Prelude: an introductory action, event, or performance that comes before a bigger or more momentous one.
Step into the world of puppetry in anticipation of Puppets in Portland 2024, a city-wide festival of international puppetry arts presented biennially by Mayo Street Arts. PiP Prelude is an opportunity to learn more about the craft and history of puppetry while enjoying good food and libations in a convivial setting.
Donations from partners and friends will ensure the vitality of PiP into the future. We ask that you please contribute to PiP to help underwrite the costs of presenting this international festival and further secure its financial future.
PiP Prelude will feature crankie performances by Katherine Fahey, a presentation by Figures of Speech Theatre’s John Farrell, as well as live music, light hors d’oeuvres, and beverages.
Performance by Katherine Fahey
Prelude will feature a performance by Katherine Fahey from Baltimore, Maryland, who brings her stories to life by combining intricate paper-cutting, ethereal shadow puppetry, and objects with 19th century style hand-cranked scrolls of illustrated images, aka “crankies.”
Together with foley artist and puppeteer Dan Van Allen, Katherine brings the joy and sophistication of crankies to projects and learners all over the United States.
“Puppets as Visual Metaphor” with John Farrell
Take a deep dive into the philosophical underpinnings of puppetry with John Farrell, Artistic Director of Figures of Speech Theatre, who as a sculptor and poet, “found expression for (his) passions in the archaic and avant-garde world of the puppet theater.”
Based in Freeport, Maine, Figures of Speech Theatre’s artistry lives at the intersection of poetry, music, sculpture, and dance. In addition to founding FST, John and his wife Carol Farrell were the founders and artistic directors of World Puppets Portland, which ran from 1999-2004.
Flamenco Guitar by Behzad Habibzai
Behzad Habibzai is a music composer and flamenco guitarist. He began playing drums and classical percussion at 10, maintaining a busy schedule performing orchestral, jazz, punk rock, at rock clubs and symphony halls. At 14 he discovered flamenco guitar, going on to portray flamenco forms in performances with several international artists.
Behzad flamenco album ‘Bosquejos’ (2020), and released singles can be found on most digital streaming platforms. Behzad often collaborates with his wife, Meghan Pilar Habibzai.
PiP Prelude Host Committee
Sara Crisp & Gregg Lipton
John & Carol Farrell
Randy Ferrell & Christopher Keene
Bruce Fowler & Susan Webster
Zachary Gabbert & Nicholas Binette
Kyle Glover & Susan Hayhurst
Amy Kustra Barksdale & Scott Barksdale
Liana Lemke
Polly Plimpton
Caroline Teschke
Jessica Tomlinson & Cyrus Hagge
Betsy Whitman & Harro Jakel
Mayo Street Arts Development Committee
Dr. Dorothea Ivey, Chair
Alexus Bond
Randy Ferrell
Betsy Whitman
If you would be interested in attending a future Prelude event, please contact PiP Festival Coordinator Amy Krawczyk at amy@mayostreetarts.org or 207-879-4629.