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Fantoccini Returns to Mum Puppettheatre for the Holidays

For Immediate Release: December 1, 2004

Philadelphia, PA – Mum Puppettheatre's immensely popular Fantoccini series makes its triumphant return this month in Santa Claus Conquers the Fantoccini, part of Mum's Evening Series for adults. Previously a yearly event, this will be the first Fantoccini show to be produced at Mum since 2000. For five years, the series was an annual favorite among Philadelphia audiences, engaging and delighting theatre-goers young and old.

The production runs from November 30th to December 18th. Preview ticket prices range from $1 to $6, and tickets for performances after December 4th are $25. Performances take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays at 8pm, and Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm.

Mum Artistic Director Robert Smythe created the show with Perry Alley Theatre's Andrew Periale, who collaborated for the first time with Mum on last season's The Visit. The Emmy Award-nominated Periale has been performing professionally for over 20 years, and his theatre's work has won two UNIMA Citations, the highest award in the field of puppetry.

Consisting of twelve vignettes, ranging from three to fifteen minutes each, Santa Claus Conquers the Fantoccini follows in the vaudeville-review footsteps of previous Fantoccini productions. Found-object puppets, consisting of anything from a Styrofoam ball placed on an index finger to an overturned paper cup to a potholder, will perform the series of scenes which range from complex to silly and always keep the audience entertained.

"By taking away some of the 'flash' and using very simple objects as puppets," explains Smythe, "the focus shifts from the puppets themselves to what it is they're doing and the ideas behind that."

Smythe also reveals that popular vignettes from previous Fantoccini shows make a comeback in this show. "There are certain scenes and bits that have always been popular, year after year, that we want to delight audiences with all over again." In addition to those, there are pieces which feature (among other things) a puppet consisting of kitchenware and vegetables, standard hand puppets having wintertime fun, dancing snow people, and even an audience participation piece featuring a spontaneous reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

In short, the show is a holiday-themed celebration of puppetry at its finest and most inventive, providing an evening of good clean fun at the theatre. While part of Mum's adult series, the production is appropriate for children ages 10 and up.

The Fantoccini series is named in part after an old Italian word for "puppet," and each show is named after a classic B-grade horror movie. Previous installments have included Attack of the 50-Foot Fantoccini, I was a Teenage Fantoccini, and Revenge of the Fantoccini. The name for this show comes from the film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Join Mum for Cocoa and Conversation nights on Wednesdays, December 8th and 15th. These post-show discussions feature refreshments and engaging discussions with some of the area's most vibrant professionals, generously sponsored by Whole Foods Markets. Or join Mum for Eggnog Thursdays on December 2nd, 9th and 16th. Festivities take place before the show starting at 6pm, with caroling, cookies and eggnog in the lobby.

Mum Puppettheatre now offers subscriptions, with Evening Series, Family Series and Preview Series ticket options. Subscription prices normally range from $15 to $60, and are now discounted. Tickets and subscriptions may be purchased at the box office Monday through Friday, 10am to 5pm; by calling 215-925-7686; or by logging on to www.mumpuppet.org. The theatre also offers gift certificates, which make a unique holiday present for all ages.

Mum Puppettheatre makes art that moves, creating theatre beyond the scope of human actors, often without words. We integrate the plastic, visual and performing arts by creating stunning, emotionally compelling and breathtakingly beautiful theatre, using puppets, masks and the human body. Our mission is to collaborate with artists of all disciplines and backgrounds to explore the interdisciplinary nature of puppetry, and share the results with people of all ages, independent of language or culture, on stage, on tour and in the classroom.

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