December 20, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Giant puppets tell classic fairy tales set to music as Madcap Puppet Theatre joins Assistant Conductor Mei-Ann Chen and the Oregon Symphony for a unique Kids Concert on Sunday, Jan. 16 at 1 and 3 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Media support is provided by Metro Parent and Radio Disney.
This program, specially designed by Madcap for the Symphony’s Kids Concert Series, shows kids the importance of working together. The Story Wizard (aka the narrator), believes stories are best told through words and characters, and demonstrates his skill with the story of Hansel and Gretel. Chen and the orchestra naturally think stories are brought to life most completely through music, and prove their point with Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty” waltz. Each tries to convince the audience that their method of storytelling is the best. By the end of the show, each side realizes that by combining their efforts and working together, they can tell a more complete and compelling story than they can alone.
This unique concert is created by Madcap’s skilled actors and their enormous puppets moving to orchestral excerpts performed by the Symphony. Other stories featured in the concert include “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Three Little Pigs” and “The Waltzing Cat.” Some of the distinctive puppets used to make these stories come to life include a seven foot tall wolf, The Wicked Witch of the Wood, a Giant Troll hiding behind a magic bridge and the Ugly Duckling with beautiful swans. Musical excerpts include Strauss’ “Furioso Polka,” Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance,” “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” from Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite” and selections from Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony.
Celebrating its 21 st year, the Cincinnati, Ohio-based Madcap Productions Puppet Theatre combines giant puppets, some of whom reach a height of 12 feet, with actors to present an original and memorable theatrical experience. While Madcap’s focus centers on bringing original stories to life, their productions range from new works to inventive adaptations of children’s classic tales.
Tickets range from $7 to $33 and may be purchased in advance at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony's Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.
Madcap Productions Puppet Theatre is a nonprofit touring children’s theater company that combines giant puppets with actors to create a unique style of puppet theater. Madcap introduces children to a whole new concept of puppetry that allows all the elements of theater to be combined in an artistic and educational performance. Now in its twenty-first year, the company offers productions of both original scripts and fresh adaptations of old tales.
Central to Madcap’s work is a dramatic, focused visual style and deep commitment to developing new plays designed for giant puppets and actors. Madcap strives to give life to all characters (whether puppet or human) within each play. Their p uppet characters reach up to 12 feet tall, and range in style from hand to rod to body to backpack puppets.
With a new puppet center (where children can build their own puppets) in Cincinnati, Madcap Productions tours with five companies throughout the Midwest, performing for schools, theaters, libraries and community centers and reaching over 460,000 children each year. Madcap sponsors a local “ Hats Off Series” at its resident theater in the Cincinnati Art Museum in Eden Park. Madcap has also performed for such organizations as the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, Huntington Arts Festival, The Cincinnati Historical Society at the Museum Center, Karamu in Cleveland, The Midwest Puppetry Festival, Chamizal National Memorial Theater in El Paso and the Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister Cities Project in Ukraine.
