BILL'S 44TH to Return to NYC at HERE in July

Official Puppet Business (Andy Manjuck and Dorothy James) will present their New York Times critically-acclaimed production of Bill’s 44th at HERE (145 6th Ave, New York, NY 10013), in a co-presentation with A Dream Music, from July 10-28. Bill’s 44th is a full length wordless puppet show for grown-ups with an original recorded score. 

The streamers are hung, the punch has been poured, and the cake is just begging to be eaten! Our anxious host Bill has planned his party to the last detail—now all that remains is for his guests to arrive. Desperate to fill his apartment with camaraderie and celebration, Bill’s imagination runs wild. Many styles of puppetry, raucous balloons, and a cheeky piece of crudité all collide to examine the pitfalls of impatience, the wonder of loneliness, and the universal passage of time.

Bill's 44th was originally commissioned by Dixon Place in NYC and received a Production Grant from the Jim Henson Foundation for a run in October 2020. Because of the Covid pandemic, the show was postponed until June 2021 where it was allowed only 4 performances with audiences at 30% capacity, while being simultaneously live-streamed. Despite its limited run, Bill's 44th was named a New York Times Critics Pick and has since been presented by the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival (2022), Oklahoma City Rep, the Atlanta Center for Puppetry Arts, the 2023 London International Mime Festival where it was nominated for two OFFIES (Off-West End Awards), and the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe where it was named one of only three finalists for the OffFest Award for Theatre. Bill's 44th has been awarded a Citation of Excellence by UNIMA-USA, an honor that recognizes and rewards the best of the puppetry arts in the USA. Bill’s 44th was partially developed as part of Puppet Lab at St. Ann’s Warehouse (2019-2022), and with support from the New York State Puppet Festival.

The Creative Team will include Puppeteers Andy Manjuck, Dorothy James, and Jon Riddleberger, Creative Collaborator Jon Riddleberger, Composer Eamon Fogarty, Puppet Design by Dorothy James, Sound Design by Andy Manjuck, Lighting Design by M. Jordan Wiggins, Dramaturg Helena Pennington, Additional Set/Prop Construction by Peter Russo, Joseph Silovsky, & Taryn Uhe, and Production Coordinator Taryn Uhe. 

Performances are scheduled on Wednesday, July 10 at 7pm, Thursday, July 11 at 7pm, Friday, July 12 at 7pm, Saturday, July 13 at 2pm & 7pm, Sunday, July 14 at 2pm, Tuesday, July 16 at 7pm, Wednesday, July 17 at 7pm, Thursday, July 18 at 7pm, Friday, July 19 at 7pm & 10pm, Saturday, July 20 at 2pm & 7pm, Sunday, July 21 at 2pm, Tuesday, July 23 at 7pm, Wednesday, July 24 at 7pm, Thursday, July 25 at 7pm, Friday, July 26 at 7pm, Saturday, July 27 at 2pm & 7pm, and Sunday, July 28 at 2pm. Tickets ($10-$100) are available for advance purchase at https://ci.ovationtix.com/219/production/1203799. The performance will run approximately 55 minutes, with no intermission.

 

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