The Bird Machine is a play of technology, a play of object art/puppets: from its environment/landscape, to birds-on-sticks, shadow puppetry, and multi-media. It's a "fable" contemplating our desires to live beyond human limitations. Part I reveals: Leo, the dreamer, obsessed with flying; Vince, the realist, trying to control his world through miniaturization, and then the Emperor, destroying Leo and his flying machine, out of fear, the fear that others will use the flying machine's technology to destroy his city. In Part II, Vince wants to vindicate Leo. He does so by transforming his miniature world into a larger-than-life-size virtual garden, to trap and destroy the Emperor.

* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Seed Grant (2003)

At her birth they call her "Princess." Her fate is sealed. Left to her own devices and brilliant imagination, this modern day Princess pays off her debts and takes her skeletons out of the cupboard once and for all. Now arriving in the United States after an international tour comes a creative retelling of the Briar Rose tale joining shadow puppetry, object theater, and passionate monologue into a hard-hitting story filled with dark humor.

Created by Liverpool-born, French-transplant artist and puppeteer Colette Garrigan.

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010)

Seven unsavory strangers gather for a reading of a will. An alligator lawyer meets them at the door. Their future is in the hands of a mysterious fortune teller.

Back by popular demand, this feature length marionette performance weaves the haunting music of Danny Elfman and Erik Sanko with an eerily comic and macabre tale of fate and fortune. Created and directed by Erik Sanko and Jessica Grindstaff.

* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Project Grant (2006) Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenters Grant (2010)

PUNCH gets Puppet Bloked again. DOW is teeming up with Dixon Place to start the season off right. Drama of Works will present an excerpt of their newest full length piece "Leakey's Ladies" and there will be an eclectic showing from PUNCH favorites Howie Leifer, Patryk Wilinski, James Walton and Alissa Hunnicut. PLUS a few newbies including Bradley Kemp and his touching piece about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. This is going to be a night of puppet mayhem you do NOT want to miss...

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010)

Innovative Storytelling featuring new works by Amanda Villalobos, Sibyl Kempson, Leat Klingman & Maggie Robinson. Curated and Hosted by Leslie Strongwater.

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010)

Puppet Blok presents: The Rainbow Connection: Richard Hunt, Gay Muppeteer. A multi-media performance about the exciting, tragically short life of queer Muppet performer Richard Hunt. Includes behind-the-scenes Muppet footage!
By Jessica Max Stein

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010)

Hudson To China, Concrete Temple's spectacle with projections, puppetry, theatre, & live-music, parallels the journeys of three beings who are seeking China. Co-Created by: Renee Philippi & Carlo Adinolfi; Original Music & Sound: Bob Goldberg; Peformed by: Carlo Adinolfi, Diana Chang, Bob Goldberg, Zdenko Slobodnik.

* Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Project Grant (2010)

"Bong Bong Bong against the Walls, Ting Ting Ting in our Heads" is the kind of play that could only be written from the experience of Dario D'Ambrosi, who for over 30 years has worked with mentally disabled people in Italy. It is the American debut for Set/Puppet Designer Aurora Buzzetti (Rome). Translation is by Celeste Moratti. It is a theatrical fantasy about mentally ill children in institutions, whose thoughts are cloudy but whose souls are clear, who are bespattered with pain but whose dignity shines. In fairy tale style, it dramatizes how their imaginations are limitless and how they flourish when they are loved. The story is told with live music, singing, dance and puppets. Although it deals directly with lives of most troubled people, the play is fantastical and nonthreatening. It is recommended for audiences of all ages.

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010)

"Chopin-An Impression" will be a kind of drama essay that unites music, visual art, and marionette performance. This extremely challenging technique in puppetry requires unusual technical design as well as extraordinary skill in animating the marionette. Fryderyk Chopin compositions will be rendered both by a pianist and a marionette representing the genius composer - a marionette controlled with strings, measuring a couple of dozen centimeters and displaying virtuoso agility and perfection in the hands of its puppeteer - combined with an attempt to find answers to questions on the sources of inspiration determining the work of every artist. Apart from Chopin's music performed live by one of Poland's most talented pianists Krzysztof Traskowski, the show features actors, puppets (marionettes), objects, plastic art forms and visual presentations. Part of La MaMa Puppet Series IV, presented in association with The Polish Cultural Institute.

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010)

With puppets, dance, film and aerial work, Brooklyn Art Department brings you a new mythology about finding your light. In the spirit of Halloween and Day of Dead this theatre romp, created by Aaron Haskell who is also one of the original designers for Nightmare: NYC's Haunted House, is a boisterous party that will have you on your feet! Join the creatures of the "otherworld" in this high-energy event.

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010)

"In Retrospect," a new piece from LOCO7 Dance Puppet Theatre Company, is based on love and its expression between lovers, within families, through devotional practices, and in the arts and mythology of different cultures. The multi-disciplinary work will present vivid images and stories through spoken word, large marionettes, masks, body-puppets, dance, live music, unique lighting design, and video, within an overarching work that will reflect the full spectrum of feelings of love, from ultimate joy to depth of sorrow and loneliness.

Creative inspiration for the multi-segmented work will come from selected historical texts and mythical events, as well as personalized metaphors pertaining to one's own experience with that emotion which all humanity holds in the highest regard.

