Month: July 2023

Opening events for Tradition and Revolution in Indian Shadow Puppetry, 8/4 and 8/5

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The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut will present the grand opening of its new exhibition Tradition and Revolution in Indian Shadow Puppetry on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, with refreshments served at 4:30 p.m. and an in-person exhibition tour at 5 p.m. by curator Rahul Koonathara and Ballard Institute director Dr. John Bell, which will also be streamed on Ballard Institute’s Facebook Live (facebook.com/BallardInstitute/). The opening events will also include a performance and workshop on Aug. 5 by world-renowned puppeteer Padmashri Ramachandra Pulavar of the Tholpavakoothu and Puppet Centre and his son Rahul Koonathara. All events will take place at the Ballard Institute, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs. 

Tradition and Revolution in Indian Shadow Puppetry, curated by puppeteer and University of Connecticut graduate student in the Department of Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies Rahul Koonathara, celebrates the spectacular South Indian shadow puppet traditions of Tolu Bommalatta and Tholpavakoothu, as well as recent innovations reflecting the changing nature of the form. For over thirteen generations Indian puppeteers have performed myths, customs, and rituals based on two Hindu epics, The Ramayana and The Mahābhārata. In recent years new variations in design, construction, and content have re-shaped traditional performances, which in many cases have shifted from temple performances to secular locales, and included new subjects such as the lives of Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus, and the animal characters of the Panchatantra, as well as contemporary social and political themes. Please note that this exhibition contains nudity. The exhibition will be on display through December 17, 2023. 

The 5 p.m. exhibition tour on August 4 will be followed at 6 p.m. by a free 45-minute long performance of Tholpava Koothu: The Shadow Puppet Play of Kerala by Padmashri Ramachandra Pulavar and his son Rahul Koonathara. This ancient, ritual-based performance is based on selected verses from the epic Kamba Ramayana. Seating is limited; reservations are required: bimp.ticketleap.com/tholpavakoothu.

On Saturday, August 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Padmashri Ramachandra Pulavar and Rahul Koonathara will lead a day-long workshop on shadow puppet design, carving, and manipulation, with a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m. (lunch not provided). The workshop fee is $25 per person. Space is limited, so advance registration is required bimp.ticketleap.com/indian-shadow-workshop/. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. 

Please note that the Ballard Institute will be closed July 10-Aug. 3 as we install this new exhibition.

 

About the Curator

Rahul Koonathara is the younger son of legendary shadow puppet master Padmashri Ramachandra Pulavar and puppeteer Rajalakshmi Ramachandra Pulavar. He was born into a family of puppeteers which has preserved Tholpavakoothu shadow theater traditions for twelve generations. Rahul is currently a graduate student in the Department of Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies at the University of Connecticut, under the guidance of Professor Matthew Cohen, and practices traditional shadow puppetry together with contemporary puppet productions, as well as scholarly research in the puppet arts. Rahul has a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, and a Master’s degree in Folklore Studies, as well as a degree in Acting from the National School of Drama in Bangalore. Rahul has performed major roles in traditional and contemporary shadow puppet productions at the Tholpavakoothu and Puppet Centre in Kerala, and at national and international festivals around the world. 

NOW INDOORS: Bugaboo Revue by Talking Hands Theatre on 7/29

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With the possibility for rain around showtime, we are moving “Bugaboo Revue” by Talking Hands Theatre at 11AM into the Ballard Institute Theater!

Some people think creepy crawlies are just gross. But if you look closely, each bug has a song to sing about the special job it does to help plants grow. Learn more about insects and why it’s important to keep them alive. This show is crafted with multiple learning styles in mind to keep children engaged as they learn, with opportunities for the audience to sing, dance, and act out the life cycle of a butterfly! Moving mouth puppets and catchy original songs in exciting styles, from funk to Latin, round out this fun-filled, highly interactive show. Recommended for ages 2-8. 

Talking Hands Theatre was founded in 2004 by artist Anna Sobel, who has been a professional puppeteer since 1998. In 2003 she was the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship to study puppetry in India as a tool for social change and education. She spent nine months in India and founded Talking Hands Theatre on her return to New York in 2004. She is now based in Western Massachusetts and tours all over New England to perform. In addition to performing, Anna is an experienced teaching artist in puppetry and theater, specializing in arts integration with literacy and social studies. Learn more about Talking Hands Theatre: talkinghandstheatre.com

Due to generous support during our 2023 UConn Gives campaign, admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Reservations are not required.  This performance is co-sponsored by the Mansfield Downtown Partnership. 

