GSW10: Program 2

Program 2 of the 10th Annual International Toy Theater Festival
as Reported by Tess Elliott

GSWs' Toy Theater of Terror as Usual, 
Episode 13: Whistles and Leaks (NYC)

This was an interesting show about Bradley Manning, and the moral conflict he felt about blowing the whistle on all the illegal killings of civilians that was deliberately hidden by the government. For this, Bradley Manning and perhaps Julian Assange may both lose their liberty. But we do have to ask ourselves why we feel one way about corporate whistleblowers (many of whom paid dearly for having a conscience), and government whistleblowers who would be prosecuted for treason. It is not a black and white issue, as lawyers would have us see it, since our armed forces represent us overseas in ways we are not allowed to know or see until the damage is done. How can we question our government if just knowing about it, or telling about it is treason? Why did Scooter Libby out a covert agent and get a a much shorter sentence which also got canceled by Bush, and Bradley Manning might be looking at life in prison or even the death penalty? Both are treasonous actions under the law. It sometimes doesn't boil down to whose side you are on, when it's an issue about what kind of person you are. The character kept asking: “What would YOU do?” Most of us would do nothing, but lose some sleep over dead people in foreign countries. Some of us might cry for them. But I ask myself also: “How should we treat those who would try to make this right?” It is not collateral damage when we send drones into areas where civilians live. The film of the death of the camera crew shocked many who saw it. I was ready to bear witness to Bin Laden's death, but not a camera crew's. Somehow, we must demand our military stand for what we believe in as a country—that the death of innocents anywhere is wrong. How complicated is that?

"Suitcase Narrative: Three Small Things" / Open Eye Figure Theatre (Minneapolis, MN)

Mr. Sommers is a mad professor who can barely stand still. He has a manic way of showing a story with his art, as if his very life depended on it. His gallery is a suitcase theater fringed with puppets, and his art is their stage sets. He is an artist selling his story like a sidewalk shell game, and he makes a statement in his biography that he hopes his art is like a virus you catch, and stays in your brain. He has performed in this manner all over the world. He calls this “Three Small Things” though I wouldn't care to enumerate what they are. What I got from his pictures, (he narrates in sound effects) which look like R. Crumb trying to draw someone's head exploding, is that life is passionate and that curiosity is a great gift. Death is inevitable, and the Moment must not be lost while we have life. He is very funny, in a desperate sort of way, but I felt some empathy for the many many times I wanted to shake someone and yell: “WAKE UP!” Because he is so visually oriented, I was ready to love what he did seeing how so much of what the puppets do requires the pictures/paintings. Will have to read more about him now.

"A Memorable Murder" by Pontine Theater (Portsmouth, NH) 
M. Marguerite Mathews & Greg Gathers

The story takes place during March 5th and 6th of 1875, on the Isle of Shoals near Portsmouth, and is based on the first hand witness of Celia Thaxter published in the Atlantic. It is a striking series of pictures, again a homage to graphic novels and film, telling the story of a horrific murder during an unsuccessful robbery by a man who was considered like a brother to the extended family. He killed two women, and sent another out into the freezing cold in only her bedclothes, and by a miracle she managed to find help before she froze to death. The killer thought there was money hidden (there was but he couldn't find it), and he wanted to take it while the men were away fishing. The killer died trying to run away (the sea was his judge). It felt strange to hear a scary tale while watching beautiful pictures about the gruesome story, but that's toy theater all over. The partners worked so well together that every set change was smooth and flawless, and you don't have time to think—wait a minute—that was a severed head and arm! In black and white, it was almost more scary—like the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Ms. Mathews and her partner both have very long and impressive resumes, belying the mindset that toy theaters are light-weight entertainment for children. This piece has a lovely elegant style, thanks to the design of Mr. Gathers.

"Baba Yaga VS Bat Man" / Goat on a Boat Theater (Sag Harbor NY)
 Liz Joyce and Alex Khludov

This was a zany story written by Liz Joyce about two of Bat Man's enemies getting married, and who must be stopped before they can sire unspeakably horrible evil children. It is funny like the TV show was, and though kids are not a target audience for this more adult themed comic romp. She has very bright poster-like art and the entire show is fast paced. It looks like a kids show, but does not act like one. Baba Yaga is a gypsy-like bride to be, who comes onto Robin right away and sends him running. She is supposed to marry the Penguin. They do comic battle over the marriage, but oddly I forgot how it ended. Guess this means I could watch it again, and still enjoy the suspense (was tired and got happily lost among the bright colors). Please don't anyone tell me!
You can get a good idea of how this one-woman company does out there on Long Island, for kids especially. Liz Joyce is a direct and energetic person who helped serve punch with me at the opening. She has the pace down, and the brightness, with something still left for the parents. She is living the dream of a lot of puppeteers, being the community puppeteer among the beach lovers but we all know that also amounts to a lot of really hard work.

