Center for Puppetry Arts - Holiday Programming

Families are invited to enjoy a little extra holiday cheer this season as the Center for Puppetry Arts celebrates the 2017 run of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ with festive weekend events! First up, guests can kick off the holiday season with a tasty treat on Saturday, November 11.  Famed Atlanta chef (and former "Top Chef" contestant) Kevin Gillespie will be at the Center dressed as his doppelgänger Yukon Cornelius.  Patrons are invited to join Chef Gillespie and the Yukon Cornelius puppet for a holiday photo opportunity.  In addition, the Center’s special guest chef will be serving up samplings of his signature Warm Embrace Hot Cocoa and guests will have the opportunity purchase a can of the hot chocolate mix to take home as a holiday gift.  The event will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and is free with paid admission. On the evening of Saturday, November 11, the Center will present another beloved holiday classic:  a screening of “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” at 7 p.m. in the Mainstage Theater.  In this 1977 Jim Henson film, Ma and Emmet Otter enter a talent competition to win money to fund their Christmas gift-giving.  This screening was added to the line-up due to popular demand after the December showing sold out.  Tickets include admission to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum, and beer and wine will be for sale.  Tickets are $12.50 for nonmembers and free for Members. On Saturday, November 18, the model builders from LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Atlanta will be at the Center for a special holiday LEGO® build activity, where guests can make and take home a special holiday-themed LEGO build.  This special event is from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and free with paid admission, while supplies last. Families attending Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ on Saturday, November 25, can enjoy a very special, free holiday photo opportunity with one of the puppets from the show!  Don’t forget to bring a camera because the Rudolph lineup makes a great holiday photo. Big news!  LEGO Rudolph is returning to the Center for Puppetry Arts’ lobby beginning Thursday, November 30!  The Rudolph statue is built out of LEGO bricks courtesy of our friends at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta. Finally, the Center for Puppetry Arts will have a float filled with fan-favorite puppets during the 2017 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 2!                  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer  is recommended for ages 4 and up.  All-inclusive tickets to all shows include entrance to the Create-A-Puppet Workshop™, where guests can make, decorate, and perform with their own King Moonracer™ Rod & String Puppet, as well as admission to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum (with the largest collection of Jim Henson puppets and artifacts in the world as well as a Global Gallery).  Special events are included at no extra charge with paid admission.             Rudolph tickets prices vary by date and can be purchased online at www.puppet.org or by calling 404873.3391. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and all elements © and ™ under license to Character Arts, LLC.

Indian Culture Comes Alive at the Center for Puppetry Arts!

History and art come together in the Center for Puppetry Arts’ newest exhibit, Indian Puppets: The Great Stories and Dancing Dolls, opening November 14. The special exhibit will celebrate India’s cultural range by exploring the diversity of puppetry techniques and genres across the subcontinent along with the ways puppetry has been used as a storytelling tool in India for more than a thousand years.  “One of the main reasons we chose to highlight Indian puppetry is because, in addition to more historical puppetry traditions, India also has a thriving contemporary arts community with puppeteers creating engaging new work,” says Center for Puppetry Arts’ Museum Director Kelsey Fritz.  “Puppetry in India is incredibly diverse and each region of the country has performance traditions and stories specific to their area.  We hope that by learning about these different puppetry traditions, visitors will walk away with a better understanding of Indian culture and geography as a whole.” The exhibit is comprised of more than 40 puppets on display including both traditional and contemporary pieces, covering eight different puppetry styles.  The puppets will be displayed as if they were being used in a performance so visitors can get a sense for the mobility and personality of each piece.   This exhibit is sponsored in part by the Consulate General of India Atlanta and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and will be on display through July 15, 2018. The Center will be celebrating the run of the exhibit with a number of special events.  To kick off opening weekend, November 18-19, Museum hours will be extended until 7 p.m., and the weekend will include a special performance of Kalyana Sougandhikam by Natana Kairali of Kerala, India, at 5:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.  The story is from the Mahabharata and is performed with traditional Indian glove puppetry. On Saturday, January 20, 2018, the Center presents Celebration of India Family Day!  The event will include special activities to celebrate Indian puppetry and culture, including a reading of “The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk” and book signing with author Sue Sehgal as well as puppet building, special gallery programs, and more! The Center presents a special movie night on Saturday, February 3, 2018.  In addition to the screening of Tomorrow We Disappear, a documentary about Kathputli, India’s colony of artists and puppeteers facing eviction, there will be a talkback with one of the film’s directors following the film at 8 pm. Finally, on March 26, 2018, Dr. Kathy Foley and Karen Smith, the curators of Indian Puppets: The Great Stories and Dancing Dolls, will visit the Center for an in-depth lecture about the puppetry of India, part of the Explore Puppetry Workshop Series from 7-9 p.m. Entrance to this special exhibit will be included with regular Museum admission, which is free for Members and $12.50 for nonmembers – plus sales tax and includes access to the entire Worlds of Puppetry Museum (with the largest collection of Jim Henson puppets and artifacts in the world as well as a Global Gallery.)  Admission to the special exhibit will also be included with all-inclusive tickets to Family Series and New Directions Series performances.   Tickets can be purchased online at www.puppet.org or by calling 404.873.3391.

