New York State Puppet Festival– July 19 to 28, 2026in Perry, NY. We are going to see Eden by Tom Lee. Always looking for something creatie and different. Check it out.
June 19-7 to 8:30pm – Puppet Slam at Theatre 37 at 37 South Main- Tickets are $28.52. Feature six brand new short works
June 19 and 20 at 10pm- Late Night Puppet Talk Show at Theatre 37 at 37 South Main. Tickets are $28.52.
June 20 and 21- Eden by Tom Lee at Theatre 37 at 37 South Main- Tickets are $28.52.When a spaceship crash lands on an alien planet, they discover an impenetrable society with a terrifying secret. Based on the novel by Polish science fiction master Stanislaw Lem. EDEN is a solo performance event using shadow screens, moving panoramas, stop motion animation and miniature worlds.
June 21– 5-6pm – Empire in Review by Keller and McKay- Tickets are $23.18.Reflections on the little places of great New York, written and narrated by Sarah Keeler, with visual storytelling by Pilar McKay!
June 24-7:30pm to 9pm – at Arts Counil for Wyoming, 31 S. Main, Perry, NY- Tickets are $23.18.“Puppets on Film” Short Film Program, curated by Pilar McKay, adds to our live puppetry program by highlighting short films from puppeteers worldwide and in the United States.
June 26 to 28– Water Walker by Ash Winkfield at Theatre 37, 37 Main. Tickets are $28.52.WATER WALKER is inspired by the historical events of the Igbo Landing of 1803, following the journey of one man as he tries to make his way home after being stolen from the shores of Africa. Water Walker is an exploration of agency utilizing object movement, table top, and shadow puppetry in collaboration with innovative set design and original music to transport the audience along the emotional journey of forced captivity. Created & directed by Ash Winkfield.
June 27 and 28– June 27 at 3 and 8pm, June 28 at 2pm. Tickets are $33.85.Artist Sachiyo Takahashi/Nekaa Lab fuses shinnai-bushi, a traditional form of Japanese sung storytelling with contemporary puppetry.Performing under her authorized stage name Okamoto Miya, Sachiyo Takahashi brings this music to life, while her collaborators, NYC-based puppeteers Rowan Magee and Emma Wiseman, animate the stories with original puppets and innovative puppetry techniques.
Together, they present two tales—one whimsical, the other haunting: a heartwarming fable of friendship between a mischievous, shape-shifting tanuki trickster and a lonely old man–One Night in Winter–-and a bone-chilling classic Japanese ghost story of love and betrayal–The Peony Lantern. Performed in shinnai-bushi and based on works by Grand Master Okamoto Bunya (1895–1996), these stories unfold through rustic, lyrical shamisen music and evocative visual storytelling.
By blending music, puppetry, and striking visuals, Shinnai Meets Puppetry bridges Japanese traditions and contemporary theatrical expression, celebrating the timeless joy of storytelling and captivating audiences of all ages. This performance features live Japanese musical storytelling (with English subtitles) by Okamoto Miya (a.k.a. Sachiyo Takahashi), puppetry, and original sound effects.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Part 1: The Peony Lantern
The Peony Lantern (Botan Dōrō 牡丹燈籠) is a ghost love story originally from China, and became well-known in Japan in the early 20th century through its adaptation into rakugo. Inspired by the rakugo version, Okamoto Bunya reimagined it and created a shinnai-bushi adaptation of The Peony Lantern in 1948. It recounts the tale of Otsuyu, a beautiful young woman who falls hopelessly in love with the ronin Shinzaburo, only to die from the intensity of her passion. After her death, Otsuyu, accompanied by her loyal servant Oyone, returns each night to visit her beloved. However, this ghostly romance comes with a fatal price—any man who loves a ghost is doomed.
Part 2: One Night in Winter
One Night in Winter (Fuyu no Yobanashi 冬の夜話) is an original shinnai-bushi creation by Okamoto Bunya in 1991. It takes place on a cold winter’s night in the mountains where an elderly man, having lost both his wife and son, lives alone. His solitude is interrupted by a surprise visit from a magical and mischievous creature with the ability to shapeshift into just about anything — or anyone…
June 28 – 7-10pm – at East Hill Creamery- Features The Whale a 65 foot inflatable whale. FREE