A Bavarian Folk Tale / The Dolly Wagglers (Glover VT)
Lindsay McCaw and Adam Cook, with Michelle Posadas



I was ready to love this show because both of the partners are funny, charming performers. This show required a third puppeteer, with all the characters and landscape changes...rather like an operatic version of toy theater, folk style. We see charming landscape with no fancy work, and cute characters who are miners about the business of digging holes to get STUFF. They are driven to do this until all the stuff is gone. Some of the local animals (and land spirits) become unhappy about all the holes, and some of the miners wonder when they can stop and have a little fun. Their leaders are against stopping while there is so much STUFF in the ground. Lindsay McCaw comes out front in a very funny costume, and deadpans the wise owl's remarks about this mania for stuff. She reminds me of Gilda Radner in her Roseann Rosanadana character, and is hilarious “reciting” her lines, while draped with her accordion. If toy theater people had their way, accordions would come back as a top instrument of accompaniment, and they make a good case for it. The collaboration between McCaw and Cook were one of my favorites at the last festival. Long may they ply their artful trade!

GSW10: Video Report

A nicely-done video report by the Wall Street Journal on the 10th International Toy Theatre Festival, ongoing right now!

"People are really excited about seeing the handmade and the hand-operated," said Ms. Geiser, "and the kind of magic that happens when you actually see how something is being done and you still believe in it."

Read more about the festival in the accompanying WSJ article...

Old Toy Theatre History Site: Revival?

Front page of old Toy Theatre History page...

I used to have my own domain, and on subdomain I hosted a website I inherited from a fellow in the UK that didn't want to handle it anymore. I used it as a template, and did some major changes to it to make it more logical and user-friendly. I look back on it now and laugh because it looks to primitive to what we can do today.

That said, I think I have enough pieces of the puzzle to be able to resurrect it - at least a good share of it - as 'pages' that link from the front page here.

I want to share some of the information from that old page, because although much of it is 'old news', it's important historically in the world of toy theatre, and to my knowledge, there not a lot of this online. It mostly concerns Benjamin Pollock.

GSW10: Before the Festival

June 2, 2013: Straightening top of main stage curtain, & strengthening it by putting in grommets.

Before the curtains open, and the lights come up, there is...preparation!

See more here...

GSW10: Panel Discussion

Main festival stage.  Grand drape painted by Damiano Giambelli of Teatro del Corvo, Milano.
[Click to see full-size]

John Bell from Great Small Works shared this about last night's fascinating panel discussion after Program 3 ("Disaster!") of GSW's 10th International Toy Theater Festival:

The panel, titled "Who is Feeling the Heat? Moving the National and Local Discussion of Climate Change," featured (l. to r.) Jenny Romaine; artist and climate change activist Rachel Schragis; Helena Wong (Executive Director of CAAAV/NYC Chinatown Sandy Response); Diego Ibanez (organizer with Occupy Sandy in Far Rockaway); and Jenny Akchin (Occupy Sandy activist).

GSW10: Great Small Stages

The Great Small Stages
by Tess Elliott

Little Blue Moon Theater performs “Roman Reverie” [Vallejo, CA]

Was all set to have a good time with this show, though it was raunchier (in its tasteful nudity) than “Mutiny on the Bounty” and I so missed Michael's uke. But the star of the puppet-mimed show was Valerie Nelson's stunning soprano ringing out, which I had never heard before. Mama Mia! She can sing such operatic, passionate accompaniment to their hilarious sexy romp, all through new and ancient erotic Rome. There is no dialog: the show is like a moving picture book. Our intrepid couple arrive in Rome and have a fight at dinner on their first night. She takes off to a gorgeous magical waterfall the next day where the fun begins. If you have never seen a paper doll striptease, it is something absolutely insane and funny. Hunky Roman soldiers come through, and she is taken off for her captive adventures. I can't remember all the captors but her fun seems to peak at a Bachian orgy complete with goat legged fauns. She recreates Leda and the Swan. She becomes the adopted pet of a family of centaurs for awhile. After that she is carried off a prisoner.

