As part of its 2019 Summertime Saturday Puppet Show Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut is pleased to present A Woodland Cinderella by Deborah Costine on July 20, 2019 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs.
Cinderella is a fairy who lives with her stepmother and stepsister in an enormous old tree in the forest. The King of all woodland fairies wants his son to marry a fairy princess, but none can be found. The Prince is looking for someone who is kind and good. The mean stepsister is sure that having the most stuff makes her the best. The King hosts a great ball and commands that every single fairy maiden in the land must attend. He is hoping that a fairy princess will come, and he knows the secret to identifying a true fairy princess. This show is 45 minutes long and is recommended for ages 4+.
Since 1974, Deborah Costine has been one half of the well-known Gerwick Puppets, touring throughout New England at schools, libraries, museums and such events as First Night Boston. She writes the scripts with partner Lenny Gerwick, and makes all the puppets. She estimates that over the past thirty years she has made over two hundred puppets! The Gerwick Puppets have presented over 5,000 performances to over a million children. Beside her work with Gerwick, Debbie designs, constructs and performs her own solo shows called “Small Shows for Small Groups of Small Children.” She has taught puppetry classes at Plymouth State University, Northeastern University, and Worcester State College. She created a set of eight puppets for the National Park Service to teach about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railway. She has done professional voice work, and plays numerous characters on the Verizon website superthinkers.com. “My current direction centers around a combined love of nature, children and a concern for the environment,” Costine says. “I wish to create opportunities through my puppet performances as well as hands-on activities for children and families that encourage a love and appreciation of the outdoors. I believe that human-kind benefits greatly from a strong connection with nature.”
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.