greek myth. Award-winning puppeteer Liz Joyce brings a cast of colorful hand puppet characters to life, including King Midas, the Green Witch, and a friendly raccoon. Find out how they help to save the day in this fun and interactive show, featuring the original songs “Give me Gold,” “Love Makes the World go Round,” “Learn Your Lessons,” and more!

Also this month: The classic children's storybook comes alive with The Velveteen Rabbit by Applause Limited. That is followed by our Puppet Playtime Holiday Sing-a-Long on December 17th, which is already filling up fast! After that, Tanglewood Marionettes performs the timeless tale of Cinderella, and then Crabgrass Puppet Theatre puts on the hilarious Mr. Punch's Christmas Carol! We round out the month with the National Marionette Theatre's gorgeous production of Beauty and the Beast! Then, starting in January we are featuring The Joshua Show by the very talented Joshua Holden. Had enough holiday entertainment yet??

Our puppet gift shop is also open for all your holiday shopping needs: We have finger puppets, hand puppets, marionettes, affordable stocking stuffers, gift certificates and lots more! We are so happy to have you as part of our puppet family and can't wait to see you this holiday season!

Happy holidays,

Katie, Puppet Showplace Marketing Intern :)

Stories, Shadows and Songs

Join us Thanksgiving Weekend for The Yankee Peddler: Songs and Stories from Old New England, part of our 40th Anniversary Season American Journeys Series!

This is one of our all-time favorite shows featuring Resident Artist, Brad Shur, and multi-talented musician Chris Monti. They make a great pair, and you will definitely enjoy their beautiful music and hilarious shadow puppets!

The Yankee Peddler opened last week to great audiences, and continues this week with 6 more shows until Sunday, November 30th! With its familiar folk tales, merry music and skillful shadow puppetry,  it is the perfect idea for family entertainment during the Thanksgiving holiday. See show dates below:

Friday Nov 28 @ 10:30am & 1pm The kids are off from school! Take them.
Saturday Nov 29 @ 1pm & 3pm Relatives still in town? Make a day of it.
Sunday Nov 30 @ 1pm & 3pm Closing day--a great finale to the holiday weekend!

We've been selling out a lot of our shows lately so make sure to reserve your tickets early. Tickets are super affordable, only $12 for General Admission and $8 for Members!

Check out some info on Brad and Chris below:

VIEW Brad Shur Arist Bio 

VIEW Chris Monti's website 

Here's a great article from TheArtery featuring The Yankee Peddler that talks about how Puppets are not just for kids, and we agree with them! VIEW ARTICLE  

You can reserve tickets for The Yankee Peddler and our other amazing Mainstage shows online or you can reach us at the Box Office at 617-731-6400 ext. 101.

OTHER NEWS:

Speaking of Puppets not just being for kids, thank you to everyone who came to see "Of Bread and Paper" as part of our Puppets at Night series! Be sure to mark your calendars for our next Puppet Showplace SLAM coming up on Saturday, January 17th @ 8pm. Our last SLAM sold out so make sure you get your tickets early for that as well! Now, aren't we busy filling up your social calendar?

And speaking of Social...Puppet Showplace is now on Instagram! Follow us on @PuppetShowplace to see exclusive photos, videos, and sneak peeks of some of the magic happening around here. We're also on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Flickr if you haven't gotten around to those yet either :)

As always, thank you for being a part of our Puppet Showplace Community, we hope to see you again soon!

-Katie B, Puppet Showplace Marketing Intern

Make Your Own Gobbling Turkey Friend!

DIY Puppet Crafts!

Bring some puppets to the table this Thanksgiving with these simple and cute DIY turkey puppets! And be sure to join us at Puppet Showplace for the last show in our "American Journeys" series.

ON STAGE NOW: "The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England" by Resident Artist Brad Shur and Musician Christ Monti. Thursday, November 20-Sunday, November 30 (Two weekends including Thanksgiving weekend!)

