Page 50 March 29, 2013
danshamptons.com
Goat on a Boat Provides Unique Entertainment
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f you’re a preschooler, sometimes it’s hard to decide which is more fun: watching a madrollicking puppet show, or making your own puppets and having them act out something you and your buddies dream up. But then you don’t really have to decide, if you visit the Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre this summer. You’ve got the best of both worlds—watching and doing! Of course, since this is the Hamptons, we’re not just talking any old puppet place here. Goat on a Boat is where award-winning, professional puppeteer Liz Joyce creates the puppets and writes her own shows, and during the summer camp on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday mornings from July 9– August 29, she and her staff draw out the creative talents of the 3-year-old campers. “The camp is very small, very sweet, and very safe [no pool, no leaving your kids with teenagers!]—and fun.” The camp features a weekly theme, like “Under the Sear,” or “Up in the Sky.” Inside the “Big Room” with its bright red curtained stage, there’s circle time, where real musical instruments like guitars and banjos are used, with lots of singing. The rest of the morning involves, lots of crafts, water and bubble play in the upper lawn outside. And indoors, lots of puppets, of course. On Thursdays, campers have little box seats to see the puppet show that the public sees. (There are also shows on Fridays and Saturdays.) To finish up the camp day, Joyce said, “We wind down with a little story time. By the time the parents get here, they are sitting there like little angels with haloes on their heads.” The name of the theater comes from her love for goats—Joyce grew up with them as pets—and
takes, the shivers, and that’s inspiration that came from how they communicate.” She an afternoon on Long Wharf emphasizes that one of the with a friend, relishing the great things about the arts, scenery, and discussing how including live theater and much fun it would be to live children’s puppet theater, on a houseboat. “I said that is that the audience is “not I could have a garden on a spoon-fed, they have to do a houseboat. And he said, ‘But little work.” you couldn’t have a goat on Joyce said they are filling a boat.’ I said, ‘That’s it! The in a gap in Sag Harbor for name of my theater!’” both camping and quality The theater, located behind children’s entertainment. Christ Episcopal Church at “The school next door, Stella Route 114, is now in its 12th Maris, used to do a great tot year. camp, but they’re not there Joyce puts on traditional anymore.” children’s tales, often with This summer, Joyce will a twist, such as Little Red be able to focus even more Riding Hood encountering a of her attention on her pig “which had wandered out programming. The New York of his own story into hers, State Council for the Arts has and saves the day.” Joyce just awarded a $150,000 grant also has original shows, such Check out the great shows at The Goat this summer. to the Long Island Children’s as “The Chicken Show.” “In this, a chicken has to lay an egg, or else she’s going to Museum in Garden City, and they’re sharing a portion be in a stew in the morning,” explained Joyce. “But of the money with the Goat, allowing Joyce to spend during the night, the chicken realizes that her dream less time doing “the least favorite part of my job— is to be a star on Broadway, and the chicken fairy asking people for money.” Joyce will bring awardcomes and she leaves. The lesson is you don’t always winning guest performers from around the world for get what you want, but if you get part of it, that’s a shows, including an eight week long puppet festival called “Puppets Take Long Island” this summer. good thing!” While her shows for the public feature both She’ll also have puppet making workshops, and marionettes and puppets, Joyce said that tots this families can enjoy a free outdoor puppet series in age particularly prefer hand puppets. “Hand puppets Amagansett Square on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. are very physical. Marionettes sometimes talk too Visit goatonaboat.org for camp information and much.” She added, “This young, they’re not so verbal. With the puppets, they totally get the double- additional details about performances. Goat on a Boat/Facebook
By susan saiter sullivan
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