The Ballard Institute will welcome UConn Puppet Arts alumna Carole D’Agostino ’97 (SFA) to perform The Tiny Bird Show on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, at 11 a.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs.

The Tiny Bird Show is an interactive miniature puppet show all about the joy of backyard birds! Carole shares fun facts about each bird, including their songs, what they eat, and how you can bring them to your feeder. Small but mighty, the show is presented in the toy theater style using colorful rod puppets that charm audiences with surprising and clever ways to identify new friends! Everyone will help find a mystery bird, a pesky squirrel, and some artful insects. There’s even a special spotlight on the state bird of Connecticut! Discovery and delight await you at The Tiny Bird Show!

UConn Puppet Arts alumna Carole D’Agostino is a versatile performer, puppet builder, and presenter. She has built and designed puppets for the Center for Puppetry Arts, Jim Henson Creature Shop NYC, the Kennedy Center, Disney, and Sesame Place theme parks. Her designs and creations have appeared in film and Broadway, as well as national and international puppet festivals.

Ticket Prices: Adults: $12; Members/Seniors: $10; Students: $8; Kids (12 and under): $6. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, by calling 860-486-8580, or online at s.uconn.edu/bimp-ticketleap. A surcharge will be added to online purchases. Tickets may also be purchased at the Ballard Institute on the day of the performance beginning at 10 a.m. All seating is general admission; specific seats cannot be reserved.

Visitors may park in the Downtown Storrs Garage, located at 33 Royce Circle. For more information about the performance or to request accommodation to attend this event, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860-486-8580 or bimp@uconn.edu.

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