One of the good things about puppets is that they don’t grow old. Officially, Big Bird is 6, although he’s been performing for 44 years. The Center for Puppetry Arts is catching up to him. The Midtown company opens its 35th season on May 28. The lineup:
FOR FAMILIES
(Show times, generally, are 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Tuesday-Friday; noon and 2 p.m. Saturday; and 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday.)
- May 28-June 9: The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. Paul Mesner Puppets of Kansas City, Mo.
- June 13-July 28: Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat. Directed by Jon Ludwig. *
- Aug. 1-Sept. 8: Rumplestiltskin. Adapted by Bobby Box and Michael Haverty. *
- Sept. 11-22: Peter Rabbit. Thistle Theatre of Seattle.
- Sept. 25-Oct. 6: Everybody Loves Pirates. Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers of Bar Harbor, Maine.
- Oct. 9-20: The Wizard of Oz. Frisch Marionettes of Cincinnati.
- Oct. 22-Nov. 3: The Dragon King. Tanglewood Marionettes of Ware, Mass.
- Nov. 7-Dec. 29: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Adapted by Jon Ludwig. *
- Jan. 2-Feb. 2, 2014: Stan, the Lovesick Snowman. Adapted by Jon Ludwig. *
- Feb. 6-March 23: Weather Rocks! Written by Jon Ludwig.
- March 25-April 6: 1001 Nights: A Love Story About Loving Stories. Co-production with New York’s Flying Carpet Theatre Company. *
- April 10-May 25: Charlotte’s Web. Adapted by Joseph Robinette. *
FOR ADULTS & TEENS
(Shows generally start at 8 p.m.)
- Nov. 8-10: Autumn Portraits. By Eric Base of Sandglass Theater, Putney, Vt. For age 14 and up.
- Feb. 25-March 2, 2014: Great Expectations. David Simplich Marionettes of Colorado Springs, Colo. For age 12 and up.
- May 15-18: Xperimental Puppetry Theater (XPT). Various artists. For 18 and up. *
Ticket prices vary. Details HERE or at 404.873.3391.
Memberships — $60 for individuals, $90 family — come with free museum entry, gift shop discounts and discounts on additional show tickets.
( * Denotes show created at the Center for Puppetry Arts)