Her estranged sweetheart ends up at those same magical waterfalls where he is accosted by a group of water nymphs who carry him off disrobed and startled. He goes through his own adventures ending up becoming a gladiator, where somehow HE manages to kill the deadly lion, and is carried off a hero (and of all things, he still has on his nerdy glasses). Like Julius Caesar, he is loved by men and women. He is invited to the Emporer's palace (I decided it was Tiberius's Palace on Capri) where he is seduced by the Emperor's woman, and then by the Emperor. As they are all becoming friends, he looks out to see his lady strung up naked on some stony pillars as an Andromeda-style sacrifice to the gods, and our brave hero becomes Perseus to battle Poseidon to save her. A good time was had by all. We see them headed for the airport all lovey dovey. The End.



Yulya Dukhovny performs "Fisherman's Dream" [Los Angeles, CA]

This was an interesting piece that had some very lovely music recorded on a soundtrack for a toy theater video. Music was the first career of this artist. This was a sort of turnabout of reality and scale, because the tiny toy theater and puppets were built and filmed on a REAL beach (she has great outtakes at the end), and the real toy theater fisherman's shanty, and other scenes are in a real little toy theater, accompanying the video when it's usually the other way around. Also a little turned around are photos mixed in with more primitive drawing like the shanty, but collaged with turn of the century characters who become background to the story. You have heard forms of it all your life. A fisherman catches a magical “fish” who offers him anything if he would let her go. He doesn't need anything, and kindly lets her go, but tells his old wife about it and she demands he go back and ask for a new washtub. He does. Magically a new washing machine pops up on the beach and her laundry comes out already clipped to a clothesline. Then she wants a pretty cottage. And we all know, this is just the beginning.

I do like the way Ms. Dukhovny presents the tired old Fisherman who looks sad and worn out. He is a puppet with a real human face among the nets, looking thin (and probably embarrassed over his wife's greed). He has to go back and ask for a life that is better than being peasants, and she is never satisfied. At the end, she demands the impossible—to be the mistress of the magical sea goddess, and happily—it all goes back to normal again. As if nothing happened. It was a gift to the Fisherman, and she does not seem to remember her former lofty elevation. This is an adaptation of Pushkin's fairy tale about magical Golden Fish (the artist is Russian, and lived in Israel many years). I look forward to seeing more by this artist.

GSW10: Program One

One of the gorgeous stages at this year's festival...

Program One of the 10th International Toy Theater Festival
- Reported by Tess Elliott

The People's Puppets of Occupy Wall Street

They performed a political piece about How Do We Show Solidarity, which was streamed live between them and Cairo during the Egyptian uprising. Here is the Ustream link.  They also have a Facebook page.

It was a show of cut out cardboard figures, and collages of events and politicians (The newly elected Egyptian President and Obama, mostly) haggling at the people's expense, with harsh police tactics on the rebels. I can imagine how I would have felt, had the new president changed his mind about his promises and suddenly made government more able to spy on it's people, and have more power to contain what they consider dangerous groups. Oh, by gosh I DID feel that way, just like the Egyptians. How do we show Solidarity? Support, agreement about issues, spreading the word. These young people are dedicated to doing this across the country and across the world. People are tired of bullies. People are tired of corruption. It is down on the ground front lines art, with simple, primitive techniques that speak articulately because they are simple. Good work.

The Garment Workers Tale, by Valeska Populoh of Baltimore, MD

This show starts with a still life of a cluttered old sewing machine desk, boxes and stacks of materials. Valeska comes out in period costume, and sits for awhile sewing with brutal focus, unsmiling and tired looking until she finishes a line of what I thought were old time collars. It is like a beautiful sepia tone photograph, where you can't see the wear or soil on old things—plain things. Then she changes the tone by picking up a photo and remembering, which turns into the first puppet she uses. All that clutter turns out to be set pieces and puppets to tell the story of immigrants coming to this country hungry and dying for work. I thought it was ingenius the way she used the “scenery” to tell the story. She finds a garment factory and tells the tale of relentless brutal hours, culminating in the great Triangle Factory Tragedy. She tells the story of protests by many of those same immigrants trying to work safe, trying to live, and giving birth to the first unions in that industry. She never speaks a word, but speaks volumes through her props. This was one act that does not translate well to the overhead projection of the last rows because the color is entirely lost, and the cropping is as damaging as TV is to movies. I am thankful to have it, but was sitting behind a person who blocked the whole scene and I only got to see the real thing for a few seconds at a time. I made a point of trying to sit up front after that program. It might have been helpful to put her scene on a raised floor, though I can understand how the extra expense might make that impossible. This is what much of toy theater faces with every performance.

