Puppeteers Celebrate National Day of Puppetry at RCTV

Over 25 puppeteers will be coming to Reading to celebrate the National Day of Puppetry. Since Feb 4th puppeteers from MA and NH have been coming to RCTV to make videos of their work and talk about their experiences in the art if puppetry. The National Day of Puppetry will be celebrated in a variety of ways across the US on April 28th. RCTV will host the puppeteers from the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry at the RCTV studios where they will do live performances for families and at 4 pm have the premier of the DVD "The Many Faces of Puppetry, A Celebration of Puppetry Arts" 

Puppetry artists featured on the DVD are: Ron Comeau, Jubilee Puppets; Deborah Costine, Gerwick Puppets; Maggie Whalen, Maggpie Puppets; Dream Tale Puppets; Charlotte Dore, Rosalita’s Puppets; Suzanne Pemsler, Puppet Diva’s; Nicle Wander, Wanderful Creations; Margaret Moody, Galapagos Puppets; Teresa Moler, Blue String Marionettes; Judith O’Hare, You and Me Puppets; Christie Valiohura, Lisa Manning, Paul Vincent Davis, Artist in Residence Emeritis Puppet Show Place Theater; Sara Peattie, Puppeteers Cooperative, Penny Benson, Wayne Martin, Wayne Martin Marionettes; Tina Stoner, Roxanna ( Roxie) Myhrum, Artistic Director Puppet Showplace Theater; Gail Kearns. 

Puppeteers have been coming to RCTV studios to have their work videoed and to talk about the art and craft of puppetry since early February. They have collected hours worth of entertaining video that will be edited into a one hour documentary featuring their work. The Boston Area Guild is a chartered group that is part of the Puppeteers of America and open to all puppeteers, educators and puppet enthusiasts . The group meets bi monthly to learn and share expertise in the art and craft of puppetry. Many of the members are award winning puppeteers of National and International acclaim; included in this group is Reading’sJudith O’Hare is the recipient of the Marjorie Batchelder Award for an outstanding career in Puppetry in Education. She is joined by Paul Vincent Davis retired artistic director of the Puppet Showplace theater and winner of 4 UNIMA ( international puppetry) Awards, Deborah Costine ,Gerwick Puppets, also an UNIMA award winner.

On Saturday April 28th, RCTV will host an afternoon event that will feature puppet performances by, Judith O’Hare, Maggie Whalen of Stoneham, Margaret Moody of Arlington, Ron Comeau of Lynn, and Eric Bornstein of Somerville along with other puppeteer who will make short appearances during the afternoon. Christie Valihura of Reading will be doing puppet construction with children and families throughout the afternoon and there will be puppets on display many from the recent exhibit at the Wenham Doll Museum. The DVD will be premiered from 4-5 pm.

RCTV has invited all Community TV stations in the Metropolitan Boston area to show the DVD at their local stations on that day. The puppeteers hope that the DVD will be shown on stations across the state and continue to shown as a special program. The DVD will also be sent to Boston Channel 4, 5, and 7 so that the National Day of Puppetry can be recognized throughout region.

The afternoon is open to the public and free of charge. It is one of the many ways the National Day of Puppetry features and highlights the art of puppetry in cities and towns across the country. Puppeteers will be available to talk to children and show their puppets. There will be puppets available

for children to “bring to life”. Maybe the next award winning puppeteer will be among them.

The schedule for the afternoon is:

On Saturday April 28th from 2-5 at RCTV, puppeteers will be coming to Reading to celebrate the National Day of Puppetry. There will be live performances followed by the Premier DVD showing of “The Many Faces of Puppetry”, that was produced at the RCTV studios with members of the Puppeteers of America from the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry. The National Day of Puppetry will be celebrated across the United States on this day. All are welcome to attend.

Performances

2 p.m.

Three Little Pigs

by Jacek Zuzanski

2:30 p.m.

An excerpt from Eeyore’s Birthday

by Maggie Whalen

3 p.m.

Three Billy Goats Gruff

by Judy O’Hare

3:30 p.m.

Mathilda’s Bath

by Margaret Moody

4 p.m. 

The afternoon of open to the public free of charge. For information contact:

RCTV at 781-944-8888 or Judith O’Hare at 781-944-0965.