Do you go to puppet shows because your kids force you to? Or maybe because you are a secret fan of Sesame Street? No matter what your relationship with puppets is, it is now time to admit that puppetry is catching on—and New York is not an exception. This fall, Symphony Space is bringing some of America’s best puppet shows to NYC and your kids will not let you miss them.
Symphony Space is a performing arts center that offers programs in theater, music, dance, and family entertainment. In the recent years, the center’s program Just Kidding has carried out dozens of shows that center around music, dance and, surprisingly, puppetry. A selection of puppet shows that will premiere at Symphony Space this fall is truly astounding. Every kid will find something that they like: the upcoming shows tell the stories of rainbow fish, tiny monsters, doubtful sprouts, butterflies and even… banana kids. To add some clutter to this cheerful mix of puppets, Symphony Space will also host a malfunctioning story machine that will bring odd, yet joyful chaos to the puppet universe.
“International puppetry is widely represented here in the States, but what we don’t get to see often is independent puppetry,” Symphony Space’s director of performing arts, Darren Critz, says. “There are so many companies doing great work, and I am happy that we are able to present these shows.”
The show that Critz is most excited about is “Rainbow Fish” by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. “Rainbow Fish” is an elaborate stage adaptation of Marcus Pfister’s series of children’s picture books. This glow-in-the-dark tale will enchant even the youngest kids as it tells the story of a fish who sets out to discover the deep sea world, full of wonderful sights and friendly creatures of all shapes, sizes, and colors.
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“Mermaid Theater is very good at adapting children’s stories,” Critz says. “‘Rainbow Fish’ makes you feel like the book is coming to life on the stage. In this show, you don’t see the puppeteers at all.”
Critz explains that kids tend to relate to puppets. As they get absorbed in the story and the characters, children can experience things that might not happen in the real world, and for kids, puppet shows can become great life lessons. What makes puppet shows popular among adults is the feeling of joy that parents experience when they see their kids enjoy themselves.
“Besides, puppetry trains children’s imagination,” Critz said. “After the shows, puppeteers often stay and show the audience how they do things. Afterward, kids will go home and create their own puppet shows.”
With so many up-and-coming puppet shows in theaters, some still wonder what the future of this craft will look like. Critz believes it is going to grow.
“In recent years, puppetry got pushed into the idea of birthday party entertainment and it became a joke,” he says. “Now, puppetry is having a huge resurgence. People are looking at it as an art form, and it’s happening with both kids and adults. I see its future as a continuous support of the puppetry companies and their craft.”
You can find out more about the performance dates at symphonyspace.org.
