Puppets Take Upper West Side Of Manhattan: Symphony Space's JUST KIDDING Performance Series

During the 2017-18 "Just Kidding" Series at Symphony Space, families are invited to experience puppetry with three acclaimed practitioners: November brings the uproarious antics of the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers and their swashbuckling show "Everybody Loves Pirates;" December will see the virtuoso National Marionette Theatre with its acclaimed production of the children's classic "Pinocchio," and the New Year brings the inventive "Milo the Magnificent."

"Puppets simply have a way of connecting with parents and children alike," says Darren Critz, Director of Performing Arts Programs at Symphony Space."There's something about some bringing together fabric, maybe some strings, and a talented human puppeteer that always manages to deliver smiles and laughter in equal measure."

This Saturday's puppetry performances are appropriate for ages 2 and up. Upcoming performances of "Milo the Magnificent" and National Marionette Theatre's "Pinocchio" are detailed at this link.

A trio of sibling puppeteers from Maine presents this zany tale set on the high seas. Eight-year-old Lucy and her goofy pal Little Chucky search for buried treasure, only to find a gang of bumbling pirates getting in the way. Featuring over a dozen hand-crafted mouth and rod puppets, and an 8-foot paper-maché pirate ship, this spectacular show follows the main characters as they get some help from their new ocean-dwelling friends, including enthusiastic superhero Lobster Boy, his reluctant sidekick Crabby, and an overgrown sea monkey. Watch a preview video on YouTube and learn more at frogtownpuppets.com.

More about puppetry: As an art form, puppetry has its roots in ancient cultures, more than 3,000 years old. Articulated puppets have been discovered in Egyptian tombs, and the Ancient Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato both made reference to puppetry. And from Japan's traditional Bunraku to medieval Italy's marionettes and Britain's Punch and Judy shows, the art form has continued to evolve in myriad ways. Symphony Space presents some of the most varied and exciting artists working in puppetry today.

More about Just Kidding at Symphony Space: Since the Just Kidding performance series began 13 years ago, it has attracted families from near and far as one of the most exciting, high-value performing arts options available anywhere. Time Out New York Kids calls the series "a jam-packed bill of family programming," and in reviewing a recent performance, the New York City Dads Group noted, "As a parent, it's a big relief to know that whatever show we're going to see there, whether planned or at the last minute, is going to be of high quality and capable of producing long lasting happy memories."

National Marionette Theatre Presents Pinocchio! from National Marionette Theatre on Vimeo.