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

BUY TICKETS

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

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!

BUY TICKETS

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/

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

BUY TICKETS

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

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

BUY TICKETS

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/

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

BUY TICKETS

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

MORE INFO

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

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

BUY TICKETS

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!"