Federico Restrepo is a Colombian-born master of puppet theatre and physical theatre who stages epic thoughts using giant puppetry, acrobatic choreography and tempestuous music. "In Retrospect" is being written and developed by Federico Restrepo and Denise Greber. It will be designed, choreographed, and directed by Restrepo, with music composed by Elizabeth Swados.

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010) and Recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Project Grant (2010)

Beautiful, determined, intelligent, controversial--Marlene Dietrich was a transcendent symbol of femininity, a lady of strong character and clear mind, a woman with claws. A fascinating figure to both men and women, Dietrich's personality has also seduced Anna Skubik, a young Polish actress and puppeteer who brings this German star to life by animating her as a life-size doll. Presented with the Polish Cultural Institute in New York, "Broken Nails. A Marlene Dietrich Dialogue" portrays Dietrich and her maid Gloria (both played by Skubik) in a co-dependent relationship during the star's last days in her Paris apartment.

Ms. Skubik slips back and forth between her roles as meek servant and haughty star with such virtuosity that it is easy to forget there is only one woman on stage. The play is a compelling study of womanhood - from all that is eternal and archetypal about women to their more ephemeral, fragile, and unsustainable personal qualities. The actress, under the direction of the play's author, Romuald Wicza-Pokojski, is less interested in resurrecting Marlene Dietrich than in showing the legendary star as she deals with her fading beauty and imminent death.

* Funded in part by a Jim Henson Foundation Presenter's Grant (2010)

Donnie isn't good at gym class, making friends, or avoiding bullies. To cope with pre-teen life changes and loneliness his imagination runs wild with monsters, pirates, and talking toilets. A sock puppet play for adults, Donnie and the Monsters deals with the issues we develop during childhood and then cling to or hide from when we grow up.

Our outdoor production for the summer of 2010 is The Woman Who Fell from the Sky, which we originally produced in 1997. It is drawn from the Iroquois creation tale in which the Sky Woman falls from the spirit world and lands on the back of a turtle. Water animals bring up mud from the bottom of the sea so the earth can grow. The character Sapling creates all the earth's delightful things; his brother Flint brings us mosquitoes and thorns and sharp rocks. The abrupt arrival of Hodu'i, a whimsical crack-pot who claims to have created it all, spells the readiness of the earth for the arrival of human beings. The production will incorporate many puppets representing the spirits and creatures of this young world.

A king is in love with a butterfly, Deirdre is smashing her head in, a salmon is quoting Ulysses and everywhere you look, swan feathers. A funny, dark and magical take on seven Celtic myths with a modern twist, Map features a lyrical script by acclaimed young Irish playwright Darragh Martin, innovative puppets by puppeteer Katey Parker, a stunning original score by composer Donovan Seidle and all the magic of Tir na nog.

Using puppets ranging from beautiful Bunraku and traditional shadow puppets to innovative uses of broken umbrellas, Orange-juice cartons and potatoes, Map brings the epic world of Celtic Ireland to life in a surprising and unique fashion as an ordinary breakfast table becomes the site of an epic battle and giants, swans and butterflies cross paths with a widower addicted to crossword puzzles and the most beautiful girl in Ireland off out at the 80s night at the disco. Many Irish place-names derive from Celtic myths, so a map of Ireland can be seen as a map of lost things, etched out in a language and stories that some have forgotten.

Darragh Martin has had his work performed internationally and his hit An Air Balloon across Antarctica was nominated for a prestigious Green Room Award in Melbourne before enjoying a successful tour to the Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe Festivals. Puppeteer Katey Parker most recently performed as part of the sell-out Puppet Playlist at The Tank. Composer Donovan Seidle was featured in the YouTube Symphony Orchestra in 2009 and was the Associate Music Director for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Puppet Designer Katey Parker plays the Salmon of Knowledge and Queen Medb alongside a talented young ensemble of actors, puppeteers and musicians.

Conceived, designed and directed by Gian Marco Lo Forte, this new Italian Opera based on the 14th C book of poems about St Francis' teachings of peace and love recreates his miracles featuring found object puppetry by Jane Catherine Shaw (THIRST: MEMORY OF WATER) and Abby Felder, and masks by Jane Catherine Shaw. Includes a score that consists of medieval and electroacoustic sound, and offers an intimate and innovative opera experience. Presented by La Mama E.T.C. and Instituto Italiano di Cultura di New York.

After our first successful short film night, PUNCH is back at the amazing 92Y Tribeca for another screening night. You'll see works of art, music videos, comedy clips and much, much more! Expect the unexpected at this night of puppet films in 92Y Tribeca's state of the art screening room!

AVENUE Q is the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account. He soon discovers that the only neighborhood in his price range is Avenue Q; still, the neighbors seem nice. There's Brian the out-of-work comedian and his therapist fiancee Christmas Eve; Nicky the good-hearted slacker and his roommate Rod -- a Republican investment banker who seems to have some sort of secret; an Internet addict called Trekkie Monster; and a very cute kindergarten teaching assistant named Kate. And would you believe the building's superintendent is Gary Coleman?!? (Yes, that Gary Coleman.) Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.