Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry Sets 2015 Spring Puppet Performance Series

Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry to Present Spring Performance Series of Family-Friendly Puppet Productions Four Saturdays from February to May 2015 In the New Ballard Institute Theater Performances at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut will host its Spring Puppet Performance Series on four Saturdays from February to May 2015, featuring outstanding works for puppet theater by professional puppeteers from around the world. There will be two showings of each production, at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., in the Ballard Institute Theater located at 1 Royce Circle in Storrs Center.

Productions and dates include:
February 21: The Lion and the Mouse and Other Tales by Crabgrass Puppet Theatre.
With beautiful puppets and scenery, and their signature hilarious style, Vermont's award-winning Crabgrass Puppet Theatre presents tales from Africa, Asia and Europe that will inspire and enthrall children of all sizes.

March 14: Squirrel Stole My Underpants by They Gotta Be Secret Agents.
In this widely popular and critically praised production created by Boston-based puppeteer and choreographer Bonnie Duncan and musician Tim Gallagher, a lonely, awkward girl is sent out to the backyard to hang up the laundry and keep herself busy. The moment Sylvie's back is turned, a mischievous squirrel appears, steals her favorite piece of clothing and runs off. As the story unfolds, an entire world emerges from her laundry basket and Sylvie learns that she is a strong girl with magic within herself.

April 11: Hao Bang Ha, Horse! by Chinese Theatre Works.
Co-sponsored by the Asian and Asian American Studies Institute. This variety-style program by New York's internationally acclaimed Chinese-American theater company stars the current animal in the Zodiac cycle and features a set of beautifully carved and costumed hand puppets performing traditional choreographies (arranged by Taiwanese puppet-master Wushan Huang). The program also includes contemporary scenes of fantasy and silliness, musical numbers and sing-alongs, English explanations, hands-on demonstrations and audience participation, which all make the Chinese cultural experience accessible to even the youngest audience members.

May 2: Arjuna's Meditation by Matthew Cohen, with Gamelan Si Betty, directed by Jody Diamond.
Co-sponsored by the Asian and Asian American Studies Institute. Renowned London-based scholar and Javanese wayang kulit shadow puppet performer Matthew Cohen is joined by Harvard University's Gamelan Si Betty, directed by composer and performer Jody Diamond, to present a classic Javanese puppet play about one of the great heroes of the Hindu epic The Mahabharata.

Ticket Prices: Adults: $10; Students: $7; Kids: $5

Tickets will be sold in advance through the Connecticut Repertory Theatre Box Office located in the lobby of the Nafe Katter Theatre at 820 Bolton Rd, Storrs CT 06269. Tickets may be purchased in person at the box office, by calling (860) 486-2113, or online through the CRT website. A $3.00 surcharge will be added to any purchases made online or over the phone. Tickets may be purchased at the Ballard Institute on the days of performances. There will be a limited number of seats. For more information about these shows, visit bimp.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-8580.

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