Mask and Puppet Making Workshop
October 9, 2017 @ 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Lead by Nance Parker, Artistic Director of Shoestring Theater
All ages are invited to learn the process of creating, designing, and building a personal mask. Participants will be expected to use their wildest ideas about creatures and myths when designing their work. Puppets will be executed sculpting clay, papier-mâché, and wire, in addition to adding hand- sewn costumes to create creatures both magical and scary. There will also be an ongoing, group project of building a large parading puppet. These will be part of the Fall Family Festival Parade, which will depart from the Farnsworth’s Gamble Education Center at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 14.
While the mask & puppet-making studio times are flexible, participants should be willing to commit to multiple visits in order to complete a personal mask & allowing drying-time in between sessions. Participants should be old enough to work independently, or have adult supervision. The workshop is also open to adults without accompanying children.
Nance Parker is Artistic Director of Shoestring Theater, Maine’s longest running community Puppet Theater. Her large and colorful puppets have been seen throughout the state for over 30 years. Highly influenced by Brazilian carnival puppets as well as Europe’s street theater tradition, Parker works primarily in clay and papier-mâché. She is a master of the large scale parading puppets used in street festivals and parades. Her epic Sicilian Marionette show of the Odyssey was a featured part of the Farnsworth’s Puppetry exhibition in 2002. She recently designed and built a personal version of Alice in Wonderland, performed at Mayo Street Arts this past spring. She also performs the classic Punch & Judy hand puppet show.
Working Sessions:
Monday, October 9 (Columbus Day) – 12 to 4 p.m.
Tuesday through Friday, October 10 to 13, 2 to 6 p.m.
(Fall Family Festival: Saturday, October 14, 4 to 6 p.m.; Parade: 5:30 p.m.)
Cost: Free of charge; ($20 suggested donation per participant for materials).
To sign up: Drop-ins are welcome as space allows, though preference will be given to those who have registered in advance. To let us know what dates/time you’d like to participate, please email kfinlay@farnsworthmuseum.org or call 596-6457 x146.