By Julia Moro
This summer, the City Parks Foundation introduces an exciting new marionette show to Queens.
“The Big Good Wolf” by the PuppetMobile company will be presented in parks and playgrounds around the borough and the rest of New York City in July and August.
The show gives a unique and fun twist to the classic childhood stories “The Big Bad Wolf” and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” The show takes the audience through an interactive journey in which the Big Bad Wolf attempts to become the Big Good Wolf.
The PuppetMobile company usually consists of four puppeteers per show. Most have degrees in puppetry and some training in fine arts or performing arts.
Bruce Cannon, the artistic director of the City Parks Foundation, said “puppetry is a marriage between fine arts and performing arts, in that you have to make your product, the puppet, which is the fine arts part. The performing arts part of it, is that you have to bring it alive to the audience.”
Free and open to the public, the show will be featured in locations such as Queensbridge Park in Long Island City, Crocheron Park in Bayside, Springfield Park in Springfield Gardens, Paul Raimonda Playground in Astoria and Travers Park in Jackson Heights.
The PuppetMobile Company is a part of the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater, originally from Sweden. They came to the United States in 1877, where they settled in their present site at Central Park. A permanent marionette stage was constructed in 1973. The stage is located at 79th Street and the West Drive, just south of the Delacorte Theater.
Although the show is best suited for young children from ages 3 to 8, these intricate marionette shows can be enjoyed by all ages.
The trained puppeteers are scheduled to appear from July 17 to Aug. 26.
The next show is scheduled for Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. at Paul Raimunda Playground.
Reach reporter Julia Moro by e-mail at jmoro
