Arts Advocacy Event at PST

Meeting with State Representative Frank Smizik

April 18th | 6-7 PM at Puppet Showplace Theatre

State Representative Frank Smizik

Calling all arts-lovers! We invite you to join members of the Brookline arts community for a conversation with State Representative Frank Smizik (15th Norfolk) about the value of arts and culture to Massachusetts residents. As legislators consider a proposal to cut another $1.5 million from the Massachusetts Cultural Council's budget we are initiating this open forum. Refreshments will be served!

Please RSVP to Artistic Director Roxie Myhrum (artistic@puppetshowplace.org) if you think you will be able to attend.

What to expect: Earlier this month, MASSCreative hosted a meeting with state representatives and 25 arts and cultural leaders, at the Fuller Craft Museum. The discussion opened with relevant data on the allocation of funding for the arts. The evening ended with Rep. Cronin stating she would do everything she can based on what she had heard that night and a room full of applause. Read more...

MASSCreative empowers creative organizations and the public with a powerful voice that brings the attention and resources necessary to build vibrant, creative communities. MASSCreative works with creative leaders, working artists, arts educators and arts and cultural supporters to empower creative organizations and the public with a powerful voice to advocate for the resources and attention necessary to build vibrant, connected, and creative communities.  http://www.mass-creative.org/

Restoring Joy in Boston

The Puppet Showplace Theatre joins the many members of the Boston community in solidarity and mourning after the senseless attacks on the city yesterday. We want to thank all the first responders and medical personnel for taking action without hesitation to help both members of our own community and those visiting the city for the Marathon. During this time of uncertainty and loss, we hope that many of you will use the power of the arts, in whatever form, to begin to heal. 

If you are a parent and looking for ways to talk to your children about the events that took place at the Boston Marathon, take a look at this helpful webpage by 90.9wbur: CLICK HERE

GUEST BLOGGER

Graham Gardner- PST Staff Member

Hi PST folks, 

Graham Gardner,
 PST Graphic Designer and Guest Blogger

I hope everyone is waking up safe and sound today. I rode the train early this morning and it felt almost like a ghost town. Even at 7am the train is easily half full of commuters but today there were only a handful of people on the red line heading toward the city. Later I passed a small unit of the National Guard on my way into North Station, all looked just about my age and with crisp, un-dirtied uniforms.

I'll spare you the Mr. Rogers quotes about helpers but the one thought I had this morning was that it was good to be amongst people, even just the few that braved the public commute. It's a strange turn of fate that my car would be in the shop this week and I'm forced to leave the bubble like solitude of a one-person drive to work. There is a lot to be shared in just a few passing glances between commuters today. 

I hope wherever you are--at PST, at one of the million other jobs we all have, or with friends or family--I hope that you are well and I hope that you are finding comfort in the people around you. As a New England institution, PST has been bringing beauty, art, and joy to the people of Boston (and beyond) for many years. I'm proud to be apart of that.

Sending thanks and well wishes to you all and the greater PST community.

Best,
Graham Gardner

PST Graphic Designer

APRIL VACA WEEK IS HERE!!!!!

School Vacation Week at PST

Need ideas for how to keep your children busy over April Vacation? Come to the theatre and catch a performance at PST! There are two amazing shows to choose from: “The Chicken Show” by Liz Joyce from Goat on a Boat puppet theatre in Long Island, NY, and fan favorite, Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers is back with “The legend of the Banana Kid”. Both shows have two performances each day.  How can you possibly choose between these two hilarious shows? You don't have to, come and see both!

The Chicken Show by Liz Joyce

Tues | April 16 | 10:30 AM & 1 PM

Wed | April 17 | 10:30 AM & 1 PM

Thurs | April 18 | 10:30 AM & 1 PM

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Henrietta, the singing chicken longs to be a star on Broadway, but the Mean Ol' Farmer is going to put her in a stew if she doesn't produce an egg by morning. Find out how Henrietta, with the help of her friends learns to believe in herself to make her dreams come true. The performance comes to life with Rod Puppets and masked/costumed characters.

About the performer: Liz Joyce is an accomplished performer whose puppets have entertained numerous audiences in the New England area. She has also appeared in festivals across the country, from New York to Chicago and even to Minnesota. Besides putting on shows, she serves as Regional Director for the Puppeteers of America and President of the Puppetry Guild of Greater New York.

Liz has also been in TV, appearing on long-running sitcom All My Children as Liz the Puppeteer. Recently she received an UNIMA Citation for her puppet operetta Sing a Song of Sixpence. The UNIMA Citation is the highest award in American puppetry.

The Legend of the Banana Kid 
by Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers

Fri | April 19 | 10:30 AM & 1 PM

Sat | April 20 | 1 & 3 PM

Sun April 21 | 1 & 3 PM

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In "The Legend of the Banana Kid" our friend Little Chucky meets a mysterious cowboy who takes him to a remote Western town that is being harassed by a seedy group of outlaws. Chucky, pretending to be a local hero, leads an effort to outsmart the thugs and bring justice back to the town using bananas as his weapon of choice. Riding on his trusty goat, Chucky encounters all kinds of wild Western fun. The show uses mouth and rod puppets.

