“Judy Saves the Day!” by Sarah Nolen on 8/10

As part of its 2019 Summertime Saturday Puppet Shows, the Ballard Institute and Museum is pleased to present Judy Saves the Day! by Puppet Showplace Theater’s Resident Artist and UConn Puppet Arts Program alumna Sarah Nolen on Aug. 10, 2019 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs.

After being pushed around for over 400 years, the famous hand-puppet heroine Judy has had enough! Cheer her on as she goes on a quest for respect, justice, and a well-deserved nap. This modern interpretation of the traditional Punch and Judy show is a hilarious, timely, handcrafted farce that the whole family will enjoy! The show is 45 minutes long and is recommended for ages 4+. 

Sarah Nolen is a puppeteer and filmmaker originally from Austin, TX. As Puppet Showplace Theater’s resident artist, she performs regularly for youth and family audiences and teaches puppetry in camps, workshops, residencies, and evening adult classes. Sarah earned her BFA in film from Southern Methodist University, and an MFA in Puppet Arts from the University of Connecticut. Known nationally for her versatile, witty, and innovative work across multiple puppetry styles, she has appeared in the National Puppet Slam, at the Puppets in Paradise Festival, and the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival. Sarah has toured internationally as part of the ensemble for Reverse Cascade, and has performed as principal puppeteer for the immersive multi-media show Pip’s Island in NYC. In Boston, she has worked closely with the Boston Pops Orchestra, performing as a puppeteer/narrator of Twas the Night Before Christmas, and designing and building a puppet of conductor Arthur Fiedler for Puppets Take the Pops. In addition to her work in puppetry, Sarah is an experienced filmmaker with credits ranging from reality shows and commercial broadcast TV to indie features and web ads. In 2015, she received the Mister Rogers Memorial Scholarship in support of her television pilot, Treeples, a show geared towards empowering girls, which screened at film festivals across the U.S. 

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.