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

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.

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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!

REGISTER ONLINE 

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. 

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.

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 19^th 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 19^th 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