Meet Jim Napolitano: Nappy's Puppets

Our "Heroes and Tricksters" series kicks-off this week with Nappy's Puppets' "Father Goose's Tales." These are not your average rhymes and bedtime stories! Performer Jim Napolitano's hilarious twist on your favorite Mother Goose stories will leave you in stitches, all performed with amazing shadow puppetry.

Father Goose's Tales
by Nappy's Puppets

Thur & Fri, April 28 & 29 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, April 30 & May 1 at 1pm & 3pm

About the show:

Mother Goose has taken the day off, and Father Goose must do all of the storytelling. "Father Goose's Tales" is a hilarious modern adaptation of favorite nursery rhymes and children's songs performed with masterful shadow puppetry. Each performance includes a puppet demonstration and lots of audience interaction that will delight audiences young and old! BUY TICKETS

About the performer:

Jim Napolitano, a.k.a. “Uncle Nappy,” is a Connecticut native and one of America’s most-loved shadow puppeteers. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut’s Puppet Arts program, and has taught puppetry to students of all ages throughout New England. For over 20 years Nappy’s Puppets has toured nationally to theatres, festivals, libraries, and museums, delighting audiences of all ages with quality shadow theatre productions.

Jim has also worked extensively as a freelance artist and puppeteer. As a member of Bits and Pieces Puppet Theatre he performed musicals with giant puppets across the country and around the world, including at the National Cultural Center in Japan and the National Theatre in Taiwan. His television credits include Between the Lions, The Book of Pooh, and segments for Nickelodeon, Scholastic Home Video, and HBO Pictures. He currently resides in Connecticut with his two young children. www.nappyspuppets.com

"One of America’s most beloved shadow puppeteers." - Metro Boston

Uncle Nappy in the Press:

All Hail the Brookline Puppet Master! Go behind the shadow screen with Nappy in this amazing feature by Metro Boston from 2015: READ ARTICLE

2016 Paul Vincent Davis Award

Each year, Puppet Showplace honors the work of a local puppeteer at our annual spring gala event. This lifetime achievement award, named after Puppet Showplace Resident Artist Emeritus Paul Vincent Davis, recognizes New England-based puppeteers for artistic excellence, mentorship, and service to the puppetry community--all traits inspired by Paul himself. Past Award Recipients

Paul Vincent Davis, Artist in Resident Emeritus

Puppet Showplace Theater Gala
Encounter the Extraordinary
June 7 from 6:00 - 9:00pm
Wightman Mansion, 43 Hawes Street, Brookline

At the Puppet Showplace Theater Gala, you and your guests will have a chance to encounter Sara's giant puppet characters, brought to life by professional puppeteers...and by YOU! Our family-friendly event will also feature a giant puppet dance party, dozens of mini-performances and hands-on activities, live music, culinary delights, a benefit auction and more. All proceeds help us bring world class puppetry to Greater Boston and subsidize tickets for children from Boston's neediest communities. MORE INFO

2016 Paul Vincent Davis Award Recipient: Sara Peattie, The Puppeteer's Cooperative

Sara Peattie is the director of Puppeteers Cooperative, which specializes in community workshops, giant puppets, pageants, and parades.  It inculdes The Back Alley Puppet Theater, which operates the Puppet Free Library, Puppaganda, which works in toy theater and video, and The Construction Section, which builds puppets and masks.

She also runs an informational website about making giant puppets: http://puppetco-op.org/. Sara joined Bread and Puppet Theater in 1969 and toured internationally with the company before co-founding the Puppeteers Cooperative in San Francisco in 1976. For 40 years, the Puppeteer's Cooperative has created iconic parades and pageants for Boston's First Night celebrations, and has participated in hundreds of political rallies and cultural celebrations throughout greater Boston, New York City, and throughout New England.

Master Puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis is widely recognized as one of America's foremost glove puppeteers. For over 30 years he served as Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theater where he and founder Mary Churchill worked tirelessly to establish a home for puppetry in New England. Throughout his career, Paul was a dedicated member of the Puppeteers of America and the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry.

Davis created over a dozen full-length puppetry productions and received five prestigious UNIMA Citations of Excellence for his work. He was honored with the President's Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Puppeteers of America. Now retired from performing, Davis remains active as a teacher and mentor in the New England puppetry community. He is the subject of the book Puppeteer by Kathryn Lasky and is currently writing his own book about the art and philosophy of glove puppetry. MORE INFO

Join the Puppet Showplace Family!

Members make great puppetry possible at Puppet Showplace! Join our family this Spring during our April Membership Drive and receive awesome savings on tickets during April Vacation Week (Members pay only $10 instead of $15 on premium-priced tickets), get access to exclusive members-only events like the upcoming Pirate Party with Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers on April 24, and much more!

Members Only Event with Brad Shur, Resident Artist - 2015

Why Become a Member?

In addition to supporting our mission to bring high-quality puppetry performances to the Greater Boston area and serve diverse audiences, members receive discounts on tickets and store purchases, fee-free phone orders, and more. Already a member? Purchase a gift membership or upgrade to a higher member level today and help our family grow. Memberships are great for Grandparents too!

Which Membership is right for me?

BASIC MEMBERSHIP- Do you have one child that you bring to the theater? This membership is perfect for you. You receive one complimentary ticket for a Mainstage performance ($12 value), and TWO discounted tickets per performance. This means you pay only $8 instead of $12, or $10 instead of $15 during premium show times during the holidays or vacation week.

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP- This package is for families who attend with 3 or more people at a time. You receive two complimentary tickets for a Mainstage performance ($24 value), and FOUR discounted tickets per performance. This means you pay only $8 instead of $12, or $10 instead of $15 during holiday show times. Planning a birthday party? BOTH basic and family members save on birthday party bookings.