About the performers: Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers is a small puppetry troupe based in Bar Harbor, Maine, and comprised of three siblings - Erik, Brian, and Robin Torbeck. Founded in 2000, Frogtown Mountain has performed at fairs, festivals, theatres, parades, schools, libraries, and some of the finest petting zoos on the East Coast. All their shows are written by the troupe and are performed with their hand-made puppets.

Vacation Week is Almost Here with Aesop's Fables!

Aesop's Fables! 
by WonderSpark Puppets

Thurs | April 11 | 10:30 AM

Fri  | April 12 | 10:30 AM

Sat | April 13 | 1 & 3 PM

Sun | April 14 | 1& 3 PM

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Are you counting the days until April School Vacation Week like we are? Before our Vaca-week programing is in full swing, stop by the theatre for the delightful performance of "Aesop's Fables" by WonderSpark Puppets! What better way to teach and entertain than with Aesop’s fables! Join us for a great time while learning lessons from these classic tales including "Lion and the Mouse" and "Tortoise and the "Hare."

About the Show:  A hilarious spin on Aesop's Fables with tabletop puppets performed by WonderSpark Puppets. This highly interactive performance of timeless moral stories includes 'The Lion and the Mouse', 'The Ant and The Grasshopper' and the 'Tortoise and the Hare.' Along the way, we also learn the four seasons, the power of kindness and good sportsmanship.

About the Performers: WonderSpark Puppets (New York City, NY) was founded by husband and wife team, Chad Williams and Lindsey “Z” Briggs who infuse fun and whimsy into all their performances. Z Briggs has worked as a professional puppeteer for the last 7 years as a performer and builder on numerous projects including most recently Alissa Hunnicutt's The Kid Inside, Jonny Clockworks' Edward Lear's Absurd Ditties, Lone Wolf Tribes' Bride (2009 UNIMA Award), and the character Lottie Lamb on the PBS kids show Seemore's Playhouse. Chad Williams is a filmmaker turned puppeteer, having shot and edited two puppetry documentaries: Puppet Fest '09 and Puppet Rampage.  http://wondersparkpuppets.com/

Where do the tales of Aesop come from? Who is Aesop? 

Legend has it, the tales known as Aesop’s fables were created by an ancient Greek slave who earned his freedom. The stories were some of the world's first morality tales, originating in the sixth century B.C. Aesop's fables use animal characters to mock human folly and are also the source of many enduring cultural images and idioms.

PST Re-Vamps Fan Favorite with LIVE MUSIC!

Brad Shur Performing "The Carrot Salesman" with Robot puppet

The Carrot Salesman by Brad Shur

Thurs & Fri | April 4 & 5 | 10:30am

Sat & Sun | April 6 & 7| 1pm & 3pm

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"OH DELICIOUS CARROT! 

You can WEAR it, or TEAR it! You can event SHARE it!  

And it tastes GREAT, when you put it on a PLATE! 

Would you like to buy a carrot?"

You have never seen "The Carrot Salesman" by PST Artist in Residence, Brad Shur quite like this before! For the first time ever, enjoy one of your favorite original stories come to life with a brand new music score performed LIVE by local musician, Chris Monti.

Hmmm...Chris Monti...that name sounds familiar, doesn't it? It should! Brad and Chris collaborated on PST's newest production, "Yankee Peddler: Songs and Stories from Old New Englad" this January during our "New Year: New Shows!" series.  Read more about this amazing shadow puppet sing-a-long adventure through Americana on the puppet blog: CLICK HERE

The Carrot Salesman is an original story by PST's own Artist in Residence Brad Shur. The tale follows a door-to-door carrot salesrabbit who is not very good at his job. But through his unsuccessful efforts to sell carrots to elephants, jellyfish, moles, and robots, he discovers a way to help all of the animals. Performed with colorful two-dimensional table-top puppets, live music and fun audience interaction! Recommended for ages 2 and up.

Brad Shur has been PST's Artist in Residence since 2009. 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.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER:

Michael Dobiel was exposed to the saxophone at the age of ten and gradually expanded into other instruments. Michael earned a B.A. in saxophone performance and composition from Westfield State College and a M.M. in Composition from the University of Louisville. In 2009 he toured Serbia with Serious Play! Theatre and Ensemble, as part of their production Milosevic at the Hague. More recently, he has taken part in the Boston scene, in collaborations such as Axe to Ice's The Mary Dolan Show.

MUSIC PERFORMED BY:

Chris Monti

Chris Monti is a writer and singer with original material covering a variety of stylistic genres. Playing both acoustic and electric Chris plays. "some old time folkiness, country-blues, African music, rock and roll, hippie music, Indian music [and] a lot of improvisation." Chris fingerpicks, flatpicks, uses open tunings and plays slide. He also plays harmonica, banjo, mandolin, dobro, piano, lap steel and kazoo.