Sunday, December 29, 2013

Puppets at First Night Boston 2014!


For the first time EVER, Puppet Showplace Theatre is producing a puppet festival as part of this year's First Night Boston festivities! Join us on New Year's Eve: Tues, Dec 31 at the Hynes Convention Center for an exciting line-up of amazing puppetry performances!

First Night Boston Buttons start at just $10 each (premium seating also available) BUY BUTTON

FESTIVAL LINE-UP

Afternoon Family Festival

Room 207 - 1:15, 2:15, 3:15, 4:15pm
“Little Red Riding Hood (and Other Stories),”
by Andrew and Bonnie Periale, Perry Alley Theatre

Room 208 - 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30pm
“The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England”
by Brad Shur and Chris Monti, Puppet Showplace Theatre

Room 209 - 1:45, 2:45, 3:45, 4:45pm
“Puppet Playtime with Bella Monster (and Friends!)”
by Brenda Huggins and Phil Berman, Puppet Showplace Theatre

Room 210 - 2:00, 4:00pm
“Midwinter Magic”
by Len Gerwick and Deborah Costine, The Gerwick Puppets

Convention Center Hallway and Room 210 – Ongoing
Roving performances and puppet demonstrations featuring The Dolly Wagglers, Spybird Theatre, Traveler’s Attic, and Foreign Landscapes Productions.

Puppets at Night 

Room 210
“First Night Puppet Slam”
Start times: 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30pm

Join us for Boston’s first-ever First Night Puppet Slam! This cabaret-style event features astonishing and irreverent puppetry acts in different styles, from elegant trick marionettes and elaborate shadow puppets to a Boston-themed Punch and Judy show. Featured performers include National Marionette Theatre, Puppet Master Jake, the Dolly Wagglers, and more!

Recommended for all ages, 13+.

Enchanted Vanity Set by Travis Lope

Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" at Puppet Showplace!

FINAL SNOWY STORY OF THE SERIES!

"Peter and the Wolf"


by National Marionette Theatre

SOLD OUT: Mon, Dec 30, 10:30am & 1pm
SOLD OUT: Tues, Dec 31, 10:30am
Tues, Dec 31 at 1pm
SOLD OUT: Wed, Jan 1, 10:30am & 1pm
Thurs, Jan 1- 2 at 10:30am & 1pm

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This winter, Puppet Showplace has brought you tales from snowy lands, gingerbread houses, snowflakes, and an underpants snatching squirrel. The final performance of our "Snowy Stories" series this season features the beautifully hand crafted marionettes of "Peter and the Wolf" by National Marionette Theatre of Brattleboro, VT!

Many of the performances during the final days of school vacation week are already SOLD OUT, so advanced reservations are highly recommended!


About the show: Prokofiev’s "Peter and the Wolf" has enchanted audiences since its premier in 1936. Set in turn of the century Russia, this elegant production tells the story of how Peter, along with his animal friends, outsmarts and captures a wolf. Each performance begins with a bumbling conductor who introduces the orchestral instruments and demonstrates--with a bit of slapstick humor--how their sounds represent each character in the story. The production features the beautiful music of Prokofiev’s orchestral score combined with stunning scenery and hand-crafted marionettes.


About the performer: National Marionette Theatre (NMT) is one of the oldest continually-running marionette theaters in the United States. Founded in 1967 By artistic director David A. Syrotiak, this award-winning company has been entertaining and amazing audiences around the world with their imaginative productions for over forty years.

National Marionette Theatre, the Syrotiak family.
Noted for their amazing manipulation technique and imaginative fully staged productions, National Marionette Theater is committed to bringing you the very best in family entertainment.

NMT has performed for a diverse clientele over the years. From elementary schools to the Smithsonian in Washington DC to an outdoor piazza in Italy.

Learn more about National Marionette Theatre on their website: www.nmtshow.com

Thursday, December 26, 2013

AHHH!!! There's a Squirrel Thief at Puppet Showplace!

VACA WEEK CONTINUES WITH:

"Squirrel Stole My Underpants"
by Bonnie Duncan
(SOLD OUT) Thurs & Fri, Dec 26 & 27 at 10:30am & 1pmSat & Sun, Dec 28 & 29 at 1pm & 3pm

All shows are performed with a LIVE MUSICAL score!

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Check your knickers, because that pesky underpants-stealing squirrel is back in town! Many of the performances scheduled during the 2013 December vacation week are already SOLD OUT, and advanced tickets are highly recommended. "Squirrel Stole My Underpants" made its debut at Puppet Showplace in January of 2013 during our "New Year, New Shows" series for new work by local artists.