Eli the Luthier by Little Did Productions of NYC

This was a tragic love story, conceived by Jessica Marie Lorence, played out on a large pop up scenery “book” by a troup of singer/puppeteers, and original music played on the Cello by Luke Santy, who sang and played as the narrator of the story. The singer/puppeteers were : Alison Novelli, Sam Parrott, and Elizabeth Spano. Pop up scenery can be a lot of fun, because it is instant as a new page is opened. I can't even imagine the labor involved in creating such an oversize pop book but it worked like a charm. The puppet characters interact with the scenery in the traditional way for the most part, but sometimes they are presented as large closeups as if they were illustrations on an imaginary page. I think there has long been a major love of comics and graphic novels that is well adapted to toy theater here. I see it again and again in the other shows. The story is a bit gruesome, but the music is haunting and beautiful with excellent voices playing off the soft cello (I am a fan of cello). It is the typical story of a lonely musician hopelessly in love with a baron's daughter who returns his love. When Toy Theater is accompanied by good music, it takes on a bigger charge of electricity, so to speak. It draws you in faster, and moves you in a deeper way. Canned music is good, too, though live is more immediate. This is the first production I have ever seen accompanied by a cello.

Emma's Parlor by Martina Plag and Lorna Howley of Philadelphia, PA

This is a story about the early female rebel, political dissonant and passionate speaker Emma Goldman.
Lorna Howley plays her with vigor and a strong voice that carries beautifully. Martina plays the various men in Emma's life to tell the story on a toy theater set inside of a full scale set. Martina is the designer (and both are puppeteers) but an enthusiastic performer as well. I think in a more intimate space, I could have heard Martina better (not her fault I have lost some hearing), but I got most of it and she pulled off the hard work of advancing a lot of the set props. They both worked hard, to great effect. I was ready to stand up and yell “Strike, strike, strike,” with them. I really loved the design of the set, and Lorna's passionate portrayal of a famous, rather messy public speaker who worked tirelessly even in jail. She made me want to know more about Goldman. They made me mourn the union bashing American workers have suffered for the last 20 years, as well. What right does labor have to want to live decently? In our country, I used to think all people did, and that my neighbors felt the same. No so. Something we should all think about, perhaps.

Chan Thou's Tuk-Tuk by HiveMind Theater of NYC

This is an interesting Toy Theater reminiscent of Asian architecture with rather large puppets, that really seem to be more “human.” They are surrounded by collages of places and people. Chan Thou (a real person who runs a pedicab while studying to be a teacher) is one of the many Cambodian survivors trying to live with awful memories of the Khmer Rouge regime. The man who was in charge of killing Chan Thou's family, Kaing Guek Eav, (aka “Duch”), one day happens to get into Chan Thou's Tuk-Tuk—a bicycle powered taxi. This upsets Buddhist Chan Thou who has terrible dreams of revenge and an almost overpowering desire for justice. He consults a Buddhist monk about how to live with such terrible dreams and is reminded that the way of compassionate Buddha was to not allow attachment to things & desires, and accept what is, not because things will always be unjust, but that it is more destructive to our spirit to demand an outcome and live in hate. Preserve the good memories, and keep alive the love we have for those who have passed seems to be the message—and a good one. Here is a link to an article about the show:

The music was delightful and I assume Cambodian. The co-creators were Emily Leshner, Ryan Minezzi, and Jennifer Onopa, along with puppeteer Gail Shalan. They actually met Chan Thou and learned than the “Duch” was sentenced to life imprisonment for his war crimes. So patience did have a good outcome.

GSW10: Toy Theatre Museum

Tess' two theatres on exhibit in the museum...