Topthorn Comes to Atlanta - Center for Puppetry Arts!

Straight From the War Horse’s Mouth: Topthorn Comes to Atlanta

Center for Puppetry Arts’ newest acquisition will be unveiled during anniversary weekend celebration with Cheryl Henson Get ready for a larger-than-life anniversary celebration! Friday, November 11 - Sunday, November 13, the Center for Puppetry Arts will celebrate the first anniversary of its Worlds of Puppetry Museum with a weekend full of activities, including the opening weekend of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the premiere of the Center’s newest iconic museum acquisition, Topthorn from the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of War Horse. The weekend will also include a viewing of the documentary Making War Horse with an introduction by Cheryl Henson, daughter of Jim Henson and Center for Puppetry arts board member, as well as a discussion with performer, designer, and puppet artist Tom Lee, who performed in War Horse at Lincoln Center. Cheryl Henson recently acquired Topthorn at auction from the National Theatre in London and donated it to the Center’s museum.   Built by the Handspring Puppet Company of South Africa, Topthorn was one of the two main characters in War Horse.  At 10 feet long, the figure is larger than a real horse. This is the first Handspring puppet in the Center for Puppetry Arts’ collection.  War Horse is based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo.  The show opened at London’s National Royal Theatre in 2007 and has toured 11 countries. On Saturday, November 12, after patrons have had a chance to view the new Topthorn display, the Center will present a screening of the documentary Making War Horse with an introduction by Henson.  Following the screening, Lee will take questions and discuss his role in War Horse.  Lee has been on numerous stages in New York.  Other credits include his performance in Dan Hurlin’s Obie-award winning Hiroshima Maiden and Disfarmer, and Lee Breuer’s epic puppet opera La Divina Caricatura. To kick off the weekend’s celebration, Lee will lead an exciting master class on the evening of November 11 from 7:30 – 10 p.m.  Previous puppetry experience will be required to take part; space will be limited.  The cost of the class will be $40 and will include the ability to purchase a limited number of reduced price tickets to the next evening’s film event. Email education@puppet.org to be placed on the list to receive application information. In addition to unveiling Topthorn, the Center will be rotating items in the Worlds of Puppetry Museum throughout the month of November.  Twenty new pieces will debut in the Jim Henson Collection, including Fazoobs from The Muppet Show and new pieces from Fraggle Rock, Dog City, and The Song of Cloud Forest.  Guests can see the new additions and round out the weekend with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, after which they can make and take home a Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster™ Hand Puppet.  The holiday classic has become an Atlanta tradition! WHAT: Center for Puppetry Arts’ Star-Studded First Anniversary Celebration WHEN: Friday, November 11 – Sunday, November 13 Museum open regular hours all weekend Friday: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 10 and 11:45 a.m.; Tom Lee workshop 7:30-10 p.m. Saturday: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 12 and 2 p.m.; Making War Horse Film 8-10 p.m. featuring Cheryl Henson and Tom Lee on stage Sunday: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 1 and 3 p.m. WHERE: Center for Puppetry Arts 1404 Spring Street NW Atlanta, GA 30309 HOW: All events include admission to the Topthorn display and Worlds of Puppetry Museum. Tickets for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer are $10.25 (Members) and $20.50 (Nonmembers) and include admission entrance to the Create-A-Puppet Workshop™, where guests can make and decorate their own Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster™ Hand Puppet and perform with it on our classroom stage. Friday night’s workshop is $40. Tickets for Saturday night’s movie showing are available for $10 (Members) and $15 (Non-members). Tickets can be purchased online at www.puppet.org or by calling 404.873.3391.

Center for Puppetry Arts to host Jim Henson 80th Birthday Celebration!

Special activities to honor life of iconic puppeteer and visionary artist

A momentous occasion to celebrate Jim Henson’s 80th birthday, Center for Puppetry Arts will host a birthday bash on Saturday, September 24, 11 a.m. -5 p.m.!

Festivities will include a special guided tour of the Jim Henson Collection, Henson-focused story time, puppet building, Henson gallery carts with an informal Q&A with Center conservators, and will culminate with special film screenings of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller and Farscape at 8 p.m.

All activities will take place in and around the Jim Henson Collection in the newly expanded Worlds of Puppetry Museum at the Center, which also includes a Global Collection.

Festivities are as follows:

• 11 a.m. Special Guided Tour of the Jim Henson Collection
• 12:30 & 2:30 p.m. Henson-Focused Story Time
• 1-4 p.m. Fantastical Friends Puppet Building in the Center’s Atrium
• 2-5 p.m. Henson Gallery Carts and an informal Q&A with the Center’s Jim Henson puppet conservators
• 8 p.m. Screening of The Storyteller and Farscape

With the exception of the special guided tour and the film screenings, all activities are FREE with Museum admission.