Here's what creator/performer Bonnie has to say about the show:
“I am exploring that delicate time in childhood when you desperately want to be a grown up, but you still need your blanket to make you feel safe,” Duncan said in a press release. “I am using puppetry as a way to fill the world of one lonely girl with many friends, foes, and magical creatures…to bring to life an unordinary world.”



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 14 years, Bonnie Duncan has been creating and performing work as a dancer, puppeteer, and actor. 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 danced 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 been shown in theaters in Boston, Providence, New York City, San Francisco, Austin, TX, Germany, and Czech Republic. Bonnie also has a masters degree in arts integration and teaches drama & movement in elementary and middle schools. She is mom to Jack Ozro (four) and Rex and Adelaide (two and two). And finally, she loves cupcakes. www.the-secret-agents.com

Bonnie gives a post-show demo with musicians after the show!
Brendan Burns (music) is a guitarist and educator rooted in Somerville, MA. He released his debut album TimeStamp (recorded live at the Somerville Theatre) in 2012. Brendan is a founding member of the music and puppetry troupe Elephant Tango Ensemble (nominated for an IRNE award), former director of the house band for Bent Wit Cabaret and a regular contributor with SchoolTree, Kristen Ford Band, Karin Webb, Molly Zenobia, and Brendan Burns' Roadhouse. Brendan holds a Bachelor's Degree from Berklee College of Music and is the guitar department coordinator at Brookline Music School. http://www.brendanburns.com/

Tony Leva (music) is an educator, improvisor, collaborator, and performer. He performs regularly with Bury Me Standing, Jaggery, The Michael Dobeil Quartet and the Junk Kitchen Players. Since 2002 he has been actively studying and performing on the upright bass. He currently teaches bass at the Rockport Community School and is an active collaborator/educator at Tunefoolery, an artist collective of musicians with psychiatric disabilities. Tony also studies the sintir (A North African bass lute) and has occasionally performed on trumpet, melodica, accordion, and clown nose. http://anthonyleva.wordpress.com/

Monday, December 23, 2013

Spring Valley Puppet Theater performs Snowy Stories!

VACATION WEEK IS HERE!


"A Holiday Fantasy" 
by Spring Valley Puppet Theater
Mon & Tues, Dec 23 & 24 at 10:30am & 1pm

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Up next in Puppet Showplace Theatre's "Snowy Stories" series is a lively holiday themed performance by the award-winning Spring Valley Puppet Theater of New Haven, CT.  Enjoy two stories featuring beautifully hand crafted puppets made by Michael Graham, who also performs the entire show solo.  Stay after the show for an exciting demonstration where Michael shares all of the tricks and special effects in the show!

The "Snowy Stories" series at Puppet Showplace is sponsored by Bright Horizions at Brookline.


"A Holiday Fantasy" by Spring Valley Puppet Theater"

About the show: Enchanted toys, fairy magic and a clever mouse are just some of the wonderful characters you will meet in “A Holiday Fantasy,” an original puppet production by Michael Graham’s Spring Valley Puppet Theater. The story unfolds to the beautiful classical music of Massenet, Glazunov, Lecocq and more! Then, what would YOU do if a magical elf gave you three wishes? That’s just what happens to Henry and Gretchen in “The Three Wishes,” a folktale favorite featuring beautifully crafted hand and rod puppets, colorful scenic design, special effects, and plenty of magical plot twists!

A doll dances to life in "A Holiday Fantasy" by Spring Valley Puppet Theater

About the performer: Michael Graham has performed with puppets since he was a young boy. He founded the Spring Valley Puppet Theater in 1977. Since then, he has performed throughout New England, primarily for schools and libraries. His work has been featured numerous times at regional and national festivals of the Puppeteers of America, and he is a recipient of the prestigious UNIMA citation of excellence.

Mouse from "A Holiday Fantasy"
Michael designs and makes all of his puppets by hand, writes his own scripts, creates the scenery, and performs many of the voices. He graduated from Western Connecticut State College with a degree in Elementary Education and Spanish, and has created many bilingual adaptations of folk tales.

Michael has been a guest instructor at the University of Connecticut Puppet Arts program, the Institute of Professional Puppetry Arts (IPPA) at the O'Neill Theatre Center, and has presented casting and hand puppet construction workshops for puppetry guilds in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

www.springvalleypuppets.com

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

December Vacation Week is ALMOST HERE!

Puppet Showplace Theatre's Snowy Stories series continues with...

"Hansel and Gretel" 

by Tanglewood Marionettes
Thurs & Fri, Dec 19 & 20 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, Dec 21 & 22 at 1pm & 3pm

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It's the last week of school before winter break, and we have quite a line-up of holiday fun in store for you! Follow Hansel and Gretel into the forrest for an exciting gingerbread adventure performed by Tanglewood Marionettes this Thursday, Dec 19 through Sunday, Dec 22.

