FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Karin Venegas, karin@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7049
Sandra Tharas, sandra@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7068
Jamaal Fisher, jamaal@anatgerstein.com, 347-545-2198
Tanglewood Marionettes Return to Flushing Town Hall on December 11 with Award-Winning Presentation of The Dragon King
(Flushing, N.Y.) – On Saturday, December 11, the award-winning Tanglewood Marionettes return to Flushing Town Hall with an underwater fantasy based on Chinese folklore. The Dragon King, featuring colorful sea creatures, an exciting adventure, and gorgeous hand-crafted marionettes, will inspire a love for puppetry in children and adults alike.
The Dragon King will captivate audiences of all ages with a story that transports viewers to a land overtaken by a terrible drought, where everything has turned brown and lifeless. An intrepid grandmother journeys to the bottom of the sea in search of the elusive Dragon King, ruler over all things water, to find out why he has not brought the life-giving rains.
You can see highlights from the show in this video.
Tanglewood Marionettes last performed Dragon King, as well as the classic fairy tale Cinderella, to a sold-out audience at Flushing Town Hall in 2018. To meet the high demand and allow for social distancing this year, Flushing Town Hall will host two separate shows on December 11, allowing for smaller audiences, at 11 AM and 2 PM. Each performance will be presented to both an in-person and virtual audience.
Founded in 1993, Tanglewood Marionettes is a nationally touring marionette theater based in New England. Large, beautifully hand-crafted marionettes, colorful sets, and integrated lighting and sound create a fully immersive theatrical experience. Its highly skilled puppeteers have spent many years perfecting their art and delighting audiences of all ages as they bring a repertoire of classic tales to life. Tanglewood Marionettes is the recipient of two UNIMA awards, puppetry's highest honor, for The Dragon King and An Arabian Adventure.
Peter and Anne Schaefer are the leading puppeteers of Tanglewood Marionettes and their Dragon King performance.
Peter Schaefer was born into a family of puppeteers, and has been performing with hand puppets, rod puppets, and marionettes since he was knee-high. After apprenticing with the Bennington Puppets for several years, Peter purchased a marionette show and launched his own company. After touring nationally, Peter decided to join forces with a fellow puppeteer and Tanglewood Marionettes was born.
Anne Schaefer on the other hand, would have never thought of becoming a puppeteer when she was young. Now, however, she can’t imagine being anything else. After studying art and philosophy in college, Anne took a summer job with the Bennington Puppets of Bennington, VT. The summer job turned into five years of intensive puppetry during which Anne immersed herself in the many facets of puppet theater. In 1993, Anne joined with Peter Schaefer in forming Tanglewood Marionettes.
“We are thrilled to welcome back the amazing puppeteers of Tanglewood Marionettes for two shows of The Dragon King,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Director of Education and Public Programs, Gabrielle M. Hamilton. “Audiences of all ages will be enchanted by the wonderful puppets as they come to life and share this heart-warming adventure story with a grandmother as the heroine. We are so pleased to be offering exciting live entertainment to young children again in a safe space this holiday season.”
Families have the option to attend the performance in-person, or to watch the live-stream online. The performance is recommended for children in pre-K through sixth grade. In-person tickets are $12/$8 Members & Children, and virtual tickets are $5/$3 Members. For more information, visit www.flushingtownhall.org or call (718) 463-7700 x222.
COVID Policy: In adherence with Mayor De Blasio’s Covid policy for performance venues, Flushing Town Hall will require all visitors ages 12 and up, performers, and staff to show proof of vaccination. Masks will be required at all times for everyone. For more details on Flushing Town Hall’s Covid-safety measures and vaccine requirements, please visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.
Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot – located a short distance from the 7 train - at 137-35 Northern Blvd., in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.
For Calendar Listings
The Dragon King by Tanglewood Marionettes
Saturday, December, 11 AM & 2 PM
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/dragon-king
In-Person Tickets: $12/$8 Members & Children
Virtual Tickets: $5/$3 Members
An underwater fantasy based on Chinese folklore, The Dragon King tells the tale of an intrepid grandmother who journeys to the bottom of the sea in search of the elusive Dragon King, and the answers to why he has forsaken the land above. The award-winning production of New England-based Tanglewood Marionettes brings colorful sea creatures, an exciting adventure, and gorgeous hand-crafted marionettes to both in-person and virtual audiences of all ages.
Support Global Arts With A Gift Today!
All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership benefits including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/circle-of-friends
This performance is supported in part by the Jim Henson Foundation.
Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization that receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Major Bill de Blasio; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Gonzalo Casals; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Corey Johnson; Council Members Costa Constantanides, Daniel Dromm, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Paul A. Vallone, Jimmy Van Bramer; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.
To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings
About Flushing Town Hall
Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City, in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.
Land Acknowledgement:
Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.
For more information:
www.flushingtownhall.org
(718) 463-7700 x222
137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354