I was able to see a completely different type of puppeteering during my residency in Japan two summers ago. On a day off from kyogen rehearsals, our professor took us to see a bunraku performance. I knew bunraku was a Japanese puppet show, but I didn’t know much else. I was excited to find out that we had tickets for a special learning performance designed for Japanese students! The performance started with a scene from a bunraku play complete with puppeteers, shamisen players and narrators.

Diagram 1. Click to enlarge!

The performers then stopped and started explaining (in Japanese) the mechanics of bunraku. While we were given short English explanations, it was much more fascinating to watch the puppeteers explain how a puppet was operated, even if I couldn’t understand everything they were saying.

Here you can see the head puppeteer's special kimono, hakama (wide-legged pants he wears over the kimono) and elevated shoes.

In bunraku, most puppets have three puppeteers (except for minor puppets, which can be operated by one person). The head and right-hand puppeteer (omo-zukai), the left-handed puppeteer (hidari-zukai) and the feet puppeteer (ashi-zukai). Their duties are described in this diagram (see Diagram 1). As with all Japanese performance, an actor has to spend years of his life perfecting the art. For bunraku, training begins with the feet, then the left hand and the final stage is to master the head and right hand. These levels of training are also denoted by what the puppeteers wear. The foot and left hand puppeteers are dressed in kurogo, or black robes and head coverings. The head and right hand puppeteer wears a traditional kimono, hakama and elevated shoes, so he is very clearly seen.

The fact that the head puppeteer does not wear black is an interesting aspect of Japanese theatre that I noticed during my studies. While character performance ishighly revered in Japan, the audience still expects to see traces of the actor. For instance, sometimes famous kabuki actors will ad-lib during performances with lines from previous plays they have done and audience members will frequently shout out actors’ names during short pauses in the performance. This is also true in bunraku, the audience wants to see the master behind the movements, but also wants to be given the opportunity to completely focus on the puppet.

A bunraku performance in Osaka, Japan

As the performance went on, I became more and more in awe of what these actors do with the puppets. As with most theatre I saw in Japan, I couldn’t understand the intricacies of the plot, but the movements of the puppets and the way the narrators voiced the characters was mesmerizing. You truly forget that you’re watching puppets. When you are reminded, studying the puppeteers harmonious and fluid movements adds another layer to the performance.

Naturally, I took my fascination with bunraku mechanics back to the states. I began to see the Japanese influences in all forms of puppeteering I encountered. Whether it is children’s puppet shows or the Bread and Puppet Theater, the mechanics of bunraku can be clearly seen.

Mandy Puccini teaches audiences about deaf culture! This puppet is very similar to bunraku puppets, as you can see Bianca is operating her arms and Gabe is operating her head and mouth.

I remember on my first day at the Museum & Theatre Reba and I were talking about Kids on the Block and she described them as bunraku-style puppets. I couldn’t believe it! I was so impressed that the Kids on the Block puppeteers were in middle and high school. I knew first hand how complicated bunraku was and the dedication that was needed to operate the puppets. While puppet shows are always fun and exciting, the relationship our puppet troupe has with their characters is very reminiscent of what I witnessed in Japan. (Although I don’t think Reba would be too pleased if her puppeteers started bringing attention to themselves by saying lines from The Emperor’s New Clothes or Pinocchio!)

Check our calendar of events for puppet shows and programs at the Museum & Theatre. And don’t forget to buy tickets to see everyone’s favorite puppet without strings- Pinocchio!

The focus of this renovation is on healthy New England foods – many of the products you’ll find in The Market are brands made right here in Maine! While you can still shop for products and bring them to the register, the exhibit will also have recipes and puzzles (what do you need to make spaghetti?) that will turn choosing items into a fun game. Figuring out which foods go into healthy meals adds an additional interactive element to The Market and will give families an opportunity to take home what they learned from this game and discuss it during mealtimes!

In addition to healthy eating habits, The Market will also be a space to discover multicultural foods. Local fruits and vegetables will be the focus in the renovated produce section, with signage as to where you can find this particular tomato or that ear of corn. Breads from across the globe will be featured in the bakery and ingredients needed to make many multicultural dishes will be on the new shelves and inside the new refrigerator.

