ABOUT THE SHOW

Puppetology will feature each theatre artist performing a piece from their own puppet and object theater repertoire. Eric Bass, the Founder and Artistic Director of the Sandglass Theater in Putney, VT, will perform a selection from his award-winning solo show, Autumn Portraits. Beth Nixon, of Ramshackle Enterprises in Providence, RI, will perform a “portable puppet show,” drawn from her critically acclaimed Suitcase Series. Also participating is theatre artist Lake Simons, who will debut a new piece Portrait of Me As Others, which explores the condition of being uncomfortable in one’s own skin and the temptation to try on new personas. Joining these three artists will be the theatre troupe Great Small Works, featuring BC Monan Professor Dr. John Bell, which will perform a piece titled Three Graces, an op-art romp inspired by Grace Paley, Grace Kelly, Grace Jones and Grace Lee Boggs.

HOW IT CAME TOGETHER

“Puppetry is exciting because of the way it brings so many different art forms together in performance: sculpture, music, acting, playwriting,” says Bell. “It’s always open to innovations as well--new technologies, new mash-ups of intercultural elements, new mixings of high and low culture. Students coming to “Puppetology” are going to be surprised, inspired, and excited about what they see--the wide range of performance forms that constitutes contemporary work with puppets and objects.”

The Theatre Department is presenting the festival as part of Bell’s year-long guest professorship at Boston College. “We want people to know that puppets are not just for kids. We want students to know that this type of work exists,” says Theatre Department Chair, Scott T. Cummings. “And that dedicated artists do it for a living.  It's a hard life, but it's a creative life.” 

The Monan Professorship in Theatre Arts was established in 2007 by a generous gift to Boston College in honor of University Chancellor and former BC President J. Donald Monan S.J.. The position, which also commemorates the late Trustee E. Paul Robsham, enables the Theatre Department to bring nationally and internationally known professional theatre artists to Boston College to teach and work with undergraduate students. Bell is the sixth visiting Monan Professor in Theatre Arts, following SpeakEasy Stage Company Producing Artistic Director Paul Daigneault, as well as actor Karen MacDonald, director Carmel O'Reilly, actor Remo Airaldi, and Broadway music director Mary Mitchell Campbell.