MATERIALS:

• Construction Paper
• Feather Template (you can find it here)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Marker
• 2 cups
• Pencil

STEPS:

1. Use your two cups, one slightly larger than the other, to trace two circles touching side by side. Draw two curved lines to connect the two circles. Cut the whole outline out. You can trim around the edges to get your desired shape for the turkey's body.

2. Use the feather templates to trace and cut out various feathers of different colors. Glue them to the back of the turkey's body.

3. Cut out a three inch slip of brown paper. Curl the paper so you make a look that two fingers can fit through and glue the ends together. Glue this to the back of the turkey.

4. Cut out a beak, a waddle, and draw eyes, or add any other decorations you want your turkey to be sporting this holiday season! Now you're ready to put on a puppet show at dinner!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

A Pink and Furry Holiday!

We have been having such a fun time during the fall session of Puppet Playtime, our interactive series for children 3 and under (and their parents and caregivers) featuring Phil Berman, Brenda Huggins, and of course, Bella Monster! This Wednesday November 26th @ 10:30am they will be going on a Cooking Adventure in the spirit of Thanksgiving! You can order tickets online or over the phone for Puppet Playtime. Performances have been selling out lately so get them early! Bella also has a Twitter account @PinkFurryBella, because we all know she has a lot to say :) 

This is our last performance this fall before our Puppet Playtime Holiday Sing-a-Long with Bella and her friends. The sing-a-long extravaganza will be on Wednesday, December 17th at 10:30am and 3:30pm, so be sure to reserve tickets for that as well to secure your spot for all of the holiday magic!

BUY TICKETS

Mech Out with a Master Artist!

Mastering Mechanisms

Instructor: Hobey Ford

Thursday, November 6 at 6:30-8:30pm

Puppet Showplace is so excited to offer a unique opportunity to interact and learn from a master artist! This class is perfect for a variety of people including builders, sculptors, designers, or anyone interested in appreciating the engineering behind professional puppet design.

About the Workshop: Explore the intricate world of puppet mechanisms with a master puppeteer as your guide! This class will focus on the principles of understanding and designing rod puppet mechanisms of varying scale and complexity. Participants will learn how controls, linkage, returns, stops, joints, and actions work together as a system to make puppet characters move and come to life. Through step-by-step demonstrations, the class will learn how mechanisms are built and how to troubleshoot problems that arise during construction. We will also learn about the best materials to use when making your own mechanisms. Recommended for ages 16 and up.

About the Artist: obey Ford (Asheville, NC) knew early on that he wanted to be a puppeteer. He first created the Golden Rod Puppets in 1980 and since then has toured his productions all over the world. His work draws on his own early experiences growing up in coastal Connecticut and living in a Nevada Native American Community. He often adapts folk tales and global cultural traditions for his performances.

Ford designs and constructs all of his Golden Rod Puppets, as well as the beautiful sets that surround them. His performances incorporate a variety of puppetry styles: Bunraku, rod, marionettes, and shadow puppetry. Ford is considered by his peers to be both an innovator in puppetry craft and a master storyteller. He is known for creating the “Foamies,” large-scale puppets that he designs, carves, and paints from blocks of foam. Ingenious rod control mechanisms make these puppets move in an incredibly life-like manner. Ford is also the inventor of the clever hand puppet known as “Peepers,” an imaginative set of plastic eyes for hands of any size that turn the bare hand into an instant puppet!

Ford has received the highest awards for his many contributions to the world of puppetry. He is a two-time winner of puppetry’s highest honor, the UNIMA Citation of Excellence, and is a recipient of both The Hermitage Fellowship and three Jim Henson Foundation grants. He was chosen as a Kennedy Center Partner to teach teachers (and other artists) how to use the performing arts in the classroom curriculum. Ford not only performs his original works all over the world, but shares his lifetime of experience and knowledge by offering puppetry workshops to students of all ages and abilities.

Register online or call the Box Office at: 617-731-6400 x101

If you're interested in this class, be sure to check out Hobey Ford's performance at Puppet Showplace, Migration!

