THE SOUTHAMPTON PRESS
January 4, 2001
Arts & Living Section
Puppets and Children Prove To Be Perfect Fit
by Pat Rogers
The younger the child, the harder the search for appropriate activities that will capture both the imagination and the attention span. But parents and caretakers no longer have to fear the long days of summer: Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre just opened its doors in Sag Harbor and will present weekly shows geared for the 2-to-8-year-old set. And for those who really love puppets and want to create their own, workshops begin next week and will be offered throughout the summer.
Located on the lower level of the Christ Episcopal church's Parish Hall in Sag Harbor, Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre is the brainchild of professional puppeteer Liz Joyce. Relocated from Manhattan to Sag Harbor last year, Ms. Joyce has been holding puppet shows under the auspices of her company, Liz Joyce & A Couple of Puppets, in the tri-state area for the past six years.
Breaking with traditional puppeteering wisdom that says puppeteers need to keep moving to be successful, Ms. Joyce said Sag Harbor struck her as the perfect place to put down roots and try her hand at running a puppet theater from a fixed base.
"Sag Harbor is a unique place with a lot of creative people who live here," she said. "My sister lives here and she has two small children. She said that there weren't a lot of activities for small children and it seems to be true. I figured that this would be the perfect place to start a puppet theater."
Opening Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre also represents the culmination of a life-long dream. Ms. Joyce was led into the world of puppetry after showing some homemade puppets she made to the Richmond Children's Museum, where she was a volunteer. After an aggressive, but well-meaning, woman insisted that Ms. Joyce had a bright future performing puppet shows, Ms. Joyce took her place behind a puppet stage. And after a few shows, Ms. Joyce forgot any thoughts she previously entertained about walking down any other creative career path.
Ms. Joyce went on to study puppetry with well-known puppeteers in Richmond and Manhattan. She has also looked into puppetry practices on location in England and Prague. She decided to open her long wished-for puppet theater at the Christ Episcopal Church in Sag Harbor when a puppetry connection led her there.
"A friend of mine told me about a woman whose grandson has an interest in puppetry," she said. "I talked to her and she told me about the space. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect for what I needed."
Goat on a Boat production by Liz Joyce and a Couple of Puppets feature a large cast of hand-carved puppets, elaborate staging and original writing. For example, last weekend's presentation of "Little Red Riding Hood" told the tale of what happens when the littlest pig of "The Three Little Pigs" fame gets mixed up in Little Red Riding Hood's misadventure in the woods.
The performances are all interactive and engage the children. During the show, the puppets ask the children questions and solicit their advice on situational problems. At the show's conclusion, Ms. Joyce appears from around the curtained stage with a puppet to show the children. She invites them to touch the puppet and to ask any question they wish.
Helping her out with shows is long-time puppeteer and actor Robert Molnar. Mr. Molnar was part of the well-known puppet troupe, Bill and Cora Baird, who performed in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music." After an illustrious stage and puppeteering career with many well-regraded outfits, Mr. Molnar retired in Montauk. But after he saw and responded to an advertisement for Ms. Joyce's puppet production at the Montauk Library last summer, the pair became fast friends and he agreed to assist Ms. Joyce at the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre.
Performances have been scheduled through August and they include "Goldilocks & the Three Bears," "Sing a Song of Sixpence," and "The Kapok Tree," which is set in the rain forest and adapted from Lynne Cherry's book. Other productions include "The Chicken Show," "Punch & Judy in the Kitchen" and "Shadows & Light" with Nappy's Puppets. This weekend, Steve Widerman of The Puppet Company of Huntington will bring his colorful marionettes to the Goat on a Boat stage.
"The shows will be mostly mine that I've been performing for the last six years," Ms. Joyce said. "but I will occasionally feature special guests. Most of the guests are puppeteers that I've worked with. I know their shows are wonderful and that kids enjoy them."
To engage children further in the theatrical world via puppets, Goat on a Boat is hosting 10 workshops at the puppet theater. Workshops are limited to 20 children and are designed for three age groups: Tot Teams (ages 3 to 4 with a caregiver); Puppeteers-in-Training (5-6 year olds) and PuppetPros (7-8 year olds).
"For many children this may be their first exposure to theater," she said. "The workshops take that experience a step further. It allows them to create their own puppets and see how they work. And for the older kids, there is a workshops where they will make their own puppets, make the props and perform their own puppet show."
And fun was the overwhelming reaction by those children and adults who braced the torrential rain to attend Sunday's performance. All of the 11 children in attendance - including my 8-year-old son - were rapt with attention as The Big Bad Wolf, Miss Ridinghood, Granny and Pourquoi the Pig appeared on the puppet stage.
"It was so much fun," said John Stevenhagen, who attended with his 4-year-old daughter, Tamia. "The puppets ask questions and the kids get to answer back. I love the costumes and the puppets are handmade. They were just great, the way she put things together. It was neat. Tamia just loved it."
Susan Bradfield, who attended with her grandson, Andrew Roberts Jr., 3 1/2, said the puppet show went a long way in helping children use their creativity and in offering alternatives to mass media entertainment. "We both loved it," she said. "I think it's really important for the children of this community to have this puppet theater. At this age, their fantasies are open and intense. I think it's a great way for their imaginations to be developed."
Liz Joyce & A Couple of Puppets will be appearing at the benefit for the Children's Museum of the East End (CMEE), "Kids Create Performance Pieces" at the Elaine Benson Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Bridgehampton on Friday. The benefit runs from 5 to 8 p.m. For tickets and information, call 537-3233.
For reservations and information on Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre performances and workshops, call 725-4193.
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