Squallis Puppeteers presents
“ELEMENTary, My Dear”

· Saturday- February 7, 2015
· Puppet shows at 9:30 & 11 a.m.
· Ages 1-5 and their adults

On Saturday, February 7, Squallis Puppeteers will offer a reprise of its first piece for very young audiences as part of the 1st Saturday Show Series. ELEMENTary, My Dear, a whimsical and playful exploration of the elements, is designed to be most enjoyed by audience members ages one to five (and their grown ups). For the show’s co-creators, Talleri McRae and Steven Rahe, the young age range of the target audience offers many unique opportunities: including pushing the boundaries of traditional theatricality, and connecting with an audience in new ways.
McRae and Rahe, both Louisville-based teaching artists, researched companies around the country and the world who are making theatre for babies and toddlers. “We attended The Kennedy Center’s New Visions/New Voices gathering together in May,” McRae remembers. “We both saw a piece in development that was for the very young. Just sharing a theatrical experience alongside two- and three-year-olds, was inspirational.” Ready to see more, Rahe attended Toddler Takeover at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA, and McRae travelled to Warsaw, Poland to attend the World Congress of ASSITEJ, the international organization for children and young people.

ELEMENTary, My Dear, which had a workshop performance in December, follows two Scientist-Detectives, played by McRae and Rahe, as they discover and interact with air, water, fire and earth. The reprisal on February 7 will include several brand new elements, including new puppets as well as new interactions with the audience. “Just like our characters, we are exploring new formats and techniques,” Rahe reflects. “And the biggest experiment of all is connecting and interacting with the unique contributions of our young audience members.”