Catskill Puppet Theatre Brings THE WILLOW GIRL to Lackland Center, 1/12

One of the nation's finest touring companies returns to the Centenary Stage with an afternoon of magical storytelling, when the Catskill Puppet Theatre performs the story of "The Willow Girl" in the Lackland Center on Sunday, January 12 at 2 PM, as part of the CSC 2013-14 Family Series. Puppetry is an ancient art form that has transcended time and crossed cultural boundaries to entertain generations of children and adults. The Catskill Puppet Theater has won accolades across the continent, and takes great pride in carrying on in the living tradition of the old traveling puppet troupes, bringing high quality children's theater to thousands each year.

The Willow Girl is the story about a young Chinese girl who immigrates to the American frontier and faces discrimination in a swirl of other immigrants and cultures. But she possesses special gifts. She has been taught the healing power of plants and has a secret friend, the mysterious spirit who inhabits a beautiful Willow Tree. This rod puppet show features a larger-than-life, gracefully animated Willow Tree and is a wonderful blend of humor, mystery, drama and magical effects. It is illustrated with a combination of original and traditional fiddle music. "The story was fantastic, the sets and puppets were beautiful and the children loved it," raved Sue Getlan of the T.J.Lahey School, following a performance by Catskill Puppet Theatre there.

Since 1979, John Potocnik and Carol Mandigo, co-founders of the Catskill Puppet Theater, have been touring internationally, enchanting young and old with their delightful musical productions. Combining backgrounds in art, music, drama and American folk culture they are one of the nation's finest touring companies, receiving accolades from such premiere venues as the Calgary, Winnepeg and Ottawa International Children's Festivals, The New England Puppetry and Family Theater Series, the New York State Museum's Kid's Series and hundreds of schools, fairs and festivals.

WORKSHOP FOR PUBLIC

Children can gain hands-on creative skills with the post-show optional workshop offered by the Catskill Puppet, where children can build their own puppets and play along on stage. The workshop is available for an additional $18.50 a person, with a limit of 50 people.

To purchase tickets or to find more information on other CSC events, visit www.centenarystageco.org or call the CSC box office at (908) 979-0900. Tickets for the Family Fun Series' shows range from $17.50-$20 in advance and $22.50-$25 at the door.

The 2013-14 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, and CSC sponsors, including Premier Sponsor Heath Village Retirement Community, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, The Holiday Inn in Budd Lake, and Fulton Bank, Bronze Sponsors The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and Wells Fargo Bank, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.