Puppet Fringe is for all ages…
The sheer diversity of puppetry as an art form is something that doesn’t often get its proper due. Because of its association with children, I think, puppetry doesn’t always get the respect it deserves as a fine art. The International Puppet Fringe Festival is here to change that. This series of shows, films, exhibits, and panels produced by Teatro SEA, Grupo Morán (The Morán Group), and The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Education Center will renew your appreciation for the art form. On top of that, it does a great job of catering to both kids and adults. There is something for every kind of puppet taste and plenty of room for discovery.
Puppetry is so much more than hand puppets (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) and the Puppet Fringe NYC sets out to prove that with a festival full of marionettes, shadow puppets, and body puppets. The latter is exemplified best in the impressive Teatro SEA show Los Grises/The Gray Ones. The Latino Theatre for Young Audiences employs eight full body puppets that represent the elderly community of the Lower East Side. Through music, movement, and a bit of humor, the puppeteers demonstrate the unique joys and frustrations that come with reaching a more mature age.
Deborah Hunt’s The Macanuda showcases the Puerto Rico-based artist’s unique whimsy and surreal, childlike drawings. The Red Macanuda is a body/mask that moves as part of her and Hunt employs many other hand-made and colorful objects to create a visually stunning story. There is a fire-breathing sea monster, a fish head with a scroll inside that unspools to reveal a random assortment of items inside the fish, and a magical suitcase theatre with a crank to move the scenes along.
The Triple Zhongkui Pageant by Chinese Theatre Works goes big and small with a giant hand puppet (manipulated by three puppeteers!) as well as miniature versions to represent Zhong Kui, the judge of the dead in Chinese mythology. This piece employs spoken-word, opera, dance, and song to apply an ancient story to contemporary times.
There are many more events and performances to check out as well as an ongoing exhibit called Puppets of New York at the Museum of the City of New York through March 2022. This exhibit features a sampling of some of the creations by Jim Henson, Julie Taymor, Basil Twist, and puppets featured in the Tony award-winning musical Avenue Q. All throughout the month of August, there will also be virtual programming at the Puppet Fringe NYC Facebook page. So bring out your inner child and let the puppets entertain you.