[NEohioPAL]Weathervane Playhouse hosts The Piper Puppets

Wed Apr 2 09:18:13 PST 2003

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WEATHERVANE PLAYHOUSE
Women's Board Presents The Piper Puppets
THE BREMENTOWN MUSICIANS

(April 2003, Akron, Ohio...For Immediate Release) The Women's Board of 
Weathervane Community Playhouse has, once again, invited Kathy Piper and The 
Piper Puppets back to Weathervane to present her newest adaptation, THE 
BREMENTOWN MUSICIANS.  Performances will take place on the Weathervane stage 
Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Weekday performances for groups are 
scheduled for Monday through Friday, April 21 - 25, at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. 
The Piper Puppets turn the tale of The Brementown Musicians into live theater 
with a cast of marionettes.  The cast of characters includes Bobby; 
Grandfather; Yippee, the Dog; Igor, the Donkey; Rowdy, the Rooster; Patches, 
the Cat; Burglar and Policeman.  Each of these is a large marionette, one 
half life-size.

The Story:
The familiar story, adapted from the tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, is 
turned into a modern drama and takes place at Grandfather's farm.  He is 
having a hard time making ends meet due, in part, to his aging.  His young 
grandson, Bobby, comes to visit just as Grandfather is considering giving up 
his farm and his animals - a donkey, a rooster, a dog and a cat.  Bobby has 
spent much time at the farm and considers his Grandfather and the animals to 
be his "best friends."  He convinces his grandfather to try to save the 
animals.  Together they pool what money they have and plan to use it to buy 
feed hoping they can work things out over the next few days.  But, before 
going to be that night, Bobby carelessly leaves the door unlocked.  During 
the night, a burglar enters and steals all the money.  In an act of 
desperation, Grandfather drives his animals into the woods to fend for 
themselves.  He explains to Bobby that he must sell the farm and the 
distraught boy runs off after the animals hoping to make everything "okay."  
In the end, it is the animals who capture the burglar and Bobby who recovers 
the money and everything is far better for everyone than previously.  The 
play demonstrates the usefulness of animals and people, young and old, when 
they share love and loyalty.

Kathy Piper constructs all the marionettes, the stage and scenery and writes 
the script. She tours with her "half life-size" marionettes throughout the 
country.  Each performance is entirely live, which provides interaction 
between Piper and the audience and lasts about 45 minutes.

Piper was introduced to puppetry as a child in Superior, Wisconsin.  In 1942 
her parents created a marionette production as a hobby in which the entire 
family could participate and that began The Piper Puppets.  Kathy became a 
regular performer with her parents and began creating her own puppets and 
skits while still in grade school.  She appeared at schools, fairs, stores 
and on television throughout the upper Midwest before her graduation from 
high school.

Kathy earned a B.A. in Theatre at Western College in Oxford, Ohio.  She has 
been a professional actress in summer theatre.  She developed and directed a 
creative dramatics program for the Department of Parks and Recreation in Eau 
Claire, Wisconsin.  Under a grant from the Ohio Department of Education, 
Kathy wrote the scripts and created the marionettes for "Adventure 
Economics."  This instructional television series was produced at Ohio 
University and distributed nationally.  Her marionettes were featured in two 
subsequent series - "Adventure: Environment" and "What About You?"

Kathy now resides on her small farm in Delaware County, Ohio.  From there she 
continues to tour nationally.  She has been named among the "Outstanding 
Young Women of America" and received numerous puppetry awards.  Her 
production of Snow White received a Citation of Excellence from the Union 
Internationale de a Marionette.  She served four terms as president of the 
Puppeteers of America, Inc. and her puppets have been featured in gallery 
exhibitions across the United States.

The ability of the audience to observe and share with both the performer and 
the performance provides each member with a genuine theatrical experience.  
When circumstances permit, the performance is followed by an explanatory 
demonstration of the backstage workings involved in the production.

THE BREMENTOWN MUSICIANS by The Piper Puppets at Weathervane Playhouse.  
Public performances Saturday, April 26 at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.  Tickets 
$6.00.  The performance lasts 45 minutes and is recommended for ages 3 and up 
including the "young at heart."

THE BREMENTOWN MUSICIANS will also be presented for schools, pre-schools and 
day care centers Monday through Friday, April 21 - 25, at 10:00 a.m. and 
12:30 p.m.  Group rates available.

For further information and reservations, please call the
Weathervane Ticket Office at 330-836-2626.