The blackboards and food graphics will be familiar to regular Whole Foods Market shoppers. The blackboards are another great way to convey the emphasis on local and healthy foods as the messages will change throughout the year. Aprons and baskets will still be available for all the little shoppers! We’ve already added a feature the parents will be excited about: a bench in The Market which serves as a little rest area. As we all know, The Market (like any grocery store) can get pretty crowded!

I am really excited about these new changes and updates to The Market. It will be fun to see them happen throughout the summer. I am sad that my AmeriCorps term will end before The Market will be fully complete, but I’ll be sure to keep an eye on the blog for updates and the final product!

The bees are only here in the spring and summer months! Don’t miss the chance to search for that ever elusive queen bee (hint: she has a white dot on her back!).

I ventured downstairs to the Dress Up Theatre last night for a mini photo shoot with the cast. First off, let me just say that costumes look AMAZING! Christina, our costume designer and front desk staffer, has outdone herself once again. If she helps you at the front desk be sure to congratulate her (of course, you should see the show first!).

I also met some new faces in the cast and, like all our young actors, they have already immersed themselves into the Museum & Theatre community. One of the greatest things about our theatre program is the welcoming atmosphere created by the young actors. They accept new faces with open arms and wish good luck to those who move on to other activities!  Along with this, they’ve started a new tradition of creating raps for each show. I got a taste of a rap Pinocchio (played by Reed Foehl) created; the audience is really in for a treat!

Though I only saw bits and pieces of scenes, I know this is going to be a fast-paced and engaging production. With the multiple scene changes (aided by a great signpost that you can see on the Pinocchio poster and postcard) and fun costumes, audiences young and old will be on the edge of their seats! Be sure to buy your tickets to see the adventures of Pinocchio as he discovers what it truly means to be a real boy. The show opens in TWO WEEKS!

To buy tickets visit www.kitetails.org, call 828-1234 x231 or stop by our front desk!

Eastern Promenade Park- complete with seagulls!

If you’re looking for some reading material to bring to the picnic or want to catch up on your reading during April vacation week, check out the newly renovated Portland Public Library! Check out their website to learn how to get a library card, or you can take an afternoon to browse the stacks and find a quiet place to read. The children’s library is pretty awesome and there are a lot of librarians and employees who go out of their way to help you find what you need!

Another fun family idea is to catch a Portland Sea Dogs baseball game! The Sea Dogs are Portland’s own Double-A minor league baseball team. The stadium is right in the heart of Portland (271 Park Avenue) and you can park at the Maine Medical Center lot located at 995 Congress St. (except during noon weekday games). Tickets are under $10 and coming from a family of baseball lovers (go Orioles!) I know that baseball games are always so much fun, especially when hot dogs and popcorn are involved!

Ocean Gateway Visitor's Center

One more tip for travelers. If you are like me and are prone to getting lost (even if you’re 5 minutes from home!), look for the Visitors Center at 14 Ocean Gateway Pier. It’s the giant building with the clock tower! You can find brochures, maps and lots of friendly, helpful faces.

On a sunny or rainy day, the Museum & Theatre is a great place to bring your family! When the weather is nice you can play outside in our Shipyard, pretending to sail the seven seas. Or if it’s an indoor day, there are many things to do including daily programming, exploring our exhibits and seeing our spring play The Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings, running April 22 – May 2!

Michela is always in character!

After stage managing The Emperor’s New Clothes this past winter, I was really excited to sit in on Tuesday’s rehearsal of The Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings. It was a chance to see some of the actors I knew and meet some new faces! When I came in, Michela and Sheena (who played Empress Sophie and Theodore in The Emperor’s New Clothes, respectively) were in the middle of a scene. I sat down and watched them in action. It was amazing to see them play characters that are so different from the ones they played in The Emperor’s New Clothes. Michela was hopping around the stage playing Little Rabbit and Sheena was quite a sassy and funny Real Girl (and she has such a beautiful singing voice!)

"You can see the food. You can taste it!"

As the rehearsal went on, I saw the actors transform into a forest of animals. Everyone had their own way of becoming their character that I knew right away what animal they were portraying. But I know from experience that it’s always tricky staying in character, especially when you have so many things to think about. Every moment you’re onstage you have to think: if I were a duck, what would I be doing right now? But that’s where Reba comes in! She let the actors explore their characters, but if they get stuck she always is there is give them guidance, suggestions or real-world examples of how a character might react to something. Little Rabbit’s new red wings were related to a changed hairdo, eyebrow waxing and a squid backpack—all examples given by other cast members!

