Such an awesome day! We performed four performances of “The Springtime Bunny’s Adventure in Camelot” today at the Egg Hunt held at Duke Homestead. It was their best egg hunt thus far, with huge crowds of eager children on hand with their baskets. It was a delight seeing the children enjoy our marionette shows.
We set up our tent near the historic Duke Homestead. The folks at the Homestead were kind to provide hay bales (for children/adults to sit) around the stages.
Among the puppeteers today were Keith Phillips (shown holding Mister Hoppenhare). Dennis Listermann-Vierling was the second puppeteer (shown holding a lady in waiting and Mister Hoppenhare).
Before the various performances Dennis emerged to talk to the spectators about our Pelham and Pelham-styled puppets.
In Act I Queen Guinevere tells her lady in waiting that she is glum about how gloomy winter is. King Arthur asks his queen why she is sad. The Queen tells Arthur she is a bit down. After she leaves, the king consults the magic mirror. The man in the mirror tells the king that his wife is sad because the land is lifeless and dark with winter.
King Arthur summons Merlin the Magician. Arthur asks the wizard to devise something to make Spring a more colorful and happy time for his wife.
Merlin, after singing a song, raises the Queen’s pet bunny from its cage and transforms the rabbit into the Springtime Bunny. He endows the rabbit (now Mister Hoppenhare) with magical powers and orders him to make Spring begin with a wondrous and fantastic celebration.
In Act II Mister Hoppenhare transforms the lifeless wintery grounds around Camelot into a green and lush Spring garden, filled with eggs, carrots and baskets of goodies.
Queen Guinevere is delighted by the brightly colored eggs and baskets. She sings a song about how lovely and magical Spring is. She shares her happiness with her husband. The show concludes with a farewell song by the Springtime Bunny.
After the show the puppeteers distributed candy to our young spectators (and to the adults as well).
Children so enjoyed a chance to see our puppets. Some loved to hold the puppets and many parents snapped pictures of their children with Mister Hoppenhare.
After the shows, children lined up for their egg hunt. The egg hunt was held under grey skies, but the children’s faces were bright and happy.
Dennis holds two re-dressed Pelham Puppets: King Arthur and Queen Guinevere.
