Puppetry enthusiasts from around the country will be gathering in Trenton July 8-13 to celebrate the art of live puppet theatre.
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ppetry enthusiasts from around the country will be gathering in Trenton July 8-13 to celebrate the art of live puppet theatre.
PuppetFest MidWest will be held on the North Central Missouri College campus. Performances will take place in the Hoover Theater in the Grundy County-Jewett Norris Library. PuppetFest MidWest is an independent, annual puppetry festival that is presented, organized and financially supported by puppeteers as a gift to other puppeteers in the hope that it will inspire, strengthen and renew their commitment to Puppet Theatre.
People who have pre-registered for this week-long event will be staying at the residence halls on the NCMC campus and attending puppetry workshops, performances and lectures. For information and to download a registration application, persons can go online to puppetry.info/pupfestmidwest or call 660-684-6825.
?We?re very excited about this puppetry get-together?, says Peter Allen who, with his wife Debbie, is coordinating this event. ?We are delighted to be able to share what we love about puppets and puppet theatre with our community. From North Carolina to San Diego, from Iowa to Texas, we have the best puppeteers coming from all over this great country.?
Many of the puppetry events will be open to the general public. The puppetry exhibit at the Dorris Rider Art Gallery on the NCMC campus will have its grand opening on Wednesday, July 9 from 4 to 5:30 pm. This exhibit will be also be open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, July 10, Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12. Bob Burns from Seattle, WA will be available to demonstrate the style of puppetry known as ?Toy Theatre.” Interested groups can make advance reservations for the ?toy theatre? demonstration at the art gallery by calling Vicki Weaver at 660-359-3948, ext. 203.
Individual tickets to some of the puppet performances will also be available. Admission to all performances is $5. All public puppet performances will take place at the Hoover Theater in the Grundy County-Jewett Norris Library.
Afternoon performances are for adults and children six years of age and older. Evening performances are intended for children age 12 and up and adult audiences only. No one under six years of age will be admitted to any of the evening theatre performances.
The Huber Marionettes will present “Suspended Animation” at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9. Philip Huber?s virtuoso technique and poetic performances have earned him recognition as a premiere marionette manipulator. He has performed in Hollywood, on Broadway, Las Vegas, Paris, Monte Carlo, on cruise ships and in many other venues worldwide. This sophisticated performance is for older children and adults.
At 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, the Paul Mesner Puppets will perform ?Rapunzel,? a “veggie wonderful” story about avid gardeners, Okra and Romaine, and their beautiful daughter, Rapunzel. Paul Mesner, based in Kansas City, has an international reputation for elaborate productions with witty scripts based on classic fairy tales. This matinee performance is for adults and children six years of age and older.
Lynne Jennings of San Diego will perform a shadow puppet story of ?Season of the Swan” at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 10. This gentle show explores the relationship between a swan and a child and the effect their meeting has on both of their lives. Like most puppeteers, Lynne does a bit of everything designer, builder, teacher, director, writer, performer. She is a founding member of a new puppetry center in San Diego. This evening performance is for older children and adults.
Grey Seal Puppets from North Carolina will perform “The King of Keys” at 4 p.m. on Friday, July 11. The audience can follow the trials and tribulations of the wise and wonderful King of Keys as he bestows special keys to unlock the best in those around him. Founded in 1976, Grey Seal Puppets tours nationwide and performs regularly on television. This afternoon performance is for adults and children 6 years of age and older.
A lively interpretation of the hand puppet classic, ?Punch and Judy,? featuring Pix Smith of Dallas Puppet Theatre, will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 11. This evening performance is for older children and adult audiences.
The Chameleon Puppet Theater will present ?Mr. Ug: Caveman” at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. The audience can join Mr. Ug and his caveman family in their hilarious discovery of food, fire, love and the best way to catch fish. This afternoon performance is for adults and children six years of age and older.
The puppet festival ends on a high note when the Carter Family Marionettes from Seattle perform “Mrs. Twig and the Birthday Dog.” This surreal and fantastical journey with puppets made of found objects will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 12 and is for older children and adults.
Performance schedules are available at the Grundy County-Jewett Norris Library and at the Dorris Rider Art Gallery on the NCMC campus. General admission to the puppet performances is $5. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Dorris Rider Art Gallery during exhibit hours (9 a.m. to noon on July 10, 11 and 12) or at the door of the Hoover Theater before every performance.