The festival has a Temporary Toy Theatre Museum that is available for viewing during the entire run.  Read below all about it, and the opening day's parade, as reported by Tess Elliott:

This is a playful crowd at the 10th International Toy Theater Festival. It starts with a Miniature Parade, complete with a band, marching with care around Dumbo, and ended at St. Ann's Warehouse with a wonderful imaginative crowd of mini floats, made by children and professionals alike. I only got a few pictures of the floats, because sadly this year most of the participants took their toys right home, instead of leaving them for display! I was so sad to see them go. After that, the Temporary Toy Theater Museum opened and people flocked in to see all the wonderful interpretations of Toy Theater from art pieces, old classics, and working theaters. There is a lot of beautiful work here, and I am biased because I have two pieces in the show myself. I am mostly here writing about the performances, but will try to cover some of my favorite pieces in the museum because building them is what floats my boat.

Serving punch at the reception in the lobby, you can see what a creative crowd this is: within minutes children and then adults were turning the lobby fan into a theater or a puppet, depending on which side you were on. It was great fun watching hot people of all ages stop and sing into the blades to hear that funny cut apart staccato the blades cause. I remember doing that as a kid a lot—humming, singing. So I am not writing as a critic. I am a passionate fan, an open admirer of all efforts to move me, make me think or feel something whether it's through primitive & charming cardboard cut-outs, traditional toy theater, or modern technically enhanced pieces with video and contemporary politics. They all embrace humor or tragedy, they are all passionate. It's about time we looked at our world with a willingness to play to counter a world at war, with soldiers and civilians dying every day. There is far too much unwillingness to be moved, even by death. So I invite all people to stop and engage with your local artists, enjoy them, embrace their efforts to spin a tale, and share what inspired their vision. You might come away richer, happier and more thoughtful. How bad is that?

To see Tess' theatres up close with commentary, check them out below:

GSW10: Opening Weekend

The Great Small Works' 10th International Toy Theatre Festival (or GSW10 for short) has begun.

The first day's weather was pretty 'soggy', shall we say, making it a challenge for those still bringing their theatres and sundry, to get them to St. Ann's Warehouse high and dry!

In fact, PPTC festival reporter Tess Elliott had her own adventure in her attempt to get to the venue opening night:

Tonight has turned into a disaster. I left early to add some set pieces I forgot, and within a block of the theater the wind kicked up, blew my poncho into my face, and an SUV merrily slammed through the giant puddle that covered an entire lane. I was soaked solid from rib cage to the inside of my shoes. I turned around, went home, and emailed Emmy Bean the museum director and told her I had to go back home. Felt like a drowned rat wearing a giant prophylactic...

Poor Tess!  In the meantime, here are some photos from the opening day to feast your eyes on!

UPDATE: Tess got in late, but shared this LATE last night...

I am now truly immersed in the toy theater world. Saw 12 shows. [When am I gonna write about them, Trish!] The parade was fantastic and I will try to download some pictures but I have to be back out there at 11am (Sunday/today) and JUST GOT HOME. Worked furiously upon arrival today to dress the set of the Nemo Theater and it looks great. I did not get all the balconies done on the Italian Toy Theater, and will have to put the rest on when it comes home...Lots of wonderful shows tonight. Met a lot of people serving the punch but some of the audience regulars at the last Festival weren't at this one today. It's a done deal that I must learn doing the puppets myself. It is one wacky and amusing world, most younger than me--but a few old master puppeteers. It took two energy bars to keep me going today.

Not only is she an audience member, not only is she a reporter on the event, but she is also an artist/performer.  Better pack more energy bars, Tess!

Festival: Behind-the-Scenes!

Twas the day before Festival, and all was definitely NOT quiet at St. Anne's Warehouse and Great Small Works studio...

Photo Credit:  Great Small Works

Erica Harris's inspired archway entrance to the Temporary Toy Theater Museum.

Photo Credit:  Great Small Works

The Dolly Wagglers rehearsing in Great Small Works studio.

Photo Credit:  Great Small Works

Occupy Wall Street Puppet Guild rehearsing their toy theater show for the Friday Slam!

To see more photos of the festival getting ready, go here...

Toy Theatre Festival Begins this Week!

Tess Elliott:  Our Intrepid Reporter!

The Great Small Works 10th International Toy Theatre Festival begins this weekend on June 14th, and runs through June 23rd.

There are many readers of this blog that cannot attend in person, but would greatly enjoy hearing about the various performances and events.