Migration

by Hobey Ford and Golden Rod Puppets

Thursday November 6 - Sunday November 9
Thurs-Fri: 10:30am   Sat-Sun: 1pm & 3pm

“Migration” is an inspiring original story about a young Mexican girl, Beatriz, who draws on the incredible experiences of monarch butterflies, polar bears, and other migratory animals to help make sense of her own migration to the United States. Nationally acclaimed puppeteer Hobey Ford brings this story to life with beautifully realistic carved foam rod puppets and colorful video projections. Animated scenes take the audience along on Beatriz’s journey, uncovering the trials and triumphs of animals who move across the planet in search of food, shelter, and a better way of life. "Migration" is recommended for elementary school aged children.

We can't wait to see you at the theater!!!

Learn to Tell A Scrolling Story!

The Artful Cranky!

Instructor: Lindsay McCaw, The Dolly Wagglers

All Ages Workshop!
Sunday November 2, 10:30am-12pm

All Registrants receive two Free Tickets to "The Hard Times of Woody Guthrie" by The Dolly Wagglers.

Puppet Showplace Theater is Boston's favorite  place to learn about the exciting art of puppetry! We have a brand new workshop lead by The Dolly Wagglers. This brand new workshop is recommended for all ages, 7 & up. 

About the workshop:

Crankies are a beautiful and time-honored form of storytelling using crank mechanisms to create a scrolling roll of pictures. In this workshop, Participants will learn about the myriad uses of crankies, from ancient story scrolls to contemporary street performances. We'll cover the different types of artwork, story content, performance styles, and crank mechanisms used to creating scrolling pictures. See three different cranky shows performed by internationally-touring crankie artist Lindsay McCaw, then create your own simple cranky using materials provided. Everyone will have the opportunity to perform for each other and share ideas. 

Register online or call the Box Office at: 617-731-6400 x101. We look forward to seeing you there!

About the Instructor:

Lindsay McCaw is a puppeteer, musician, and co-founder of the Dolly Wagglers. She has toured internationally, performing her own crankies and exploring the traditional art of scrolling pictures across the globe. She has been a featured artist in the "Banners and Cranks" festival and has taught workshops to students of all ages, including recently at the National Puppetry Festival. In addition to her work with the Dolly Wagglers, she has also worked with Bread and Puppet Theater (VT) and In the Heart of the Beast (MN).

Make Your Own Fairy tale Puppets

DIY Puppet Crafts!

Join us for the last week of our 40th Anniversary: Fall Fairy Tale Festival with these awesome fairy tale characters designed by Puppet Showplace Resident Artist, Brad Shur. Now you can create your own fairy tale adventures!

ON STAGE NOW: "Little Red Rosie and the Dragon of Dümm" by Sea Beast Puppet Company. Sat & Sun, October 18 & 19 at 1pm & 3pm.

MATERIALS:

• Fairytale template (available at Puppet Showplace) or white card stock to design your own Fairytale puppets.

• Coloring utensils (markers, crayons, etc.)

• Scissors/ craft knife

STEPS:

     1. Obtain the Fairytale template or draw your own creative Fairytale finger puppets!

    2. Color in each puppet.

    3. Cut along the dotted lines on the template in order to cut out the puppets. If you are not               using the template, cut out your finger puppets. 

    4. Cut out the two holes on the template for your fingers. If you are not using the template, cut         two finger-sized holes at the bottom of your finger puppets. 

    5. Put on your own puppet show and reenact classic fairytales with your new characters! 

Play On!

Puppet Playtime for Toddlers and Tiny Tots

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
September 17 Through November 26

Wednesdays at 10:30am
October 15, 22, & 29, November 5, 12, 19, & 26

Thursdays at 10:30am
October 16, 23, & 30

Saturdays at 9:00am
October 18, & 25

Brenda Huggins and Phil Berman with  Bella Monster  in Puppet Playtime.

Hi there! My name is Ryan Howland, and I have recently joined the Puppet Showplace family as the Education Outreach Intern. It's been a delight to immerse myself in such a warm, fun, and welcoming place and to have the chance to work with amazing artists who absolutely love the work that they do. I've been able to do a lot of different things in the short time I've been here, but definitely my favorite has been ushering for "Puppet Playtime," Puppet Showplace's weekly interactive performance experience designed for very young children. 

