Cranberry Puppets--some of the original puppets
that started Puppet Showplace Theater
The lobby of Puppet Showplace Theater
By the time MAGIC SOUP began, it was to a packed house of excited and breathless children and their parents. What unfolded before all of us was a gentle, sweet, funny, and GORGEOUSLY puppeted story crafted of Yiddish tales. I was on the edge of my chair with a huge grin on my face throughout the whole show, as was every child in the room. It was such a pleasure to see how another artist took these tales in hand and put them together in a way that connected and engaged with his audience so completely. After the show, a large number of children swarmed to the front of the theatre to touch and hear about how the puppets were made and operated.
Brad Shur, the resident artist, is a sweet young man, with an open, genuine face that is perfect for someone who operates puppets. His performance as a visible puppeteer was just as interesting as the puppets he made and operated. And the puppets he created were incredible.
Once the children were installed in their birthday party splendor out in the lobby, I was whisked away by Roxie Myrhum, the Artistic Director, who did not seem put out in the slightest by the fact that this interloper from another city had landed at her theatre in the midst of what had to have been one of the busiest days in her season, and was expecting to be coffeed and talked to, in-depth about her theatre's mission and educational, engagement, and outreach programming. What ensued was over an hour of wonderful kindred-spirit conversation and explanation of how things work for them, interspersed with the occasional whistful comment (on both sides) about wishing there was more support for the kind of programming both of us feel is so important to the way we make our art. Finally, we headed back to the theatre (which, stuffed with exuberant birthday party participants when we left, was now completely empty and clean--the setting for the day's performance also gone and the stage at neutral,) where I got to have a piece of birthday cake, and then was set up at a desk to work on my computer while they all got back to preparing for the evening's performance. All of this done with practiced efficiency and a good will sparked by easy comeraderie. I felt amazed and grateful to be able to be in the midst of all of it. Next up: BEND...
Artistic Director Emeritus,
Paul Vincent Davis
Paul Vincent Davis
A guardian and a butterfly
keep watch over the audience
keep watch over the audience
Stay tuned for more on my visit to Puppet Showplace Theater...
Alison is the recipient of a 2016 Creative Workforce Fellowship. This Fellowship is a program of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture. Funding for the Fellowship program is made possible by the generous support of Cuyahoga County residents through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Alison is the recipient of a 2016 Creative Workforce Fellowship. This Fellowship is a program of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture. Funding for the Fellowship program is made possible by the generous support of Cuyahoga County residents through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
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