Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
This ancient story takes place in an Arabian city where an evil magician discovers a secret cave that contains a magic lamp. He must trick someone else to enter the hidden cave and bring the lamp to him. This exciting story confronts children with the conflict of good versus evil.
Rip Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle was written by one of America’s earliest authors, Washington Irving. It tells a story of a happy-go-lucky farmer who meets a band of strange little men high in the Catskill Mountains of New York. He then falls asleep for twenty years.
Aesop’s Fables
The classic fables of Aesop are performed with puppets illustrating basic lessons of living: being happy with what you have, the results of greed and learning from the mistakes of others. Children will recognize the danger of falling victim to one’s own weaknesses.
Midwinter Magic
Midwinter Magic is about a boy and a girl who decide that on the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, they will stay up all night. They are sure that on such a special night many magical events will happen. They want to see it all.
Turtle’s Wetland Quest
The play is carefully researched to depict a Massachusetts habitat. The plants and animals represented are those that would be found in a New England wetland. The puppets tell the story of the life and habitat needs of the beaver, the salamander and the Blanding’s turtle.
Inside the Haunted House
Inside the Haunted House is about a boy and a girl who accept a dare from the neighborhood tough kid to explore an abandoned mansion. Dressed as ghosts to disguise themselves, they slowly creep inside unaware of all that awaits them.
Pilgrim Adventure to America
The life and ordeals of the Pilgrims are told with puppets and masks. At the center of the story is the Brewster family–William, Mary and their son, Love. The basic story of the Pilgrims is told through these characters and their encounter with the Native Americans.
Puppet Play 1
Two children are busy tending a garden, feeding chickens and building a tree house. Their activities are interrupted by a prowling skunk. Stopping the intruder is the focus of the play.
Puppet Play 2
The show is performed with a musical jazz score and the puppets sing their way to solve the mysteries that occur.
New England Animal Stories
The show contains two stories by Thornton W. Burgess about animals of Massachusetts. The animals are seen engaging in their daily activities of hunting, building nests, making friends and hiding from their enemies.
Puppet Making with Deborah Costine
This video shows the creation of a papier mache hand puppet by Deborah Costine of the Gerwick Puppets. This includes the sculpting of the head in clay, the covering of the clay with papier mache, the removal of the paper mache shell, making the neck and underbody, painting the head, making hair and the costume. The video can be used as a useful teaching vehicle for creating a professional and versatile hand puppet.