Chicago Puppet Fest presents:
— Louis Juzot | Theatre Critic, Hotello Théâtre
In the mid-1900s only a handful of intrepid hunters and adventurers remain scattered across Greenland’s northeast coast. Inspired by writings from Jørn Riel’s scientific expedition in the 1950s and 1960s and the subsequent, celebrated graphic novels created 2009-2018 by Frenchman Hervé Tanquerelle, Arctic Tall Tales brings tales of adventure, independence, isolation and nature. It’s not easy to keep a cool head in the harsh conditions, and yet, the vast wilderness, the majestic snow-covered expanse and the unlikely fates of trusty comrades leave us asking: are they truths, lies or myths? Regardless, together they are larger than life, with puppetry, storytelling, and a live Foley artist generating sound effects in real time. The effect is a universe both uproarious and poetic.
Dates/Times:
Tuesday, January 21 at 8 pm
Wednesday, January 22 at 5 pm + 8 pm
Location: The Biograph’s Začek McVay Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave.
Cost: $43/$35 students & seniors
Ages: 10 and up
Running Time: 85 mins
ADA Accessible? Yes
LA RUÉE VERS L’OR is an artistic collective that was born from the collaboration of two old friends. Alexandre Harvey is a composer and multi-instrumentalist. He also uses sound effects and sampling techniques to enhance his compositions. Anne Lalancette has been a puppeteer for 20 years. She is working in theatre, television and film productions. Together, they share a wild sense of humor and a particularly sharp sense of rhythm. They are mainly inspired by the universe of graphic novels and repertory films. The collective specializes in the production of table puppets and live music and sound shows, for adult and teen audiences. Their performances are dynamic, contagious, with a great aesthetic sensibility and in collusion with the audience.
The Richard Christiansen Theater, housed within the historic Biograph Theater, is a cherished part of Chicago’s vibrant theater landscape. It was originally built in 1914 as a movie house, specifically for showing motion pictures. This venue provides an intimate yet comfortable environment for both audience and performers, making it the perfect backdrop for the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. Also housed in the Biograph, the Začek McVay Theater honors the legacy of Dennis Začekand Marcelle McVay, two pivotal figures in Chicago theater. Dennis Začek served as the artistic director of Victory Gardens Theater for over 30 years, and under his leadership, the theater became a nationally recognized hub for new and diverse works. Together, these theaters create a rich environment for artistic exploration, making them perfect venues for the festival’s most engaging and cutting-edge puppet performances. Festival-goers will have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in up-close and personal experiences of the most innovative puppet shows.
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The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival advances the art of puppetry by presenting sophisticated programs vital to the cultural life of Chicago. Engaging and inspiring the largest and most diverse audiences for puppetry possible, the Festival is the biggest event dedicated to puppetry in North America and traditionally offers more than 100 activities annually including performances, workshops, artist instensives, free neighborhood events and symposia to audiences up to 14,000 over 11 days each January. The organization is also home to other key initiatives, including the Chicago Puppet Studio and Chicago Puppet Lab, that nurture the development of puppeteers and deepen the field locally, nationally and internationally with the ultimate goal of promoting peace, equality, mutual understanding, and justice locally and globally.
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