Reba asked the cast members to act like scared squirrels. Pretty convincing!

I’ve been doing theatre since I was 10 years old, so I know how exciting the rehearsal process can be. This is the time for actors to make bold choices, become friends with their fellow cast members and learn news things about themselves and their character. The cast of The Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings has a few weeks of rehearsal left and from what I saw they are doing a fantastic job. I can’t wait to see the final product!

Tickets are on sale now! To buy tickets visit our website, call 828-1234 x231 or stop by the front desk!  The play runs Thursday-Sunday from April 22 – May 2. Thursday and Friday performances are at 4pm and Saturday and Sunday performances are at 1pm & 4pm.

I love the animal programs here at the Museum & Theatre. I was brimming with excitement as I made my way down to the Ranger Station last Friday for Animal Friends with David Sparks. What furry or feathered animal would David bring today? As I walked in, I found two 12-day-old pygmy goats!

Soon, the little bleats drew dozens of families into the Ranger Station to learn more about these little guys. David Sparks showed everyone how to pick up the goats and even tried to feed them some milk! But they were much too excited to take a food break. It was great to see parents and children alike playing with the pygmy goats.

There are two more animal programs in March: Animal Fun with the Animal Refuge League is on Thursday, March 18 at 11:30am and Pets & More with the Animal Welfare Society is on Saturday, March 20 at 10am.

Join us to discover a new animal or learn more about an old friend.

Custard the Dragon and his friends Blink, Ink and Mustard!

Saturday, February 13
11am: Valentine’s Day Card Making ♥
11:30am: Smart Shopping
1pm: Sowing Seeds: Planning and Plotting
2pm: Chinese New Year: Ribbon Dancing!
3pm: The Story of Istar
3:30pm: Pine Cone Bird Feeders

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Sunday, February 14
12:30pm: The Story of Istar
2pm: Big Messy Art: Valentine’s Day Cards ♥

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Monday, February 15
Open to Members: 9-10am Open to Public: 10am-5pm
10am: Soapy Snowmen
11:30am: Custard the Dragon Puppet Show ($5/members, $13/non-members*)
1:30pm: Tip-top hats!
3:30pm: This Little Piggy Saves

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Tuesday, February 16
11am: Chinese New Year: Ribbon Dancing!
1pm: We Are Maine: Cinderella Around the World
2pm: Custard the Dragon Puppet Show ($5/members, $13/non-members*)
3:30pm: Paper Doll Play

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Kids on the Block- Mark and Melody

Wednesday, February 17
10am: Pets & More
10:30am: Little Kids’ Morning Out: Learning Letters
11:30am: Custard the Dragon Puppet Show ($5/members, $13/non-members*)
2pm: Cultural Creations: Cretan Maze
3pm: Kids on the Block Puppet Show

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Thursday, February 18
10:30am: Little Kids’ Morning Out: Learning Letters
11:30am: Animal Fun
1pm: Camo Critters: White as Snow
2pm: Custard the Dragon Puppet Show ($5/members, $13/non-members*)
3pm: This Little Piggy Saves
3:30pm: Paper Doll Play
4pm: Cool Science: How Heavy is a Humpback?

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Friday, February 19
10:30am: Fire Fighter Friday
11am: Chinese New Year: Ribbon Dancing!
11:30am: Cultural Creations: Cretan Maze
1pm: Tricky Toys
2pm: Sparks’ Ark Special Show ($2/members, $11/non-members*)
3:30pm: Cool Science: How Heavy is a Humpback?
4pm: Paper Doll Play

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Saturday, February 20
10am: Pets & More
11:30am & 3pm: Cool Science: How Heavy is a Humpback?
12:30pm: Where Science Meets Art: Paint Lab
12:30pm: The Story of Istar
2pm: Kids on the Block Puppet Show
3:30pm: The Story of Istar

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Sunday, February 21
12:30pm: Tip-top hats!
12:30pm: Where Science Meets Art: Paint Lab
2pm: Tricky Toys

*Non-member price includes one $8 admission.