Roswell Cultural Arts Center has a new twist to its 2015 Summer Puppet Series, which opens the 18th season of entertaining children on June 1.
Thanks to a $10,000 Arts Engagement in American Communities grant awarded by the National Endowment of the Arts last year, it will offer free puppetry workshops in conjunction with the performances.
This year’s series features seven shows suggested for children ages 2 to 10, presented by nationally touring puppetry companies in June and July, with eight performances of each show.
The schedule:
June 1-6: Frisch Marionettes presents "Peter and the Wolf" and "The Frog Prince"
June 8-13: Paul Mesner Puppets, "The True Story of The Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf"
June 15-20: Tanglewood Marionettes, "Sleeping Beauty"
June 22-27: All Hands Productions, "Billy Goats Gruff and Other Stuff"
June 29-July 3: Lee Bryan, "That Puppet Guy," "The Princess and the Pea, Y'all"
July 6-11: Hobey Ford's Golden Rod Puppets, "Animalia"
July 13-18: Grey Seal Puppets, "The Emperor's New Clothes"
Show times: 10 a.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays (no performances July 4).
Advance reservation encouraged: In recent years, most performances have sold out. Tickets: $5 (free for under 2). Summer pass: $30 for seven tickets.
“We came up with the idea for the summer puppet series and it took off like wildfire,” noted Morgan Rodgers, director of Roswell’s Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs Department. “It has really become an annual summer tradition for children both in Roswell and our neighboring communities.”
Two puppet workshops will be offered each week in conjunction with the performances – following the 10 a.m. shows Tuesdays and Thursday (free but pre-registration required). The first workshop will be hosted by Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts, the others led by the puppetry artists performing on subsequent weeks. Most will include a hands-on puppetry-making project that the children will be able to take home.
Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell. 770-594-6232, www.roswellpuppets.com.