PUPPETS AT NIGHT MEMBERSHIP- Do you attend our evening performances for adults like Puppet Slams? This membership is for you! Not only do you get two complimentary tickets to any Puppets at Night performance ($30 value), but you get TWO discounted tickets per performance to all Puppets at Night Performances. This means you pay only $10 per ticket instead of $15. You also get a 15% discount on adult classes and invitations to special Incubator events to meet artists developing new work.

ENTHUSIAST- What if you like to attend both Mainstage AND Puppets at Night performances? The enthusiast membership is for you! In additional to ALL of the benefits received by members at the Family and Puppets at Night levels, you also get TWO tickets to our upcoming Gala event, Encounter the Extraordinary on June 7. Introduce your friends to Puppet Showplace by sharing your complimentary tickets, take an adult class, and then help us celebrate with our donors and community supporters during our annual Spring fundraising event.

Even more benefits!

Don't forget, all members at the Basic, Family or Enthusiast level also receive discounts to Puppet Playtime, our interactive show for toddlers and tiny tots on Wednesday and Saturday mornings! 

MEMBER ONLY EVENT APRIL VACATION WEEK

Members Only: Pirate Party with Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers

Sunday, April 24, 2016 at 4:00PM
All members are invited to meet the artists after the 3pm performance of Everybody Loves Pirates on April 24th and enjoy free food, prizes and pirate-themed fun. FREE Admission! Fun for all ages!

See you at the theater puppet fans! Become a member, or renew your membership today.

Like Mother, Like Daughters

Happy March, puppets fans! Our Puppets Around the World series continues this week with a very special performance of "Kasper and Fritzi" by Sandglass Theater, passed down from mother to daughters. Go behind-the-scenes of the show with performers and sisters, Jana and Shoshana.

"Kasper and Fritzi"
by Sandglass Theater
Thur & Fri, Mar 3 & 4 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, Mar 5 & 6 at 1pm & 3pm

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Introduction by Jana

I grew up in Germany and was three years old when my mother Ines made her Kasper piece. She premiered it at my birthday party. Kasper is a traditional hand puppet hero in Germany, but Ines gave him her own interpretation and character for her show. He still wears his signature stocking cap, but her Kasper is friendlier, and his adventure is not traditional at all. I grew up helping her set up the show, and watching it, and breaking it down.

When we immigrated to the States, Kasper and his company began talking in English, but somehow it didn't make a difference because their characters stayed the same. When I inherited the piece form my mother it was at first very odd for me to be inside of a show I had watched for my whole life, and for her to be outside of a show she had performed for 30 years. But at the same it felt very natural for me to play these puppets because I already knew them so well. Now I am working on bringing Kasper back to Germany after all these years and completing some kind of circle. I am always touched that puppets have the power to bring us out into the world, and connect us with strangers.

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Interview with Shoshana

"Kasper and Fritzi," also known as "Punschi," is part of the "Puppets around the World" series at Puppet Showplace Theater. What are the international origins of this show?

"Punschi" is an abbreviation for the German words Puppentheater Unterm Schirm, which means "Puppet theater under the umbrella." We both grew up speaking German, and still use a lot of German language in our performance of the show. 

The Flea circus has it's roots in European tradition, and these days one can still see a live flea circus at the German October fest. The flea trainers would be set up on tables for about 5 people to view through a large magnifying glass, while the fleas would move balls and pull little gold carriages, and such. Though the flea circus in it's full form was created once Sandglass had moved to the US, it's previous incarnation was part of "The Box Show", an early work of Ines Zeller Bass's, in which the flea emerged out of a box and walked a tightrope. Fritzi the flea has learned a great many new tricks since then! 

"Punschi" was originally created by your mother, Ines Zeller. What was it like to see this show while growing up? How did you go about learning this show from her? 

Jana and I have both played assistant to setting up the Punschi stage and know the show like a child knows it's favorite children's book or stuffed animal. The show was a close companion through my whole childhood; I remember a time when I would stop calling out to Kasper on stage to leave room for the fresh experience of the other children watching, after all, I knew what they were supposed to shout and I wanted to see if they would get it right;)

Ines was very gracious in the passing of these pieces. She directed with her amazing skill set as puppeteer, clown and mime. She has also been a great coach on how to work specifically for children, walking the line of guided participation, with a luminescent sense of play and joy. I have also learned so much about building, and the mechanisms Ines dreamed up for the flea circus are so inventive. Most of all in this rehearsal process, and in reflection of how she made these shows she instilled in me the idea that one has to just try things, and when you don't know what to do, just do anything. Creation is putting in the work to build and rebuild, and not settle for something incomplete or inconsistent. 

What are your favorite memories of growing up as the daughters of internationally-touring puppeteers? 

There are so many memories, because most of my childhood consisted of touring with my parents. I think the most important of which is that I experienced the world through it's art forms. The political, geographical and linguistic landscapes we passed through where always held within the performances we encountered. And our relationship with artists from so many countries has made the world a smaller place, and these connections bring me an assurance of the good in the world, and trust that I will always find a home among puppeteers in any foreign land. We have also hosted many of these puppeteers in our own community for the Puppets In the Green Mountains festival, and those times are always full of celebration, hard committed work, and a sense of growing community.  

You both worked on producing Sandglass Theater's recent "Puppets in the Green Mountains" festival in Vermont, which had a particular focus on immigration stories and human rights. How does puppetry help to address these sorts of issues? 

This is a huge question, which we needed an entire 10 day festival to begin to investigate. I could talk about the puppet and its ability to let us navigate difficult questions with a little objectivity, and remove the immediacy of human emotion. The puppet has an amazing capacity to hold every persons experience, because it is after all, only a puppet. It has a capacity to transcend human delineations of identity and therefore can offer more perspective and accessibility in addressing difficult issues. We hosted puppeteer from Mexico, Cuba, Canada, England, and Germany, all countries which hold high stakes in the discussions of immigration, to bring them all into our community (they are housed by and fed by our community) brought a very tangible dialogue to the stage as well as in all our daily interactions. 

