Happy New Year from PST!

The Puppet Showplace Theatre will be closed December 31st and January 1st. This does not mean that you will have a week without puppets. We encourage you to buy your First Night buttons to see some of our regular performers. This year we have performers presenting in three local cities Boston, Worcester, and Providence.

Our performers in Boston are Galapagos Puppets, The Gerwick Puppets, Magpie Puppets and our friends Wayne Martin Puppets, Dan Butterworth Marionettes and the Puppeteers Cooperative. For more info visit www.firstnight.org

Our performer in Worcester is Sylvia and the Magic Trunk. If you missed her at PST on December 28th this is your opportunity to see her. For more info visit www.firstnightworcester.org.

Our performer in Providence is Sparky’s Puppets and our friends Big Nazo. For more info visit www.brightnight.org.

Have a safe and fun evening and we will see you in 2009!!

November 26th Tanglewood Marionettes Present "The Dragon King" at 10:30 am

For the Thanksgiving Holiday week we will be presenting the Tanglewood Marionettes newest production "The Dragon King" Nov 26th at 10:30 am, Nov 28th, 29th & 30th at 1 pm & 3 pm.

Please note November 26th was originally "Raccoon Tales" and has been changed to "The Dragon King". "The Dragon King" is recommended for ages 3 & up. For complete show description http://puppetshowplace.org/showdesc/nov29.html

November 15th PuppetSLAM Canceled

The PuppetSLAM that had been scheduled for Saturday, November 15th has been canceled. If you were among those who purchased tickets for this event, our box office will be in touch with you this week.

The next slam is scheduled for the evening of Saturday, January 17th, 2009.

We look forward to seeing you then!

This Weekend at Puppet Showplace: "A Woodland Cinderella"

Deborah Costine's
"A Woodland Cinderella"
Saturday November 15th &
Sunday November 16th
1PM & 3PM

In this original version of Cinderella, the story takes place in the land of the Woodland Fairies. The King of all Woodland Fairies wants his son to marry a fairy princess, but they are very rare. So the King hosts a great ball and commands that every single young fairy maiden in the land must attend. He is hoping that the missing fern fairy princess will come, and he knows the secret to identifying a true fairy princess. Will he find her? Come and find out.

Buy Tickets

Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Buy Show Tickets Online Now!

We're pleased to announce that we're now offering online ticket sales through the Puppet Showplace website. Don't worry – you can still make telephone reservations and visit our box office to purchase tickets, but with this new option, you now have the option to make your plans and purchase tickets when it's convenient for you – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Just remember to bring the printout of your tickets with you to the show!

Try it now:

Ballot Question 1

This November's elections will be historic, for the nation and our state.  On Massachusetts' ballot is Question 1, which would repeal the personal income tax.  Currently, income tax provides for 40% of the state's budget.  Should this 40% no longer be available, the state would be faced with drastic funding cuts for services including education, public safety, health and emergency care, infrastructure, and arts and culture.

Before voting, please consider the impact Arts and Culture have on our community.  According to the Massachusetts Cultural Council's website:

Annually, MA cultural non-profits provide 37,000 jobs, collect and pay $6.6 million in state sales taxes, and have a total economic impact of over $4.2 billion.

Nearly 95% of MA voters see the arts as a basic part of a child's education, as basic as English and Math.

Students highly engaged in the arts do better in school and are more involved in their communities.  

Workers trained in the arts and culture drive MA's leading industries, including software development, telecommunications, and new media industries.

Among the most disadvantaged neighborhoods, those with high levels of cultural participation are more likely to have low rates of juvenile delinquency and truancy.

Please investigate the impact of arts and culture on our state by visiting:

Massachusetts Cultural Council

Massachusetts Advocates for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities

The Boston Foundation

New England Foundation for the Arts

Coming October 25th: Gerwick Puppets' 5,000th Performance!

PST is excited to welcome Deborah Costine and Len Gerwick of Gerwick Puppets to the Puppet Showplace Halloween Extravaganza on October 25th and 26th. They will perform "Inside the Haunted House" at 1pm and 3pm, Saturday and Sunday. Deborah and Len will also present a special show at 7pm Saturday night that will mark the 5,000th performance of Gerwick Puppets!

