Video Game Puppetry Workshop To Take Place During Maker Faire

WESTPORT, CT — Toquet Hall Teen Center, in conjunction with the Westport Library, will welcome the students of EK Theater from Westport’s Pierrepont School for a video game puppetry workshop during the annual Maker Faire on Saturday, April 21.

EK Theater uses video games to retell classical stories. The New York Times has called their work “an impressive feat of engineering, coordination, and storytelling,” according to a release.

Watch these talented students perform Turkish folktales in "Minecraft" and learn digital puppetry techniques in this hands-on workshop.

Demonstrations are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Space is limited and seating will be first come, first served. Contact Kevin Godburn at 203-341-1155 or kgodburn@westportct.gov with any questions.

About EK Theater

Renowned EK Theater brings classics to modern audiences using video games. Eddie Kim, a theater artist and "Street Fighter 2" aficionado, started the company in 2007. The company’s mission is to keep the classics alive. The performers of EK Theater use video game characters as digital puppets. The New York Times has called their work “an impressive feat of engineering, coordination, and storytelling.” The company performs both locally and abroad, and they give workshops to share their techniques and promote the use of video games in education.

About Toquet Hall Teen Center

Operating since 1998 in the heart of downtown Westport, Toquet Hall Teen Center is governed under the Westport Youth Services umbrella. Featuring select drop-in hours, after school programs focused on leadership development, community service, and environmental advocacy as well as weekend events. Over the years, tens of thousands of local teens have found a creative outlet at Toquet Hall and enjoyed live music, comedy, theater, movies, video game tournaments, and art shows to name just a few.

About the Maker Faire

The first official Maker Faire event in Connecticut was in 2012 in Westport. The seventh annual Maker Faire Westport will be on Saturday, April 21, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. At The Westport Library and adjacent Jesup Green, makers of all types will converge in Westport for a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness — a celebration of the Maker movement. The Maker Faire Westport is produced by Remarkable STEAM in partnership with the Westport Library.

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Photo credit: Shutterstock/XMike