For more information, or if you require accommodation to attend this event, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860.486.8580 or bimp@uconn.edu.

Cardboard Explosion! by Paper Heart Puppets on 7/22

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As part of its 2023 Spring Puppet Performance Series, the Ballard Institute is pleased to present Cardboard Explosion! by Brad Shur of Paper Heart Puppets on July 22, 2023 at 11 a.m. in Betsy Paterson Square in Downtown Storrs. 

Cardboard Explosion! brings four original stories to life using nothing but cardboard and the power of your imagination. With help from the audience, puppeteer Brad Shur transforms simple cardboard shapes into elaborate puppet characters, then brings them to life right before your eyes.

Founded in 2017 by Brad Shur, Paper Heart Puppets is dedicated to sharing and expanding the art of puppetry. Headquartered in Poughkeepsie, New York, the company offers touring shows, workshops, and custom puppet building. Puppeteer, puppet builder, and arts educator Brad Shur began performing as a student at Rhode Island School of Design. In 2009, he became the Resident Artist at Puppet Showplace Theater in Brookline, Mass. where he was lead teaching artist and touring puppeteer for eight years. During that time, Brad developed six original shows and revived several classic shows created by Paul Vincent Davis.

Due to generous support during our 2023 UConn Gives campaign, admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Reservations are not required. Chairs will not be provided, and audience members are encouraged to bring their own blankets and seating. Seating space will be first come, first served. In the event of inclement weather the show will be rescheduled for Sunday, July 23 at 11 a.m. ET. This performance is co-sponsored by the Mansfield Downtown Partnership. 

For more information, or if you require accommodation to attend this event, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860.486.8580 or bimp@uconn.edu.

NOW IN THE BALLARD INSTITUTE THEATER! Oma by Sandglass Theater on 7/15

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Because of the chance of rain and some soggy grass, we will host Oma by Sandglass Theater in the Ballard Institute Theater today at 11AM! Seating will be provided, so get out of the rain and join us for a puppet show!

This new family show by Shoshana Bass and Jana Zeller is an intergenerational tale revolving around Grandma or “Oma.” It is her birthday and all are preparing for the celebration. While the grown-ups manage phone calls, playdate logistics, and other such tasks, the children get into mischief with party decorating, present wrapping, and cake baking. Finally they all gather around for one of Oma’s stories, told with yarn. One character emerges from the tangle of wool and nearly ruins the party. But not to worry, all ends well at Oma’s house. 

Sandglass Theater is a renowned company which combines puppets with music, actors, and visual imagery. Since 1982, the company’s productions have toured internationally in over 30 countries, performing in theaters, festivals, and cultural institutions, winning many international awards. Sandglass is dedicated to the arts of theater and puppetry as means of exploring contemporary issues, inspiring dialogue, and sparking wonder. Learn more about Sandglass Theater: sandglasstheater.org.

Due to generous support during our 2023 UConn Gives campaign, admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Reservations are not required. 

For more information, or if you require accommodation to attend this event, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860.486.8580 or bimp@uconn.edu.

Now Extended through July 9! Masks and Puppets of Ralph Lee

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In response to an outpouring of interest in the work of puppeteer Ralph Lee, following his death on May 12, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut has decided to extend its current exhibition Myths, Legends, and Spectacle: Masks and Puppets of Ralph Lee through July 9, 2023, so more people can see the work of this acknowledged puppet master.

For over 60 years, Ralph Lee created masks and puppets for wide-ranging theater and dance projects and public celebrations celebrating vital elements of the creatures, characters, demons or deities performed. Myths, Legends, and Spectacle features masks, puppets, and giant figures from Ralph Lee’s robust career as Artistic Director of the Mettawee River Theatre Company, as well as his collaborations with dance and theater companies including Erick Hawkins Dance Company, the Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center, and Jean Erdman’s Theater of the Open Eye. The exhibition includes masks and giant figures that appeared in the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, co-founded and directed by Ralph Lee for its first 12 years. Lee’s work is marked by deep connections to global myths and legends, and expressions of our essential connection to the natural world.

Learn more about Ralph Lee’s life and career in this New York Times obituary.

This exhibition will now close on Sunday, July 9. The Ballard Institute will be closed through Aug. 4 for the installation of our new exhibit, Tradition and Revolution in Indian Shadow Puppetry, curated by Rahul Koonathara, which will open on Aug. 4 at 4:30 p.m.