Wednesday, July 29, 2009

FREE Family Movie Nite 8/1 – The Muppets Take Manhattan



In the third movie starring the Muppets, Kermit rounds up the gang to take Broadway by storm, despite a few obstacles in the way (like Kermit's own, momentary amnesia). Other highlights include the introduction of the Muppet Babies (see clip above) and Kermit and Miss Piggy's wedding, done as a big Muppet musical number featuring all of the Muppets and many of the Muppet characters from Sesame Street. (94 min, G)

Deborah Costine, Puppeteer! in the News

Deborah Costine, friend of the Puppet Showplace Theatre, has been in the news a lot this year. Back in October 2008, she and Len Gerwick celebrated the 5,000th performance of Gerwick Puppets with a special show at the Puppet Showplace Theatre.

As if that wasn't great enough, at the National Puppetry Festival earlier this month in Atlanta, Deborah and her production of "A Woodland Cinderella" were honored with an UNIMA Citation of Excellence!

UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionette) is an international puppetry organization that has honored exceptional puppeteers and their productions yearly since 1975. The Citation of Excellence is UNIMA's highest honor, and one of the highest honors in the field of puppetry.

Don't miss Deborah's next visit to the Puppet Showplace Theatre: September 16 & 17, when she'll be performing "The Twig Family." Tickets will be available soon via the PST Box Office and our website.

Congratulations Deborah!


Read more about Deborah Costine and UNIMA:

Southborough Puppeteer Pulling A Few Strings (MetroWest Daily News)

UNIMA-USA

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

FREE Family Movie Nite 7/25 - Coraline!




If you are unfamiliar with this film and are unsure if it will be appropriate for your children, please watch the trailer above. The film is stop-motion animation, in the style of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride (Henry Selnick directed Coraline and Nightmare, as well as James and the Giant Peach), and like those movies has scenes and themes that may be too dark for younger audiences.

Based on the Neil Gaiman story of the same name, Coraline is a young, frustrated girl who crawls through a secret passage in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life - only much better. But when her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home - and save her family.

The film is rated PG and features the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman and Ian McShane. We do not recommend this film for ages below 7.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Review the Puppet Showplace Theatre on yelp.com!




You may have used yelp.com to find a restaurant, but did you know you can use it to find other great local destinations? Help us get the word out about our family-friendly entertainment by reviewing the Puppet Showplace Theatre and telling the world about your experience at one of our shows.

When you review us, you're not only helping others discover the magic and wonder of attending a Puppet Showplace Theatre performance–you're helping to promote the art of puppetry as entertainment and an educational tool, and the Showplace as a worthwhile family destination.

Review Puppet Showplace Theatre on yelp.com

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

FREE Family Movie Nite 7/18 - Labyrinth!



If you are unfamiliar with this film and are unsure if it will be appropriate for your children, please watch the clip above. Many of the film's puppets are fantastical creatures like the goblins, gargoyles and others beyond description in this clip (not to mention big-haired David Bowie in tights). And though the puppets are, for the most part, goofy–and the good guys win in the end–not all of them are goofy and there are a lot of dark scenes.

Labyrinth is the story of
Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), her baby brother, and the Goblin King (Bowie). Sarah has to rescue her baby brother from the mean Goblin King before time runs out, but first has to navigate the Goblin King's confusing and confounding labyrinth! This film is one of Jim Henson's most fantastical movie creations.

The film is rated PG. We do not recommend this film for ages below 7.