Spare Parts Puppet Theatre is launching a milestone series of absolutely free and fabulous community puppetry adventures to celebrate our 40th anniversary year. Supported by long-time partner, Lotterywest the 40th anniversary community celebrations begin with a Design a Puppet Challenge, followed by Puppet Tea at the Theatre, and culminate in 40th birthday community celebration, Puppets in the Park on November 6.
Established in Fremantle in 1981, the award winning, internationally recognised puppetry company has entertained over three generations of Western Australian families and delighted countless audiences around Australia and the world.
Lotterywest and Healthway CEO Susan Hunt PSM said that for 30 years Lotterywest and Healthway have supported Spare Parts Puppets Theatre.
“Spare Parts is a wonderful organisation that brings young Western Australians together with stories and performances,” Ms Hunt said. “We’re very proud to continue to support Spare Parts and celebrate its 40th anniversary, and look forward to working on future performance and collaborative events that make our community such a great place to live.”
Artistic Director of Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, Philip Mitchell said that the 40th anniversary was a significant milestone in the company’s history and in the hearts of generations of Western Australians.
“It’s wonderful to think that we now have people in our audiences that first came to Spare Parts as a child and who are now bringing their own children to see a show,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing amazing ideas from Design a Puppet Challenge, sharing a cup of tea and puppet stories with older members of our community at our Puppet Tea, and thanking everyone who believes in the magic of puppetry with a fabulous community celebration, Puppetry in the Park in our wonderful Pioneer Park.”
The absolutely free and fabulous 40th anniversary community celebrations will appeal to all generations and begin this month (June) with a state-wide callout for people of all ages to participate in the unique Design a Puppet Challenge, which will culminate in a chosen design being made by the company’s leading puppet makers. Entries close on August 20 and Challenge participants can download the design brief and entry form from the company’s website sppt.asn.au
In September, the ‘young at heart’ are the focus of Puppet Tea at the Theatre, a series of morning teas specifically designed for older members of the community. Light refreshments are on the menu along with highlights of the company’s colourful history, backstage tours, and a sneak peak of its brand new show, The One Who Planted Trees, the company’s first ever musical! Presented on Tuesday and Thursday from September 7, reservations for this free event are essential and can be made at sppt.asn.au
The free program of 40th anniversary community celebrations will culminate with a mini festival of puppetry performances at Puppets in the Park on November 6 in Pioneer Park adjacent to Spare Parts home theatre. All members of the family are welcome to come along and enjoy the puppetry shows, Design a Puppet Challenge entries, puppetry displays and activities, and special twilight performances of the company’s acclaimed large scale puppet, String Symphony, performed with members from the community.