You have performed "Punschi" all over the Northeast, from New York City to Vermont. What is it like traveling and performing with your sister?

Just the best of times! It has been this little sister's dream to get to tour around with my big sister performing our mother's work. We have dreams to continue touring and cover wider and wider circles, perhaps even returning to German with the shows that began there. It has all really been true to the blessing our mother gave us when she gave us these shows: Long Life, Long Laughs, Good Play!!!

Purchase tickets to "Kasper and Fritzi" , call the Box Office 617-731-6400 x 101 or purchase online.

Puppet Showplace Theater thanks the Brookline Commission for the Arts, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and other generous donors for supporting this production. 

Celebrate Puppetry Across the Globe!

"Puppets Around the World" series
Feb 25 - Mar 20

Discover stories and puppetry styles from around the globe as we join UNIMA-USA and the Puppeteers of America to celebrate the  World Day of Puppetry on March 21. At Puppet Showplace, this means much more than a single day of celebration- we are showcasing amazing artists and art forms from diverse cultures all over the world during an entire series of performances and workshops for all ages.

From East Asia to Europe, from folktales to family History, our "Puppets Around the World" series features an exciting line-up of stories brought to life by professional puppeteers.  VIEW CALENDAR

"Little One-Inch" by Red Herring Puppets, March 17-20

Mainstage Performances

For youth and family audiences

Travel across the globe with a NEW SHOW each week! First, discover Yiddish folktales that literally pop out of every drawer and cupboard in Brad Shur's "The Magic Soup and other Stories," then meet the hilarious German puppet hero, Kasper in Sandglass Theater's "Kasper and Fritzi" followed by a gorgeous shadow theater adventure through American history in Puppetkabob's "Under Night Sky." Our Mainstage "Puppets Around the World" series closes with an elegant production by the Red Herring Puppets that blends Western puppetry styles with traditional Japanese art forms in "Little One-Inch."

"Bend" by Kimi Maeda, Feb 26 & 27 at 8pm

Puppets At Night Events

For adult audiences (and teens 16+)

For adult audiences, we are thrilled to present Kimi Maeda's multi-media solo performance inspired by the real-life experiences of her late father in a Japanese American relocation camp during WWII, running for TWO NIGHTS ONLY, February 26 & 27 at 8pm. Join us after each performance for a discussion with the artist! The World Puppetry special edition of the bi-monthly Puppet Showplace Slam will feature diverse short form puppetry acts inspired by stories and art forms from around the world on Saturday, March 19 at 8pm. This ONE NIGHT ONLY event features a cash bar with beer.

Shadows Beyond Borders: An Interdisciplinary Introduction to Balinese Puppetry,
Mon Apr 11 at 6:30 to 8:30pm

Workshops

For adults (and teens 16+)

Puppet Showplace is Boston's favorite place to learn puppetry from professional puppeteers! Join us this April for a particularly unique performance and masterclass of Indonesian shadow puppetry and gamelan music with Balinese puppeteer Putu Rekayasa, theater artist Sam Jay Gold, and ethnomusicologist Ian Coss. You can also join our Resident Artist, Brad Shur to learn how to make your own short-form puppetry piece, or create how to create an educational puppetry performance with the Red Herring Puppets.

Celebrate World Puppetry!

Puppetry is a unique and diverse art form with many styles and traditions from around the globe. How will you celebrate the World Day of Puppetry ?! Make your own puppets at home (you can find DIY projects on our Pinterest board, see a performance, or take a class! Make sure to share your stories and photos with us on  Facebook, Twitter (@puppetshowplace), and Instagram!

See you at the theater, puppet fans!

Puppet Store: So Many Marionettes!

Our Mini-Festival of Marionettes is in full swing, with FOUR SOLD OUT performances of "The Fairy Circus" by Tanglewood Marionettes this weekend proving that Boston loves puppets on strings! Join us next weekend as our mini-fest continues to celebrate The Wayne Martin Puppets with an exciting cabaret of delightful trick puppets: Friday, Feb 5 at 8pm, Sat & Sun Feb 6 & 7 at 1pm & 3pm. TICKETS.

Want even MORE marionettes? Check out our puppet store! We carry a variety of exciting bands so you can bring the magic of puppetry home with you. Put on your own puppet shows, and don't forget to share your videos and photos with us on social media @puppetshowplace on Facebook, twitter, and instagram. See you at the theater, puppet fans!

Sunny Marionettes

Age: 5 & up
Price: $9.99 & up

Want to take home a cute creature? Sunny marionettes are just what you are looking for! They are perfect for younger marionette fans, and come in a variety of adorable creatures like a little pig, tiger, horse, dragon and MORE! Stop by and pick out your favorites to take home for only $9.99 each for the small marionettes (pictured.)

Fish River Crafts Marionettes

Age: 7 & up
Price: $14.99 & up

For marionette fans looking for something with a bit more collector's flair yet still affordable, these hand-made wooden characters by Fish River Crafts are a great choice! Stands are available for purchase separately. 

Pelham Marionettes

Age: 8 & up
Price: $75

And for a truly special treat, we are excited to offer these antique hand-made collector's items from Marlborough, England. Pelham Marionettes have a long history of making the world's favorite puppets on strings! Every hard-core marionette fan needs at least one of these very special, one-of a kind characters of their very own. What a rare find!

Discover for yourself the exciting variety of characters and creatures in the Puppet Showplace puppet store. We also carry your favorite brands like Folkmanis hand puppets and even Sesame Street characters. Find out MORE HERE. And don't forget, Puppet Showplace members always received 10% off purchases at the store, so become a member today!

Mini-Festival of Marionettes!

Welcome to Puppet Showplace Theater’s first-ever Mini-Festival of Marionettes!