I am very pleased to say that once again, Tess Elliott will be covering the festival for this blog, for which I'm very grateful.

So check back this weekend - and throughout the festival - for posts from the festival by the very talented Tess!

Chomick & Meder

Interview with the great Chomick and Meder!

See photos of the exhibition mentioned (ongoing through June 8th) here...

Doctor Puppet!

This combines two of my great loves - Puppetry/toy theatre, and Doctor Who! This animated Doctor was created by the talented Alisa Stern. You can see more of Alisa's work on her YouTube channel...

Ye Ballade of Ivan Petrofsky Skevar

A Karaghoz inspired shadow show adapted from the popular song by Percy French circa 1850, presented by Puppet Heap!

Teacup Footlights

Fun toy theatre influenced images from an Alice in Wonderland production at the Royal Opera House...

A Visit to Pollock's Toy Shop

The theatre on the counter is described by staff as "...German with scenery by Scholz"

"We don't like minimal at Pollock's"

So writes the toy shop on their Facebook page today.  The above photograph was taken this week showing their updated lobby and some of the many fun toys, books, and theatres they sell.

I laughed at that, because it's so true!  But it's also why their shop is so magical.  Although I have never had the privilege to visit yet, I know it would delight me no end.  I like to think of it as the best toy shop in the world...

GSW 10th International - Update #1

The Great Small Works 10th International Toy Theater Festival is only a little over a month away!

The venue - St. Anne's Warehouse - has a page with all the information concerning tickets, location, etc.

Also, GSW has put up a helpful (and comprehensive) Schedule.

Be sure to check them out!

Last, but not least, there's only 11 days left for you to part of supporting the festival!  Please visit the festival's fundraiser campaign page and see how you can help, and for a list of the wonderful "thank you" gifts they offer...

International Puppetry Museum

A wonderful photo gallery has been put up on line in celebration of  Alan Cook and the International Puppetry Museum in Pasadena, California.

Despite a wonderful renaissance in puppetry in recent years, there continues to be a struggle to support important institutions like this museum, that not only serve as archival and historical repositories, but as an educational tool for the public.

I encourage all who read this to consider supporting IPM.  There are many ways they offer to do this.

Toy Theatre Festival Benefit Gala

Great Small Works invites you to join your friends and supporters of Great Small Works at the GALA TOY THEATER FESTIVAL BENEFIT on Thursday, May 23rd, at the powerHouse Arena in DUMBO, Brooklyn, to support Great Small Works' TENTH INTERNATIONAL TOY THEATER FESTIVAL, June 14-23 at St. Ann's Warehouse.

The guest performers at this not-to-be-missed event include master puppeteer BASIL TWIST, toy piano virtuoso MARGARET LENG TAN and the inimitable musician and composer RIMA FAND. The powerHouse Arena storefront will also be filled with an ongoing spectacle of intimate paper theater plays created and performed by LAKE SIMONS, ERIN ORR, CHRIS GREEN, TONI SCHLESINGER, ED VALENTINE, and other luminaries of the miniature theater world! Join us for an evening of sparkling wit, compelling ideas, and visions of the possibilities of puppetry and community for the 21st century! How could you not come?

To find out more details, visit the event site.

10th International Festival of Toy Theatre

Please take a moment to watch this video, then visit Great Small Works' fundraising site. They would appreciate contributions to help produce the 10th International Festival of Toy Theatre. Their past festivals have been amazing events, opening up the imagination and creativity of young and old alike!

Dramatis Personae Catalogue No. 112

Be sure and check out the current Dramatis Personae catalogue, which includes many toy theatre related items!

In the Heart of the Beast

Christmas Retold

Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theater artists bring alive the Nativity as an Immigrant Story...

In my own state of Minnesota here in America, an extraordinary production is underway right now of the age-old Nativity story.  But this version is told in an innovative style - using large-scale puppets and as an immigrant story.

Read, see, and hear more about this, here...


The video above, from a presentation of this same production in 2009, shows a bit of what you would see, as well as clips from behind the scenes...

Before Neverland

Before there was Neverland, there were the Gardens...