Take a look at all of our upcoming school vacation week performances: VIEW CALENDAR

About the show: In this original adaptation of the classic fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel need to work together, using both brains and bravery, to find their way out of the woods. This beautifully hand-crafted production by Tanglewood Marionettes begins with an interactive puppet demonstration and features enchanting music from Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel" opera.



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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The "Snowflake Man" returns to Puppet Showplace!

SNOWY STORIES, Dec 5-Jan 2
A series of snowy tales and holiday themed fun at Puppet Showplace this winter!

VIEW FULL PERFORMANCE CALENDAR

UP NEXT: "The Snowflake Man" by Puppetkabob
Thurs & Fri, December 12 & 13 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun, Dec 14 & 15 at 1pm


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Snowy Stories continues with the exciting TRUE story about the world's first pioneer of snowflake photography. Wait, how do you take a picture of an ice crystal? Find out in this UNIMA award-winning production by Puppetkabob!

AND...After the show on Sat & Sun, you can make your very own pop-up theatre for endless puppet fun at home! The "Make Your Own Pop-up Puppet Theatre" begins at 2pm: MORE INFO

About the show: "The Snowflake Man" is an award-winning puppet production inspired by New England inventor Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, the self-educated farmer and scientist who attracted world attention when he became the first person to photograph a single snow crystal. “The Snowflake Man” swings audiences into the historic 1920s through creative storytelling, intricately designed Czech-style marionettes, and a striking pop-up book of water color scenery. This memorable performance combines art, science, and a little known piece of New England history to magical effect!

Funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.


About the performer: Puppetkabob is an award-winning touring puppet company founded in 2001 by artist Sarah Frechette. Sarah is a puppeteer, artist and arts educator whose work has been experienced in Theaters, Museums, Art Galleries, TV and Film.

Sarah studied in Germany with Legendary Master Puppeteer Albrecht Roser absorbing his theories on Zen and the art of puppetry. She earned her BFA from UConn's Puppet Arts Program. Sarah plays “Penny Pup” on the children's television series “Seemore's Playhouse”, seen on PBS.
 
Puppetkabob's show "The Snowflake Man" was inspired by two New England spirits: that of Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley, pioneer of snowflake photography, and Sarah's Grandfather. Behind all of the puppet shows Sarah creates is the memory of her Vermont heritage, her grandparents and relatives who work with their hands and with their hearts.

Sarah Frechette in her workshop!
The performance of "The Snowflake Man" blends czech-style marionettes, miniatures, pop-up paper art, music and live storytelling to convey historical information that is dramatic and personal. Puppetkabob was awarded the UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence for the production of "The Snowflake Man." The show was recently pictured in the New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer!

"The Snowflake Man" was a featured at the following 2013 Festivals: Outside the Box Festival in Boston, MA; the Puppeteers of America (r)Evolution National Puppetry Festival in Swarthmore, PA; the Puppets Take Long Island Festival in Garden City, NY: and at the 10th International Toy Theater Festival in DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY.

Build Your Own Pop-Up Puppet Theatre!
Sat & Sun at December 14 & 15 at 2pm


About the workshop: Bring your own snowy story to life in this fun family workshop. Using simple art materials, participants will learn how to create their own paper puppets and table-top scenery inspired by the colorful pop-up book art of "The Snowflake Man." Award-winning puppeteer and artist Sarah Frechette, a graduate of the University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts program, will provide guidance and answer puppetry-related questions throughout. Need an extra holiday-season incentive? Pop-up puppet theatres make great family gifts! 

Workshop participant

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Snowy Stories Series Begins at Puppet Showplace!

Snowy Stories: Dec 5-Jan 2 (VIEW CALENDAR)

This December through January, Puppet Showplace presents a series of puppet shows for the whole family that feature snowy stories and holiday themed fun! Enjoy original tales like "Squirrel Stole My Underpants!" by Bonnie Duncan, to classic stories like "Hansel and Gretel" and "Peter and the Wolf." How many "Snowy Stories" will you see this holiday season?!

The series kicks-off with a HILARIOUS glove puppet show by puppeteer and children's librarian, Sparky Davis! Baby Emma the bulldog and friends host a cabaret of short snowy-themed folktales for the whole family. SERIOUSLY. This show will have the little ones AND the adults in stitches!

"Tales from Snowy Lands" 
by Sparky's Puppets

Thu & Fri, December 5 & 6 @ 10:30 am
Sat & Sun December 7 & 8 @ 1:00 & 3:00 pm

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About the show: Sparky's Puppets perform a lively medley of stories that all take place on a winter's day. Watch Jack Frost's magic bring a snowman to life. Find out what happens when a boastful bear goes ice fishing. And laugh at the antics of three pesky goblins as they visit a toy maker's shop on a cold and snowy day. Lots of audience interaction, clever word play, and skillful puppet performance make this a a fun and memorable show!