Marionettes are a fan favorite here at Puppet Showplace. It’s easy to see why! In the hands of a skilled puppeteer, marionettes can take on a life of their own, performing elegant movements that capture our imagination. The festival runs Jan 30 - Feb 15.

Artistic Director, Roxie Myhrum with Peter from "Peter and the Wolf" by National Marionette Theatre.

Our mini-festival is a chance to see the work of New England’s best string puppeteers up close. There are plenty of showtimes for youth and family audiences, as well as a special Puppets at Night performance for adults and families with older children. If you’re inspired to learn more about this centuries-old craft, we also have three hands on workshops for different ages and skill levels.

Members save on all mini-festival offerings, including marionette purchases from our store. Become a member today! MEMBER INFO

Below is a guide to help you navigate the festival offerings. If you have any questions or would like to share feedback about your experiences, please get in touch with me at artistic@puppetshowplace.org.

See you at the show!

Roxie Myhrum, Puppet Showplace Artistic Director

WEEKEND 1: Tanglewood Marionettes

January 30 - 31

Mainstage Performance: “The Fairy Circus”
Saturday and Sunday, January 30 – 31
1pm and 3pm
Recommended for ages 3 and up

Workshop: “Marionette Manipulation” SOLD OUT!
Saturday January 30, 4:00 – 5:30 pm
All ages 8 to adult

About the Performers:

Peter Schaefer of Tanglewood Marionettes has been part of the Puppet Showplace family ever since he volunteered to usher as a young boy. Now, he is regarded as one of America’s finest puppeteers, touring epic productions across the country and into Canada. "The Fairy Circus" is my personal favorite of Tanglewood’s shows. Set in an enchanted garden, it’s a delightful showcase for turn-of-the-century style trick puppetry, performed by over 20 beautifully handcrafted marionettes. While this bright, colorful, and (mostly) non-verbal show is a great theater experience for our youngest audiences, it will also captivate audiences of all ages interested in classical craftsmanship and traditional technique.

Speaking of technique, Peter will also be leading a marionette manipulation workshop at 4pm on Saturday. This class, designed for ages 8 to adult, is an excellent hands-on introduction to marionette performance. We are currently sold out--only 15 slots were available! Contact the Box Office (617-731-6400 x 101) to join the wait list.

WEEKEND 2:  The Wayne Martin Puppets
and Honey Goodenough

February 6 - 7

Puppets at Night Performance & Reception: “The Wayne Martin Puppets: In Concert”
Friday February 5th @ 8:00pm
Ages 8 to adult

Workshop: “Gooney Bird Marionettes”
With Honey Goodenough
Saturday February 6, 10:30 – 12pm
Ages 5 – 10

Mainstage Performance: “The Wayne Martin Puppets: 50th Anniversary Celebration”
Saturday and Sunday, February 6-7
1 pm and 3 pm
Recommended for ages 4 and up

About the Performer:

We are honored to welcome Wayne Martin back to our stage for two inspiring performances highlighting his life’s work.Friday evening’s “In Concert” show is a two-act program featuring an astonishing variety of short vignettes aimed at adults and families with older children. We invite you to join us at intermission for a reception celebrating Wayne’s illustrious career.  Then, on Saturday and Sunday Wayne will delight family audiences with matinee shows featuring his signature large-scale marionette characters. Prepare to be amazed by all the tricks he has in store! On Saturdaymorning, guest artist Honey Goodenough will lead us in a very crafty marionette making workshop. Kids ages 5-10 will make their very own Gooney Bird marionette and learn how to bring it to life.

WEEKEND 3 : Puppetkabob

Feb 13 – 15

Mainstage Performance: “The Snowflake Man”
Saturday and Sunday, Feb 13-14@ 1pm and 3 pm
Monday Feb 15 @ 10:30am and 1pm
Recommended for ages 5 and up

Workshop: “Make your own Scarf Marionette “
Monday Feb 15, 3 pm to 6 pm
Ages 13 to Adult

About the Performer:

We are thrilled to welcome Puppetkabob’s Sarah Frechette back to Puppet Showplace. Her award-winning production “The Snowflake Man” is a charming portrait of Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, the Vermont farmer and inventor known for his pioneering snowflake photography. Using a miniature "Czech-style" marionette in her own likeness, Sarah transports us back in time to meet with Bentley and explore his world.

On President’s Day Monday, Sarah will also share secrets from the String Academy when she teaches a three-hour workshop on how to build your own Roser-style scarf marionette. Albrecht Roser was one of the world’s greatest marionette artists, and Sarah studied with him extensively in Germany. Roser believed in the elegant simplicity of marionette design, and his scarf puppets allow beginners to create compelling performances using basic materials and the manipulation of gravity.

Resident Artist Performs World Premiere!

Happy New Year puppet fans! We are SO EXCITED to kick-off 2016 with our annual "New Year, New Shows" series featuring a world premiere performance of "Cardboard Explosion" by Resident Artist, Brad Shur.  In this one-of-a-kind interactive performance, you get to participate in this hands-on cardboard adventure like never before. Audiences all over Boston have enjoyed preview performances of the show, and we can't wait to share this exciting performance with you!

Cardboard Explosion!

by Brad Shur, Resident Artist
Jan 9-24, 2016
Join us for an Opening Night Reception sponsored by the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry on Friday, Jan 15 following the 7pm performance

Puppet Showplace Theater, a school group gets to be a test audience for the show! Jan, 2016

Creating Cardboard Explosion...

Producing a brand new puppetry performance is a giant undertaking, and artists need support for rehearsal space, workshops with peer review and test audiences to make the seed of an idea come to fruition on stage! Puppet Showplace Theater's Incubator program for new works provides local artists like Brad the resources they need to bring their shows to the stay.

Copley Place, First Night Boston 2016

Thousands of Bostonians rang in the New Year with a performance of "Cardboard Explosion!" at Copley Place on Dec 31, 2015. 

