Calendar Updates

Just wanted to let you know what we have scheduled for the coming year. 

First of all, we will be sponsoring another Puppet Playwriting Contest for children in grades 3-6 in the tri-state area. This week, we are mailing a flyer to more than 60 area schools, public and parochial.  The deadline for entries won't be until Feb. 28, 2009, but we wanted teachers to have the contest on their radar as something that could be worked into a lesson plan or just in case they have some wonderfully creative storytellers in their classes. 

We'll post rules and guidelines soon. Also, we will have our "Once Upon a Puppet Show" workshop available for schools and we'll host it at the opera house -- probably a few times. Last winter, the weather was snowy and dangerous and only a handful of kids were able to attend it. So, keep checking this blog. 

And remember, shows and workshops are available for groups. And the opera house can be rented for birthday parties etc.

Here's what else we have up our puppet strings:

"Hazel's Halloween Adventure," 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sat. Oct. 25 and 2 p.m. Sun. Oct. 26.

(A bonk on the head sends Witch Hazel to Bunchkinland where she sets off to find the Big Cheese.)

"It Came to Pass (the Nativity)" 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Sat. Dec. 6; 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Sat. Dec. 13; 2 p.m. Sun. Dec. 14; AND 2 p.m. Mon. Dec. 30. This is our absolute favorite show. You won't want to miss seeing the story of Jesus' birth told as only the puppets can do it, with a wolf that chases the sheep, wisemen who place their gifts at the feet of the Christ Child and scenery that turns like the pages of a storybook.

Winter puppetmaking workshops --- African Drummer Puppet, 10-noon, Sat. Feb. 28. Freewill donation.

"Tales of Bunny Cotton-Tail," 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Sat. April 4; 2 p.m. Sun. April 5. Based on stories by Platteville's Laura Rountree Smith.

Puppet Playwriting Contest --- performances of winning plays, tentatively Sat. May 16.

Mid-summer performance -- dates TBA: "The Cloud Princess," based on an African tale from Swaziland.

Labor Day weekend: "3 Bears, 3 Pigs, 3 Billy Goats Gruff" More fun than 3 barrels of monkeys