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

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

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Feast your eyes on "The Magic Soup and Other Stories"

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND!

The Ugly Truth
"The Magic Soup and Other Stories"
by Brad Shur, Artist in Residence

Fri, Nov 29 at 10:30am & 1pm 
Fri- (SOLD OUT)
Sat & Sun, Nov 30-Dec 1 at 1 & 3pm

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Puppet Showplace is proud to present a collection of Yiddish folktales that brings the whole family together for a wild puppet adventure! This original story featuring favorite tales from the Jewish folk tradition was written by Artist in Residence, Brad Shur. He designed the set, hand built all of the puppet characters, and performs the show solo. Feast your eyes on the magical world of "The Magic Soup and Other Stories" this Thanksgiving weekend at Puppet Showplace! (Friday performances are already SOLD OUT, so make your reservation today!)

From the story: "The Very Small House"
About the show: What do you do when your relatives are coming over for dinner, but there's no food in sight? A young man's search for a family recipe ends up bringing folk tales to life...in his kitchen. Based on a collection of traditional Yiddish stories, "The Magic Soup" teaches that it is those with wit, humor and imagination who have the best chance of filling their bellies -- and fulfilling their dreams.


About the performer: Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to papier mache. As the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theatre he performs regularly and teaches puppetry classes to students of all ages, Pre-K to adult. As protégé of master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, Shur trained extensively in glove puppetry and currently performs two of Davis’ classic shows at venues across New England. Shur’s original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Dr. Doohickey and the Monster Machine," "The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England" and "The Magic Soup and Other Stories," recently featured at the Puppeteers of America National Festival 2013. Shur is currently working on a new adaptation of "Robin Hood," set to open in January 2014. Prior to becoming the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace, Shur toured the country as a performer with Big Nazo (Rhode Island), Wood & Strings Theatre (Tennessee) and The PuppeTree (Vermont). As a builder Shur has designed and fabricated puppets for American Idol, Dollywood, Avenue Q, and the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. Shur is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.
Brad Shur, Puppet Showplace Artist in Residence


Monday, November 18, 2013

Dreams of the BIG TOP at Puppet Showplace!

FINAL SHOW of the CIRCUS SPECTACULAR series!

"Circus Dreams"

by Tuckers' Tales Puppet Theater

Thurs & Fri November 21-22 @ 10:30 am, 
Sat  & Sun, November 23-24 @ 1:00 & 3:00 pm

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Join us for our last week of circus fun at Puppet Showplace! Our friends Tuckers' Tales are here from Philadelphia, PA with a circus variety show full of silly clowns and zany characters. See you at the theatre!

About the show: Have you ever dreamed of being in the circus? Join Tuckers’ Tales on a journey of the imagination in two original Big Top tales. First, Jeffrey the Bear has wanted to be a circus clown for as long as he could remember. Will this little bear get his wish to become a big star? Then, a zany ringmaster and his clown “assistants” are determined to see the show go on, despite bungled magic tricks and escaping animals. The result is a lively variety show featuring lovable characters, constant surprises, and fun!

About the performer: Tuckers’ Tales is a puppet company based outside of Philadelphia. Co-directors and husband and wife team Marianne and Tom Tucker performed together as folk musicians for over a decade when they decided form their own puppet company in 1981. The Tuckers now have over two dozen original puppet productions in their repertoire, ranging from folk tales and legends to hilarious children’s variety shows. Every year Tuckers’ Tales appears at puppet, folk, ethnic and street festivals; and at craft fairs, shopping centers, theaters and schools around the country.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Here Come the Clowns!

CIRCUS SPECTACULAR!

Nov 7-24: VIEW FULL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

UP NEXT: "Clown Circus"
by Paul Vincent Davis, 
performed by Brad Shur, artist in residence 
Sat & Sun, November 16-17 @ 1 & 3 pm

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From silly characters to not-so-ferocious lions, "Clown Circus" features a high energy cast of clowns in hilarious vaudeville bits that will have audiences in stitches! The show was created by award-winning puppeteer, Paul Vincent Davis, Puppet Showplace Theatre's artist in residence emeritus.

Our current artist in residence, Brad Shur performs "Clown Circus," passing on the traditions from the artist in residence before him. As protégé of master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, Shur trained extensively in glove puppetry and currently performs many of Paul's classic shows at venues across New England.


About the show: Clowns come in all shapes and sizes, but everything about them is larger-than-life. Join Dusty and his friends Pierrot, Zany and Guffaw for this fun, interactive variety show that features circus-inspired singing, dancing, storytelling, lion-taming, and more.

This colorful performance, originally created by master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, is a favorite for young audiences (and their grown-ups).

