PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa
Contact: Sandra Wolfe
director@tuscarts.org
205-758-5195, ext. 3
THE ARTS COUNCIL OF TUSCALOOSA WILL PRESENT FREE SUMMER PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN
(Tuscaloosa, Ala.) The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will present two performances of Puppet Arts Theatre’s “The Princess & the Pea” at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center Black Box Theatre on July 14, 2016. Two shows will be presented at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
This program is free and open to the public, but by reservation only. Parents, daycare directors and others involved in summer programming for children should contact Sandra Wolfe, Executive Director, at 758-5195, ext. 3 or director@tuscarts.org. Seating is limited to 150 children per show.
The presentation by Puppet Arts Theatre, based in Jackson, Miss., is made possible by a Gulf States Presenters Grant provided by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
This show is a fast-paced introduction to puppetry with an easy to follow demonstration of puppet making using a plain styrofoam ball and other ordinary materials to create a technically complex character. Children from the audience are invited on stage to manipulate some of the puppets. From a simple ball on a single finger, to a complex ten-string marionette, the show presents a broad overview of the world of puppetry.
The main feature of the program is a famous story written by Hans Christian Andersen, “The Princess and the Pea”. Conventional and unconventional puppetry has been a hallmark of the Puppet Arts Theatre for many years now. “The Princess and the Pea”, set to the music of Rossini, is presented as a farce performed with the puppeteers in the full view of the audience, manipulating traditional marionettes.
Puppet Arts Theatre is a professional touring company under the direction of Peter Zapletal, an award-winning puppetry producer and animator for Mississippi Educational Television. His television specials have been seen nationwide on PBS. He received the MA degree in puppetry from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic. He will be joined on stage by T. J. McSparrin, a professional actress and puppeteer who has appeared many times at the New Stage in Jackson, in many TV commercials and Mississippi ETV. Jarmila Zapletal, a professional puppet maker and designer, created the puppets for the production.
Puppet Arts Theatre is devoted to bringing exciting and memorable performances to its audiences. Since 1968, this theater has thrilled children of all ages from Boston to Tampa and throughout the Southeast with magical and thrilling theatrical experiences. Puppet Arts Theatre is on the Performing Arts Touring Program of the Mississippi Arts Commission and on the Approved Artist Roster with the Alabama Council for the Arts.
“Educational programming continues to be a priority for The Arts Council, and we hope parents and organizations will take advantage of this colorful and exciting show that will provide a quality summer activity for their children,” said Sandra Wolfe, Executive Director of The Arts Council.
The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is located at 620 Greensboro Ave. in Downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council, CAC or Bama Theatre, patrons should LIKE the Facebook page “The Arts Council-Bama Theatre-Cultural Arts Center” and follow tuscarts on Twitter. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts.org for further information.
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