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29-th SEASON |
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ON THE MAIN STAGE: |
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MAIN STAGE
Saturday Morning Performance Series Open Hand Theater’s A World of Puppets series brings master puppeteers and performers from around the country to spin their magic in front of delighted children and families. 11am the first 2 Saturdays of the month
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Tom Knight ~ October 3 ~ *The Library Boogie* It’s a show that’s fun for kids, but savvy enough to appeal to grown-ups too. Tom Knight is a great children’s songwriter. His shows are filled with short puppet vignettes, lots of songs and audience participation. Tom’s favorite themes are animals, food, the environment, and the importance of reading. With catchy melodies and clever lyrics, Tom Knight’s songs are easy to remember and fun to sing and most have a part for the audience, whether it is hand movements, dancing to the “Alligator Jump” or just singing along. Tom's Website TOP |
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Crabgrass Puppet Theatre |
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Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers ~ November 7 ~ *Everybody Loves Pirates* Everybody loved Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers and their wild west show at WOP last year. Now this small puppetry troupe comprised of three siblings - Erik, Brian, and Robin Torbeck – are back with the antics of their swash-buckling pirate puppets. As a young, up and coming company Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers received the 2008 Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry from Puppeteers of America - Unima-USA. TOP |
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Purple Rock Productions ~ November 14 ~ *Rapunzel* The Purple Rock adaptation of “Rapunzel” tells the famous fairy tale from the perspective of a washerwoman, who uses various objects from the laundry as setting and props for the story. The puppets are hidden in various pieces of laundry, and the witch transforms into various animals before she is thwarted by the clever and talented Rapunzel. As always, Rolande Duprey of Purple Rock provides plenty of room for audience participation and laughter! Purple Rock Productions on the Web TOP |
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Open Hand Theater ~ December 5 ~ *Grandfather Frost* Silver the Cat is back with his mischief, and with Baba Yaga telling the story of two sisters lost in the Russian forest. They each learn the secrets of the legendary Grandfather Frost in their own particular way. This beautiful folktale is performed with traditional music and imaginative puppetry in a uniquely Russian style, featuring Open Hand’s international Artist in Residence Vladimir Vasyagin and musician Leslie Archer. TOP |
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| The Puppet People ~ December 12 ~ *A Christmas Carol* This Dickens holiday favorite is beautifully performed with The Puppet People’s exquisite marionettes. Mark Carrigan and Michelle Smith-Carrigan of the Puppet People have been entertaining for over 20 years throughout New York State, Massachusetts and Vermont. They toured nationally and performed at Lincoln Center with the Bennington Marionettes. They are currently in production of their own television show. TOP |
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Open Hand Theater ~ January 2 ~ *Masks of Life* What is the first most important moment in a person’s life, no matter where they live in the world or when they have existed in time? Open Hand Theater’s artistic director Geoffrey Navias unlocks the secret stories of beautifully crafted masks from around the world, and creates beguiling characters that come to life through masks of his own design. This treasured performance has intrigued and enchanted audiences of all ages in over ten years of touring with Open Hand’s unique International Mask and Puppet Museum. TOP |
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Open Hand Theater |
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Theatre Figuren |
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Open Hand Theater |
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Tanglewood Marionettes ~ March 6 ~ |
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Steve Abrams |
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Puppets with Pizazz ~ April 3 ~ |
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Purple Rock Productions |
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Storytelling for adults Each year we present three evenings of the best award winning storytellers we can find at our International Mask and Puppet Museum. The hall is very intimate, seating up to eighty people. For the storyteller we provide a warm magical setting. The response from the public and from the storytellers has been exceptional. Traditional hauntingly ancient tales, spicy ethnic or contemporary, we invite these talented tellers to awaken the beauty and magic of the spoken word. The performances are followed by an artist reception and a time for conversation. Subscription |
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Sunny Dooley The traditional stories that Sunny Dooley recounts are the same stories that have been handed down from one generation to the next in her family, stories that have been told from her matrilineal clan of the Saltwater People. The Dine' stories create the worldview of its people and their relationship to their surroundings. Why are people, places and things the way they are? The wisdom and understanding of the past and present links us to the future. TOP |
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| Len Cabral A storyteller of Cape Verdean ancestry, Len brings his unique perspective to the celebration of African American heritage with stories from Africa, the Caribbean, the Cape Verde Islands, and the southern United States. Len Cabral is an American storyteller who was awarded the Circle of Excellence in 2001 by the National Storytelling Network and recognized by his peers as a master storyteller. He is best known for his enthusiastic hand gestures and character voices. Among his favorite stories are Fable of the Animals and the Story of Pat Divers. TOP |
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Michael Parent From New England to New Zealand, and many places in between, Michael Parent has been telling stories and singing songs since 1977. He’s a Franco-American Mainer, a storyteller, singer, writer and actor. He's been called "the storyteller of the underdog" with his folk and original stories and his traditional and otherwise outlandish songs (in both English and French). After many years living in Virginia, Michael returned to his home state of Maine in 1998, and now lives in Portland. He received the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network in 1999. TOP |
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* * * * * Our past storytellers include: |
* * * * * Open Hand Theater |
