Created & Performed by Maiko Kikuchi

Join Maiko Kikuchi as she brings us her whimsical puppetry to La MaMa Kids Online.

Maiko Kikuchi presents her “Home made” cardboard puppet show and introduces a Japanese folk tale, “Straw Millionaire”. Once a upon a time, there was a poor young farmer in a small village in Japan. One day, he went to a temple and prayed to Kannon, the god of mercy. “Please make me rich” All of sudden he heard a message from Kannon “Once you leave this temple, take good care of the first thing you touch and go west. 

The performances also include Cardboard Puppet Station with music, animation and special guest, Dr. Grumpy.

Performances Include:

"Timed for after school viewing!"

Special thanks to The Jim Henson Foundation for supporting our online puppetry programming.

Created/Performed by Maiko Kikuchi

Sound by Zac Pless

Voiceover by Maiko Kikuchi, Zac Pless, Ryan Buck, Emilie Buck, Tom Pless, Mary Pless, Matt Pless

Animation by Maiko Kikuchi

Music Videos: “Diu Diu Deng” by Elena Moon Park and Friends & “Push Push Push” by The Sharp Shadows 

Maiko Kikuchi received her MFA in Sculpture from Pratt Institute in 2012. She is a multidisciplinary artist working in illustration, painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, animation and puppetry/ performance. Her object theatre pieces include DAYDREAM TUTORIAL(Work in Progress) as part of Under The Radar Festival 2020 (INCOMING! Program) at The Public Theatre, LaMaMa and FiveMyles Gallery, PINK BUNNY at Japan Society and St.Ann’s Warehouse, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENSE at Dixon Place, NO NEED FOR A NIGHT LIGHT ON A LIGHT NIGHT LIKE TONIGHT at La MaMa, DAYDREAM ANTHOLOGY at St. Ann’s Warehouse. She is currently in artist residency program at HERE collaborating with Spencer Lott.