The 2024-25 season promises to be a busy one for the Center for Puppetry Arts, which has many events planned for audiences of all ages. More than a dozen events are on the docket, including a special exhibition and a few world premieres.
The season has already started with Summer at the Center, which this year is focusing on the works of the legendary Jim Henson. From now until Oct. 27, the World of Puppetry Museum is hosting a special exhibition showcasing characters from the 1980s Henson series “Down at Fraggle Rock,” which also received a reboot in 2022.
In addition, Summer at the Center features a production of “Sesame Street the Musical,” running through Aug. 4. The musical had its premiere off-Broadway in September 2022.
Credit: Clay Walker
Credit: Clay Walker
The center’s family programming will feature a mix of new and old, with traditions such as “The Headless Horseman of Silly Hollow” (Oct. 23-27) and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (Nov. 14-Dec. 29), giving longtime patrons something familiar to look forward to.
Audiences can also catch brand-new productions of “Owl at Home” (Aug. 14-Sept. 8) and “Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote” (Sept. 18-Oct. 20). The former is a whimsical, slice-of-life musical following the adventures of a solitary owl, while the latter is about a family of rabbits who are forced to immigrate north and face dangers along the way. “Pancho Rabbit” is adapted from the picture book of the same name by Duncan Tonatiuh.
Among the rest of the children’s programming are “Squirrel Stole My Underpants” (Jan. 8-19), which features a thrilling chase between a young woman trying to do her laundry and a mischievous squirrel; “Rainforest Adventures” (Jan. 29-March 2); “Galapagos George” (March 5-16), which will teach children about ecosystems and wildlife; and “Milo the Magnificent” (March 19-30), which will include a puppet doing magic tricks. The final children’s show of the season is none other than “Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat” (April 8-May 25).
As for more adult fare, puppetry artists from across the country will come together for one weekend in the National Puppet Slam (Aug. 30-31). The yearly Halloween special, “The Ghastly Dreadfuls” (Oct. 2-26), returns to haunt the living, and “The Ninja Puppet Shenaniganza, featuring Raymond vs. Raymond” (June 5-15) emerges from what the center calls “the deeply unhealthy mind of Raymond Carr” to showcase various short plays and films that Carr has created for other adult puppetry events in Atlanta.
The final opening of the season on April 30 is the return of “XPT: Xperimental Puppetry Theater,” an annual celebration of avant-garde puppetry.
The center’s executive director Beth Schiavo calls it a season that “promises to captivate audiences with diverse and thought-provoking performances that showcase the breadth of our artistic vision.”
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Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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