Crowd sourcing has begun for Peter Pan at Kensington Gardens.  The animated film, influenced by toy theatre, shares earlier stories of Peter Pan:

Peter's adventures in Kensington Gardens pre-date those in Neverland. First published in 1906 it's an adaptation of The little White Bird of 1902 which marked Peter Pan's first appearance in print. Peter is a baby who thinks he's a bird and so can fly. He finds himself in the Gardens and makes friends with the birds and fairies who live there. Peter learns to play Pan's pipes and looks after children who become lost in the park. The story predicts many of the elements to be found with Wendy and the Lost Boys...

Upcoming Special Performance

From the Benjamin Pollocks Toy Shop:  The poster for Peter Baldwin's toy theatre performance next Sunday - tickets still available - you can pay at the door but a reservation is advisable.

New Peter Pan Film

A new film is being made which combines the arts of toy theatre, animation, and film.  One of the producers, Steve Arnott, has this to say of a newly released demo trailer:

This is a work in progress, the voice and music are just guide tracks and more scenes will be added. We hope to use a famous Scottish voice for the narrator (so if anyone has David Tennant's email, please forward!) Also, we are open to any offers of funding; the film so far has over 200 supporters and 50 animators working on it. Anyone who contributes will share in the profits. Also, 20% will be going to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, who have given the project their blessing. We are are looking at a release date of either Christmas 2013 or Easter 2014, depending on how things proceed.

If you would like to know more, or help fund the project, please leave a comment, and I will be happy to put you in touch...

Sicilian Puppet Theatre

Pop-up: Circus

The shots below (pardon the flash reflections on some shots - the lighting conditions were less than ideal - are from a reproduction pop-up book published by Penguin Books in 1979. The book - Lothar Meggendorfer's "International Circus", first published in 1887 - also has the name of Rodney Peppe associated with it.

Dramatis Personae Catalogue No. 110

The new Dramatis Personae catalogue is out.

As usual, I highly recommend you give it a perusal - many toy theatre-related ephemera for sale, prices ranging from the humble to the expensive...

Victoria 4 Albert

A true love story, told in Victoria's own words...

A series of  films incorporating stop motion, toy theatre, etc. have recently released, entitled Victoria 4 Albert.  The films were commissioned to accompany an exhibition currently ongoing at Kensington Palace.  The narration on the films are Queen Victoria's own words, taken from her diaries.  Charming!

Boxcar Fair

A sweet, short story told with puppets and music, featuring automata and puppet maker, Tom Haney.

Top Hat Toy Theater Presents...

David Worobec, a Boston Conservatory student and creator/owner of Top Hat Toy Theater, is the man behind a recent series of adaptions of musicals for the small stage.  In the videos shared here, David performs Rogers & Hammerstein's South Pacific.  David does all the voices and sings all the parts in his production, quite a feat!  As one person recently put it, "David has a terrific operatic voice, and his one man show is definitely unique."

He has had a long love affair with toy theatre; David was a featured performer in Great Small Works' toy theatre festival back in 2003 when he was only 14 years old!

The Devil and Mr. Punch

This is NOT your Grandfather's Punch!

A collaboration between UK and US individuals and groups, performances are happening now at the Barbican;  US productions were performed in two locations last year -  Minneapolis in May, and Philadelphia in September; the production evolved as it went along.

Read more about the wonderful people behind the show, including a lovely interview with the director where he talks about the history of Punch.  Also, the Barbican's 'behind the scene' article, "That's the Way to Do it!"

While Punch is normally not performed as a toy theatre production, I have a weakness for the old scroundrel!  I did find at least one play for the small stage for him, by Langdale, however...

Dramatis Personae Catalogue 109

The latest Dramatis Personae catalogue is out!

As always, this amazing quarterly ephemera sale include several vintage juvenile drama-related items of the highest quality.

Several juvenile portraits are being offered, including one by Skelt (1836), two by Fairburn (1835 and 1838), and one by Jameson (1818).

Also in this sale, are some scene sheets, and a German book from 1915 about putting on toy theatre productions.

Please note that Dramatis Personae have a large inventory of items not necessarily in the sale itself.  Take a look at them; I found on a casual look through a few pages, for example, a penny plain portrait by Hodgson, c. 1827...

Poe-Dunk Matchbox Theatre

The mind boggles at the small scale!

Playlab NYC will present Poe-Dunk – A Matchbox Entertainment as a part of the 2012 FRIGID New York Festival.

Kevin performs a matchbox production

Kevin P. Hale, one of the founding members of Playlab NYC, is the creative mind behind these exceedingly small toy theatres.  Kevin has a blog where he explored openly shares his concepts and explorations - it makes pretty interesting reading!

