Madcap Puppets is not your typical puppet theatre.
This troupe is known for its comedic spins on classic fairytales, as well as their own original performances. They tour up to six ensembles at a time, performing at schools, museums, parks and libraries. This year, Madcap Puppets is touring The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Twice Upon a Time, Pinocchio, Rumpelstiltskin, The Great Space Caper and A Madcap Christmas Carol.
The puppets are the “hand in mouth” variety, meaning your kids can generally see the actor behind the creatures. This makes for a silly and absurd kind of show that’s anything but scary. (Even the largest puppets are made accessible with their big movements, colorful design and wacky expressions.) These shows are more about the interaction between puppet and puppeteer, and the diversity and beauty of the performing arts as a whole.
Puppets aside, it’s really the actors that make a Madcap Puppet show so delightful. These actors are hilarious and witty, swapping puns with each other and fourth-wall breaking asides with the audience. Little kids will literally laugh out loud at the puppets’ silly antics. The actors bring the puppets to life and make these shows fun and easy to enjoy.
This summer, you can catch the Madcap Puppets all around town at virtually every local library, outdoor parks and performing arts venues. Tickets are generally just a few dollars per person — but many of the troupe’s summer shows are actually free!
A full schedule of Madcap Puppets performances can be found here – but be sure to mark your calendar for the following:
- June 6 at 3 pm: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at the Anderson Library
- June 13 at 11 am: The Great Space Caper at Smale Family Fun Days
- June 26 at 7 pm: The Great Space Caper at Wyoming Village Green
- July 23 at 10 am: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Tower Park
- Aug 1 at 6 pm: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Rainbow Park
