Next Puppet Incubator: Tuesday March 30th

Next Puppet Incubator: Tuesday March 30th

Part jam session, part master class, part puppeteer clubhouse, the next incubator session is this coming Tuesday from 7-9pm!

If you're interested in building, performing with or just talking about puppets, you are invited to join us. The incubator is a great place to share puppet projects in progress, or to learn from others with a range of experience from fans to professionals.

In addition, we're working on an Incubator group project, a short puppet performance to debut at the next puppet slam on May 22. It's not too late to join in! The group project is a wonderful way to get your feet wet. We'll be covering all aspects of putting a short puppet show together, from writing through design, building and rehearsal.

The Incubator is free to the public, but donations are always appreciated.

-Brad Shur
Artist in Residence
Puppet Showplace Theatre

Starring...the AUDIENCE!

As the new Artistic Director at Puppet Showplace Theatre lot of my job has been to get to know our performers and their work. Equally as important, I have been watching and getting to know our audiences.

Unlike in movies or television, the audience plays a huge role in live performance. A puppeteer can instantly tell whether his or her work is making an impact: are people laughing in the right places? Are they engaging with the puppet when it asks questions? Do they “ooo” and “aaah” when something cool and unexpected appears?

Before coming to PST it had been a while since I worked with audiences primarily composed of children, and I had forgotten how amazing it is to perform for them. Children are incredibly honest audience members. If they are bored, they will tell you. If they are having a great time, they will laugh and cheer. If they think a puppet character has done something wrong, they will cry out for justice. It’s incredible to watch how our puppeteers harness children’s attention and engage their emotions in such a pure and unfettered way. If only all theater could be like this!

Help Us Make PST One of the 1,000 Greatest Places in Massachusetts

YOUR VOTE COUNTS! The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism wants your input in assembling a list of the 1,000 Greatest Places in Massachusetts!

With 35 years as New England's Puppet Theatre, we think the Puppet Showplace Theatre should be on the list.

But we're not content to simply make the list. Our goal is to make the top 100! If you agree, and would like to see the Puppet Showplace Theatre included among the top 100 greatest historic sites, cultural venues, and natural landscapes that the state has to offer, nominate us for inclusion by submitting this free online form (It's really simple and quick). Voting concludes in early May.

Thank you for supporting New England's puppet theatre!

Bunnies for Sale at the PST Puppet Store!

The Store at the Puppet Showplace Theatre is overflowing with our floppy-eared friends — of the puppet variety.

Folkmanis Puppets produces a great line of rabbits including: White Rabbits, Dutch Rabbits, Jack Rabbits, a Rabbit in a Hat and more! They range from small finger puppets to large hand and stage puppets.

And they can all be found here at the Puppet Showplace Theatre. Store hours are Tuesday — Sunday from 10AM to 4PM.

More About... Matthew Leonard & Lionheart Puppet Company

Here's something you may not know about the Puppet Showplace Theatre: We're a presenting venue, which means we contract with outside performers to bring their shows to our stage. Yes, Brad Shur is our Artist in Residence, but he doesn't put on all the shows here at the theatre. That would be a lot of shows for one person to do — over 350 a year, to be somewhat exact.

We bring performers in from around Massachusetts, New England, the rest of the United States, and occasionally from international points, as well.

This week's performer is Matthew Leonard, who joins us with his troupe Lionheart Puppet Company. Based in Connecticut, Matthew has been performing since 2001, and is a graduate of the dramatic arts program at the University of Connecticut.

He has performed with The Great Arizona Puppet Theatre, Purple Rock Productions, and the Paper Moon Marionettes, has served as an officer for the Garden State Puppet Guild in New Jersey, and is active with the Connecticut Guild of Puppetry and the Puppeteers of America.

The Reluctant Dragon is the second PST Premiere show from Lionheart Puppet Company. Last summer, they brought a PST Premiere of their show The Little Red Hen.

Leonard also performs as part of Saltamontes Puppet Arts, which will visit the Puppet Showplace Theatre stage on May 1 and 2 with their show Babui.

We hope you're able to join us for the show!

Tickets are available by calling our Box Office at (617) 731-6400 or by clicking on the link below.

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