Our toys for Puppet Playtime were generously donated by Henry Bear's Park in Brookline

As teaching artists, one of the main things we're concerned with is creating a genuine, welcoming environment for children to explore and learn. Puppet Playtime begins with free play for everyone to meet all our new friends and get used to being in the Puppet Showplace space. When it's time to get started, we clean up together and get into a circle where we all sing a song to welcome all of our friends and we are introduced to the sassy and entertaining Bella Monster. She tells us we're going on an adventure. Where? To the garden, of course, or maybe outer space! Each week is a new adventure.

Bella Monster tells us where we're going on our adventure today.

Imaginations soar as we march to the garden like ants, plant our flowers, and hear a story about a hard-working ant and his friend the grasshopper. It's amazing to see these kids fully immerse themselves in the world we're creating together, and have a super fun time!

After the dramatic play portion of the show, Bella Monster helps us get ready for our closing puppet show. Here the toddlers get a chance to practice being an audience and engage with a familiar story, like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", or "Goldilocks and the Three bears"  but with a twist. Puppet Playtime allows both kids and grown-ups alike to transport themselves into a world where anything is possible and any story can be told if you use your imagination. 

Join us each week for a new adventure at Puppet Playtime. I will see you at the theater!

Best,

Ryan, Ed Outreach Intern

Make Your Own Frog Puppet

DIY Puppet Crafts!

Get ready for "The Frog Prince and Other Frogs" by Perry Alley Theatre with this simple, Do It Yourself puppet making activity. 

"The Frog Prince and Other Frogs" by Perry Alley Theatre

Saturday August 4 - Sunday August 5, 1pm & 3pm

Make your own Frog puppet in under 45 minutes! Recommended for children ages 4 and up, with adult supervision. Once you finish, you and your new frog can go catch some bugs!

MATERIALS:

• Paper plate
• Construction paper
• Glue/tape
• Scissors
• Popsicle stick
• Coloring utensils (markers, crayons, etc.)

STEPS:

      1.  Color both sides of the plate green or cover it with green construction paper.

     2. Fold the plate in half.

     3. Make a small slit in the center of the fold for the tongue. 

     4. Cut a small strip of green construction paper and tape it to the botttom of the plate as a                handle. 

     5. Cut out two green construction paper rectangles, round off one end, and then glue the                other to the top of the plate for the eyes. 

     6. Cut out two white circles and then glue them on to the eyes. Draw black circles for pupils. 

     7. Using green construction paper, cut out two short front legs and cut out 2 long back legs. 

     8. Glue the four legs to the bottom of the plate.

     9. Color a Popsicle stick red, then slide it through the slit in the mouth to make the tongue.

   10.  Now you can put on your own show with your new froggie friend!

Deer Stole My Long-Johns!

40th Anniversary Season: Fall Fairy Tale Festival

"Robin Hood" by Brad Shur, Resident Artist
Saturday & Sunday, September 27 & 28 at 1 & 3pm

Join us this weekend for an amazing adventure in Sherwood Forest created by Puppet Showplace Resident Artist, Brad Shur. This exciting re-telling of "Robin Hood" is Brad's newest production, featuring exquisite hand-crafted glove puppets, scenery, plus plenty of stage-craft surprises. Meet your favorite characters from the story: Robin, Little John, Maid Marion, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, plus a clothes-stealing deer durring our 3rd Annual Fall Fairy Tale Festival!

VIEW FESTIVAL CALENDAR

About the show: Explore the wilds of Sherwood Forest in this rollicking retelling of the classic Robin Hood tale. When the Sheriff of Nottingham begins demolishing woodland homes as part of a grand castle-expansion scheme, the starry-eyed Robin sees his chance to fight back 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 a mischievous deer with excellent taste in clothes on a medieval mission to save the forest. Featuring original music by composer Paul Watkins and beautifully-crafted costumes and scenery..

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. 'Robin Hood' is 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. 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.

Puppet 101: Learn the Basics!

