As part of its 2026 Fall Puppet Forum Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut will host “Building Night Fall: Community Storytelling Through UpCycled Art & Puppetry,” a discussion with Jeanika Browne-Springer, Bryan Swormstedt, and Alfi Free ’27 (SFA) on Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle, Storrs, CT. This forum will also be streamed live on the Ballard Institute’s Facebook page.
Join Night Fall Executive Director Jeanika Browne-Springer, Night Fall Production Manager and UConn Dramatic Arts alumnus Bryan Swormstedt ‘12, and UConn Puppet Arts undergraduate student Alfi Free ’27 (SFA) for a conversation about the making of Night Fall, Hartford’s annual free and magical public production that brings the people of Greater Hartford together in early October to showcase local artists, city parks, and the city’s creative spirit. Moderated by Ballard Institute Interim Artistic Director Matt Sorensen, the forum will explore how Night Fall reflects the cultural richness of Hartford through artistic collaboration, community engagement, and performances. Panelists will discuss the scripting and design process, including the creative reuse of materials to build sets, props, and puppets. They’ll also explore how artists and community members collaborate to create language-free performances that examine environmental shifts around us—from animal migrations and city pollution to complex emotions like grief and leaving home. Through humor, improvisation, original music, and choreography, Night Fall brings these stories to life.
Admission to this forum is free (donations greatly appreciated!), and refreshments will be served. For more information or to request an accommodation, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860.486.8580 or bimp@uconn.edu.
Night Fall will take place on Saturday, October 3, in Elizabeth Park in Hartford. To learn more, visit https://nightfallhartford.org/.
About the Speakers
Jeanika Browne-Springer (she/her) is a multifaceted creative administrator and advocate for creative placemaking. She has a Masters in Education from the University of Saint Joseph (West Hartford, CT) in the Multiple Intelligences and BA from Trinity College (Hartford, CT) in Theater & Dance, minoring in Studio Arts and Urban Studies.
Her career started as a Hartford public elementary schoolteacher, transitioned into grant writing, marketing, and programming at an arts education non profit adjacent to the public school district. She became the Director of LifeLongLearning at HartBeat Ensemble, a social justice community-based theater company and is now a Grant Officer at CT Humanities. She is also an adjunct professor at Gateway Community College in partnership with the International Festival of Art & Ideas in addition to now being named the Executive Director at Night Fall Inc.
Bryan Swormstedt is a film and theater director constantly inspired and motivated by the creation of new works. He is the creator and director of Potbelly: A Puppetry Cooking Show with numerous film festival awards across the country and voted “Best of Fest” at the Hartford Fringe Festival 2020. Currently he is in post-production on his first feature film set in Connecticut. He has a BFA from the University of Connecticut in Theater and an MFA from Savannah College of Art Design for Film and Television.
He has directed previous plays with both actor and puppet ensembles, such as, “She Kills Monsters” and “Begets: Fall of a High School Ronin.” He is also on the board for Night Fall, as well as Production Manager for their upcoming performance in Fall of 2026.