| PUPPET HAPPENINGS – TOP PICKS |
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July 6
1:00pm
For every child who has struggled to get into their clothes first thing in the morning (and for every parent who has fought valiantly in the battleground of the morning routine), comes Don’t Make Me Get Dressed — a gloriously silly and inventive ode to the feelings we have when we choose our clothes… and to what happens when our clothes come to life and choose us.
* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Family Grant (2023)
Additional dates:
July 13 – Detroit Institute of Arts Lecture Hall (Detroit, MI) |
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| Bill’s 44th *
Dorothy James and Andy Manjuck
HERE Arts Center – 145 6th Ave New York, NY |
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July 10 – 28
Tuesdays through Fridays at 7:00pm
Friday, July 19 at 7:00pm and 10:00pm
Saturdays at 2:00pm and 7:00pm
Sundays at 2:00pm
Bill’s 44th is a full-length wordless puppet show for grown-ups created by Dorothy James & Andy Manjuck. The streamers are hung, the punch has been poured, and the cake is just begging to be eaten! Our anxious host Bill has planned his party to the last detail—now all that remains is for his guests to arrive. Desperate to fill his apartment with camaraderie and celebration, Bill’s imagination runs wild. Many styles of puppetry, raucous balloons, and a cheeky piece of crudité all collide to examine the pitfalls of impatience, the wonder of loneliness, and the universal passage of time. Bill’s 44th was named a New York Times “Critic’s Pick” and is the recipient of a Citation of Excellence from UNIMA-USA.
* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Production Grant (2020) |
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July 6
11:00am-11:45am, 5:00pm-5:45pm
Launched in 2018, the Big Umbrella Festival centers audiences by sharing unique approaches to multi-sensory, interactive, and engaging artistic experiences, designed with and for neurodiverse audiences. This summer, the celebrated Festival returns as a free 1-day campus takeover full of relaxed spaces with multi-sensory experiences, performances, installations, and workshops specifically welcoming neurodivergent audiences and their families. You and your family will have access to the full roster of programming below, with the ability to drop-in throughout the day, experiencing as much or as little as you’d like. In Close-Act Theatre’s Birdmen, three gigantic, stilt-walking puppets resembling birds from prehistoric times roam New York City, capturing your imagination and delighting you with their antics. |
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July 7
10:30am and 12:30pm
In the heart of the Amazon Jungle, a brave little girl named Seucy and her loyal companion, Boto the pink river dolphin, embark on an extraordinary adventure to protect their beloved home. When rumors spread of a mysterious tree eating monster that threatens the rainforest, Seucy and Boto set out to uncover the truth and save their friends. The Adventures of Seucy and Boto is an episodic series for kids about the adventures of Seucy, a brave little girl who, along with her friends Boto, half-boy/half-dolphin, Itzpapalotl, Sasha, Ceneotl, Pachamama, battles any obstacle in order to keep the Amazon Jungle safe and protect the plants and inhabitants of the rain forest from harm.
* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter’s Grant |
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July 10
11:00am
Cinderella Samba takes place in the lush landscape of Brazil, where, thanks to the help of her fairy godmother, Cinderella attends Rio de Janeiro’s biggest Carnaval gala and dances the samba with Prince Paulo. The lively production features an original commissioned musical soundtrack that brings samba center-stage; handcrafted Carnaval festival floats on parade; and one-of-a-kind marionettes donning their most vibrant celebration costumes, created by the expert puppeteers from the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park. |
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July 13
1:30pm and 3:00pm
Prologue Part II explores the unique journeys of a group of senior Chinese women from Brooklyn, who share their life stories through object manipulation, shadow play, and music. Created and performed by Spica Wobbe and Margaret Yuen, this show delves into the emotional depths of packing a suitcase for the unknown and the bittersweet sense of leaving home. |
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through August 13
Thursdays through Sundays at 11:00am and 1:00pm
In this fun and high-flying, family-friendly adventure, Bessie the cow dreams of joining the circus. But can she lift more than Ziegfried, the strongest man in the world? Fly on the trapeze high above the crowd? Come root Bessie on in this variety show as she attempts the impossible and searches for her special talents. |
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July 13
2:00pm
Alex and Olmsted’s Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded Milo the Magnificent® is a highly engaging puppet show about an aspiring magician. This wordless comedy, inspired by turn of the century vaudeville entertainers, is as highly physical as it is charming. Using stunningly innovative puppetry, Milo presents a variety of magic tricks which don’t always go as planned.
* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Workshop Grant (2017) |
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July 13
9:00pm
Step into the extraordinary with The Life Uncanny: A Puppet Séance, a mesmerizing live event brought to you from the Edge of the Veil. Join Puppet Artist and Amateur Medium Mike Oleon for an unforgettable evening where the boundaries between the human and spirit worlds blur.
* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Workshop Grant (2023) |
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July 17
6:00pm
In this poignantly silly adventure tale for families, Sylvie is sent to the backyard to hang up the laundry. The moment her back is turned, a mischievous squirrel steals her favorite piece of clothing and runs off. When Sylvie gives chase, an entire world emerges from her laundry basket, and curious characters show her the way through mysterious lands.
* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Family Grant (2013) |
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June 5 – August 4
Wednesdays through Fridays at 10:30am and 1:00pm
Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:30pm
THE MONSTER HIT RETURNS! Join Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, Grover, Rosita, Bert, Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, The Count, Gabrielle, and a whole host of Honkers, Martians, and other Sesame Street favorites as they will appear onstage in their very own musical. Filled with live puppetry, iconic songs fans know and love, and new compositions by Tom Kitt, Helen Park, and Nate Edmondson, this production is designed for both the young and the young-at-heart, including furry fun for fans of all ages. |
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Through August 24
Manual Cinema performs live shadow puppetry alongside Iron and Wine on their National Tour.
Upcoming Shows:
July 5 – Cain’s Ballroom (Tulsa, OK)
July 6 – The Pageant (Saint Louis, MO)
July 8 – The Salt Shed (Chicago, IL)
July 31 – Orpheum Theater (New Orleans, LA)
August 1 – White Oak Music Hall (Houston, TX)
August 2 – ACL Live at The Moody Theater (Austin, TX) |
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| WORKSHOPS, LECTURES, PRESENTATIONS, FILMS, SPECIAL EVENTS |
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| Jim Henson Idea Man
Dir. Ron Howard |
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Available to Stream on Disney+
Jim Henson Idea Man takes us into the mind of this singular creative visionary, from his early years puppeteering on local television to the worldwide success of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and beyond. Featuring unprecedented access to Jim’s personal archives, filmmaker Ron Howard brings us a fascinating and insightful look at a complex man whose boundless imagination inspired the world. |
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| Workshop: Meet the greens escaped from a greenhouse
Maiko Kikuchi
KinoSaito Arts Center – 115 7th St Verplanck, NY |
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July 6
1:00pm – 3:00pm
This workshop centers around a collaboration between the artist (Maiko Kikuchi) and participants to create artworks/props for the performance “Note from a Sheep I Met at the Dawn.” The props created during this workshop will be used as part of one of the vignettes in the performance, in particular, a scene performed with an installation of “Greens escaped from a greenhouse.” The works will be papier-mâché sculptures depicting a variety of “greens” in real shoes. There will be a total of 30 of these sculptures installed as part of the performance. Artist Maiko Kikuchi will prepare the shoes and create a base-shape of the sculpture in advance. In the workshop, each participant will use painting or collaging to decorate one sculpture to complete the artwork. The workshop will give participants the opportunity to collaborate with the artist to create a visible daydream and then see the completed artworks in the performance/exhibition. |
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| Movement for Puppeteers with Ariel Lauryn
Green Feather Foundation
Carriage House Annex – 225 E 67th St New York, NY |
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July 8
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Puppeteers often don’t think of themselves as athletes, so we tend to prioritize other things before tending to our bodies. However, it is through our bodies that we manipulate puppets and objects, in often unnatural positions and with unnatural movements. All the more reason to give them a little TLC! In this two hour workshop (plus breaks), we will cover self-care practices for strength conditioning, mobility, and rehabilitation to target areas of the body that are important for puppeteers. This will include some yoga, static and dynamic stretching, light cardio, and vagal toning exercises (to stimulate and soothe the nervous system). Targeted areas of the body will include: hands and wrists, shoulder girdle, hip flexors, and core. All that we cover is meant for you to integrate into your own daily routine, if you would like. It is my intention that you feel invigorated, grounded, and free by the end of this workshop. Level of intensity is up to you, so go at your own pace and enjoy! |
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| Visual Storytelling with Toy Theater – ONLINE
Kate Brehm
Zoom |
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July 7 – 14
