The Puppet Show: Community Calendar

The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe presents puppeteer Sebastienne Mundheim's "Sea of Birds"

August 29-September 2, 2008
Location: ICE BOX Projects Space (1400 North American Street)

Structured like Homer's Odyssey and reminiscent of The Little Prince, Sea of Birds parallels one child's memories of an Eastern European displacement camp in wartime with fantasy characters from an American child's imagination. Along the narrator’s journey, we meet Ivars the Butterfly Catcher, Gregor the Tormented Meadow Dweller, a Serpent with a Supercilious Eyebrow, and Others, who live in a sea of blue and black birds. Known for integrating historical themes with lyrical storytelling that engages children and adults alike, performance artist and writer Sebastienne Mundheim (Currently Franklin, 2006) creates a three-dimensional story book of delicate paper sculpture, dance-based puppetry, and live musicians. Sea of Birds will transport audiences to a fantastical world, exploring history, memory, and the power of imagination.

$18.75-$25 for details: livearts-fringe.org or call the box office: 215-413-1318

Handmade Puppet Dreams

A program of short puppet films curated by Heather Henson with live music and video set by Maple Rabbit. A touring festival of independent artists films exploring their handmade craft specifically for the camera. These films have allowed artists to build their vision, then breathe life into their dreams.

Special family friendly kids program at 2pm.For more information call 267.909.2633.

Boxcutter Cabaret

A ragtag band of horn tooters, cardboard wigglers, trash alchemists, and a bell strapped human xylophone! The Boxcutter Cabaret features the likes of The Dolly Wagglers, cardboard operettas and bumbling cranky shows painted on the dirty sheets of America; Modern Times Theater, puppet plays for the street, school, barn, pasture and subway; RPM Puppet Conspiracy, stinky garbage men with trashy ideas, plus, tantalizing tunes from The Boxcutter Brass& String Ensemble.

$5 admission. Refreshments and cheap art at the show!

Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra Tempesta di Mare in collaboration with Mock Turtle Marionette Theater present No Strings Attached: Love and Death with Music and Puppets

A full theatrical experience where singers are cast alongside masterfully operated, large-size puppets for two timeless musical dramas by George Frideric Handel and Claudio Monteverdi.

For tickets and more information go to tempestadimare.org or call 215.755.8776.

I Heard It Through the Grapevine

An exhibit containing works from claymation artist Will Vinton's personal art collection. The collection consists of 2-dimensional artwork, designs-in-progress and the models used in the demanding stop-motion filmmaking process.

Perhaps best known for creating The California Raisins for the groundbreaking 1987 television commercial, Vinton has also launched the careers of such characters as M&M's Red and Yellow and Thurgood Stubbs of the television show The PJs.

The Master and Margarita

February 13-23, 2008, Tickets $25-$35
Location: Mum Puppettheatre (115 Arch Street)

From the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov and adapted and Directed by Adrienne Mackey. Translated by Diana Burgin & Katherine Tiernan O'Connor.

There’s a new guy in town, with a certain Devil-may-care air about him. While the rest of Moscow wants to run him out of town on a rail. beautiful Margarita hopes that he may just be the savior she needs to rescue her beloved from wrongful confinement in an asylum for the insane.

For tickets and more information go to mumpuppet.org or call 215.925.7686.

Q-licious-A Mad Tea Party to Benefit Spiral Q Puppet Theater

7-9PM The Queen of Hart's Reception

On this very important date, join Spiral Q as they honor their founder and Philadelphia activist Matty Hart. Eat delectable treats! Enjoy Nouveau Zydeco trio, Sweets & Hots. Feast your eyes on a special performance by the world's tallest drag queen, Miss Martha Graham Cracker. Play paper-maché croquet on the parquet, gawk at the silent art auction before the doors open to the rest of the madding crowd.

9-11:30PM - the Mad Hatter's Ball

The silent art auction continues... Dance the Q-drille with the mock lobster to the mad brass of New York City's Rude Mechanical Orchestra and their surprise DJ!

Desserts, drinks, dancing and fun had by all!

For more information visit spiralq.org.

Ramshackle Enterprises Presents: Mite We?

Beth Nixon's brand new giant puppet show about three generations of a West Philly family, about the timeless workings of termites, and the secret world of dust mites. Live music directed by Jack Ohly accompanies masked neighbors, beasts on zip lines, and massive marionettes as they enact stories of symbiosis and struggle.
Suggested donation: $5-$10
For more information visit Ramshackle Enterprises.

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