HOT (Heart of Texas) Puppet Festival - PerformancesWord Play by Puppet Motion / Good Hearted Entertainment
About the Show Word Play uses clowning, puppetry, and live original music to take audiences on an adventure through the alphabet. Words come to life in the hands of Sarah Nolen and Harry LaCoste, who clown around with sounds and letters to create dozens of interactive characters and imaginative scenes. With an array of instruments by his side, Paul Watkins sets the stage with live music for every magical moment. It’s the perfect blend of education and entertainment—a play on words, literally! Word Play was inspired by creator Honey Goodenough’s experience learning to manage her own dyslexia and literacy challenges. Audiences can make friends with vowels, teach tricks to a “C-A-T” and “D-O-G,” and visit a whole ZOO full of surprises. All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-7 This show was created by Honey Goodenough with support from the 2016 Incubator Program at Puppet Showplace Theater. It will be performed by Sarah Nolen, Harry LaCoste, and Paul Watkins. About the Artist Honey Goodenough / Good Hearted Entertainment (Creator) is a puppeteer, educator, and children’s party entertainer. Honey was Puppet Showplace Theater's first resident teaching artist from 2017 to 2022, following years of experience working with diverse student populations in Greater Boston, New York City, Vermont, and Texas. She has taught a wide variety of professional development courses for educators and aspiring puppeteers at Brooklyn College, the University of Utah, and City College CUNY. Honey is also a trained marionette performer and has toured nationally with The National Marionette Theatre and Frisch Marionettes, and she has produced and performed in Puppet Slams across the country. She holds an MA in Educational Theater from New York University, and a BA in Theater Crafts and Technology from the University of Texas, Austin. Judy Saves the Day: a live hand-puppet show by Sarah Nolen
About the Show Judy Saves the Day! Judy Saves the Day, Written & Performed by Sarah Nolen. After being pushed around for over 300 years, the famous hand puppet heroine Judy, has had enough! Cheer for her as she goes on a quest for respect, justice, and a well-deserved nap. This modern interpretation of the traditional "Punch and Judy" show is a hilarious, timely, hand-crafted farce that the whole family will enjoy! About the Artist Sarah Nolen is known for creating versatile, witty, imaginative productions that inspire people of all ages. At Puppet Showplace Theater in Brookline, Massachusetts, she performs regularly for youth and family audiences and teaches puppetry in camps, workshops, and adult classes. Sarah has appeared in the National Puppet Slam, at the Puppets in the Green Mountains Festival, and the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival. She has toured internationally to Spain, Turkey, and Canada. Sarah earned her BFA in Cinema-Television from Southern Methodist University, and her MFA in Puppet Arts from the University of Connecticut. Production Credits Created & Performed by Sarah Nolen Rehearsal Director & Dramaturge Roxanna Myhrum Movement Coach & Puppet Painting Jana Zeller Puppets Designed, Built, & Costumed by Sarah Nolen Proscenium Painter Emma Leavitt Story Consultants Faye Dupras, Honey Goodenough, Megan & John Regan Roxanna Myhrum, Jana Zeller Production Intern Laura Pierson. Hand to Mouth Puppet Theatre presents “The Bumper Crop”Young Wally Wheeler wonders when he swallows a watermelon seed, if vines could grow out of his ears. It’s his wildest dream but just watch it come true in this visually stunning, outrageously funny show. Robbie Lueth and Ellen Turner have shared their love of puppetry for decades. Noting that the puppets never asked for paychecks, they envisioned a profession offering wealth, ease, and artistic satisfaction. “This is the life for us!” they said, and they have.  Lo-fi puppets+stuff: the stuff-o-maticA traveling variety show with plenty of puppets and all kinds of stuff. The audience picks the order of the pieces in the show, so no two shows are fully identical. Watch us build the theatre, do a full unique show, then be on our way…all in around. ‘lo-fi puppets + stuff” is the result of the artistic partnership of Greg Cote and Alli Villines. As main maker of Stuff + nonsense and executive whimsist. Respectively they create a great many pieces of homemade short form puppetry. Their #1 goal is to make cool stuff with cool folks: at home and abroad.
Greg Ruhe is the creator of the unique entertainment company Puppet Pizzazz. This professional puppeteer has happily nested in Houston since coming to Houston straight from University to become an actor in the Alley Theatre’s Young Company for the 1984 - 1985 season. Since then he has been performing in Houston and around the world while sharing his unique style of puppetry. Greg developed his puppetry skills while earning his bachelor of fine arts degree from West Virginia University and continued his study of puppetry while participating in eight seasons at the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neil Theatre Center. Puppet Pizzazz currently creates educational experiences for local and international schools. It also produces special events entertainment in which larger-than-life puppets engage guests in comedic conversation.
Harry LaCoste (Clown/Puppeteer) is a performer, teacher, dad, ukulele rockstar. After working behind the scenes on Sesame Street, he was inspired to try his hand at puppeteering. Since then, Harry has performed all over the country with puppets including with NYC-based puppet improv team, Team Lopez. Harry uses puppets, songs, and magic to tell stories and inspire creativity with children of all ages. Harry also performs Puppet Showplace’s program for toddlers and preschoolers, Puppet Playtime. |
Puppeteers of America | 612-821-2382 |