Introduction to Puppetry Arts

Instructor: Brad Shur, Resident Artist 

FOUR TUESDAY EVENINGS
September 23rd, 30th, October 7th, 14th

Cost: $125

Puppets at Night Members save 15% on registration!

REGISTER ONLINE or call the Box Office at 617-731-6400 x 101

What makes a great puppet show? How many different kinds of puppetry exist in the world?Just how, exactly, do all of the great puppeteers create their fantastic works? If you've ever found yourself asking yourself these questions, or ones like them, Intro to Puppetry Arts is for you!

About this class: If you have ever wanted to lean about puppets, this class is the best way to start! In this hand on class, participants will study the materials and performance methods used by professional puppeteers, as well as construct their own puppets and learn basic performance techniques. This is an introductory-level class: participants of all interests, backgrounds, and abilities are welcome. Participants have gone on to take advanced classes, create their own works, or simply have a greater appreciation for this timeless art form.

About the Instructor: Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to paper mache. As the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theater 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. "Dr. Doohickey" was Shur's first full-length puppet show. His other original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Robin Hood," "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. 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.

Meet the Artists of "What the Moon Saw"

40th Anniversary Season:

Fall Fairy Tale Festival!

UP NEXT: "What the Moon Saw" by Sarah Frechette and Jason Thibodeaux. Original concept by Sarah Frechette and Ceili Clemens. September 12-21.

PROMOTION: Grandparents are FREE for all Fall Fairy Tale Festival performances! Use CODE: GrandFreeFest

By Guest Blogger: Sarah Frechette of Puppetkabob

I was invited by Roxie Myhrum, Artistic Director of the Puppet Showplace Theater, to revamp my ensemble puppet production of “What The Moon Saw” to be a featured part of the 40th Anniversary Season.  I first created this production, along with puppeteer Ceili Clemens, as my Senior Honors Thesis at the University of Connecticut. As part of the revamp, I decided to redesign and rebuild the puppets, costumes and ad props to expand the storytelling options on stage. The primary goal of remounting this show is getting kids excited about reading books and entering the magical world of storytelling. 

Performers Veronica Barron, Faye Dupras and Sarah Frechette

What to expect!

This show is an artful adaptation of H.C. Andersen's “The Ugly Duckling” and “Thumbelina”. The story of "What The Moon Saw" follows two misfit characters who are in search of friendship.  And along the way they are distracted by some meddlesome animals. 3 puppeteers, 1 musician, bring the beautiful rod puppet characters to life on a crescent moon shaped multi-layered stage. Stumps and branches transform to reveal Ms Mousie’s tree trunk hovel, Mr. Mole’s dark lair, and the bouncy lily pads of Mr. Frog's pond.

“What the Moon Saw” on tour!

This Fall "What The Moon Saw" stops included Goat on a Boat Puppet Theater in Sag Harbor, NY; Long Island Children's Museum in Garden City, NY; Puppeteers of America Regional Puppet Homecoming Festival in Rhinebeck, NY; and the final stop is the Puppet Showplace Theater! 

Meet the Artists!

I am the founder of PUPPETKABOB, a puppet company that has toured nationally to schools, libraries, theaters, museums and festivals.  I am a graduate of the University of Connecticut's Puppetry Arts Program, have mentored with German Master Puppeteer Albrecht Roser, and created costumes for the stop-motion film ParaNorman.  My solo production of “The Snowflake Man” which highlights photographer Snowflake Bentley, was awarded an UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence ~ and has been seen many times on the Puppet Showplace Theater stage!

On the Puppet Showplace Theater stage you will see Boston-based performers Faye Dupras and Veronica Barron, along with the music of Anthony Leva.  Sommerville-based musician Phil Berman (and Puppet Playtime performer) joined us on the first leg of the tour! 

New York-based Co-Director & Dramaturg Joshua Holden jumped on board and conducted some incredible rehearsals!  New York based friends & artists include: Painter Michael Carolan, Puppet fabricator Ceili Clemens.