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<HTML>WEAT=
HERVANE PLAYHOUSE
 Women's Board Presents The Piper Puppets
 THE BREMENTOWN MUSICIANS
 
 (April 2003, Akron, Ohio...For Immediate Release) The Women's Board of W=
eathervane Community Playhouse has, once again, invited Kathy Piper and The=20=
Piper Puppets back to Weathervane to present her newest adaptation, THE BREM=
ENTOWN MUSICIANS.  Performances will take place on the Weathervane stag=
e Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Weekday performances for gr=
oups are scheduled for Monday through Friday, April 21 - 25, at 10 a.m. and=20=
12:30 p.m.=20
 The Piper Puppets turn the tale of The Brementown Musicians into live th=
eater with a cast of marionettes.  The cast of characters includes Bobb=
y; Grandfather; Yippee, the Dog; Igor, the Donkey; Rowdy, the Rooster; Patch=
es, the Cat; Burglar and Policeman.  Each of these is a large marionett=
e, one half life-size.
 
 The Story:
 The familiar story, adapted from the tale collected by the Brothers Grim=
m, is turned into a modern drama and takes place at Grandfather's farm. &nbs=
p;He is having a hard time making ends meet due, in part, to his aging. &nbs=
p;His young grandson, Bobby, comes to visit just as Grandfather is consideri=
ng giving up his farm and his animals - a donkey, a rooster, a dog and a cat=
.  Bobby has spent much time at the farm and considers his Grandfather=20=
and the animals to be his "best friends."  He convinces his grandfather=
 to try to save the animals.  Together they pool what money they have a=
nd plan to use it to buy feed hoping they can work things out over the next=20=
few days.  But, before going to be that night, Bobby carelessly leaves=20=
the door unlocked.  During the night, a burglar enters and steals all t=
he money.  In an act of desperation, Grandfather drives his animals int=
o the woods to fend for themselves.  He explains to Bobby that he must=20=
sell the farm and the distraught boy runs off after the animals hoping to ma=
ke everything "okay."  In the end, it is the animals who capture the bu=
rglar and Bobby who recovers the money and everything is far better for ever=
yone than previously.  The play demonstrates the usefulness of animals=20=
and people, young and old, when they share love and loyalty.
 
 Kathy Piper constructs all the marionettes, the stage and scenery and wr=
ites the script. She tours with her "half life-size" marionettes throughout=20=
the country.  Each performance is entirely live, which provides interac=
tion between Piper and the audience and lasts about 45 minutes.
 
 Piper was introduced to puppetry as a child in Superior, Wisconsin. &nbs=
p;In 1942 her parents created a marionette production as a hobby in which th=
e entire family could participate and that began The Piper Puppets.  Ka=
thy became a regular performer with her parents and began creating her own p=
uppets and skits while still in grade school.  She appeared at schools,=
 fairs, stores and on television throughout the upper Midwest before her gra=
duation from high school.
 
 Kathy earned a B.A. in Theatre at Western College in Oxford, Ohio. &nbsp=
;She has been a professional actress in summer theatre.  She developed=20=
and directed a creative dramatics program for the Department of Parks and Re=
creation in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Under a grant from the Ohio Departm=
ent of Education, Kathy wrote the scripts and created the marionettes for "A=
dventure Economics."  This instructional television series was produced=
 at Ohio University and distributed nationally.  Her marionettes were f=
eatured in two subsequent series - "Adventure: Environment" and "What About=20=
You?"
 
 Kathy now resides on her small farm in Delaware County, Ohio.  From=
 there she continues to tour nationally.  She has been named among the=20=
"Outstanding Young Women of America" and received numerous puppetry awards.=20=
 Her production of Snow White received a Citation of Excellence from th=
e Union Internationale de a Marionette.  She served four terms as presi=
dent of the Puppeteers of America, Inc. and her puppets have been featured i=
n gallery exhibitions across the United States.
 
 The ability of the audience to observe and share with both the performer=
 and the performance provides each member with a genuine theatrical experien=
ce.  When circumstances permit, the performance is followed by an expla=
natory demonstration of the backstage workings involved in the production.
 
 THE BREMENTOWN MUSICIANS by The Piper Puppets at Weathervane Playhouse.=20=
 Public performances Saturday, April 26 at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. &nb=
sp;Tickets $6.00.  The performance lasts 45 minutes and is recommended=20=
for ages 3 and up including the "young at heart."
 
 THE BREMENTOWN MUSICIANS will also be presented for schools, pre-schools=
 and day care centers Monday through Friday, April 21 - 25, at 10:00 a.m. an=
d 12:30 p.m.  Group rates available.
 
 For further information and reservations, please call=20=
the
 Weathervane Ticket Office at 330-836-2626.
 </HTML>

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