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Cow and Mouse were happy to be invited into the lovely barn at Mack’s Apples in Londonderry, NH on September 8th.  A fun crowd of people watching, and some sweet sheep in the yard outside.

On October 14, I’ll be in the Greenwoods Puppet Festival in Norfolk, Connecticut,  performing  Bu Dai Xi in “The Ice River” with Madeleine Beresford of Galapagos Puppets; and appearing in “Alice in Wonderland(s)” by Dream Tale Puppets.  The festival goes all day and everything is free, with the support of the Norfolk Library and the Battell Foundation. More here: PuppetFestival 2023 final

 

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Catch a Puppet Show at Arlington Open Studios!

Taking Turns
Hungry puppet, Puppet Day at Country Cottage Center in Medway
Monkey Makes Mischief in Heaven

I’m happy to be one of more than 100 artists at Arlington Open Studios on Saturday, November 12th, 11 to 5.

Here’s my schedule in Classroom 1, 4th floor at 20 Academy St:

11:30 – mini-show of “Taking Turns” featuring needle-felted puppets, best for ages 3 to 7

12:00 – try your hand at puppet-play with hand puppets

12:30 – mini-show of “Taking Turns” – will Mathilda apologize?

1:00 – puppet-play with hand puppets

1:30 – “Monkey Makes Mischief in Heaven,” a Monkey King story, best for ages 5 and up

2:00 – puppet-play with Bu Dai Xi style hand puppets

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“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.

 

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The Trolls Are On Their Way

The wheels are still wobbly, but Skimpa wants a test drive.

So happy to have a grant from the Arlington Cultural Council to create “The Trolls and the Tree: An Immersive Theater Piece for Children” with Ann Wynne and Peter Lehman. In the story, two trolls agree to take care of an idyllic fairy garden. But, when there’s not space enough in the garden for their toaster, TV, and lawn chairs next to the tree, guess which item gets moved?

Many friends are designing woodland seat covers for our show! Here are a few. 

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Badger at the Old Schwamb Mill!

Arlington’s beautiful Old Schwamb Mill reopens on the weekend of September 12-13. I hope you’ll join me for “Badger Meets the Fairies” on Sunday at 2pm. The show is  free, donations welcome.

To see the show via Zoom: Preregistration is not required; here is the link to join the show.
Meeting ID: 899 7252 9386 Passcode: 966075.

Badger is very excited to perform with Peter Lehman on mandolin and Ann Wynne on voice and percussion! Here’s a clip:

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Gotta Get Ready for Bubblefest!

Skimpa and Blompa, my favorite trolls, are practicing for Bubblefest — a socially distanced 2020 rendition of Arlington Porchfest, happening on June 7. Want more information? www.arlingtonporchfest.org

About

About

Come soar with the Monkey King, fly with fairies, dig in the mud with a happy little pig. I love the way puppets carry us into different worlds with the flip of a hand.

On this site you’ll see photos of solo shows I perform in schools, museums, on playgrounds and in homes for groups of people ages 3 and up. I had the good luck to study traditional Taiwanese hand puppetry with the I Wan Jan Troupe. Watch for lively movements of that style in every show from Monkey King stories to farm adventures.

Mostly I perform in New England, making little journeys from my home in Arlington, Massachusetts. If you’re further away, e-mail me. I like big journeys, too.

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The Trolls and the Tree

The trolls want to take good care of the fairies’ garden, but they also want a LOT of stuff. When there’s not enough space for their breakfast nook, what should they keep — their deluxe toaster or the fairies’ cherished tree?

Nature-based educator Ann Wynne, stringed instrument virtuoso Peter Lehman and I have enjoyed building this interactive show together, rehearsal by rehearsal. Children are invited to talk to the trolls, fairies and animals that live in the garden, and they’ve given the trolls good advice about what’s most important in a garden.

“The Trolls and the Tree” opened in June 2022 and has been performed in libraries, preschools and outdoor centers in Arlington, Fall River and Lexington.

THANKS TO OUR FUNDERS AND SPONSORS! The Trolls and the Tree has been produced with the generous support of the Arlington Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Our show in Fall River has been generously supported by a grant from the Fall River Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

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