About the show's creator: 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 Theatre 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 Boston Area Guild of Puppetry.

Davis created over a dozen full-length puppetry productions and received four 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 bookPuppeteer by Kathryn Lasky and is currently writing his own book about the art and philosophy of glove puppetry.

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.

Brad with a character from "Clown Circus"

Shur’s original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Dr. Doohickey and the Monster Machine," "The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England" and "The Magic Soup and Other Stories," recently featured at the Puppeteers of America National Festival 2013.

Brad with a character from "Clown Circus"
Shur is currently working on a new adaptation of "Robin Hood," set to open in January 2014. Prior to becoming the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace, Shur toured the country as a performer with Big Nazo (Rhode Island), Wood & Strings Theatre (Tennessee) and The PuppeTree (Vermont). As a builder Shur has designed and fabricated puppets for American Idol, Dollywood, Avenue Q, and the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. Shur is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.

For more shows by Brad Shur, CLICK HERE

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Circus comes to BROOKLINE!

CIRCUS SPECTACULAR
Nov 7-24: VIEW FULL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Swing on the trapeze and dance down the high-wire at Puppet Showplace this November! This week, we unfurl our first “Circus Spectacular” series with four circus-themed puppet shows for audiences of all ages, and new puppetry classes/workshops for adults and teens.

UP NEXT: TICK-MARIONETTES!

"The Fairy Circus" by Tanglewood Marionettes

VETERAN'S DAY WEEKEND!
Thurs & Fri, Nov 7 & 8 at 10:30 am
Saturday & Sunday, Nov 9 & 10 at 1 pm & 3pm
Mon, Nov 11 at 10:30 am & 1pm


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About the show: Tanglewood Marionettes invites you to be a spectator at this dazzling display of circus acts performed in an enchanted garden. "The Fairy Circus" is a showcase for turn-of-the-century style trick puppetry, performed by over 20 beautifully handcrafted marionettes. Fairies, field mice, and other small critters dance, play instruments, juggle, contort, transform, and fly through the air with the greatest of ease, all to the music of favorite classical composers. Each performance includes an interactive puppetry demonstration before and after the show!

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

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

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

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

Take your shadow puppets to the next level!

ADULT CLASSES AT PUPPET SHOWPLACE

As the center for puppetry arts in New England, Puppet Showplace attracts puppet enthusiasts interested in diving deeper into the exciting world of puppetry.  Our teaching artists are all working puppeteers excited to share their craft with a new generation of puppeteers. Puppet Showplace artist in residence, Brad Shur teaches a variety of hands-on classes where students try their skills at making puppets come to life.


Students creating original shadow puppet characters at Puppet Showplace
Next on the fall class calendar is "Shadow Puppetry Production Lab" where students learn exciting building techniques and methods to create their own completed shadow puppet show from beginning to end.

Shadow Puppetry Production Lab

Instructor: Brad Shur, Artist in Residence
Six sessions, November 4 - December 9
Mondays, 6:30 to 9:00 pm
Cost: $200 + $20 materials fee
Members save 10% on registration!


About the workshop:  Learn to build and perform a complete shadow puppet show in this rigorous and supportive class. Participants will explore advanced mechanisms and building techniques using hinges, rivets, springs and slides crafted from durable materials to create professional quality shadow puppets. Then participants will focus on performance skills and visual storytelling to create an original short piece. 

This is an advanced-level class: "Introduction to Shadow Puppetry" or equivalent experience is recommended. Participants will be expected to work on projects outside of class time.


About the artist: Brad Shur is the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace. In addition to performing regularly in Brookline for audiences of all ages, Shur also presents shows on tour throughout the New England region, bringing puppetry to hundreds of schools, libraries, camps, and community centers each year. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, 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, The USS Constitution Museum, and theaters from Austin to Boston. 

Brad teaching "Introduction to Shadow Puppetry" at Puppet Showplace
In addition to his active performance schedule, Shur is a sought-after teaching artist. At Puppet Showplace he has designed and taught classes for after school programs, summer camps, and numerous classes for adults. His courses include “Introduction to Puppetry Arts,” “Shadow Puppetry Production Lab,” “Glove Puppetry Boot Camp,” and “Puppet Building 101.” Shur has also conducted extended puppetry residencies and teacher trainings for students of all ages at the Cambridge Ellis School, the Gifford School, Thompson Elementary School, the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, and Boston College. 

Monday, October 28, 2013

Join the good doctor and his rabbit assistant this week at Puppet Showplace!



FINAL SHOW of the Halloween Extravaganza series..

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

Thurs & Fri, Oct 31 & Nov 1 at 10:30am
Sat & Sun,  Nov 3 1:00 & 3:00pm

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Halloween is almost here! Have you picked out your costume yet? Heard a spooky story, or watched some of your favorite ghoulish movies? Here at Puppet Showplace, we are getting ready for Halloween night by switching on the MONSTER MACHINE! Dr. Doohickey has transformed the theatre into his monster machine laboratory full of as many gadgets as surprises!

