Wesleyan Puppet Theater Brings Stories of Homeless to Life

The CT premiere of Who's Hungry, an experimental puppet theater work that weaves together the oral histories of five very different homeless and/or hungry residents of Santa Monica, Calif., is taking place this weekend in Middletown.

A 24-foot-long dinner table transforms into a runway-style puppet stage for four puppeteers using a variety of styles including figures inspired by Japanese Bunraku, two-dimensional rod puppets, and shadow puppetry. 

Written and produced by Los Angeles performance artist Dan Froot, designed and directed by New York puppet artist Dan Hurlin, and featuring music by Seattle composer Amy Denio, Who's Hungry brings communities together, inspires theatergoers to engage with the issues, and supports the efforts of food policy activists.

The stories told in Who's Hungry are those of a former interior designer, an addiction-recovery caseworker and recovering heroin addict, a subsidized housing resident evicted while undergoing a dire health crisis, a Brooklyn native who headed to New York City when the World Trade Center towers collapsed, and an original member of the influential 1970s surfing/skateboarding team known as "The Z-Boys" (featured in the 2005 film "Lords of Dogtown").

Admission: Tickets are $23 for the general public; $19 for senior citizens, Wesleyan faculty/staff, and non-Wesleyan students; and $6 for Wesleyan students.

Purchase tickets online or by phone at (860) 685-3355, or in person at the Wesleyan University Box Office, located in the Usdan University Center, 45 Wyllys Avenue, Middletown.  

Tickets may be purchased at the door beginning one hour prior to the performance, subject to availability.  

Shows are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at World Music Hall, 40 Wyllys Avenue on the Wesleyan University campus in Middletown.