Apr 19, 2022
-
Jun 28, 2022

La MaMa SU-CASA Program: Studies in Puppet Form and Performance

Lead Teaching Artist: Federico Restrepo
with Denise Greber and Hao Bai

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SU-CASA 2022

Good Companions Senior Center  
Henry Street Settlement
334 Madison Street (Basement), NYC 10002

Tuesdays from April 19 – June 28, 2022

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About this Workshop  

‍Studies in Puppet Form and Performance introduces you to the use of puppetry and storytelling. You will learn techniques on building and manipulating puppets leading to the creation of a story through performance.  The goal is to develop a short puppet piece, which you will perform for the public at the Good Companions Senior Center.

Federico Restrepo (Workshop Creator) was born in Bogotá, Colombia. His first professional theatre work was dancing with the Ballet National de Colombia in 1983. He came to New York in 1985 and studied at the Merce Cunningham School. Since 1985, he has developed a puppetry style which incorporates design and dance. He is the founder and artistic director of Loco7. His goal as a director has been to design the set and puppets as an extension of the dancer’s body. The spectacle is an ever-changing environment, transforming and moving throughout the space. His subject matter is very much the soul of Colombia mixed with his experiences of living in New York City. His intense love and passion for the history of the Americas and his journeys in New York are a constant source for all his work. He has premiered, designed, performed, and directed over 20 original pieces at La MaMa with subsequent tours throughout the world.

About 10 seniors are running in a clockwise circle, each holding a puppet. The room has exposed pipes, a blue floor, and makeshift decorations.
About 10 seniors with smiling masked faces are running in a counterclockwise circle, each holding a puppet. The room has exposed pipes, a blue floor, and makeshift decorations.
10 seniors stand behind a small black structure and hold the puppets up for view all together.
A senior holds up a two-foot-tall puppet wearing a brown and white striped shirt, with orange fringe under each sleeve, white hands, a “tail” of colorful pom-poms, black yarn hair, and a cat’s face.
A deer-like puppet of the same height stands on a table, with yellow eyes and a brown-striped head. The puppet wears a brown striped shirt, with sparkly orange pom-poms acting as buttons.
A smiling senior with white hair sits and holds up another two-foot puppet plastered randomly with googly eyes, sparkles, stickers, and condiment labels. It has a head, ears, hands, and a smock.
A senior with black hair admires a puppet with long, blonde yarn hair, a red flower in the hair, a simple, feminine face, a beaded necklace, and a belt with beaded fringe in pink and orange tones.
A performer holds a puppet over the black structure and shrugs at the audience. The puppet is humanoid, wearing a bright green, pink, and blue cape. Vines and colorful leis lay over the black structure.
A performer wearing black stares incredulously at their puppet scene partner. The puppet resembles a young girl with yellow yarn braids, and wears a white smock with green and red circles.
An astronaut puppet on the left stares at an illustration of a feminine alien with green hair. The second illustration on the right shows grass and craggy rock.

2021–2022 SU-CASA Program is supported, in part, by public funds from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council Member Carlina Rivera Office.

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The Trinity College / La MaMa Program utilizes the landscape and history of New York City as a catalyst for an intensive study in the arts. The World Theatre Class students from Sarah Lawrence University visit La MaMa to conduct workshops and see shows. SU-CASA is a community arts engagement program that places artists and organizations in residence at senior centers across the five boroughs of New York City.

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