Audience members are encouraged to attend performances in their Halloween costumes!

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 as "Dr.Doohickey" with his rabbit Reginald, and friend Bella Monster!
About the performer: Brad Shur is a versatile puppeteer who has created and performed characters made of everything from pixels to papier mache. As the Artist in Residence at Puppet Showplace Theatre he performs regularly and teaches puppetry classes to students of all ages, Pre-K to adult. As protégé of master puppeteer Paul Vincent Davis, Shur trained extensively in glove puppetry and currently performs two of Davis’ classic shows at venues across New England. 

Shur’s original works include "The Carrot Salesman," "Dr. Doohickey and the Monster Machine," "The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England" and "The Magic Soup and Other Stories," recently featured at the Puppeteers of America National Festival 2013. Shur is currently working on a new adaptation of "Robin Hood," set to open in January 2014.

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

Friday, October 25, 2013

CD Release: Take Home the Music of "The Yankee Peddler"


Songs from The Yankee Peddler
New Album by Chris Monti & Brad Shur

Now you can take your favorite folk songs from the show home with you! This 12 track album features full length recordings of "The Fox", "Cluck Old Hen" and "Jenny Jenkins," just to name a few.

Musician, Chris Monti's guitar playing paired with Puppet Showplace artist in residence, Brad Shur's amazing character voices creates an exciting adventure through New England history, folklore and rich musical traditions.

CD's are available for $14.99 at the puppet store.  

Call the Box office for more info: 617-731-6400 x 101

Folk Music at Puppet Showplace: Interview with musician, Chris Monti
by Guest Blogger: Brenda Huggins, Puppet Showplace Communications Director

As the center for puppetry arts in New England, Puppet Showplace Theatre is the home of many artists as they develop new works. In January of 2013, we presented the first “New Year, New Shows” series which included the world premiere performance of “The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs of Old New England." The show is by New England performing artists Brad Shur (puppeteer and Puppet Showplace artist in residence) from Boston, MA and Chris Monti, a folk musician from Providence, RI.

Chris Monti and shadow puppets performed by Brad Shur during the song, "The Fox."
“The Yankee Peddler” is a 45min puppet show performed with live music and shadow puppets that take the audience on an adventure through New England history, folktales and traditional folk music.  For the past year, audiences from all over New England and beyond have flocked to experience this unique and beautiful storytelling on stage at Puppet Showplace.

Who is the real STAR of the show? Is it the intricate shadow puppets made by Brad? (Over 100 puppets make an appearance through out the show.) Brad even built a wooden contraption with a crank that scrolls a New England landscape across the bed of an overhead projector behind the puppet screen. This modern overhead projector method used for shadow puppetry is Brad’s signature style.

Is the MUSIC the main event of the performance? “The Yankee Peddler” features about a dozen traditional tunes curated by the artists from a rich history of American Folk Songs from the late 19th century.  Chris expertly performs songs including “Cluck Old Hen”, “The Fox”, “Jenny Jenkins” and others on his acoustic guitar with occasional harmonica licks or response for a kazoo. The reality is that these two important elements of the production, the shadow puppets and the folk music, work together to create a live performance of sounds and images that aptly capture the culture and community of old New England.

Chris Monti and Henrietta the Hen (performed by Brad Shur, puppeteer) in "Cluck Old Hen"
With that being said, I had the opportunity to interview folk musician, Chris Monti, specifically about the music of “The Yankee Peddler”, and the brand new CD just released featuring all of the songs from the show.  Audiences can now take home all of their favorite songs from the show and cluck along with Henrietta the Hen, sing a sea shanty with Storm Along (New England’s Paul Bunyan character) and even write a letter to a rat!

Here’s what Chris Monti had to say:

What are the songs that make up “The Yankee Peddler?”

Half of the show is music: great old traditional songs, specifically. These songs have been passed on through an oral tradition, and it wasn’t until the late 19th century that musicians were able to put them on wax cylinders to document them. This was the first time that people recorded themselves and could hear what their music sounded like played back to them.

These songs are about emotion, and about people’s lives and work. The music is very different from commercial 1950 blue glass made specifically in the studio for the radio.  The songs in “The Yankee Peddler” are from the pre-recording era or right on the edge. They are all old, old songs.

What do you like about performing folk music?

I very much like the idea of playing songs that are 100’s of years old, and playing them in 2013 in a way where I’m not pretending to be anything that I'm not. I play them from the heart in an honest way, even though I am playing a character during the show.  Folk music is a big part of my music identity, and I try to learn music from other people to keep old music alive.  This is an important thing to me.  My personal folk music revolution happened when I was 19. I loved the grittiness of folk songs, the literal crackly sounds of the first recordings from the late 1800’s. 

