Animation and puppetry have a lot in common, and FableVision Studios has always had a strong affinity with the world of puppets. There happens to be a great puppet theater right down the road from us, the Puppet Showplace Theatre in Brookline, MA. Established in 1974, it is the first and only year-round dedicated puppetry presenter in New England.
Peter H. Reynolds, founder of FableVision Studios, recalls, "As a child, The Puppet Showplace inspired me to run out and get my own puppets. I quickly learned that puppets have no voice — I needed to be that voice. The Showplace continues to inspire children to tap into their imaginations and to find their voice and let the world hear. That is powerful stuff."
On June 2nd, Peter will be honored by the Puppet Showplace Theatre as the recipient of their very first Creative Leadership Award. The award is given to someone in the community who has shown creative vision in the arts and who embodies the spirit of Puppet Showplace Theatre in inspiring creativity in people of all ages. It will be presented at the theater's Gala Birthday Celebration, which will also feature live music, cocktails, refreshments from local restaurants, and a silent action. David Syrotiak, founder of the National Marionette Theatre, will be presented with the first ever Paul Vincent Davis Award for excellence in puppetry.
The gala is also a fundraiser, and all proceeds will go to support the programming at the theater, which depends on the generous support of members and patrons in order to keep ticket prices affordable to families and schools.
FableVision Studios' own John Lechner, who is on the Board of Trustees at Puppet Showplace, is a puppeteer himself. "Puppetry is storytelling, which is what FableVision is all about," he says. "Children see a lot of puppetry on television, but there's something magical about a live theatrical experience, and places like Puppet Showplace are rare these days. I'm hoping the theater is around for a long time."
To order tickets for this special event, call 617-731-6400, or register online here.
To learn more about Puppet Showplace Theatre, visit their website.
