Two puppet shows have caught my eye lately that I wish dearly I could see. Puppetry has long been a secret love of mine (just ask my husband, who is always simultaneously amazed and stymied by how easily I laugh when he makes jokes as some character using Ari's stuffed animals). It's my childhood spent with the Muppets, I think. I just love puppets in general as an art form and sometimes regret my earlier forays as an artist did not include that medium more consistently.
Anyway... in an odd bit of synchronicity, both shows we happened to stumble upon are adaptations of Zen parables... Buddhist takes on the human condition as told through puppetry and theatre. How cool is that?!
The first we noticed was a show created by Blair Thomas & Company. Thomas is the former founder of Redmoon Theater (another Chicago fav), and also attended seminary at the Zen Buddhist Temple Andy used to attend. His new company had a show running at the MCA in November... and Andy and I were very sad we had to miss it. From the little I read (preview articles, reviews, etc.), it looked like it was really good. So if you are in Chicago or the Chicago area... I urge you to check out any future work (and then tell me how it was!!)
The second show opens in January in North Carolina and has been created by Paperhand Puppet Intervention. Unfortunately, we will miss that one too. This one explores the Buddhist concept of the Hungry Ghost, and uses shadow puppets, marionettes, masks, and more. I really wish we could have seen this one. Ah well. If you are in the Raleigh-Durham area, go check it out at Manbites Dog Theater and see what you think.
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