Gepetto: Extraordinary Extremities

La MaMa in association with Concrete Temple Theatre and Bridge Street Theatre presents

Geppetto: Extraordinary Extremities

Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 2 PM – 3 PM EDT; to join this live event, go to http://lamama.org/gepetto/

We are deeply honored at this time to be able to present a live streamed performance of Geppetto!

Geppetto: Extraordinary Extremities is a tale of resilience, adaptation and ingenuity that tells the story of puppet-maker Geppetto, who is attempting to perform — all by himself for the first time ever — the grand mythical love story of Perseus, who slays a sea monster to save his beloved Andromeda. During the show things begin to go haywire, and Geppetto finds himself desperately improvising to overcome the challenges of performing solo while at the same time scrambling to devise new story lines, new characters, and even new limbs.

Geppetto: Extraordinary Extremities was inspired by a NPR story on Hugh Herr, whose legs were amputated after a climbing accident and who now designs technologically advanced artificial limbs.

“The play focuses on a longing for magic, a wish for a transformative power…A compelling performance, enhanced by haunting cello music…It celebrates human ingenuity.” – New York Times 

“It’s romantic in an old-fashioned way…lovely music…Carlo Adinolfi’s performance is charming.” – New Yorker

We dedicate this performance to anyone who has lost a loved one during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Isolating Together: Virtual Toy Theatre Festival IV

ISOLATING TOGETHER 

Another night of Toy Theater wonders.

Another colossal event of miniature proportions.

Presented by Great Small Works: John Bell, Trudi Cohen (Cambridge, MA), Jenny Romaine (New York, NY), Stephen Kaplin (Jackson Heights, NY), Roberto Rossi (Red Hook, NY) and Mark Sussman (Montreal, QC) Technical Support: Sarah Goshman

All proceeds from Days #5 and #6 of Isolating Together will go to The Black Puppeteer Empowerment Grant & Creative Research Residency under the leadership of Program Mentor Brad Brewer through an initiative by Puppet Showplace Theater Brookline, MA. Congratulations to the first grantee cohort!

WE SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES. www.greatsmallworks.blogspot.com

With thanks to the Puppet Slam Network, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, the Scherman Foundation, and the Mental Insight Foundation for their generous support.

RUNNING ORDER

In Kinship Fellowship: Lilah Akins, Devon Kelley-Yurdin, Emilia Dahlin, Cory Tamler, Jennie Hahn, Tyler Rai (Maine)

Sieglinde and Martin Haase, Haases Papiertheater (Germany)

Maria Camia (Brooklyn, NY)

Honolulu Theatre for Youth (Honolulu, HI)

Houseboat Productions (Baltimore and Cincinnati)

Amelia Castillo (Glover, VT)

Precarious Works, Siena Mayers (Lake Worth, FL)

Paul Zaloom and Lynn Jeffries (Los Angeles, CA)

Kate Brehm (New York, NY)

Kathleen Doyle (Newburypoort, MA) and Christa Haxthausen (Los Angeles, CA)

eliana stinky (Worcester, MA)

Coalfather Industries (NY and Illinois)

Great Small Works/Stephen Kaplin (Jackson Heights, NY)

Patrick Costello (Brooklyn, NY)

Leah Ogawa and John Chao (NYC and Houston)

Elle Love and Caitlin Ross (Glover, VT)

Kalan Sherrard (New York, NY)

Andrea Lomanto (New York, NY)

13 Pratt Theater Company – Rainier Pearl-Styles, Nick Chieffo and Riley Fox Hillyer (Boston, MA)

Brian Zelznick Does Doll Face as Toy Theatre!

Our newest virtual offering is a charming, zany, 10-minute toy theater show directed by Brian Selznick, writer and illustrator of “The Invention of Hugo Cabaret” and “The Houdini Box,” and the illustrator of the 20th anniversary “Harry Potter” box set. The show is based on the 1994 children’s picture book written by Pam Conrad and illustrated by Selznick.

At the time, the book was a sweet story about a doll who throws herself a party with her friend’s knife, fork, spoon, and plate. 

“Twenty-five years later,” says Selznick, “my friend Jacqui Russell asked me if I would help to turn ‘Doll Face Has a Party!’ into a puppet show.

She thought that children might especially enjoy it during this time of quarantine because Doll Face never leaves her home, throws a party because she is bored and makes friends with the items around her house.”

Creative Team:
Directed by Brian Selznick
Based on the Book, "Doll Face Has a Party!"
Text by Pam Conrad / Pictures by Brian Selznick
Produced by Jacqueline Russell
Designed, Built, and Puppeteered by Will Bishop & Grace Needlman
Narrated by James Lecesne
Music by Tuba Skinny
Additional Music by Robin Rapuzzi
Sound Design by Kevin O’Donnell