Time to rehearse! Trolls Skimpa and Blompa will  present “The Trolls and the Tree” at Somerville Community Growing Center on June 2nd. Looking back at the first photos of Ann Wynne, Peter Lehman and I  working on this green-themed show, we’re wearing masks.  We developed the show during the pandemic and only performed outside — at Arlington EcoFest, at Lexington Community Farm, at Old Schwamb Mill. Rehearsing is easier when you’re not afraid of getting sick.

Growing things takes a lot of sunshine, rain — and time. Puppet shows grow best with support, helpful ideas — and time. Over the past year I’ve been an Artist-in-Residence at Lexington Community Farm, working with Education Director Rachel Curtin to create “Growing Things,” a Cow and Mouse fable about sustainable growing. Rachel patiently shared her work teaching children about how plants grow. And her daughter contributed a plot twist that kept the show interesting: Cow plants hay, while his friend Mouse plants cheese.

At our first programs in May at LexFarm and at Fox Library,  I presented the first 3 scenes. Children planted seeds with Rachel. In summer, I performed the second section, where the cheese still hasn’t sprouted, at LexFarm.  Children picked cucumbers and tomatoes with Rachel. At each program I got to hear a lot from the audience about what was funny, what was interesting, and what needed to be trimmed.

The children’s reactions helped build the show we were happy to present in full in the LexFarm garden on October 19th. Thanks to Peter Lehman for  lively mandolin accompaniment, to Pam Shanley for performing a wicked funny Cousin Rat, and to EVERYONE at LexFarm.

This puppet show was created with generous support from Arlington Commission on Arts & Culture Grants Committee, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and we are grateful.