Jason Thibodeaux

Puppetkabob studio- Vermont

Sarah Frechette- Mole Character

Ceili Clemens

Michael Carolan

Heidi Sowa

Ceili Clemens and Sarah Frechette

Brett Carville

It takes a village to make a puppet show!

The biggest thing I have learned from the remixing and remounting of this production is that I have some of the most incredible friends!  The long list of people who shared their time & talents to make this productions possible continues to grow and during this tour their creative energies have brought special powers to the show!  I am very blessed and over joyed to be friends with some of the most wonderful people and phenomenal artists in the world!

“What The Moon Saw” remained dormant for over a decade.  I am excited about the opportunity to reimagine this wonderful story with a fresh(ette) perspective! Some of my dearest friends and amazing artists located in Vermont, Boston, New York, and Portland, Oregon have added their creative energies and special powers to the remount of this show.

Portland, Oregon friends & artists include: Playwright & Puppet fabricator/painter Jason Thibodeaux, Puppet character designer & painter Brett Carville, Original theme and ballad composer Oviedo Senator Menendez, Mushroom and prop-maker Daniel Miller, Mouse Victorian-style dress-maker Heidi Sowa, Puppet & Costume painter Chris Rabilwongse, Book cover designer Melissa Larsen, Researcher Amy Wulfing, Mouse hair mistress Heidi Armour, Flower developer Danielle Bedick, and Costume hat maker Barbara Casement.

Vermont artists include: Costume Designer Kathy Wieland and mouse silhouette artist Carol Bell.

I even made a few new friends along the way too! Special Thanks to puppetry artists Penny Novack Benson and Sarah Goone.

Have You Seen My Underpants?

40th Anniversary Season: Summer Puppet Adventures!

UP NEXT: "Squirrel Stole My Underpants" by Bonnie Duncan
LABOR DAY WEEKEND!
Sat & Sun, August 30 & 31 at 10:30am & 1pm
Mon, September 1 at 10:30am & 1pm

Wow, what a epic summer 2014 has been! We kicked-off our 40th Anniversary Season with an exciting series of adventure tales in July, and now our Fall Fairy Tale Festival is just around the corner. Join us for our last Summer Puppet Adventures performance this Labor Day weekend featuring the world's sneakiest squirrel. Hold on to your underpants, because this show by local artist Bonnie Duncan is sure to knock your socks off!

About the show: Sylvie is sent to the backyard to hang up the laundry. The moment her back is turned, a mischievous squirrel steals her favorite piece of clothing and runs off. When Sylvie gives chase, an entire world emerges from her laundry basket, and curious characters show her the way through mysterious lands. Will our lonely heroine rescue her underpants and discover the magic within herself? Join us on this adventure to find out!

About the performer: For the last 15 years, Bonnie Duncan has blended puppetry, dance, and physical theatre in surprising and delightful ways. She grew up in the South where she danced and swam competitively. She studied education and theatre in college and grad school where she developed a knack for costume on the cheap and acting in original theatre pieces. She performed around the world for 8 years with Snappy Dance Theater and in 2007, formed They Gotta Be Secret Agents with Tim Gallagher to create work mixing dance, theater, puppetry and circus arts.

Her work has received numerous accolades and standing ovations in theaters across the US and abroad. Bonnie also has a masters degree in arts integration and teaches drama & movement in elementary and middle schools. She is mom to Jack Ozro (five) and Rex and Adelaide (three and three). And finally, she loves cupcakes.

Make Your Own Dragon Puppet

DIY Puppet Crafts!

Get ready for our upcoming show "Sir George and the Dragon" by Pumpernickel Puppets with this awesome dragon puppet!

"Sir George and the Dragon " by Pumpernickel Puppets

Saturday Aug 23, 10:30am & 1pm

Make your own dragon puppet in 30 minutes! Recommended for children ages 4 and up, with adult supervision. Once finished, you can go on great adventures with your dragon friend.

