
Amidst the frost-ridden mornings and ice-laden winds of winter it is easy to find oneself cooped up inside trying to stay warm, hidden away from other human involvement. This ease is only increased by the hundreds of possible entertainment outlets available to a large number of people in today's technology-driven society where updates and improvements catch our eye almost too easily. Although many of these amazing tools and products can help us find our ways into new worlds and forms of creativity there is still the feeling that while they connect us on a larger level they can make the connections more...impersonal. Thankfully there is always a way to keep the humanity within human connections alive.
The Squallis Puppeteers are a group of local artist and performers who are aiming to keep creativity and interaction flourishing in the same environment, but watch out, because between those laughs and spurts of creativity, you just might learn something. The group has been around since 1997 but didn't become a non-profit organization until the year 2003, and even from the beginning they had more in mind than just putting on puppet shows to pass time. As performers and artists they believe very much in innovations, art, and community which is showcased beautifully by their homemade puppets created with everyday materials, thought provoking performances, and wonderful workshops where adults and children alike can create their own wacky characters using items the puppeteers themselves would use.
Due to the informative, entertaining nature of their shows and performances they have been marked as an extremely positive part of the community based on the values of empathy, citizenship, and collaboration that their shows seem to reflect. These puppeteers appear to be the genuine article deserving of such praise and recognition as seen in a review from yelp.com where a local Louisville resident has written a very positive review about the members and their creations. She was undoubtedly happy with the humor of the production and praised their timing/ voice acting with the puppets. While some have asked if they will ever do more adult oriented shows the writer of this review states that either way it is a ".. $5 way to have a few laughs and feel like a kid watching a puppet show." If one review won't do it for you then take a look at their Facebook page and you'll find positive comments on everything from their shows to the educational workshops, as well as the latest updates on upcoming events such as the "1st Saturday Shows" which happen on the first Saturday of every month and the annual "Puppet Prom" that will take place on February 14th.
The Squallis Puppeteers are here to free your imagination, create fantastic characters, and tell stories that are important to the community, according to their very own mission statement found on their main website page. The Courier Journal claimed that they "offer "analog" entertainment in a digital world" which is something that means so much more than that. In this case it means awakening your imagination, opening your mind, and possibly broadening your horizons on the way you view things in life, while also getting a great laugh and some quality time with your family. For any additional information on their scheduled shows and offered services that you may want to book simply visit the Squallis Puppeteers webpage and follow the tabs, you just may find something that interest or educates you. It is not every day you find an organization that is solely trying to bring the community together with humor, education, and creativity that anyone can enjoy and recreate, but with Louisville's Squallis Puppeteers there are no strings attached.
“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”- Albert Einstein
photo courtesy of Squallis Puppeteers via Facebook