As part of its 2019 Spring Puppet Performance Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is pleased to present Go Home Tiny Monster by The Gottabees, from Boston, on March 30, 2019 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs.
One day, Sylvie and her family of handmade creatures suddenly find themselves in need of a new home. Luckily, they have an audience full of people who can help them out. Go Home Tiny Monster features the Gottabees’ trademark mix of puppetry, joyously absurd silliness, physical theater, live music, and surprising poignancy. This show is 40 minutes and is recommended for ages 3+.
The Gottabees are a Boston-based ensemble dedicated to creating inspirational, engaging, and
empowering theater for family audiences. The company is known internationally for uniting simple-but-elegant visual theater with astonishing technique. They apply their interdisciplinary training in music, dance, acrobatics, theater, and design to share original non-verbal stories set to live music
that weave together human and puppet characters in surprising ways. The Gottabees’ work earned a 2017 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence and won the Artistic Achievement Award for Puppeteers of America’s Northeast Region in 2015. The Gottabees have performed all over, including at the Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta, GA), La MaMa E.T.C. (New York City), Detroit Institute of the Arts (Michigan), Nashville International Puppetry Festival (TN), ICA/Boston (MA), Izmir International Puppet Days (Turkey), and Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland).
Upcoming Spring Saturday Puppet Shows include:
April 27: Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Stevens Puppets
In an enchanted Alaskan forest, join a family of bears as they encounter different perspectives and values, ultimately sharing a common purpose with a salmon and resolving their conflict with a golden-haired trespasser, who learns precious lessons from them as well as from her bald eagle companion about respect, kindness, apologizing, and forgiveness. This show by Indiana’s famed Stevens Puppets is 45 minutes and is recommended for ages 3+.
May 11: Everybody Loves Pirates by Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers
Eight-year-old Lucy and her goofy pal, Little Chucky, are searching for buried treasure, but a gang of bumbling pirates keeps getting in the way! The kids get some help from their new ocean-dwelling friends, including enthusiastic superhero Lobster Boy, his reluctant sidekick Crabby, and an overgrown sea monkey. This show by Maine’s popular Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers is 50 minutes and is recommended for ages 4+.
Ticket Prices: Adults: $12; Members/Seniors: $10; Students: $8; Kids: $6 (12 years and under).
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, by calling 860-486-8580, or online at bimp.ticketleap.com. A surcharge will be added to any purchases made online. Tickets may also be purchased at the Ballard Institute on the day of performance starting at 10 a.m. There will be open seating and no reservations. Visitors can park in the Storrs Center Garage located at 33 Royce Circle. Parking is free for the first two hours and $1 per hour thereafter, with a daily maximum charge of $8. For more information about these performances or if you require an accommodation to attend this event, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860-486-8580 or bimp@uconn.edu.