MATERIALS:

• Dragon templates 1, 2, and 3.
• Coloring utensils (crayons, markers, etc.)
• Glue
• Scissors
• Straws/Popsicle sticks/Skewers

STEPS:

1. Using the templates, print out the dragon head, the dragon body, and the dragon tail.

     2.  Color both sides of the head, both sides of the body, and both sides of the tail. Choose               whatever colors you wants!

     3.  Cut out the heads, cut out the bodies, and cut out the tails.

     4.  Fold body in half, glue shut, and then fold along the lines.

     5. Glue the body to the back side of the head and the tail. 

     6. Glue popsicle sticks/straws/skewers to the back of the head and tail.

     7. Glue the back side of the head to the head, and the back side of the tail to the tail.

     8. Now it's time to go on an adventure with your new dragon!

Here Be Dragons...in Brookline!

40th Anniversary Season: Puppet Puppet Adventures

UP NEXT: "Sir George and the Dragon" by Pumpernickel Puppets
Saturday, August 23 at 10:30am & 1pm

Are you ready for a Fairy Tale adventure? Strap-on your knight-in-shining-armor...well, armor, and jaunt up the mountain with Sir George and the Princess.  You may just find the friendliest dragon you have ever met!

About the show: Join an adventurous princess as she journeys to Mystery Mountain to visit the Great Green Dragon. Along the way you'll meet Zelda the babysitter, a silly bat, Sir George and his clumsy dog, and of course the lovable dragon. Will Sir George slay the dragon? Not to worry, everything ends happily in this fun show.

About the performer: The Pumpernickel Puppets are the creation of John McDonough of Worcester, Massachusetts. John was four years old when he saw his first puppet show, and he immediately knew that he wanted to be a puppeteer. By his teens, John was presenting shows all over the New England area. The Pumpernickel Puppets have had the honor of appearing at The Puppet Showplace Theatre, Boston Children’s Museum, The Institute of Professional Puppetry Arts at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, The Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., The Cultural Olympiad at The Center For Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, and the prestigious International Festival of Puppet Theatre sponsored by the Jim Henson Foundation at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre in New York. For each production, John creates and performs all of his own puppets, which range from small hand puppets to larger-than-life figures.

Make Your Own Monster Puppets

DIY Puppet Crafts!

Get ready for our upcoming show "Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine" by Brad Shur with this creative puppet craft!

"Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine" by Brad Shur, Resident Artist

Wednesday August 13 - Saturday August 16, 10:30am & 1pm

Make your own Monster puppets in 30 minutes! Recommended for children ages 4 and up, with adult supervision. Once you finish, you can be like Dr. Doohickey and play with your new monster friends!

MATERIALS:

• Monster template

• Scissors

• Coloring utensils (markers, crayons, etc.)

• Tape/Glue

• Skewers/Popsicle Sticks

STEPS:

1. Print out both of the templates HERE and HERE. 

     2. Color the monsters however you like! Be creative and design your own!

     3. Cut out each of the monsters.

     4. Tape or glue each of the monsters to a skewer or popsicle stick.

     5. Put on a show with your new monster friends!

Who Needs Humans When You Have Monsters?

40th ANNIVERSARY SEASON: SUMMER PUPPET ADVENTURES

UP NEXT: "Dr. Doohickey's Monster Machine" by Brad Shur, Resident Artist

Wednesday August 13 - August 16, 10:30am & 1pm

Why be surrounded by people when you can make your own awesome creatures to have fun with? These are the kind of monsters you want to find under your bed! So come down to the laboratory at Puppet Showplace and join Dr. Doohickey as he makes some interesting new friends!

About the Show: Dr. Doohickey always thought that monsters were more interesting than people. Why have two arms when you could have seven? Join the good doctor and his rabbit assistant, Reginald, as they fire up the Monster Machine on their quest to make the world a more interesting place. Featuring a cast of oversized puppets and "monsterizied" versions of your favorite fables, audiences of all ages will love this fun and interactive show! 

Brad Shur

About the Performer: Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to paper mache. As the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theater 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. "Dr. Doohickey" was Shur's first full-length puppet show. His other original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Robin Hood," "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. 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.

To purchase tickets, visit us at the theater, buy online, or call the Box Office at 617-731-6400 x101