Here's a special video from MetroWestDailyNews.com all about Gerwick Puppets:

"Inside the Haunted House" features Bruce and Marylou, two friends who accept a dare from the neighborhood bully to explore an abandoned mansion. Disguised as ghosts, they slowly creep inside, unaware of all that awaits them!

This funny and spooky original story features 15 characters, hand-painted scenery, recorded music, props and special lighting effects, combined for a realistic tone.

The show is recommended for ages 5 and up.

More Reasons to Attend the PST Halloween Extravaganza:

• Come in costume and receive a special prize!

• Stay for treats after the show!

Puppet Showplace Halloween Extravaganza

Inside The Haunted House by Gerwick Puppets

Saturday October 25th & Sunday October 26th | 1pm & 3pm

Tickets $10 general admission/$8 members
Reservations are strongly recommended!

We look forward to seeing you at the show!

Farewell, Summer

It's nearly that time again! We will be closed for our yearly maintenance from September 1st through the 15th.

Be sure to catch our last show of the summer, The Twig Family, at 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM on Wednesday, August 27th and Thursday, August 28th.

In this original story by longtime puppeteer/artist Deborah Costine, the audience meets The Twig Family: Leaf, Fern and their daughter Mossy, who live in an oak tree in harmony with nature. Also in the tree are Robin and Baby Bird, Hyla the tree frog, and Gray Squirrel.
In this happy, gentle story, recommended for ages 4 and up, we learn about nature, living simply and confronting our fears.

Don't miss it!

Don't miss the perfect Summertime Puppet Show!

On Wednesday & Thursday, August 13 & 14 at 10:30 & 1:00, Len Gerwick of the Gerwick Puppets presents The Case of the Missing Woodpile. Also on Sunday, August 17 at 1:00.

Marylou and Bruce star in this musical mystery and are busy with all sorts of summer activities. Marylou builds a chicken coop, while Bruce builds a tree house, but along the way, the woodpile disappears! All the puppets, as well as the audience, have to help solve the mystery! Jon Klein, an instructor at Berklee College of Music, wrote the fun and gentle jazz score. You'll leave the show singing songs about summertime fun, peanut butter and applesauce! Recommended for ages 4 and up.

Summer puppet shows are hot on the radar

Looking for something to do with the kids during these, hot, muggy or rainy days? Interested in exposing them to live theatre? Why not see one of our diverse puppet shows? What a great way to spend the morning or afternoon. Tickets are going fast and shows have been selling out in advance so don't wait! Call the Box Office to get tickets and don't get stuck in the rain.



On July 30 & 31, Magpie Puppets presents Leopard Learns a Lesson
at 10:30 and 1:00. SOLD OUT shows include both 10:30 performances, as well as Wednesday's 1:00.





On August 6 & 7 Barefoot Puppets presents Galapagos George
at 10:30 and 1:00. SOLD OUT performances include Wednesday & Thursday's 10:30 performances, as well as Wednesday's 1:00.

Mask performance July 16 & 17!

Critters & Creatures by Larry Hunt
Masks and puppets are "very good friends" - see why in Critters and Creatures! Through the amazing use of masks, artist Larry Hunt transforms himself into a puppy, pig, rat, lemur, old man, silly fellow named Quincy, and even his own son. Critters and Creatures is a playful show with whimsical music, movement and dance, as well as interesting facts about masks and their history. Are you a critter, or a creature? Come and find out! Recommended for ages 5 and up. Shows at 10:30am & 1pm

Come Play At The Puppet Showplace!

Greetings, friends of the Showplace!

Do your children like playing with puppets?
Are you looking for a way to pass a Friday or Saturday afternoon?
Do you want to help the Showplace develop future educational programming?

Then come play with us next week!

To help with the development of possible future workshops and playgroups at the
PST, we will be holding two sessions from 2-4 PM on either Friday the 18th and
Saturday the 19th (you may choose one or the other). The afternoon will be
spent playing, improvising, exploring, making puppets and having fun. This is
free of charge; all you need to bring is a little snack and a 4-7-year old
who's ready to have fun.