Continuing its Henson-related programming on Monday, September 26, the Center will host a special Explore Puppetry Series workshop, Costuming: Puppets, Muppets & Mascots, with Bonnie Erickson of the Jim Henson Legacy, Harrison/Erickson, Inc. and Acme Mascots. Erickson was part of the original design team for The Muppet Show and is credited as the designer and builder ofMiss Piggy, now a part of the Center’s Jim Henson Collection. The workshop, for ages 18 and up, is from 7-9:30 p.m. The cost is $30 for members and $40 for non-members. Industry and student discounts are available with current student ID.

What:
A Jim Henson 80th Birthday Celebration

When:
September 24 & 26, 2016

Where:
Center for Puppetry Arts
1404 Spring Street, NW at 18th
Atlanta, GA 30309

How:
For ticket information, visit www.puppet.org or call 404-873-3391

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Lands at Center for Puppetry Arts This Winter!

Embrace your inner misfit and join the most famous reindeer of all in joyful merriment at Center for Puppetry Arts!

Lighting up Atlanta for its sixth consecutive year, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer^TM plays November 12-December 27.  Adapted by Jon Ludwig, directed by Tim Sweeney, and based on the timeless 1964 stop-motion animated television special, this can’t-miss family favorite is filled with holly-jolly adventure and excitement bound to brighten the Christmas season!

Audiences are invited to watch as Sam the Snowman narrates the beloved tale of unlikely friendship formed among Rudolph, Hermey the Elf, Yukon Cornelius, and all the magical misfit toys.  While narrowly escaping the grips of the Abominable Snow Monster of the North and braving perilous blizzards, their journey is sure to warm hearts as the friends learn the importance of being true to one’s self and accepting others along the way. 

“Every person, no matter the age, can relate to this story; its comforting and unchanging message celebrates the misfit in all of us,” said director Jon Ludwig.  “Since I was a young boy, I’ve always looked forward to watching the TV special each Christmas.  For me, and a lot of other people, the holiday season doesn’t feel complete without it; it’s one of the reasons we bring it back to the Center each year.”

A celebration of individuality and acceptance, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has become an Atlanta holiday tradition for all ages to enjoy!  Through the use of rod and body puppets meticulously created by the Center’s head puppet builder Jason Hines, puppeteers Dolph Amick, Nikolas Carleo, Luis R. Hernandez, Jake Krakovsky, Celia Quillian, and Amy Sweeney bring the North Pole to life! 

Patrons will be in for a special treat as the Center’s new Worlds of Puppetry Museum opens the first weekend of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  Starting November 14, patrons can purchase All-Inclusive tickets to the performance that include timed–entry tickets to the new museum, which showcases a Global Collection of puppets from around the world as well as the world’s most comprehensive collection of Jim Henson’s puppets and artifacts, including many pieces from Sesame Street, the Muppets, and more.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is recommended for ages 4 and up and will be performed in the Mainstage Theater, November 12- December 27.  Discounted previews will be offered November 10-11 at 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.

The show schedule is as follows: 

• November 10 - 22
  
  Tuesday - Friday:  10am; 11:45am
  Saturday:  12pm; 2pm
  Sunday:  1pm; 3pm
  
  
• November 24 - 29
  
  Tuesday:  10am; 11:45am
  Wednesday:  10am; 12pm; 2pm
  Friday-Saturday:  11am; 1pm; 3pm
  Sunday:  1pm; 3pm
  
  
• December 1 - 6
  
  Tuesday - Friday:  10am; 11:45am
  Saturday:  11am, 1pm; 3pm
  Sunday:  1pm; 3pm
  
  
• December 8 - 13:
  
  Tuesday - Friday:  10am; 11:45am
  Saturday:  11am, 1pm; 3pm
  Sunday:  1pm; 3pm; 5pm
  
  
• December 15 - 20:
  Tuesday - Wednesday:  10am; 12pm
  Thursday - Friday:  10am; 12pm; 2pm
  Saturday:  11am, 1pm; 3pm
  
  Sunday:  1pm; 3pm
  
  
• December 22 - 27:
  
  Tuesday - Thursday:  10am; 12pm; 2pm
  Saturday:  11am; 1pm; 3pm
  Sunday:  1pm; 3pm

ALL-INCLUSIVE TICKETS ARE $10.25-$14.25 (MEMBERS) / $20.50-$24.50 (NON-MEMBERS) AND CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE AT WWW.PUPPET.ORG OR BY CALLING THE TICKET SALES OFFICE AT 404-873-3391.

All-Inclusive Tickets include admission to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, timed-entry to the new Worlds of Puppetry Museum, and entrance to the Create-A-Puppet Workshop, where children can create their own Hermey the Elf™ shadow puppet to take home with them.