Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

     
  Welcome!  
  Melanie Zimmer  
  Shows  
 
  Storytelling
 
 
  Puppet Theater
 
  Workshops  
  Photos  
 
  Oneida Library
 
 
  Renaissance Festival
 
 
  Greek Theater
 
  Books  
 
  Myths, Legends & Lore: Central New York & The Finger Lakes
 
  What People Are Saying  
  Contact Melanie  
  Puppetry Guild  
  Favorite Links  
  The Brothers Grimm  
  Hans Christian Andersen  
  Bookmark This Site  
     
 
 
Shows
Dancing Bear Puppet Theater Performances

 
     
 
Slippery the Seamonster surprises the audience in  
Slippery the Seamonster surprises the audience in "The Littlest Pirate."  
With its three surprise trap doors, the Dancing Bear traveling theater stands seven and a half feet high and four feet wide.

The theater is bright red and contains golden woodwork, including two hand carved dancing bears which grace two of its trap doors.

The theater accomodates both hand and rod puppets. This versatile theater can be used in both indoor and outdoor settings.

Electrical access is preferred for lighting and sound systems.
 
     
The Frog Prince  
     
  The Frog Prince is a delightful tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm. It is
the tale of a princess who tosses her favorite toy, a beautiful golden ball,
in the air only to have it disappear into the murky waters of a deep well.

The princess tosses her beautiful golden ball into the air. Photo by Karen Spychalski.   The spell is broken and the prince and princess fall in love. Photo by Karen Spychalski.

The princess tosses her beautiful golden ball into the air.

 

The spell is broken and the prince and princess fall in love.























As she laments, and wonders how to retrieve her ball, a frog appears
and offers to fetch it for her if she will be his friend.

The frog retrieves the ball, but the princess runs off without a backward glance until the frog appears in the palace to eat off her plate.

The witch meets the prince and transforms him into a frog. Photo by Karen Spychalski.   The royal family goes to dinner. Photo by Karen Spychalski.

The witch meets the prince and transforms him into a frog.

 

The royal family goes to dinner.















Disgusting as he may appear, he is, in fact, a true prince and the two fall in love and live happily ever after.

The Frog Prince runs one half hour. It is a hand puppet show that is
performed in the red stage.
 
     
The Littlest Pirate  
     
 
  The evil pirate Eddie Snickerbucket eyes his aligator sandwich. Photo by Yoshi Hosaka.
  The evil pirate Eddie Snickerbucket eyes his aligator sandwich. Photo by Yoshi Hosaka.
In the ridiculous tale of "The Littlest Pirate," life takes an unexpected turn for young Hubert as he plays pirate.

Hubert is kidnapped by that dastardly villain of the sea - the evil pirate Eddie Snickerbucket.

Hubert finds himself captive aboard the pirate ship as his distressed mother begins a journey in a row boat in search of her son.

Hubert's mother encounters a talking star, a singing frog, and silly sea monsters.

Hubert saves the day by unwittingly tricking the old pirate, and sails away on the back of a duck with the pirate treasure map as Slippery, the giant sea monster, finishes off the pirate ship.


Pirate Cove: Eddie Snickerbucket rows as Lisa and Mrs. Snickerbucket  
Pirate Cove: Eddie Snickerbucket rows as Lisa and Mrs. Snickerbucket watch from the shore. Photo by Karen Spychalski.  
Hubert is reunited with his long lost mother as the two of them find both pirate treasure, and the treasure of their own love for each other.

Show length is half an hour with additional time afterward for viewing the puppets.
 
     
Maiyarap's Magic Dust Puppetry from Thailand  
     
 
  Maiyarap, Lord of the Underworld
 

Maiyarap, Lord of the Underworld

This program features Maiyarap, Lord of the Underworld, attempting to create a pot of magic dust to render the Army of Lanka invincible. Maiyarap is played by a 36 inch high marionette with a golden face, and elaborate beaded costuming as is used in traditional Thai dance drama.

Maiyarap dances using gestures of Thai dance drama which represent the story he tells. During meditation, he is visited by various beings which make his magic dust ineffective. In the end, Hanuman, the magic monkey, saves the day. This show gives insight into Thai culture and religion. At the end, the audience may participate by learning Thai dance movements, if desired.
 
     
The Race to the Moon  
     
 
Burt the swamp Gnome speaks as Grizzle the rat gobbles down his cheese  
Burt the swamp Gnome speaks as Grizzle the rat gobbles down his cheese.  
Roquefort the mouse loves two things the most - a delicious round of cheese and the moon.

At dusk, Roquefort enjoys singing his sweet song to the moon until one night when he discovers that the moon is made of golden Swiss cheese, and Grizzle the rat is slowly eating it.