An RSVP is preferred so we can be sure to have enough materials. For more
information, e-mail Emily at boxoffice@puppetshowplace.org or call
617-731-6400.

We look forward to seeing you!

Happy Fourth of July!

The Puppet Showplace wishes everyone a Happy Independence Day! Join us on Sunday, July 6 at 1:00 for Cinderella, A Woodland Fairy Princess by Deborah Costine.
You will be intrigued by the tree puppet stage, made of paper mache and enchanted by Cinderella, whom may be the missing fern fairy princess the prince has been waiting to meet.



Love The Muppets? Check out their Stars & Stripes Forever ( Muppet's Variation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDA9NbPAK8o

June 28 & 29

On Saturday & Sunday, June 28 & 29, the Puppet Showplace will be CLOSED.

However, our friends, the International Brotherhood of Magicians Ring 122, are renting the Puppet Showplace Theatre to present The Magic Showcase for the entire family on Saturday, June 28 at 7:30pm. Individual tickets are $10 and family rates are $25. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling 978-462-9954. Because this is a magicians ring performance, the Puppet Showplace will not be handling reservations for this performance.

Our Summer Schedule for July and August begins next week, with shows on Wednesdays & Thursdays at 10:30am and 1:00pm; and Sundays only at 1:00.

The Hungry Caterpillar show on both Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 12 at 10:30 are sold out.

Happy Fathers Day from the Puppet Showplace! Tickets for Dads are free on Sunday, June 15. Enjoy a performance of Puss in Boots by Perry Alley Theatre at 1:00 or 3:00pm.

Puss in Boots is a hand puppet performance is a warm and witty retelling of the classic tale of a crafty cat and his master, designed in a marvelous mix of Renaissance style and pure fantasy. With a little help from a pair of magical shoes and a feathered hat, Puss arranges a wealthy conclusion for his common master. A "Cat-Rap" introduction adds to the fun.

Making Memorial Day Weekend Plans?
The popular troupe, Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers from Bar Harbor, Maine, return with Everybody Loves Pirates May 24 & 25. Two shows have been added on Memorial Day, May 26 at 1 & 3pm.

Reserve your weekday tickets now
Spring is a busy time of year for field trips. Please call the Box Office to make reservations if you are planning on attending a Wednesday or Thursday Tot show, as space is filling up in advance.

Rent the Puppet Showplace!
Looking for a space to host your next show, party or event? The Puppet Showplace is perfect.
You can rent our theatre and lobby for a great price. Contact us for more information.

What's New in May

A special "thanks" to the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry, our volunteers, and our sponsors for making The National Day of Puppetry a huge success! Over 280 kids, parents, and grandparents took part in the workshops, demonstrations, and performances. We're grateful for the support from the Brookline Commission for the Arts which made this event possible.

What a weekend!
We're excited to have a PST Premiere this weekend - Babui by Saltamontes Puppet Theater on May 10 & 11 at 1 & 3pm. Saltamontes Puppet Theater comes to the Showplace from Germany to perform the story of Babui, an imaginary animal, with a narrative that consists only of movement, sounds, and music.

Looking for something to do without the kids? Check out our final PuppetSLAM of the 07-08 season on Saturday, May 10 at 8pm.

Making Memorial Day Weekend Plans?
The popular troupe, Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers from Bar Harbor, Maine, return with Everybody Loves Pirates May 24 & 25. Two shows have been added on Memorial Day, May 26 at 1 & 3pm.

Love the Puppet Showplace Theatre?
Then come work with us. We're looking for some fun people to join us on our Box Office staff. This is a great position for parents, grandparents, students, and anyone who loves working with kids and families. Talk to Emily, our Box Office Manager, for details: 617.731.6400 or boxoffice@puppetshowplace.org

Fascinating Oddities in the Puppet Store

It was a dark and stormy morning in Brookline when a knock came upon the door.
"Who is it?" the PST box office staff meekly inquired.
"Tis I, the UPS Man" came the bellowing reply.
With great caution the PST staff opened the door and beckoned the UPS Man in to the lobby. There he stood clutching a largeish parcel in his begloved hands.
"What's in th-th-the b-b-box?" the staff stuttered
"I'm going to go out on a limb here" the UPS Man ventured "and guess that it is puppets." He pressed the parcel into the waiting arms of the store manager "Sign here."

