Roswell Summer Puppet Series Kicks Off Monday

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The Roswell Cultural Arts Center will soon host nationally-touring puppeteers and their sidekicks as part of the annual Roswell Summer Puppet Series.

A summer tradition since 1997, the series will include classic tales such as Sleeping Beauty, Billy Goat’s Gruff and The Princess and the Pea presented with marionettes, hand puppets and more.

Each show is presented Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m. with an additional show at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Tickets are $5 (children under 2 are free) and are available at www.roswellpuppets.com. Guests can also purchase a Summer Pass for $30, which includes entry into all seven shows for the price of six.

New this year, the Cultural Arts Center is offering free puppet-making workshops for children ages two and up with each week’s puppeteer. These workshops happen on Tuesdays and Thursdays thanks to a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Pre-registration is required for workshops and is available at www.roswellpuppets.com.

This year’s puppet show line-up includes:

• June 1–6: Peter and the Wolf & The Frog Prince has Frisch Marionettes returning to Roswell with another captivating show. Based on the delightful musical story by Sergei Prokofiev and the classic fairy tale, this doubleheader is guaranteed to tickle the fancy of adults and children alike.
• June 8–13: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf – Think you know the real story behind the huffing and puffing? Think again. In Paul Mesner Puppet’s revealing, no-squealing adaptation of Jon Scieszka’s popular book, Alexander T. Wolf has a chance to tell his side of the story.
• June 15–20: Sleeping Beauty – Guests from across the land have gathered in King Felix’s great hall to celebrate the birth of Princess Aurora with Tanglewood Marionettes. The party goes awry when the wicked witch arrives and curses the baby princess. Will the curse come true or will someone with a “true heart” appear?
• June 22–27: Billy Goats Gruff & Other Stuff - All Hands Productions turns your favorite nursery rhymes on their ears. Did you know that Little Red Riding Hood has a first name? What happens when three Billy goats try to cross over a bridge belonging to a greedy troll? Will Parker Pig encounter some good luck when he stumbles over a watering can in The One Little Pig and the Three Wishes? All this and more… plus, the antics of some silly chickens.
• June 29–July 3: The Princess and the Pea, Y’all takes the classic fairy tale and inserts a little Southern charm. That Puppet Guy, Lee Bryan, returns to Roswell Cultural Arts Center with a hilarious and fun-filled story that teaches us all to never judge a book by its cover.
• July 6–11: Animalia explores the world of animals through movement, music, and visually stunning puppetry. Watch as the world’s mightiest beasts and tiniest bugs come into furry focus right before your eyes. Hobey Ford’s Golden Rod Puppets shows a stunning puppet ballet that is sure to delight all ages.
• July 13–18: The Emperor’s New Clothes – What’s big and pink and fond of frilly outfits? The Emperor is a pig in this hilarious barnyard adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson tale. Don’t miss this innovative and laughter-filled take on a classic fable that teaches us it’s never too late to think for ourselves.

The Roswell Cultural Arts Center is located at 950 Forrest Street.

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Photo credit: Roswell Cultural Arts Center’s Facebook page