The best part of the show? Participants from the audience get to go on stage to help create the story!

Puppet Showplace Theater, Brookline First Light Festival, Nov 2015

Another SUPER IMPORTANT piece of the puzzle is funding. It costs thousands of dollars to create a new puppetry performance. Puppet Showplace acts as a fiscal sponsor for Incubator artists to receive grant funding and donations to pay for the resources they need to create new work. "Cardboard Explosion!" is funded in part by the Jim Henson Foundation, The Bob Jolly Charitable Trust, The Sakharoff Family Trust, and other generous individual donors. MORE INFO

Support New Works!

Who are the SUPERSTARS of Puppet Showplace? The AUDIENCE of course! That means YOU make all of our programs possible, including our Incubator program for new works. With the help of generous donors and foundations, Puppet Showplace Resident Artist Brad Shur will premiere his new interactive puppet show "Cardboard Explosion!" on January 9, 2016 during the "New Year, New Shows" series. Invest in puppetry during our Superstars Campaign!

Dear Friends,

After dozens of test runs and hundreds of prototypes, my new show "Cardboard Explosion!" will be ready to debut in January 2016. It's an interactive choose-your-own adventure, and I can't wait for YOU to become the show's SUPERSTARS! 

Each year, Puppet Showplace Theater invests thousands of dollars in local artists developing innovative new work. Puppet Showplace is the only theater in New England that provides this kind of support to puppeteers like me.  

Your generous contributions help artists every step of the way by funding production grants, rehearsal space, and other critical support. None of this would be possible without YOU!

Superstars Campaign as of today:

44 Donors = $4,875

With your help, we can reach our year goal of raising $15,000 by January 3rd!

Your gift ensures that audiences of all ages will leave "Cardboard Explosion!" inspired and ready to create, and that Puppet Showplace will remain a national leader in fostering innovative productions.

Thank you for making the future of puppetry bright! 

Puppet Showplace Resident Artist

P.S. This just in! The Jim Henson Foundation will support "Cardboard Explosion!" with a 2016 Family Grant! LEARN MORE

Calling all Superstars!

This December, we are celebrating the real superstars of Puppet Showplace, the AUDIENCE! We rely on support from our patrons, donors and members to reach our goals to serve the community with unique and exciting opportunities in the arts.

One of our SUPERSTARS is Alison Plante, a member of our board, donor, and member:

Alison Plante (Board of Trustees) with her family at Puppet Showplace

Dear Friends,

Supporting Puppet Showplace has been a special joy for my family. My son inherited my life-long love of puppetry, and we see as many shows as we can each season.

After being an “Enthusiast” member for many years, I joined the Board of Trustees during the theater's 40th Anniversary Season. My grandmother, who shared my love of the arts, chose to honor Puppet Showplace with a major charitable bequest. Her gift helped stabilize operations and allowed the hardworking staff to focus more of their creative energy on new productions, educational programming, and community outreach. 

With this solid foundation in place, Puppet Showplace is now building towards an ambitious future. We plan to invest in new works by local artists while welcoming unique international performers to our stage. We want to expand our all-ages educational offerings to include professional training and after-school programs. As we grow, we are committed to reaching more underserved children and families through our ticket subsidy and field trip programs.

To achieve these goals, we need your help. A contribution of any size makes a big impact at our theater. A few thousand dollars could launch a new performance series or pilot an after school program. As little as $8.50 funds the cost of a child’s field trip ticket.

When my son celebrated his 5th birthday at Puppet Showplace Theater, a scene in the performance moved him so much that he whispered to me:

“I want to remember this forever!”

Thank you for making this kind of magical moment possible. This year at Puppet Showplace we are wishing on a star—and that star is you!

Sincerely,

Alison Plante, Board of Trustees

More Animal Superstars!

We are teaming-up this week with our friends at The Children's Book Shop on Washington Street in Brookline for recommendations of animal superstars you can find in children's stories. So after a performance of Tales of Beatrix Potter, December 3-6, or A Tale of the Monkey King, December 10-13, make sure to stop by The Children's Book Shop down the street from the theater for more exciting stories starring your favorite celebrity creatures!

Greetings from The Children’s Book Shop! Animal superstars make for great puppet playtime—and they make for great picture books, too! We’re excited to introduce you to some of our current favorite stories featuring fantastic animal characters. 

1. The Bear’s Surprise by Benjamin Chaud

Spring has finally arrived but when Little Bear wakes up, his Mama and Papa are nowhere to be found. Following a winding path that leads into holes, through pipes, and out of a washing machine, Little Bear ends up at the circus where he finds his Papa and Mama—performing! Little Bear, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and even Tiny Bear become the stars of the circus, for the only thing better than a family of bears is a family of acrobatic ones.

2. Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio; illustrated by Christian Robinson

Mrs. Poodle has four little puppies Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La, and Gaston. Though Gaston grows to be much larger than the rest, he always tries his hardest to be proper. Come springtime, when Mrs. Poodle takes her puppies to the park, she and Mrs. Bulldog realize there's been a horrible mistake: Antoinette and Gaston must have been switched at birth! Instead of switching back, they realize it’s more important to feel like you belong than to look like you belong. The bulldogs learn something about being proper and the poodles learn a little about playing rough… giving everyone the best of both worlds!

3. Frog on a Log? by Kes Gray; illustrated by Jim Field

Should a frog have to sit on a log, just for the sake of a rhyme? Though the frog would like to leave his painful perch, the cat insists that this is the way things have to be, as sure as cats sit on mats. The confused frog goes through animals from lions to gibbons asking the cat where they sit. Responding with clever rhymes, the cat seemingly has an answer for everything… even when the frog asks what dogs sit on!

