Puppets and Planting on Saturday, April 27, 3:30 pm at Fox Library
Join me and Rachel Curtin, Lexington Community Farm Education (LexFarm) Director for a free Ecofest program where puppets plant new seeds — and so can you. As this year’s resident artist at LexFarm, I’m working on a new show featuring Cow — who wants to plant hay — and Mouse, who plants her favorite food. I will perform a part of the new show, Rachel will lead planting, and we’ll have time for children to try out puppets.
Malden Public Library, 36 Salem Street
A dream come true! I’ve always wanted to perform Bu Dai Xi in the traditional way, with musicians watching the puppets and creating rhythms and melodies for them. In “The Ice River”, our puppets’ movements are powered by musicians Jimmy Zhao and Kai-syin Hou on traditional instruments. Madeleine Beresford and I perform the story with choreography learned with Taiwan’s master, the late Li Tien-lu . Best for ages 5 and up, free to the public. Sponsored by Chinese Culture Connection with generous funding from the Malden Cultural Council, a local agency of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Lexington Community Farm, Lowell St, Lexington MA. Rain date April 7 TIME TBA
Join Lex Farm Education Director Rachel Curtin and I for a program about how plants grow. I’ll perform a vignette from a new story we are developing at Lex Farm: “Cow and Mouse in the Garden.” Cow wants to plant hay, while Mouse plants cheese, her favorite food. Then Rachel will lead songs and show everyone a good way to plant a seed. All children are welcome. $15 per family.
“Puppets and Planting” is funded by a generous grant from Arlington Cultural Council, a local agency of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
More Puppets and Planting dates at Lex Farm: 5/18 (rain date 5/19); Saturday October 19 (rain date October 20)
December 9: Monkey Makes Mischief in Heaven, 4pm, Wonder Yoga, 1305 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, as part of Arlington Heights Holiday Stroll.
The Chinese Monkey King soars into the heavens and delights in his new job in the Heavenly Peach Garden. But when he is left out of the Jade Emperor’s Peach Blossom Banquet, Monkey flies off to make mischief in the Heavens. This episode of the epic Journey to the West features traditional Bu Dai Xi puppets and choregraphy, which I studied with Taiwan’s I Wan Jan Troupe. Best for ages 5 and up.
November 12: The Trolls and the Tree (11:15) and Badger Meets the Fairies at Arlington Open Studios, 20 Academy Street, Arlington
Join a lively bunch of fairies and trolls for a show at a wonderful Open Studios day! Ann Wynne and I perform puppets; Peter Lehman brings rich accompaniment with lute and mandolin. All shows are free, best for ages 4 and up.
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
