Author: Wicks, Emily

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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. 

Marvelous Metamorphoses by Sova Dance & Puppet Theater on 7/8

Posted on by

As part of its 2023 Summertime Saturday Puppet Show Series, the Ballard Institute will present Marvelous Metamorphoses by Connecticut-based Sova Dance & Puppet Theater on July 8 at 11 a.m. ET in Betsy Paterson Square in Downtown Storrs.

Bring the family to an engaging Sova Dance & Puppet Theater performance that brings nature’s cycles to life through song, dance and the art of puppetry. Celebrate beautiful transformations in our world and the ecological health of our planet! Caterpillar to butterfly, polliwog to frog, and more! Performers dance and sing their way through these cycles and celebrate ecological health on our planet. 

Sova Dance & Puppet Theater celebrates humanity and the environment by engaging audiences with live performance, communicating that which cannot be described in words, and making art accessible to communities around the globe. Learn more about Sova Dance & Puppet Theater at sovatheater.com.

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 9 at 11 a.m. ET. This performance is co-sponsored by the Mansfield Downtown Partnership. 

2023 Summertime Saturday Puppet Shows in July!

Posted on by

The Ballard Institute is excited to present its 2023 Summertime Saturday Puppet Show Series with free, family-friendly puppet shows on four consecutive Saturdays in July at 11 a.m. on Betsy Paterson Square in downtown Storrs. These performances are co-sponsored by the Mansfield Downtown Partnership. 

July 8: Marvelous Metamorphoses by Sova Dance & Puppet Theater (rain plan: July 9 in Betsy Paterson Square)

Bring the family to an engaging Sova Dance & Puppet Theater performance that brings nature’s cycles to life through song, dance and the art of puppetry. Performers dance and sing their way through these cycles and celebrate ecological health on our planet.

July 15: Oma by Sandglass Theater (rain plan: July 16 in Betsy Paterson Square)

This new family show is an intergenerational tale revolving around Grandma or “Oma.” It is her birthday, and the family 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.

July 22: Cardboard Explosion! by Paper Heart Puppets (rain plan: July 23 in Betsy Paterson Square)

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.

July 29: Bugaboo Revue by Talking Hands Theatre (rain plan: July 29 in Ballard Institute Theater)

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! 

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

Please Ship This Wet Gift by Brave Bucket Co. on 5/13

Posted on by

As part of its 2023 Spring Puppet Performance Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut is pleased to present New York City puppeteer Marta Mozelle performing Please Ship This Wet Gift by Brave Bucket Co., on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 11 a.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs. 

Please Ship This Wet Gift is one clown’s presentation about terrible feelings and provides an opportunity for family audiences to laugh together about feeling bad. The original work uses drawing-without-looking, audience suggestion, audience participation, made-up songs, puppetry, and cardboard sharks to explore dealing with the things in life that are unfair, scary, sad, and just really annoying. The show melds clown theater with puppetry expertise to bring compassion and lightness to the heavy stuff. Recommended for ages 4+.

To learn more about the performance and Brave Bucket Co., visit bimp.ticketleap.com/wet-gift 

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 the 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. For more information about these performances or if you require accommodation to attend this event, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860-486-8580 or bimp@uconn.edu. Masks recommended but not required.

 

About the Company and Collaborators:

Marta Mozelle MacRostie (Performer/Designer) is a puppeteer, clown, designer, builder, teacher and vocalist. Performance highlights include: Baby Universe (Wakka Wakka Productions, Studio Theater), Better Out Than In (Banksy’s NYC Residency), La Divina Caricatura (Mabou Mines, PS 122 and La MaMa), Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead (Phantom Limb Company, Berkeley Rep), and Puss in Boots (Moises Kaufman, Gotham Chamber Opera & Blind Summit, New Victory Theater). She was a participant in Sesame Street‘s 2016 & 2014 Training Workshops, and her onscreen credits include: Sesame Street (season 45 assist), Time Machine Guitar, The Warby Trace Show, and commercials for H&M, LG, and the Coca-Cola Company.

Marta’s show for family audiences Help Save the Monkey! (with collaborator Liz Hara) premiered in the 2014 New York Children’s Theater Festival, and was awarded a 2014 Jim Henson Foundation Family Grant. Her work for adults, Close to Decline, was workshopped in Labapalooza! at St. Ann’s Warehouse, received support through a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter’s Grant at the Tank Theater, and was a finalist for the Creative Capital Award.

Marta holds a degree in Puppetry & Music from UMass Amherst, studied clown at Movement Theater Studio and with John Leo, is a many-time alum of the O’Neill National Puppetry Conference, and served on the Artistic Direction Committee for the 2013 National Puppet Festival.

