Puppets Come Home to Present PUPPETS COME HOME: CESAR CHÁVEZ AND THE MIGRANTS May 14 In Coney Island

Puppets Come Home! at Coney Island presents Teatro SEA's new puppet theater production, "César Chávez and the Migrants (The César Chávez Story)," which celebrates the life and legacy of the Mexican-American labor activist.

Written and directed by Manuel Antonio Morán, the bilingual production highlights Chávez's life story for a new generation, including Chávez's early life as well as his partnership with Dolores Huerta, activism with the National Farm Workers Association, the 1968 grape boycott, and his ongoing commitment to nonviolent civil rights work.

"César Chávez is an American hero. His activism and his victories for the labor movement are well-known in California and across the West Coast, but his contributions are less familiar to many New Yorkers," said Dr. Morán, founder, CEO and artistic director of Teatro SEA. "Through the medium of puppetry, we hope to share his legacy with a new audience and an entire generation."

The production is also inspired by Victorian-era Toy Theater, a form of miniature theater dating back to the early 19th century, and features handmade engraved puppets designed by artist and puppeteer Cristina Arancibia Brecht. As part of the story, one of the farm laborer's boxes of fruit is transformed into a miniature puppet theater, hosting an 8-inch high performance that tells the story of Chávez and his accomplishments.

The evening's program will begin with a short puppet work by production designer, Cristina Arancibia Brecht. Her latest piece "Phantasmagoria" is related to dreams and the unconscious, mixing drawings, videos and puppets in the performance.

To learn more about Teatro SEA (located in Manhattan's Lower East Side) please visit: https://teatrosea.org/

Coney Island USA requires that our guests be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination will be checked upon entering. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Founded in 1980, Coney Island USA is an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit multi-arts center dedicated to the economic and cultural revitalization of Coney Island. Its mission is to "defend the honor of American popular culture through innovative exhibits and performances," with signature programming including the Mermaid Parade, the world-famous Coney Island Circus Sideshow, the Coney Island Film Festival, and Burlesque at the Beach. Coney Island USA also operates the Coney Island Museum, the only accredited institution uniquely dedicated to preserving and promoting Coney Island's history.

Learn more at https://www.coneyisland.com/puppets.

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