At 19, I heard live old time string music (fiddles, banjo, mandolin, guitar) in the form of social dance music in providence, RI.  I made friends with musicians who would play this music at home and at dance parties.  From the first listen, I was inspired to take out old records from the public library.  Some of my favorite recordings are the Doc Watson Family album and folk musician Bruce Molskey.

How does the CD capture the music from “The Yankee Peddler?”

It is nice to document the show so people can listen to it, and take it home with them. The 12 tracks that make up the album are in the running order of the show, and it is a stand-alone piece of music to listen to. The main difference from the show is that the tracks on the CD are all fleshed out to full-length songs.   In the show, some of the songs are shortened to be part of the storytelling with the shadow puppets. Cluck old hen is about 1min long in the show, but on the CD, it is a fully fleshed out piece of music that tells its own story.

"Songs from the Yankee Peddler" is available for purchase at the Puppet Showplace puppet store, Brookline MA.
www.puppetshowplace.org
Another difference is that Brad over dubs many vocal parts on the CD, where in the live show, there is only his one voice.  He uses many over dubbed characters voices on “The Fox”, and “Cape Cod Girls” as examples.  There was only two of us in the studio making the album, so anytime you hear another voice, it is one of Brad’s character voices.

One of my favorite tracks on the CD is “100 Years” because I wrote a guitar arrangement specifically for the album.  When the song is performed live in the show, we sing it a cappella over a percussive beat.  I was inspired by middle eastern music when I made the guitar part for the CD, and you can hear a drone in the background as an example of that.

What advice would you give parents about encouraging their children to get into folk music?

Nothing takes the place of seeing live music. It is a completely visceral experience to watch someone play, or to sing along with someone who is playing.  I heard my dad play the guitar when I was 4 years old, and it was in that moment that I knew that I wanted to do that too.


"The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs
 from Old New England"
By Brad Shur and Chris Monti

Friday-Sunday, October 25-27/ PURCHASE TICKETS

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Halloween Extravaganza at Puppet Showplace!


Celebrate spooky stories this Halloween at Puppet Showplace with two special events on Halloween Night!


Trick or Treat! Thursday, October 31, 4 to 7pm


Tricker-treaters of all ages are invited to drop-in between 4pm and 7pm Halloween night for an open-house event with free refreshments, activities and prizes! Come make your own Halloween-themed puppet, show off your costume with Bella Monster, and meet Dr. Doohickey and explore his monster laboratory. No reservations required, and this event is free!









Spooky Story Slam! Thursday, October 31, 8 to 10pm

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Forget kitten costumes and candy corn...Halloween is a time to get scared! Witness the dark side of traditional folklore as MassMouth's professional storytellers duke it out in an uncensored scary story showdown. Not frightening enough? Spooky gets REAL as audience members take the stage to tell their own first-person accounts of the supernatural, spooky, and surreal. From apparitions to zombies (and everything in between) this is a night you won't want to miss!



Sunday, October 20, 2013

Ever wanted to sing along with a sea shanty?

UP NEXT: Halloween Extravaganza Continues...


"The Yankee Peddler: Stories and Songs from Old New England"
by Brad Shur and Chris Monti

Friday October 25 at 10:30am
Saturday & Sunday October 26 & 27 @ 1:00 & 3:00pm

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Get into the Halloween and harvest spirit with New England folk music and shadow puppets! Audience members are invited to dress in their Halloween costumes for all performances.

About the show: Ever wanted to sing along with a sea shanty? Or dive deep into a fox's den? Then join us for a whirlwind tour of New England's lesser-known folklore where you'll discover a giant sailor, a fashionable bear, and the world's largest wheel of cheese. Drawing from three hundred years of stories, songs, and local history, this show is a delight for audiences of all ages.



About the performer: Brad has been professionally involved in puppetry for almost 15 years. He began as a performer with the Providence puppet and mask company Big Nazo while studying film and animation at the Rhode Island School of Design. He has worked in various capacities with Wood & Strings Theatre (Tennessee), and Vermont PuppetTree, and as a builder has designed and fabricated puppets for American Idol, Dollywood, and other theaters and performers from Austin, Texas to Boston, Massachusetts.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Around the Puppetry World in Four Weeks

A whirlwind tour via Brad Shur’s “Introduction to Puppetry Arts” 
By Guest Blogger, Holly Hartman, Volunteer Media Consultant


In the past, I’ve brought children to a range of enchanting shows at the Puppet Showplace; since becoming a volunteer, I’ve been wowed by its programming for adults. Boundary-pushing Puppet Slams with excellent live music, touring theater companies, evening classes for puppet fans at every level of experience—all this is available right here on Station Street, along with a glimpse into New England’s thriving puppetry arts community.

