A first-of-its-kind puppet show to introduce children and families to the magic of the Rocky Mountains

For years, Samantha Whelan Kotkas' Rocky Mountain Tales have enchanted children and families alike, inviting them to discover the magic of hiking in the Rocky Mountains.

Although his stories have been staged several times in late April, his work has never been staged like this.

Second stories of Kotkas, More Rocky Mountain TalesThe Green Fools, a collaboration between the Puppet Society and Calgary Pro Musica, written for Calgary's first puppet and music show, big and small.

His stories are told through miniature puppets and sets created by The Green Fools, then brought to the big screen with the magic of television special effects, all set to a musical score composed by Tyler Hornby and performed by some of Calgary's leading jazz musicians. .

“We're actually going to talk about the Calgary perspective in the Rockies, so kids can go on those hikes after hearing the stories,” Kotkas said.

He says the big-screen format of puppetry miniatures is a way to give children different ways to interact with the play — whether they have puppeteers in a small set or a large projected show, or a jazz quartet or even Kotkas himself telling stories.

“When we did this show before, we didn't do puppets at all, so I ran around the stage as an actor, throwing myself around as a storyteller. It's going to be great, I don't have to do it,” he said.

“I'm represented by a puppet in a smaller costume, and that allows for intimacy with smaller sets, but it also allows the narrative and the live music to be at the same time. People don't do that. It's really innovative.”

Getting the kids outside and enjoying themselves

The show invites families to engage with themes of joy, compassion, caring, and finding one's purpose while setting them in very specific locations in the Rockies, such as Crandell Lake, Castle Mountain, and the Paint Pots in Banff National Park.

The magical elements come from Kotkas' imagined mountain fairies, who represent the various elements of nature that families will encounter on their hikes.

“Those are places they can really go to, and then when you see what (Dean Bareham) has done … they're going to be looking for him the next time they go out. The purpose of everything I do is to try to reconnect people with nature,” Kotkas said.

“To show them that inside, to walk outside and cheer them up, 'Mom, mom, look, there are fairies here,' or, 'Mom, you can paint your hands and feet here.' It's a place where we can do that, and it gives an impetus to go out, to connect, which I think is exciting.

He said that after the shows, children came up to him to tell him that they had seen the fairies from his fairy tales.

“If you give their imaginations something else to grasp, especially as a parent, you can talk to them during the journey and engage them in something completely different, which makes their minds question who they are. exercise,” he said.

A magical experience, but only for one day

Dean Bareham, artistic director of the Green Fools Puppet Society, said much of his and the society's work over the years has been based on exploring nature and environmental themes.

“We've made a lot of dolls for zoos, and that's very important to our core principles as a company. I think the show itself says, “Anytime we can get kids to think about nature, the place of smells, experience, and think on that level.''

Calgarians may also know Barham from his work as a puppeteer on Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, which recently wrapped filming its second season in the city.

among puppeteers for More Rocky Mountain Taleshe said, were some of the puppeteers in that show.

“They're going to see us (the three puppets) in action, they're going to see the cameramen filming it, they're going to see the mechanics of it, but then they're going to see the beautiful video. can see,” Bareham said.

“People come with different things. Kids will be captivated by the puppetry, but then adults can appreciate it for the music, and anyone with less of a technique can appreciate what we're trying to achieve here.”

More Rocky Mountain Tales for one day only, April 28th, for two performances at the University of Calgary's Rose Center at 1:00pm and 3:30pm.

Children's nature craft time is available before each performance, and families can meet the puppeteers and performers one-on-one after each performance.

Tickets are $12 for children, $15 for adults and can be purchased at calgarypromusica.ca.