Create your own performing world in a box! Toy theater explores the possibilities of a world where everything can come to life: characters, scenery, and even the stage itself. In six, 2-hour sessions you will design and devise your own toy theater puppet show. We will learn tricks and techniques common in toy theater, but also take inspiration from the visual storytelling tools of comics, cinema, theater scenography, and the psychology of art. We’ll explore the affect of scenery and staging, framing, the relationship between puppet and puppeteer, models of story structure, and basic puppet manipulation. Short readings and online viewings are assigned between classes to accompany your puppet show progress. Limited to 12 students. To sign up send an email to: imnotlost.ny@gmail.com |
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| 2024 New England Puppet Intensive – Design Edition
New England Puppet Arts
Historic Eclipse Mill – 243 Union St North Adams, MA |
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July 12 – 22
Daily training and studio instruction begins at 9 am and continues into the evening
Immerse yourself in the ultimate studio experience with NEPI’s fully stocked puppet-making lab set against the backdrop of the beautiful Berkshires. Alongside studio activity, we engage in a mindful and physical practice — providing participants time for reflection, and the opportunity to explore creative impulses that dovetail with expressive design. Curriculum includes: Character Design; Technical Drawing, Sculpting & Casting, Painting, Controls, Joints, Costuming, Lantern Puppets, and more! |
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| Mini Masks: Roser’s Paper Sculpture Methodology with Sarah Frechette – ONLINE
Open Eye Theatre
Zoom |
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July 13
9:00am – 12:00pm CST
Legendary puppeteer Albrecht Roser’s Paper Sculpture Technique has inspired artists all over the world. Join acclaimed puppeteer and Roser alumna Sarah Frechette for a hands-on workshop exploring how to discover expressive, sculptural characters in a flat piece of paper. By following a series of unique paper folding steps, participants will learn how to create and adapt patterns for dimensional faces. Along the way, Frechette will introduce Roser’s unified approach to construction and performance. As Roser theorized: “technique and art must serve expression.” This is a great class for designer/builders, educators, paper art enthusiasts, and anyone interested in puppetry design and performance. |
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| NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS |
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Deadline: July 15, 2024
The Jim Henson Foundation is pleased to announce a call for submissions for the 2024 Jim Henson Foundation Puppetry Residency in partnership with The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. The Jim Henson Foundation Residency, held at The O’Neill’s Waterford campus, offers space and support to a deserving artist or puppetry related project.
More information can be found at:
TheONeill.org/Residencies |
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| 2024-25 Puppet Lab Cohort
Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival
Apply here |
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Application Deadline: August 19
Fall Sessions: Monday evenings, Oct 21 – Dec 16
Spring Sessions: Mondays, Feb 10 – May 19
Works-in-Progress Showings: May 29 – June 1
The Chicago Puppet Lab is a puppet theater incubator and residency program that supports artists in bringing to life new works of puppet theater. The program accepts 8 artists or artist groups for a 8-month, in person laboratory process led by Puppet Lab Co-Directors: Tom Lee and Grace Needlman. Lab artists participate in weekly meetings where artists share, discuss, meet deadlines, and learn from one-another’s work as well as from expert guest artists. Together all contribute to the advancement of the cohort’s work. The program culminates with a mini-festival of live works-in-progress ~15-20 minutes in length in Chicago. The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival provides participants with video and photo documentation of their work, technical support, stage management, and marketing support for the final showing, and each project receives a stipend of $1000. |
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| MUSEUM & GALLERY EXHIBITS |
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| Circle of Water: Puppetry as an Agent of Change
Sandy Spieler and Laura Wilhelm
Hennepin History Museum – 2303 3rd Ave S Minneapolis, MN |
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Through 2026
Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00am-3:00pm
Saturdays from 10:00am-5:00pm
In 1983, a troupe of performers traveled down the Mississippi River from Brainerd, Minnesota to New Orleans, Louisiana in honor of water. A multi-faceted project spanning six months, the Circle of Water Circus honored the Mississippi River, fostered community, and raised awareness of the ecological distress of the river through the ancient tradition of puppetry. Produced by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT), the main attraction was a performance featuring 150 puppets and original music that explored the devastation of colonialism throughout the history of the region with an optimistic look towards the future. Forty years later, Hennepin History Museum pays tribute to this unique example of artistic activism in Circle of Water: Puppetry As An Agent of Change. This exhibit showcases a wide array of puppets alongside footage and music of the original show while presenting the experiences and perspectives of the performers. |
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| PUPPET HAPPENINGS – COMPLETE LISTINGS |
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VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Bending, lifting, twisting
