From August 10 to 16, UConn will be alive with puppet shows, classes, workshops, exhibitions and events for the 2015 National Puppetry Festival.  A special exhibition of puppetry books, artwork, and illustrations from the collections of Archives and Special Collections will be on display from August 1 to 31 in the McDonald Reading Room in the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.  Find out more in today’s UCONN Today article…

National Festival Celebrates the Art of Puppetry | UConn Today

Puppeteers from 12 nations on five continents and from 40 U.S. states will converge on the UConn campus during the week of Aug. 10-16 for the 2015 National Puppetry Festival, a whirlwind week of puppet-related activities including workshops, master classes, and performances.

The festival is presented by Puppeteers of America and is expected to be the largest and most extensive gathering of its kind. It will also mark the 50th year of the internationally renowned UConn Puppet Arts Program, which was founded by the legendary Frank W. Ballard. The last time the festival was hosted by UConn was in 1970.

Highlights of the festival will include 30 public performances by more than 25 national and international puppeteers, 30 professional workshops, six visual art exhibitions, “Reel Puppetry” film series, a giant puppet parade, and nightly Festival Pub Showcase. …