4. Frog and Toad Storybook Treasury by Arnold Lobel

The Frog and Toad stories are absolute classics—as fun for those familiar with the iconic pair to return to as they are for new readers. For the first time, all of the stories—Frog and Toad are Friends, Frog and Toad Together, Frog and Toad All Year, and Days with Frog and Toad—are collected in one book, making it easy to (re)discover the friends’ adventures in their woodland habitat throughout the seasons. 

5. I Really Like Slop! by Mo Willems

What’s better than a pig and an elephant who are best friends? In the latest installment of Mo Willems’s Elephant and Piggie early reader series, Piggie makes her favorite slop and manages to convince Gerald to try it—despite the old shoe taste! Much like all of Mo Willem’s books, I Really Like Slop will leave you laughing and wishing for talking animals as best friends, too.

The Children’s Book Shop is a very short walk from the Puppet Showplace Theater, so if you’re up for more animal hijinks after enjoying expert puppetry and performance, come visit us at 237 Washington Street.

Meet the Artists: Eric Wright, Matt Singer, and Emily DeCola at The Puppet Kitchen

Puppet Showplace is serving up a delicious serving of puppetry for adult audiences this week as our Puppets at Night series presents, "What Are You Eating?", created by Eric Wright and Matt Singer, and directed by Emily DeCola. Just in time for Thanksgiving, the Puppet Kitchen's brilliant chefs arrive in Boston to cook-up a witty antidote to holiday indigestion. If you're feeling overwhelmed, lonely, confused and hungry for something (but you don't know what exactly), come sit and eat, and we'll work it out over something delicious. "What Are You Eating?" combines irreverent puppetry with original live music.  Recommended for ages 13+

Still hungry? Join us after the show Friday Nov 20 for an Opening Night Reception at The Middle Gray down the street. RSVP

What Are You Eating?
by Eric Wright and Matt Singer
Fri & Sat, November 20 & 21 at 8pm
Opening night reception, Friday November 20 at 9pm

Eric Wright and Matt Singer with Billy

Interview with Eric Wright

What is The Puppet Kitchen?

The Puppet Kitchen is a full-service puppetry studio that Emily DeCola, Michael Schupbach and I co-founded in New York's East Village. We design, build, perform, teach and direct puppetry in every style for events, screens, and stages all over the world.    
 

How did you become a puppeteer?

I've always had a wide range of interests: science, music, design, natural sciences, art, and theater.  In high school I became very interested in movie special effects - what we would call practical effects today - and I was also very influenced by the muppets and other puppet theater I had seen.  When I attended Sarah Lawrence College I met Dan Hurlin, who teaches the puppetry classes there, and I began to meet the community of puppeteers in New York that were creating exciting theater, as well as a supportive environment for new work. I knew almost immediately that if I focused on puppetry, and becoming a puppeteer, I would be able to combine all of my interests and never give any of them up.  I studied at the University of Connecticut's puppetry program, and attended the O'Neill National Puppetry Conference several times, meeting and learning from as many different people as I could. I practice a lot, say 'yes' to as much as I can, and take every opportunity I can to perform, build, and create more opportunities for other puppeteers.
 

Who are your collaborators to create this show, and what was the process to work with them?

I approached Matt Singer and Emily DeCola to help create the content of the show during a residency at the St. Ann's Warehouse Puppet Lab, and approached Michael Schupbach and the other folks at the Puppet Kitchen to help make the actual puppets for the show. At first, it was a very nerve-wracking and uncertain path to the creation of this show, because I wanted to fit a lot of message and substance into the show, while still keeping it entertaining, which I've never done before on my own work. Working with Matt and Emily to refine what that message was really great.  They're very generous with their ideas, and I always love working hard with close friends. We generated a lot of material (and cut a lot of cardboard) over the creation of this show, and I'm really pleased with what we've put together.
 

Who are the puppeteers/artists who have inspired you the most during your career?

I've always been inspired by good storytelling and entertainment that stretches or enhances reality. I also have really eclectic tastes, and love fine craftsmanship. I'm consistently inspired by the work from: The Muppets, Looney Tunes, Stan Winston Studios, Laika, Dan Hurlin, Mummenschanz, Philip Huber, Manual Cinema, Aardman Studios, Calvin and Hobbes, and Pixar.
 

What do you hope the audience will get out of their experience attending a performance of "What Are You Eating?"

I'd love the audience to remember how enjoyable it can be to share an experience together, whether it's a puppet show, a tasty dish, or even a question we've pondered.
 

What is your favorite part of the show?

I love that we've set our show up like a dinner party. I love greeting our audience as guests and sharing a snack with them afterward.
 

And the most important question, what is your favorite pie for Thanksgiving?

When we first performed the show at St. Ann's Warehouse, we served Occupie.  An Occupie is a chocolate dessert which has 70% of the sugar concentrated in the upper crust, making the bulk of the dessert pretty bitter, and forming an impenetrable ceiling of sugar which must be shattered in order to be enjoyed.  It's very rich, and appropriate for every occasion.  For Thanksgiving, though, I'll generally have pumpkin, pecan, apple, and a little of what you're having.

About the Artists:

ERIC WRIGHT (puppets) Performance credits include: The Firebird (City Center), Alice in Wonderland (New York City Opera), P.S. Jones and the Frozen City (New Ohio Theater) Compulsion (Yale Rep, Berkeley Rep, The Public), Disfarmer (St. Ann's Warehouse) Madama Butterfly (Metropolitan Opera), Peter and Wendy (Arena Stage), Powerhouse (Fringe Festival NYC), Petrushka (Lincoln Center), La Bella Dormente… (Spoletto Festival), Hiroshima Maiden (St. Ann's Warehouse) Don't Trust Anyone over 30 (Art Basel Miami). He is an Associate Artist of Sinking Ship Productions, and regular performer in Puppet Playlist. With Emily DeCola and Michael Schupbach, Mr. Wright is one of the co-founders and 'Head Chefs' of The Puppet Kitchen, a puppetry studio in New York's East village. www.puppetkitchen.com

MATT SINGER (music) Brooklyn-based with New Jersey roots, Matt has played premier New York venues including Bowery Ballroom, Joe’s Pub and Gramercy Theatre and toured the U.S., U.K., and Europe. Matt’s live performance has been described as a “joyous roots sound strung through an urban outlet” (Village Voice). With a combination of his “silly yet sincere” persona (The Deli), improvisational stage antics, and infectious melodies, Matt generates a cozy atmosphere at his shows, transforming his audience into a small community. Recently, he has collaborated with filmmakers, puppeteers and playwrights, co-creating three music videos, two of which were featured at BAM's Puppets on Film Festival.