Hannah Simms (Director) is a director and teacher based in Hartford, CT. She is a graduate of the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre, the NTI Advanced Directing Semester at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, and the Ada Comstock Program at Smith College. Directing credits include: Pegao and Frog Hollow State of Mind (HartBeat Ensemble), To Kill a Mockingbird (Central Connecticut State University), Guenevere (Ivoryton Playhouse), Eurydice (PVPA Charter High School), Julius Cesar and Romeo & Juliet (Hampshire Shakespeare). She has also directed in thedirected in the Write On! festival at Hartford Stage. Assistant Directing credits include The City That Cried Wolf off-Broadway at 59E59, and FlipSide at HartBeat Ensemble. She has taught clown for Art Farm, the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, and the Children’s Circus of Middletown. Hannah is an ensemble member at HartBeat Ensemble.

 

“The Making of Feel Your Best Self: Puppet Building and Video Production” Forum on 4/26

Posted on by

As part of the 2023 Spring Puppet Forum Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is pleased to host The Making of Feel Your Best Self: Puppet Building and Video Production on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 7 p.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs. This forum will also be broadcast via Ballard Institute Facebook Live (facebook.com/BallardInstitute). 

In this forum, Ballard Institute graduate assistant and Feel Your Best Self Puppeteer Stoph Scheer leads a discussion with Director and Producer Sarah Nolen, Puppet Builder John Cody, and Supervising Producer Heather Asch about building the puppet characters and producing the videos that are a part of the award-winning Feel Your Best Self project, an interdisciplinary collaboration between UConn’s Collaboratory on School and Child Health and the Ballard Institute to promote emotional well-being in elementary-aged children. Hear the ins-and-outs of puppet filmmaking, from the puppet-build process through pre-production to production, and learn how the cast and crew came together to get the whole series shot in two weeks.

Feel Your Best Self is designed for elementary-aged kids as an educational toolkit for learning emotion-focused coping strategies to calm yourself, catch your feelings, and connect with others. The FYBS strategies offer fun and easy ways to help kids (and grown-ups) experience lifts in emotions, feeling, or mood. The toolkit, which features short videos, facilitator steps, reflection journals, strategy cards, and tip sheets, is free and accessible on the website. 

Admission to this event is free (donations greatly appreciated!), and refreshments will be served. For more information or if you require accommodation to attend a forum, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860.486.8580 or bimp@uconn.edu. 

About the Speakers

Heather Asch (Supervising Producer; “Brianna”) Heather currently serves as Executive Director for No Strings Productions, a not–for–profit production company that creates puppet films that provide lifesaving information to at-risk children in the developing world. Film subjects include Malaria, Covid, HIV/AIDS, disaster preparation for earthquakes, tsunamis, flood, landslides, landmine safety, and peacebuilding. Heather has over 25 years of experience in the puppetry arts. Her career focus has been in film and television working as supervising producer, line producer, producer, puppeteer, voiceover artist, puppet designer, puppet builder, shop supervisor, build coordinator, wrangler, consultant, and photo stylist. Throughout her career, she has worked with various companies, including The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop, Nickelodeon, Disney, WGBH, Three Design Studios, and others. Performance credits include Between the Lions, Johnny and the Sprites, Sesame Street, and Allegra’s Window.  She is a four-time Emmy Award winner for her work building and wrangling with Sesame Street and performing on Between the Lions. heatherasch.com  nostringsproductions.org

John Cody (Character Designer; Lead Puppet Builder; Puppet Captain; Puppet Wrangler; “Dance Teacher”) is a puppeteer, puppet builder, and writer from Katonah, New York. He graduated with a BFA from the UConn Puppet Arts program in 2017, and has gone on to work on projects for The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop, Nickelodeon, The Walt Disney Company and more! You can check out more of his work on his Instagram, @puppetjohn, or on his website puppetjohn.com

Sarah Nolen (Director; Producer; Art Director; Script Writer) is a puppeteer and filmmaker known for her versatile and witty work across multiple puppetry styles. Originally from Texas, Sarah now resides in  Massachusetts, where she works as a freelance puppeteer, director, and puppet builder for both stage and screen through her company Puppet Motion. She received her MFA in Puppet Arts at the University of Connecticut in 2016. While at UConn, Sarah was awarded the 2015 Mister Rogers Memorial Scholarship in support of her MFA film project, TREEPLES, which premiered at  the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival. Sarah has trained at Sesame Workshop, the O’Neill Puppetry Conference, Sandglass Theater, the Brooklyn Puppet  Conspiracy, and completed a yearlong improvisational comedy program at the  Dallas Comedy House. Currently, she serves as Interim Co-Artistic Director at the Puppet  Showplace Theater in Brookline, where she tours her own solo puppet shows around New England. You can learn more about her work at her website:  sarahnolen.com 

Stoph Scheer (“CJ”) has trained with and puppeteered for the Jim Henson Company, and has also puppeteered for The Muppets, Banksy, and FailArmy. She is co-founder of Doppelskope Puppet Theatre and co-writes and produces The Creatures of Yes on YouTube. Learn more on her website: scheerbrilliance.com