She signed there.

The UPS Man left with a flourish and what sounded like an insidious laugh (but it could have been a sneeze, that's been going around you know).
Once he was gone, the staff tore into the box with barely restrained glee. Puppets! We LOVE PUPPETS!
But these were no normal puppets. No! These were something far more sinister!
Glow in the dark flesh-eating zombie finger puppets!
Sqishey icky monster finger puppets!
Nuns!

"Put us in the store!" the puppets demanded in unison.
"We will put you in the store!" the PST staff relented.

And so, on a dark and stormy afternoon in Brookline, zombies, monsters, and nuns lined up on the PST store shelves. And there they wait for you... if you dare.

Easter weekend clarification

It has been brought to our attention that the schedule on our website is a little bit hard to follow in regard to Easter weekend.

We do not have a performance on Sunday the 23rd because it is a holiday. We have scheduled a performance of "Li'l Red & Big Bad" at 1PM on Friday the 21st. There is no 3PM performance that day. The performances on Saturday the 22nd will be at the regular times of 1PM and 3PM. We apologize for any confusion.

Moccasin Stew and PupptSLAM

Thank goodness it is Friday! With all of the strange weather we've been having it is nice to finally have a nice, simple, sunny day. A lot of you are probably finalizing your weekend plans today... might we humbly suggest puppets?

Our kid show this weekend is "Moccasin Stew" which is based on a Southwest Native American folk tale and presented by Magpie Puppets. Maggie's puppets are whimsical and mischievous and teach important lessons about resourcefulness and forgiveness. "Moccasin Stew" will be presented on Saturday and Sunday at 1pm and 3pm. Tickets are still available at the box office. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Just as a reminder: The PuppetSLAM is taking place Saturday night at 8PM. We are a little over half-sold for this event, and we expect to sell out by tomorrow night, so please be sure to reserve ahead of time!

Upcoming shows and events

It is March already! That means that, with any luck, Spring is just around the corner. That also means that Daylight Savings Time is happening. Make sure to change your clocks on Saturday night. That's right folks, we're losing an hour of sleep - but we're gaining more sunlight! You can learn more about Daylight Savings Time here.

Our show this weekend is "Pinocchio" performed by Sadecky's Puppets. This is a great way to introduce children to the classic tale of responsibility, honesty and loyalty. Showtimes are Saturday and Sunday at 1PM and 3PM.

Our Tot show for this upcoming week is "Sir George and the Dragon" performed by Pumpernickle Puppets. Show times are Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30AM.

On Sunday March 15th we are having one of our popular PuppetSLAMs! We're very excited because these events are always so much fun. The SLAM starts at 8PM and it is recommended for ages 14 and up (this is an "Adult event" which means that some humor and subjects might be a bit more "mature"). Tickets are on sale now! They are $13 for non-members, and $10 for Members, Students, and those of low income. You can find out more about SLAMs here

Finally, we LOVE to hear what you have to say about our shows and the theater in general. We ESPECIALLY love getting feedback from the kids. If you have a budding critic in your family, PLEASE have them submit a review. We might publish it in our playbill and/or on the Blog!
You can contact us by emailing: info@puppetshowplace.org

Store Update: Visitors from Canada!

Hello there! We've just gotten a fantastic shipment of Diablo Puppets! These brightly colored plush hand puppets come to us from Canada, and we are so happy to have them. We've never seen anything like them. Some look like aliens, some look like animals some look like... well, there really aren't words, you just have to come see!

Awesome PST Parent Blog

We just wanted to give you a heads-up about a wonderful blog called Yuletopia. That hyperlink will take you right to a great post about the PST. Yuletopia has a lot of wonderful ideas for what to do with your young ones in New England. Fun!

Peepers!

We've just gotten a new shipment of Peepers!
People of all ages love Peepers because they are the perfect accessory for the most common puppet of all - our hands! Peepers come in a lot of fun, bright colors and make great "just because" gifts (or perhaps nice little items for a certain rabbit-themed holiday)!