EMILY DECOLA (direction) is a proud co-founder of the Puppet Kitchen; working with partners Eric Wright and Michael Schupbach and a crowd of talented craftspeople and interns. Her performance, direction and design credits include: Compulsion and Hamlet (Public Theater), Peter & Wendy, Prelude to a Death in Venice and La Divina Caricatura (Mabou Mines), My Fairytale (Stephen Schwartz, world premiere, PCPA Theaterfest), Master Peter's Puppet Show (Castleton Opera Festival - Maestro Loren Maazel), A Soldier's Tale (Orchestra of St. Luke's) Pericles, Revengers Tragedy & Women Beware Women (Red Bull Theater), Animal Farm (Synapse Productions), Taylor Mac's The Lily's Revenge (HERE Theater) John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean (New World Stages) and LazyTown (Nickelodeon).

Meet the Artist: Deborah Costine, Puppeteer!

Our Animal Superstars series continues this week with "The Three Pigs and Other Tales," performed by Deborah Costine, Puppeteer! See your favorite pig pals brought to life in this delightful shadow puppet show for our younger audiences. "The Three Pigs," "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," and "Stone Soup" play out on a whimsical stage, where intricately designed silhouettes appear on a shadow screen. The puppeteer is also visible above where she can talk and interact with the audience through out this magical show. Recommended for ages 3 to 6.

The Three Pigs and Other Tales

By Deborah Costine, Puppeteer!

Thursday & Friday, November 12-13 at 10:30am                                                                                  Saturday & Sunday, November 14-15 at 1:00pm & 3:00pm

The Three Pigs

Deborah Costine

Deborah Costine is an artist, author, amateur naturalist and award-winning professional puppeteer who has been presenting performances throughout New England for over thirty years. She has a degree in Art Education, teaches workshops about puppetry and art in education, is a proud mother, and has a deep care and respect for young children. She is a winner of the UNIMA-USA Citation for Excellence and received a grant from the Jim Henson Foundation, for the production of her original show: “Turtle’s New Home. Debbie grew up in Lancaster NH in a region known as “The Great North Woods.” There were no visiting assembly programs and the only puppet Debbie had ever seen was Bunny-Rabbit on “Captain Kangaroo.” When she was ten she made a puppet all on her own- a papier maché clown that still sits in her studio today. In 1974 Debbie co-founded the well-known “Gerwick Puppets” with Len Gerwick. The company toured throughout much of New England presenting over 5,000 performances, mostly in schools. Debbie now also performs solo as Deborah Costine Nature Puppets, creating shows inspired by on her interest in nature and the environment. Deborahcostinenaturepuppets.com

Make Your Own Spooky Ghost Puppet

DIY Puppet Crafts!

Still telling ghost stories from Halloween? Now you can create your own spooky ghost story with these DIY ghost puppets!

ON STAGE NOW: Halloween Extravaganza! "Dr. Doohickey and the Monster Machine" by Resident Artist, Brad Shur. Thurs & Fri, Oct 29 & 30 at 10:30am, Sat & Sun, Oct 31 & Nov 1 at 1pm & 3pm.

Materials:

• Cheesecloth
• Mod Podge
• Toilet Paper Tube
• Aluminum Foil
• Scissors
• Black Construction Paper
• Tape

Steps:

1. Create a form for your ghost using the toilet paper tube as a body and by balling up aluminum foil to create a head. Tape two aluminum foil arms on the sides:

2. Cut several strips cheesecloth that can be draped over the form without too much excess. Make them fairly wide, about 3-4 inches:

3. Mix one part water to two parts mod podge in a separate cup. Dip the strips of cheesecloth into the paste mixture, squeeze out the excess, and drape the strips onto your toilet paper tube and aluminum foil form:

4. Once you've draped all of your cheesecloth strips, leave your ghost to dry. Once dry, carefully remove the hardened cheesecloth from the toilet paper tube and aluminum foil form. The cheesecloth may still be a bit moldable. Cut out a nose and mouth from black construction paper and glue it onto the ghost's face with regular mod podge:

5. Tell your own ghost stories with your new friend, and be sure to share them with us when you come to Trick or Treat on Station Street!

DIY Puppet Crafts: Make your own Cow Finger Puppet!

Get into the spirit of our upcoming show: Jack and the Beanstalk, by making your own cow finger puppet! Impress your friends with your cow and just remember, don't trade it for any magic beans! To continue your adventure, make sure to check out Jack and the Beanstalk, by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre this weekend!

Jack and the Beanstalk
by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre
Saturday October 10th - Sunday October 11th at 1pm and 3pm
COLUMBUS DAY Monday October 12th at 10:30am and 1pm

MAKE YOUR OWN COW FINGER PUPPET: RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 4 AND UP

MATERIALS
Cardstock Paper
Scissors
Pencil
Glue Stick
Markers

STEPS
1) Outline a cow design in pencil.

2) Trace over the cow in marker.

3) Color in the cow with markers to your liking.

4) Use scissors to cut out your cow design.

Ask an adult if you need help!

5) Using the same piece of paper, cut out a small rectangle about the width of the cow.