Some characters are performed via matchsticks!

Kevin will be presenting a series of tiny-scaled plays based on the tales of Poe, including one called "The Oval Portrait":

The story was originally published as “Life in Death” and is the shortest of Poe’s stories. It was also the inspiration for Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. The actual story of the portrait only takes a single paragraph to tell, and everything else leading up it that story seems like filler. It was precisely because it was Poe's shortest work that I thought it would lend itself well to matchbox treatment.

Despite the tiny scale, color and design abound!

Doctor Parnassus Toy Theatre

I recently began watching the incredible film, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS. I did some research on the film, and lo and behold, someone has made a wee toy theatre kit based on the traveling theatred featured in the film!

Puppet Film Project

I encourage you to view the trailer, then support Andrew's film project, PuppetVision: The Movie.

Christmas Creativity

A scene from a recent toy theatre adaption of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol"...

This year, Macy's famous storefront displays are using a Steampunk theme for Christmas, with puppets!

Alice: 3D becomes 2D

I wrote about the Alice Theatre previously, when it was being offered in a 3-D format.

Now, the creator has made it available in good old fashioned 2-D.  You can print and use as a traditional theatre (which is amazing enough), but they also demonstrate how it can be inventively used with other images for photography prints!

Story Behind the Story

I wrote about this before...

The above clip is from a new documentary explaining who the artists were that created the huge, wall mural depicting a very LARGE toy theatre several stories high!  It's the story behind the story...

A Small Christmas

The Thorne Collection is getting dressed up for Christmas!

Here are a few slides showing this miniature collection being decorated for the holidays...

Dollmaker Extraordinaire

The two Alices on their Wonderland toy theatre stage...

Rebeca Cano makes amazing dolls, yes, but she makes much more than dolls.  She makes an entire world for her dolls down to the smallest, most exquisite detail.  It is truly a joy to behold.

"...she came upon a low curtain she
has not noticed before..."

Before she began making dolls, Rebeca had never sewn.  Hard to believe when you see the incredible miniature clothing and other textiles she creates.  She is mostly self-taught, which I greatly admire.  Inspiration can be a powerful motivator.

Right now, she has a sale on, of a toy theatre tableaux featuring her favorite story character, Alice in Wonderland.  It is an ongoing project of hers...

The project is designed to be exhibited in a museum of contemporary art, as yet undefined.  All my dolls have their origins in a tale that I believe; I like to give soul to my dolls, and that is why I started in this world.

You can read more about Rebeca here and see more of your dolls here...

Another Toy Theatre Mural!

The Toy Theatre is a mural created by artist Peter Waddell on a wall at 1914 Sunderland Place NW at New Hampshire, a block south of Dupont Circle, in Washington, DC...

Occupy Puppets!

I love how the Occupy movement is inspiring people of all sorts to communicate about building a better society. It's what most people want...

Toy Shop Virtual Tour

Anthropomorphic Taxidermy

I don't know about you, but I think anthropomorphic taxidermy has a great power to convey stories and ideas. I adore them...

Theatre Centenary

Nigel Peevers shared this recently:

The Lyceum Theatre in Crewe was 100 years old this year and for their centenary they had a specially commissioned light show projected on the front of the building...in one of life's weird little coincidences I'd already been telephoned and asked if they could use some images from my toy theatre book in the show.

Toy Theatre Large-Scale Mural

"The Toy Theatre is a mural being created by artist 
Peter Waddell with the assistance of fellow artists..."

An amazing public space arts project is unfolding right now in the Washington, DC area. An artist is painting a large-scale mural on a side of a historical building, in a historical neighborhood.

Slowly appearing on the wall is a huge painting of a giant toy theatre. Beneath the monumental proscenium arch, 40' high, the stage is set with scenery representing the first two great mansions of Dupont Circle. The British Legation on Connecticut Avenue and “Stewarts Castle” on the Circle arose from the area's rough farmland in the 1870s.

To see the progress as it unfolds, visit the gallery page of the artist's website.

A Way of Life

My friend Ann (who I hope to meet in person some day), her talented husband, George...and friends!
[Photo Credit:  Lori M. Nichols - Gloucester County Times]

A lovely article about George and Ann Neff, who kindly built me a toy theatre a few years ago. They are a very talented couple who love the world of puppets!