GO HOME TINY MONSTER Comes to Flushing Town Hall

On Saturday, March 15, Flushing Town Hall will welcome The Gottabees for a whimsical and heartwarming performance of “Go Home Tiny Monster” for families with young children. Told entirely without words, this show features The Gottabees' signature mix of puppetry, live music, physical theater, and joyously absurd silliness.

After a sudden storm, Sylvie and her loving family of homespun yarn creatures find themselves in need of a new home. Luckily, they have an audience full of people who can help them! Go Home Tiny Monster is a wildly creative theatrical ode to a community's generosity. 

The show was inspired by true events as four members of The Gottabees were displaced from their homes a few years ago (two by fire and two by weather-related damage). This show captures their shared experiences. 

The Gottabees use their seemingly silly, magical, illogical puppet theater style to talk with children and families about what it's like not to have a home. They encourage the audience to help build a home for the characters on stage, together as a community. The play also wants to inspire families to get involved in their communities to help those displaced from their homes.

Prior to the 2:15 PM performance, ticket holders are invited to a 1:00 PM workshop to make their own yarn monsters. The workshop is free with a ticket purchase to the performance.

“We're delighted to welcome the wonderful Gottabees back to Flushing Town Hall. Go Home Tiny Monster is a lovely tale, touching on the sensitive and timely subjects of homelessness that so many families experience,” says Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic Director of Flushing Town Hall. “The Gottabees tell a story that empowers and builds empathy among our young audiences, and I cannot wait to see the home we build on our stage for those tiny monsters.”

About the Artists

The Gottabees have been making super fun theater for families since 2013. They regularly sell out venues, inhabit computer screens, and inspire homemade puppet shows throughout the US, Canada, and beyond. They aim to inspire community, connection, and autonomy by providing an outlet for families to giggle, gasp, sigh, and cheer in 45 minutes or less. The Gottabees' stories reflect children's everyday aspirations, concerns, and emotional experiences.

The Gottabees have performed for more than 43,000 people in 18 states and five countries and were awarded a UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence. Their projects have been funded by the Jim Henson Foundation, Puppeteers of America, USArtists International, Boston Cultural Council, and the Boston Foundation.

Bonnie Duncan (creator/performer) has blended puppetry, dance, and physical theatre in surprising and delightful ways for the past 16 years. Her work has been described as “an artful world of silent dreams, mime, and dance” (Austin Live Theatre). She was one half of They Gotta Be Secret Agents with Tim Gallagher, touring worldwide and winning accolades along the way. Prior to her work as a secret agent, Bonnie was a company member of Snappy Dance Theater for eight years, collaboratively creating and performing sculptural, acrobatic dances internationally. Her work was called both “breathtakingly simple” and “delightfully crafty” by the Boston Globe

Brendan Burns (music) is a composer, producer and educator. He released his debut album, TimeStamp in 2012 and was featured in the Boston Globe. Brendan is chair of the Guitar Department at Brookline Music School, founder of Guitober, a guitar celebration in October, and he produces Brookline Porchfest, a community arts event.

Tony Leva (music) can often be found on stages throughout the US playing songs or accompanying theater and puppetry with The Dylan Jack Quartet, Bury Me Standing, and Brian Carpenter's Group, to name a few. He is also an active educator/collaborator at Tunefoolery, an artist collective of musicians in mental health recovery. He just earned a Master of Music degree at Longy School of Music.

Dan Milstein (director/co-creator), the founding Artistic Director of Boston's Rough & Tumble Theater, produced and directed over thirteen original plays. He holds fast to his quixotic belief that theater should be cheap, fun, and deeply satisfying.

Penney Pinette (costumes) is a Boston-based designer focusing on dance and theater. She has been a draper at Huntington Theatre Company and is currently Costume Shop Manager at Boston University. She has designed costumes for Boston Conservatory, Prometheus Dance, and Contrapose, among others.

Marte Johanne Ekhougen (puppets) is a Norwegian artist living in New York. Marte also operates under the pseudonym Doctor Superhelga. She has designed for theater in Norway, the UK and the US. Most notably, she designed the original puppets for Robert Atkins' Tony-nominated Hand to God on Broadway and West End, London.

Harrison Pearse Burke (lights) is a Boston-based Lighting Designer and Production Manager at The Yard, Assistant Lighting Director for Boston Ballet, and Dance Production Manager for Celebrity Series.

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