6) Use a glue stick to attach the ends of the rectangle to the back of the cow. It helps if your fold down the ends before gluing them down. This will be the handle for your finger puppet! Let the cow sit for a minute or two to allow the glue to dry.

7) Put on a puppet show for your friends and family!

Calling all Members: Get involved!

Dear Fellow Puppet Showplace Theater Member,

We need your help! Puppet Showplace Theater is looking to add dedicated, enthusiastic and creative individuals for our Fundraising Committee and we think you might be the perfect fit.  As a member, we know you support Puppet Showplace and really appreciate it! Have you ever thought “Gee, I’d really like to do more to ensure the future of the theater and in turn, the art of puppetry”?  Well now’s your chance.

Gala fundraising event, "Carnival of Wonders" June, 2015

We’re looking for 6-10 folks to help out.  Committee members are called on to do a variety of things throughout the year to support the staff.  Responsibilities can be for on-going campaigns (like soliciting donations for auction items, sponsorships, etc.) or can be for specific events (the year-end Gala, for example).  

In whatever capacity you choose over whatever time commitment you can afford, you’d be giving Puppet Showplace a huge boost and getting a lot of satisfaction in return.

Puppet Showplace Board Treasurer, David Levenson with grandchildren Aaron and identical twins (it’s true) Maya (left) and Lillian (right.)

As a board member, treasurer and grandparent, I know the importance of Puppet Showplace's role in the world of puppetry.  Please give some thought to helping us continue our good work.  To join the committee (or any other committee for that matter), please contact  Managing Director, Cat Meilus at business@puppetshowplace.org, or 617-731-6400 x 102 by October 15th.  Looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks,

David Levenson

Meet the Artists: Brad Shur and Paul Watkins

Get ready to see this week's upcoming show "Robin Hood," performed by the Puppet Showplace Artist in Residence, Brad Shur! This imaginative re-telling gives thematic story elements an updated twist told against the classic backdrop of late 18th century England. The performance also features an original score by composer Paul Watkins, Puppet Showplace's very own Box Office Manager.

Robin Hood
by Brad Shur, Resident Artist
Saturday & Sunday, Sept 26 & 27 at 1 & 3pm

Paul Vincent Davis, Robin Hood Glove puppet, and Brad Shur

Robin Hood Glove puppet

Paul Watkins

Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to papier mache. As the Resident Artist at Puppet Showplace Theater he performs regularly and teaches puppet classes to students of all ages, Pre-K to adult. As protege 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" was Shur's first original glove puppet show. Shur's other original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Dr. Doohickey and the Monster Machine," "Tall Tales! 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 Resident Artist at Puppet Showplace, Shur toured the country as a performer with Big Nazo (Rhode Island), Wodd and strings Theatre (Tennessee) and The PuppTree (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.

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 graduate of the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA with a  Master of Music degree . 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.

DIY Puppet Crafts: Make your own Deer with moving legs!

Are you feeling adventurous this week? We've got a special DIY deer craft that's perfect for you! Get into the spirit of Robin Hood this weekend with this exciting deer craft with moving legs! Of course, to continue your adventure, make sure to check out Robin Hood, by our resident artist Brad Shur, with musical components by our very own  box office manager Paul Watkins!

Robin Hood
by Brad Shur, Resident Artist
Saturday September 26th - Sunday September 27th
1pm and 3pm

MAKE YOUR OWN DEER WITH MOVING LEGS: RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 5 AND UP!

MATERIALS
Construction Paper
Scissors
Sharpie or marker
Hole Puncher
Brass Fasteners

STEPS
1) Use a marker to design your own deer body, without legs. Design legs separately. Use scissors to cut out all parts.

2) Punch out holes using the hole puncher in the darkened areas below:

3) You should get something like this:

4) Align the holes of the leg and body together...

5) And insert brass fasteners through the holes to secure the legs to the body.

6) Create an adventure with your new moving deer!

Meet the Artist: Pumpernickel Puppets

Who's behind the adventures to Mystery Mountain and the visits to the Great Green Dragon? Meet Pumpernickel Puppets! Inspired by a puppet show from a very young age, John McDonough founded Pumpernickel Puppets with a love and passion for puppetry that is contagious to all audiences.  Straight from Worcester, Massachusetts, Jonathan McDonough brings to us this week a fun and interactive show, Sir George and the Dragon!

Sir George and the Dragon
by Pumpernickel Puppets
Saturday September 19th - Sunday September 20th
1pm and 3pm

Jonathan McDonough poses with one of his puppets!

Candid shot from Sir George and the Dragon!

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, the 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.

DIY Puppet Crafts: Make your own dragon shadow puppet!

Get into the spirit of our upcoming show: Sir George and the Dragon, by making your own dragon shadow puppet! Easy step-by-step instructions can be found below. Don't forget to check out Sir George and the Dragon this weekend, by Pumpernickel Puppets!

Sir George and the Dragon
by Pumpernickel Puppets
Saturday September 19th - Sunday September 20th
1pm and 3pm

MAKE YOUR OWN DRAGON SHADOW PUPPET: RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 3 TO 6

 

MATERIALS
Black cardstock paper
Plain white paper
Pencil
Masking Tape
Scissors
Bamboo skewers (or chopsticks)

STEPS
1. Draw out in pencil your own design of a dragon, (or anything you want to be your shadow puppet). 

2. Use scissors to cut out your drawing. 

3. With a pencil, trace your drawing onto a black piece of paper.

4. Cut out your drawing from the black paper. 

5. To create more surface area on the pointed end of the skewer, attach a piece of masking tape onto the end.

6. Now tape the skewer to the dragon. You now have your own shadow puppet!

7. Put on your own puppet show for all your friends! You can use a blank piece of paper and shine light behind it, while placing your shadow puppet in front of the light, to make your shadow puppets come to life!