Store Update!

There's a rumor going around that some of you like dinosaurs... If there's any truth in it, you might want to stop in and take a look at some of our ferocious new additions.

And, speaking of ferocious:

We also heard that some of you might be looking to hire a monster. We have a few interested parties looking for employment. Some are purple, some are orange, and there may even be a pink monster hiding behind the marionettes on our store shelves. But you didn't hear that from us...

Finally, if dinosaurs and monsters have a few too many teeth for your liking, we've got a whole boatload of pirates looking for adventure on the high seas (or possibly just on the somewhat safer terrain of the sofa).

As always, if you are looking for something but you don't see it on our shelves, tell a staff member! The store manager will try to track it down for you!

"Critters And Creatures" Thursday Performance

Hello there Puppet fans!
Vacation week has proven once again to be quite a busy time for us, which is AWESOME! We're so glad to be seeing you all.

Today's 1PM performance of "Critters and Creatures" is sold out, and we expect the 3PM to sell out before show time as well. The show is fantastic and only comes to the PST once a year. We still have tickets for both performances on Friday, and we encourage you to reserve ahead of time.

Thank you! And enjoy vacation week!

Show Changes and Store Updates

Well! It has been a little while since the last update. This is a good sign because it means that we have been busy. busy, busy! We've put up some great puppets and some awesome vintage posters in the theater to showcase a little of our nearly 35 year history.

Vacation week is nearly upon us, and we strongly recommend reserving your tickets ahead of time. February vacation is traditionally a busy week for us, and this year we have some great shows! We're kicking everything off with a great ventriloquy show called "The Magic Trunk" this weekend

We had originally scheduled "The Golden Touch of King Midas" for 2/18 and 2/19, but now the Perry Alley Puppet Theater will be performing "Snow White And Other Tales". Please be sure to make note of this on your schedules. .


Finally, as you are most assuredly aware, Valentine's Day is on 2/14 (Thursday!). What better gift to give swwethearts than a puppet? Sure, maybe we have puppets on the brain here at the PST... but trust us: Nothing says I love you like a puppy marionette!

1/31 Tales From Snowy Lands

The January 31st performance of "Tales From Snowy Lands" is sold out. We have plenty of tickets available for the 1/30 performance, as well as for "Going, Going, Gone Whaling" this weekend.

Speaking of "Whaling": this weekend is your last chance to catch PST favorites Poobley Greegy before they retire. We are sad to see them go. But! They were kind enough to allow use of their puppets for display in our theater! So, while we will miss them, we also get to see their wonderful puppets every day, and you can see them next time you visit.

Finally, if you have any suggestions or requests for the PST staff, or even for the blog, please leave us a comment. We would love to hear from you!

SLAM wrap-up and Under Night Sky

The PST would like to thank everyone who participated in and attended our January 19th PuppetSLAM! We feel that the show was a great success and can hardly wait until March 15th!

We still have two performances left of "Under Night Sky", a beautiful shadow puppet play that gently tells a story about the underground railroad, immigration, friendship and heritage. Don't miss your chance to see this show, it really is a unique and sensitive way to introduce children to complicated subject matter. Performances are 1/21 1PM and 3PM.
You may recognize some of the puppeteer's (Sarah Frechette) work from SeeMore's Playhouse. You can see clips here.

Finally, enjoy this beautiful, crisp midwinter Boston day, and do stop by the PST!

1/19 SLAM

Tonight's adult show, the Puppet SLAM, is sold out!
Thank you so much for your advance orders, and we hope to see you next time!

Another store update!

We've just received a shipment full of wonderful things!
Our favorites are the rabbit in a hat finger puppets and the tiny raccoon finger puppets. They are a lot of fun, and the perfect size for small hands!

We also have an otter and a parrot - imagine the shennanigans those two could get into!

New items in our store

We have new puppets in our store!
We have a moose, a mouse, a cat and a bear (oh my!)
We also have new finger puppets: Pirates, bunnies, people and bugs!

Bear in mind that we have educational items as well, including books, puzzles and videos.

Last but not least we have gift certificates and memberships available in our box office!