John Bell News

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry and the University of Connecticut Puppets Arts Program, with the support of a UConn School of Fine Arts Anti-Racism Research Grant, are hosting a free international online symposium on systemic racism and the representation of foreigners and minorities in puppetry and allied art forms on April 9-10.

Sydney Theatre Company Artistic Director Kip Williams has unveiled  'Act Two', eleven shows to complete STC's 2021 season that he says will be a “celebration of the new Wharf theatres and a collection of stories that bring us together to laugh and connect following a year of isolation'

Bell Shakespeare presents an intimate performance by company Founder John Bell, One Man In His Time: John Bell and Shakespeare, for a few nights only in Sydney and Canberra, with an extra show added due to popular demand. 

In its bid to encourage more people to experience grand opera, Opera Australia is offering $20 tickets to 2,000 first time opera-goers to see its upcoming production of Puccini’s Tosca, which runs from February 22 to March 13, 2021.

Irish Repertory Theatre has announced their Theatre @ Home Winter Festival, a four-week repertory retrospective of all of the original digital productions created by Irish Repertory Theatre during the COVID-19 shut-down, from January 26 – February 21, 2021.

The events of the year 2020 have brought to light the degree to which African American culture has been misrepresented, distorted, or simply overlooked in the United States. This has been particularly true regarding African American puppet and object theater, which has rarely been the focus of sustained attention.

The Visceral Voice podcast co-hosts Christine Schneider (manual therapist and owner of Lifelight Massage/The Visceral Voice), and Kimberly Doreen Burns (professional performer and owner of KDB Studio), release a new limited series entitled “The Voice Of…” starting Monday, December 7th.

Christine Schneider (manual therapist and owner of Lifelight Massage/The Visceral Voice), and Kimberly Doreen Burns (an established performer and the owner of KDB Studio), host an incredible new podcast series called “The Voice Of…”.

Irish Repertory Theatre announced today that Meet Me in St. Louis: A Holiday Special in Song and on Screen will join their fall 2020 season. Meet Me in St. Louis features a book by Hugh Wheeler, songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, and is based on 'The Kensington Stories' by Sally Benson and the MGM motion picture Meet Me in St. Louis.

Bell Shakespeare has today announced their 2021 season, which will mark the company's return to the stage and live performance for the first time since the COVID-19 lockdown in March.

Ensemble Theatre has announced the 2021 Season which, says Kilmurry, will be a season of 10 shows by Australian and international playwrights including 3 special events with theatre legends.

For its second online installment of the 2020 Fall Puppet Forum Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut will host a?oeThe Renaissance of African American Object Performancea?? with noted puppeteers, artists, scholars Edna Bland, Paulette Richards, Schroeder Cherry, and Anwar Floyd-Pruitt on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. ET.

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut has reopened to the public on a reduced operating schedule on Saturdays only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., by reservation only. The current exhibitions on display are The World of Puppetry: From the Collections of the Ballard Institute; Paul Vincent Davis and the Art of Puppet Theater; and Shakespeare and Puppetry.

Irish Repertory Theatre has announced its Online 2020 Fall Season. This fall will feature five Performances on Screen.

Writer and puppeteer Leslee Asch will join Ballard Institute Director John Bell in a discussion of her new book via Facebook Live on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. ET. ]

There was a wonderful response to The Silver Gull Play Award competition this year, with over 40 plays submitted for the chance to share in a total prize pool of $5000 courtesy of sponsor The Buzz From Sydney.

Red Line Productions, recently honoured with the Hayes Gordon Memorial Award for significant contribution to Australian Theatre, and featured in Timeout New York & The Chicago Tribune, today announce that Alexander Berlage (American Psycho, Cry Baby,) Catherine Van-Davies (Hungry Ghosts, No Pay, No Way) & Constantine Costi (Opera Australia's La Traviata on Sydney Harbour, Bittersweet Obsessions for the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra,) will join the company as part of the new artistic directorate of the Old Fitz Theatre.

Sydney Opera House will present Bell Shakespeare: John Bell, One Man In His Time. The event was recorded live in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

With a long “Droughtlander” ahead, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is providing OUTLANDER fans with a much-needed respite by launching a four-part End of Summer Series.

Today (May 28) in live streaming: Josh Groban is back for movie night, Steven Pasquale has a Classic Conversation, and so much more!