Celebrate World Puppetry Day with a Local Twist

Activities include unveiling of the Center for Puppetry Arts' very own Tiny Door, Museum tours and more!

World Puppetry Day is a global holiday established by UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionnette), the international puppetry organization. It takes place every year on March 21, but puppet fanatics can celebrate with the Center for Puppetry Arts on Saturday, March 18 with a number of free activities celebrating global puppetry traditions.

A highlight of this day will be the unveiling of the Center for Puppetry Arts' own Tiny Door from Tiny Doors ATL. Tiny Doors is a free art installation found all throughout Atlanta, with the goal to "inspire curiosity and exploration by highlighting neighborhoods and landmarks that make Atlanta unique." The door will be placed on the Spring Street side of the Center. This will be the 11th door on the Tiny Doors map, and the first one to be permanently installed in Midtown. It will feature a tiny interactive marquee as well as a tiny ramp representing the Center's accessibility to all. Following the door's ribbon cutting, visitors will be treated to a concert by The Tiny Doors-a puppet-sized version of The Doors-as well as a tiny champagne toast.

Onstage during the World Day of Puppetry festivities is The Dragon King, presented by Tanglewood Marionettes of Ware, Mass. Other activities include Puppet Pop-up Carts, Tale Time book readings in the Museum, tours of the Jim Henson and Global collections and a special puppet workshop featuring a Tiny Door shadow puppet.

The schedule is as follows:

•11 a.m. - The Dragon King in the Downstairs Theater

•11 a.m. - Worlds of Puppetry Tour (museum and tour admission required)

•Noon - Free activities begin - Guild walk arounds and shadow Tiny Door puppet building in the atrium, guild workshops on the 3rd floor, tiny door ribbon cutting

•Noon - Puppet Pop Up cart on museum conservation starts in Henson Creature Shop (ongoing from 12:00-3:00, museum admission required)

•Noon - Create-A-Puppet Workshops open (paid admission/ticket required)

•12:15 p.m. The Tiny Doors in concert •12:30 - Tale Time in gallery - The Beckoning Cat, by Koko Nishizuka - read by the Bunraku case (museum admission required)

•1 p.m. - The Dragon King in the Downstairs Theater

•1 p.m. - Jim Henson Collection Tour (museum and tour admission required)

•1:15 p.m. - The Tiny Doors in concert

•2 p.m. - Tale Time in gallery - Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott - read by the Africa section (museum admission required)

•2:15 p.m. - The Tiny Doors in concert

•3 p.m. - Puppet Pop Up cart ends

•3 p.m. - The Dragon King in the Downstairs Theater

•3 p.m. - Free activities end

•5 p.m. - Museum closes

WHEN:
Satuday, March 18
Free Activities: 12-3 p.m.
Performances of The Dragon King*: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Guided Museum Tours*: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
*Performances and tours require ticket purchase.

WHERE:
Center for Puppetry Arts
1404 Spring Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30309

HOW:
Museum-only admission is $10.50 (nonmembers) and free for Members. Admission is required for events taking place inside the Museum.

All-inclusive tickets for The Dragon King are $10.25 (Members) and $20.50 (nonmembers) and include admission to the show, the Worlds of Puppetry Museum (with the largest collection of Jim Henson puppets and artifacts in the world as well as a Global Gallery), and entrance to the Create-A-Puppet Workshop, where guests can make and decorate their own Chinese Dragon Marionette and perform with it on our classroom stage. Tickets can be purchased online at www.puppet.org or by calling 404.873.3391

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