All posts by admin

Home, News & Events

What Puppets Do After School

Gallery

The puppet characters I’ve seen created in my “Puppet Pals” ACE class at Arlington’s Brackett School don’t flop on the couch. After acrobatics at the skate park, they go home to their dog and eat everything on the raspberry bushes. And they love to pose!

When we made moth and butterfly puppets last week I wondered what those puppets would do besides fly. It turned out that my kindergarten and first grade students knew the outline of their creatures’ life cycle. Puppets flew, drank nectar, injured a wing – -and healed it –before landing in a tree and laying eggs. Which became caterpillars who gobbled and spun chrysalises before flying away.

 

About, Home, News & Events

“The Trolls and the Tree” at Fall River Library

On July 13, Peter Lehman’s lute music brought the peaceful sense of a fairy woodland to the Elm Street tent outside Fall River Library.  Children gathered on a rug, ready to meet fairies, squirrels . . . and trolls! In this interactive show, Peter, Ann Wynne and I want our audience members to have opinions — but we were surprised at how strongly they spoke to Skimpa the troll. “No, you can’t push down the tree!” “But I need space for my beautiful new chair,” she whined. “NO!” the children said.

 

When the trolls persisted in knocking over the tree, our faithful audience helped them plant a baby tree for distraught fairies. And, after trolls, fairies, puppeteers and our amazing musician took their bows, the children arrested the trolls! We know they will take good care of trees in the future.

Fall River Children’s Librarian David Mello with his own tree puppet.

THANK YOU, FALL RIVER CULTURAL COUNCIL!! This show was supported by a grant from the Fall River Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. And thank you to librarian David Mello for his incredible support of children and those who perform for them.

 

Home, News & Events

Summer Days

Happy to have been performing in parks, preschool yards and gardens! My first in-person show of 2021 was for a 90th birthday party on a sparkling summer evening in Gloucester. By August, the days were more sweat than sparkle and what a relief to go inside for a Puppet Day. But all hail to the battery-operated sound system that makes performing outside so easy!

Monkey King opening the season in a Gloucester backyard
Manchester Public Library, with DreamTale Puppets
Fall River library, outside, with “Badger Meets the Fairies”
Runs on a rechargeable battery, fits in a backpack.
At Magnolia Park, busking
Amazing Fall River librarian preparing for Shark Week
Hungry puppet, Puppet Day at Country Cottage Center in Medway
Bu Dai Xi Puppetry

Taiwan’s Puppetry in “Puppetry International”

I studied with the wonderful I Wan Jan Puppetry Troupe in Taiwan, and had the chance to tell the story in the Fall 2020 edition of “Puppetry International.” Here’s the article:  PI-48-TaiwanPuppets

Home, News & Events

Little Stories starring Doggie and Mathilda

Got a minute or 3? I hope you’ll take a look at these short videos featuring Doggie and Mathilda.

Here’s Mathilda’s favorite song:

“My Cousin Kit” and “Watching for Owl” were part of Arlington’s  FOX & OWL TINY FILM & PHOTO FESTIVAL 2020. The shadow puppets were drawn by artist Kari Percival.

News & Events

Arts Arlington Featured Artist

Every two months Arlington Council on Arts and Culture highlights an artist who’s actively contributing to the Arlington arts scene. In December and January, I’m the featured artist on the Arts Arlington site sponsored by ACAC.

The artist statement was fun to write because it gave room to think about why I perform and what the work is like. Here’s the part that gets to the heart of working on a new show:
My newest show is “Taking Turns,” which features pigs, dogs and bunnies. Sandra and I used needle-felting techniques to make animal puppets. We took big balls of wool and punched them with needles to create little pigs and dogs. I find that their fuzzy surfaces appeal to young children more than the painted faces of our Sculpey puppets.

Although the show opened in August I am still spending many hours each week refining the way I portray the characters. The hardest thing is to slow down, let a puppet “breath” between steps, and wait for the character to form its thoughts before I speak for it. Often, I ask friends to watch and advise. Jacek Zuzanski of Dream Tale Puppets and retired “puppet diva” Suzanne Pemsler have been terrific coaches.

Read the whole statement here:
http://artsarlington.org/grants-and-resources/artlinks-arlington-networking-for-artists/featured-artist/

Shows

Taking Turns

Mathilda and Doggie can’t wait to go to their friend’s party and play in the bouncy house. Then Mathilda can’t wait in line — and cuts in front of Doggie. She is surprised to learn that everyone wants their turn, even grown-ups. Performed with needle-felted puppets, and a gentle pace that suits young children. 30 minutes, best for ages 3 to 6