Puppet Festival
A Family Celebration of the Wonders of Puppet Theater
Sunday, April 7, 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
ADMISSION
- $10 General
- $7 Seniors, Full-Time Students, and Children over 12
- $5 Children 2–12
- FREE to Skirball Members and Children under 2
Note to Members, you must reserve in advance to be part of the special Members-only performance.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Join us for the second annual Puppet Festival! Inspired by the fanciful animal puppets and kinetic animal sculptures that populate the Noah’s Ark galleries, celebrate the art of puppetry during this festive day of performances, puppet making, and storytelling. Fun for visitors of all ages.
Art making, close-up puppet “happenings,” and a host of puppet performances are sure to delight visitors ages 2 to 102. This daylong event will bring together some of Southern California’s most talented puppeteers and artists—working in a wide range of cultural and artistic styles—to entertain, inspire, and amaze.
Download the schedule of activities here.
FEATURING
MR. KYOTO’S AQUARIUM SHOP
Magnin Auditorium: 1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m.
Evoking a children’s fantasy for all ages, Mr. Kyoto’s Aquarium Shop, presented by Cindy Derby, is a visually striking performance featuring rod style puppets, shadow puppetry, and live musical components.
ZEN SHORTS
Ahmanson Ballroom: 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m.
Rogue Artists presents interpretations of three ancient stories intertwining Zen and modern-day themes told through projections, puppets, and multimedia effects.
SONGBIRDS
Milken Gallery: 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
Inspired by traditional Chinese folklore and puppet theater, Strings & Things Puppet Theatre's story about a pair of songbirds beloved by a young Chinese girl is reminiscent of an ancient tale.
EN LA NOCHE
Haas 173: 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m.
Leslie K. Gray presents this tabletop and shadow puppet interpretation of the short story by Uruguayan writer Horacio Quiroga, which depicts a harrowing journey up a surging river.
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA
Haas 172: 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.
The well-known Hans Christian Andersen story is performed by Gina Pavlova in the minimalist style of puppetry by using hula hoops and the help of two children and an actor. Gina also presents The Rooster, a story created with the help of a carpenter's ruler.
KORI AND ALO (AN EXCERPT)
Milken Gallery: 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m.
Join Luis Tentindo and his puppeteers as they recount Kori's heroic search for recyclable materials to sculpt with in the aftermath of a big storm. This bunraku-style performance is accompanied by live music.
THE EMPEROR AND THE NIGHTINGALE
Resource Center: 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
Elizabeth Luce performs one of Hans Christian Andersen's most beloved tales that tells the story of a Chinese emperor enchanted by the beautiful singing of a simple garden nightingale. When the emperor is given the gift of a bejeweled wind-up nightingale, he forgets all about his greatest treasure.
THE PALACE ANNIVERSARY
Haas 172: 1:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
Performed in the style of a Balinese Wayang Kulit shadow play and accompanied by live gamelan music, Maria Bodman’s The Palace Anniversary begins with a dance of the tree of life and features a parade of characters including princes, princesses, citizens, giants, and animals.
RENE’S MARIONETTES
Magnin Auditorium: 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.
Rene’s Marionettes offers a family-friendly array of classic marionette puppets sure to delight all ages.
THREE STORIES BY JEFF GERE
Classroom 160: 12:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m.
The Man, the Doe and the Ginn (from Arabian Nights) is a magical story of transformation, jealousy, and goodness performed on a “laptop” shadow stage. Performed on a projector, Silver Nose is a loud tale told with the help of the crowd about a smart young girl who outwits the Devil. A wild adventure unfolds when wise King Solomon asks a demon to teach him the difference between truth and illusion in Ash Mudai & King Solomon.
FOX STORY
Kalsman Terrace: 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m.
Join Skirball’s Noah’s Ark storytellers for a flood tale from Japan in which a doctor, a grouch, and a magical fox survive a terrible storm through compassion and kindness.
SCOTT LAND
Founder's Courtyard: 2:00 p.m. (Family Plus Members and above only), 4:00 p.m.
"Puppeteer to the Stars" Scott Land gives a performance using his wonderful hand-crafted marionettes. Not yet a Member? To join now, click here.
Note to current Members: Reserve for the festival using "Buy Tickets Online" button at the top of this page, and also call (310) 440-4599 or email membership@skirball.org to reserve this special Scott Land performance.
PAGEANT PUPPETS:
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
The Natural History Museum returns with its exciting collection of pageant puppets. Dakota is a realistic juvenile triceratops created by NHM paleontologists and artists from Australian fabrication house Erth using the most up-to-date fossil evidence. The museum will also be bringing a life-like marionette recreation of a young saber-toothed feline of the late Ice Age, constructed by local puppet artist Robin Walsh.
HAWK AND GIRL
Come fly away with Airbourne, the giant hawk, and Ciela, the little ribbon girl—created by Leslie K. Gray.
BETH PETERSON
Beth Peterson presents an array of wandering puppet shows from a tiny street show about a man with a dream to giant mask and costume puppets celebrating nature. Also featuring live music.
PUPPET DISPLAYS:
THE INTERNATIONAL PUPPETRY MUSEUM
The International Puppetry Museum, who has the largest collection of puppets in the world, displays highlights from their collection.
WANDERING IMPROVISATIONAL PUPPETEERS:
UNSTRUNG HEROES
The performance collective Unstrung Heroes provides an interactive, strolling improvisational comedy experience for all ages, taking the magic of puppetry off the stage and straight to you!
PUPPET SCHOOL
Puppet School will be making appearances throughout the Museum with an array of whimsical puppets that sing and dance.
What's On