One of the highlights of my autumn was taking an adult education course at Puppet Showplace: Introduction to Puppetry Arts, taught by Brad Shur, the theatre’s Artist in Residence.

Week One: Learning by Doing

At our first meeting, Brad demonstrates the basics of puppetry performance with an instant “tabletop puppet”: a plastic bag twisted into the shape of a bird. Thanks to his skill, this weightless creature is strangely convincing. Its chest heaves with breath, suggesting emotion; it looks around at us, suggesting thought; the effort of its slow movement across the table suggests muscle. Minutes into the course, I’m hooked.

Next, Brad passes around a variety of puppets. In trying them out, I realize that puppetry may be the epitome of hands-on learning. Playing with a George Bernard Shaw glove puppet built by Puppet Showplace artist emeritus Paul Vincent Davis shows me how its shoulder joints flex as well as where its eyes focus in space, neither of which is evident from the outside. In using a Red Riding Hood puppet made by Puppet Showplace founder Mary Churchill, I learn that her trademark crochet material moves sinuously with the hand, while the character’s weighted boots fall authoritatively on the table. I see that if you spent time with these puppets, they would teach you how to operate them.

Brad Shur (center) Puppet Showplace Artist in Residence with Introduction to Puppetry Arts class.
The remainder of the class is given to puppetry history, some lip-synch practice with the eyeball puppets known as “Peepers,” and, finally, building a box-shaped mouth puppet from construction paper. This activity will pretty much characterize my experience of the class: a hands-on approach to education that offers a lot of fun in a little time, as well as a lesson in how effective simple materials can be.

Week Two: History in Motion

This time class starts in the theater, where we watch a riveting series of video clips of iconic puppetry: old (Vietnamese water puppets) and new (animatronics), simple (naked hands) and complex (Bunraku), analytical (Burr Tillstrom’s Berlin wall piece) and magical (the giant marionettes of Royale de Luxe). I’ve seen photographs of some of these performance styles on the Puppet Showplace Pinterest boards, but to see them in motion is an utterly new experience, enhanced, like everything in this class, by Brad’s insightful commentary.

For the remainder of the evening, it’s back to the art table to create shadow puppets. Once again, simple materials do the trick. Using cut paper and a brass fastener for a hinge, each of us makes a creature with one moving part. Around the table, paper tails wag and tiny jaws flap.

Week Three: Taking the Stage

We return to the theater, where each of us takes our shadow puppet onstage behind a lit screen, then trades with another student so we can see our own puppet in action. A vaulted turtle drifts down from above, toward the light, then inches its head out of its shell; an elephant undulates its jointed trunk as it struts across the scrim.

One thing that strikes me about our shadow puppets is how expressive the outline of each one is, as individual as handwriting. Also, they are all captivating onstage. Brad points out that this is the only form of puppetry that doesn’t depend on a puppeteer’s skill in bringing the object to life, but instead makes use of the magic of light and shadow. Immediately I start pondering whether I can fit Shadow Puppetry 101 into my schedule this fall. (I can’t, alas—but the course will return next year.)


Next, we begin building rod puppets—using a rod, of course, along with balled-up newspaper wrapped by masking tape, a surprisingly malleable combination of materials. I lose track of what my classmates are doing as I form a pear-like rabbit head and hunchbacked rabbit body. When I look up, I see that the population of the class has doubled: every human is now accompanied by a rustic creature in process.

Week Four: Lights, Puppets, Action!

I’m thrilled to see my half-completed rod puppet again after a week apart. The room fills with the sound of newspaper crumpling and masking tape tearing as we finish building the bodies, then give our puppets rod-operated arms that swivel at the shoulder and bend at the elbow. With these points of motion, plus a turnable head, we have a crew of what Brad calls “robust” puppets, capable of a range of movement—and possibility.

This evening, those possibilities play out via fairy tales. We pair off and use our diverse cast of characters to retell classic stories: in my case, a rabbit and a snowman perform an unorthodox version of the Frog Prince. Working on the puppet stage is a ton of fun, though I can’t quite see what my rabbit puppet is doing through the thin black fabric that conceals our faces. No matter; I can hear the audience laugh.


I took this class hoping to learn more about the history and practice of puppetry, which I did; what I didn’t expect was to spend so much time building and using puppets, which was wonderful. As I walk up Station Street at the end of the evening, two people smile at me; I turn onto Harvard Street, and a little girl at a bus stop grins and clasps her hands. That’s when I remember that I’m holding a two-foot-long floppy-eared rabbit on a stick. I am sorry that the class is over, but I can already tell that it is a gift that will keep on giving.

To learn about upcoming adult classes, click here