A MAGIC AFTERNOON
Beautiful music (Christopher Vu, composer; Bo Jones (Lee) flute; Thomas Barth, cello, and Michael Weinfeld-Zell, percussion) and richly colored projected visuals gave a sold-out and extremely intergenerational audience a magical experience. Pinwheel, an ensemble of classically trained musicians and puppet artists, presented Magic Pearl, an adaptation by Veronica Barron, Max Gaylord, and Jones (Lee) of a Chinese folktale, using puppets designed and constructed by Barron, Gaylord, and Jones (Lee). Puppeteers Amy West and Ashley Winkfield brought the Phoenix and Dragon to life as the mythical creatures overcame their differences to create a magic pearl from an ordinary stone — only to have it stolen by the Spirit Queen of the West. Veronica Barron brought drama and humor to the role of narrator and emcee.
The forty-five-minute performance was followed by eager observations and questions from engaged audience members, some of whom may well become puppeteers themselves, given the level of enthusiasm for this charming production!
Magic Pearl
Pinwheel
Puppet Showplace Theater, 32 Station St in Brookline, MA
ends on February 20, 2023
for info and tickets ($15-$18), visit Puppet Showplace