  Grizzle the Rat and puppeteer Melanie Zimmer. Photo by Karen Spychalski.
  Grizzle the Rat and puppeteer Melanie Zimmer. Photo by Karen Spychalski.
Each night the moon becomes smaller, and Roquefort seeks out his friends to help him save the moon.

Join Roquefort in this original thirty minute musical puppet play for children, as he and his friends, flap, sail and blast their way to the moon to save it from the hungry jaws of Grizzle, the cheese gobbling rat.
 
     
The Snow Maiden  
     
 
Crystal the Snow Maiden and Mrs. Muttentoes chat in their home  
Crystal the Snow Maiden and Mrs. Muttentoes chat in their home.  
   
The Snow Maiden is a beautiful hand puppet show based on the folk tale of the same name. This show is performed on top of two long tables provided by the facility. The tables will be cloaked in black velveteen, and dressed with golden rope and giant red tassels.

On the table top will be created the inside of a quaint wooden home with a cozy fire place, and an outdoor scene of snow and ice where the Snow Maiden comes to life.

  The Snow Maiden moves across the winter snow as masked puppeteer Melanie Zimmer represents the forces of winter
  The Snow Maiden moves across the winter snow as masked puppeteer Melanie Zimmer represents the forces of winter.
   
The story begins with silly Mrs. Muttontoes who has always longed for a child of her own. One winter day, she steps outside and creates a maiden out of snow and wishes it were real. She gives it a kiss, and runs inside from the cold.

That night, Old Man Winter, sparkling and covered with ice, visits and sees the snow maiden. He realizes how much she is wanted, and brings her to life.

In the morning, Mrs. Muttontoes finds the beautiful Snow Maiden, Crystal, standing in the snow, and rears her as her daughter. This program is performed with the puppeteer dressed in black and visible to the audience. During the show, the puppeteer wears a mask of snow and ice representing the forces of winter as she narrates this timeless story.
 
     
Lead Poisoning Prevention Show  
     
  The Lead Poisoning Prevention show is designed for young children of the ages most susceptible to lead poisoning -up to six years of age.

The show is a combination of storytelling, puppet theater and magic. It involves numerous opportunities for audience participation and involves repetition of basic lead poisoning prevention principles so children leave the show with an understanding of how to remain lead free and they have fun as well.

The show repeatedly covers the following points so the young audience leaves with these concepts in their memory: washing hands before eating, washing hands before going to bed, washing hands when they are dirty, not eating paint chips, not touching peeling paint or dusty, dirty objects, eating healthy food, not putting non-food objects in their mouths, not playing in the dirt, but rather using a sand box if one is available.

If you have an additional concept not included, I will be happy to work it into the program for your audience.

This show runs one half hour. It may either be performed in my red puppet theater or on a long table top covered in black velveteen and adorned with golden ropes and red tassels.
 
     
Walk Around Puppetry  
     
 
Master Short Shanks. Photo by Karen Spychalski.  
Master Short Shanks. Photo by Karen Spychalski.  
   
Perfect for fairs and festivals, walk around marionettes will interact with the people at your festival, greeting people and shaking their hands, dancing with patrons, or sword fighting with children. Walk around marionettes include: Master Shortshanks - a short, middle aged marionette dressed for the Renaissance, Fezzywiggle the clown - a beautiful porcelain faced clown who loves to dance and have fun, Sir Michael of the Knotty Pine - a wooden faced, armored knight who will challenge your young knights to a battle.
Kids may fight Sir Michael with a stick. Sir Michael is a wiry and silly opponent that is not afraid to run away from a fight!

The Mime is a beautiful street performer dressed in black and white who stands over a yard high and will be a welcome addition to your fair. For walk around puppetry, I usually bring all the above marionettes and switch them throughout the day. There are additional puppets available. Sir Aluminum is a fully armored knight who marches slowly through the street through weight shifting. Sir Aluminum is available for Renaissance or medieval theme events. Master Shortshanks may be redressed as an elf for Christmastime events. The puppeteer will come dressed as an elf upon request.
 
     
Processional Puppetry  
     
  A processional dragon is available for parades and other events. I will provide the dragon, and operate the head, but four additional people must be provided by you. Only the head is weighty. The other sections are so light a child could carry them. Anyone over age eight may help operate the dragon.

A processional jester is also available. The jester is light weight, bright and sparkling. His form is the head, neck and shoulders of a jester mounted on a decorative carrying stick. He may come with the dragon as an additional piece for your festivities if you provide an additional operator.
 
     

Contact Melanie
 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

 

Puppets, Puppetry, Marionettes, Storytelling - Dancing Bear Puppet Theater & Storytelling with Melanie Zimmer

fargodigital

 

Welcome! Melanie Zimmer Storytelling Programs
Puppet Theater Performances Workshops Contact Melanie