The Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry presents:
Summertime Saturday Puppet Show Series
The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut is proud to announce the return of its Summertime Saturday Puppet Show Series with a mix of virtual and outdoor performances at 11 a.m. ET on five consecutive Saturdays from July 10 through Aug. 7, 2021. To encourage safety of and accessibility to our audiences, some shows will be performed onsite in Betsy Paterson Square, while others will be performed live virtually via Zoom. The outdoors shows will be socially distanced and follow Town of Mansfield and UConn safety guidelines. In the event of inclement weather for outdoor performances, the show will be rescheduled for the following Sunday. All performances this summer will be free admission, donations greatly appreciated. Reservations are required for the virtual performances, but not for the outdoor shows. Outdoor performances are co-sponsored by the Mansfield Downtown Partnership.
July 24: Our Magnificent Monster Circus by CsctusHead Puppets
Outdoor performance in Betsy Paterson Square
No reservation required (first come, first seated)
Rain date: July 11 at 11 a.m. ET
Come one, come all, to a circus like no other! Encounter magnificent creatures from the wilds of your imagination as their quirky human caretaker tries to teach them new tricks. Kids can lend a hand to Eustice the Unicycling Unimonster, make friends with a Fiery Fanged Worm, cheer for Agnes the many-legged Acropod, and more! This colorful, silly, interactive show full of friendly monsters is a perfect match for young audiences.
CactusHead Puppets was started in 2010 by John and Megan Regan. Known for their playful performance style and exuberant creativity, CactusHead tours throughout the Northeast with fun shows and workshops for all ages. They also host the annual Paper City Puppet Slam in Holyoke, MA, and are affiliated touring artists with the Puppet Showplace Theater. Megan and John are both graduates of the University of Connecticut’s famed Puppet Arts Program. Megan is originally from the Kansas City area, where she worked with the Mesner Puppet Theater. John is from western Massachusetts, and is honored to be performing in some of the same venues where he saw puppet shows growing up.
This show will be socially distanced and follow Town of Mansfield and UConn safety guidelines. Masks are required at all times for all attendees and staff ages two and up. For safety, six feet of space will be required between seated family groups. Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance and exit of the seating area. Please note that public restrooms are not available.
Reservations are not required. Chairs will not be provided, so groups are encouraged to bring their own blankets and seating. Seating space will be first come, first served.
In the event of inclement weather for outdoor performances, the show will be rescheduled for Sunday, July 25 at 11:00 AM ET.
Save the dates!
July 31: ScreenPLAY!: Journey into Space by The Gottabees
Aug. 7: Fox Fables by WonderSpark Puppets
Due to generous support during our 2021 UConn Gives campaign, admission is free to all shows, but donations are encouraged.
For more information, or if you require an accommodation to attend this event, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860.486.8580 or bimp@uconn.edu.
*Please note: End time provided is an estimate to fulfill a web form requirement; contact the Ballard Institute for specifics on performance length.