Penny Dreadful - An Evening of Gothic Horror
Clay Martin's Puppet Theaterwww.claymartinspuppets.com
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PENNY DREADFUL is a collection of gothic horror stories performed in a variety of puppet styles including FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, and THE MUMMY'S CURSE presented with hand puppets, DR JEKYL AND MR HYDE in the form of a giant Toy Theater, and THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO presented as a shadow play. Thoth (whom many may remember as the Egyptian God of Magic) is the Master of Ceremonies.
Variety numbers, including THE MAGIC MAN and THE DANCING SKELETON will be interspersed throughout the show to provide a bit of amusement amidst the otherwise unrelenting gloom.
Variety numbers, including THE MAGIC MAN and THE DANCING SKELETON will be interspersed throughout the show to provide a bit of amusement amidst the otherwise unrelenting gloom.
Clay Martin's Puppet Theater began in 1979 as a street show in Seattle's Pike Place Market. Using hand puppets and a medieval-style walking puppet stage, Clay presented 5 minute adaptations of such literary classics as MOBY DICK, FRANKENSTEIN, and HAMLET.
Since then, he has worked with master puppeteers Rolf Trexler in Rothenburg, Germany and Burr Tillstrom, creator of the "Kukla, Fran and Ollie Show." He has performed in festivals throughout the world including the International Microtheater Festival in Dordrecht, Holland and the Preetz Papiertheater Treffen in Preetz, Germany. He has also taken his renowned PUNCH & JUDY show to the Punch and Judy Festival in Covent Garden, London. While working primarily with hand puppets, he has also produced marionette productions such as Mozart's opera BASTIEN & BASTIENNE, which featured singers from the Seattle Opera, as well as marionette productions of DON JUAN and FAUST based on his own translations of 19th century German texts. He created two puppet shows on commission from the Seattle Art Museum - PAINTING AMERICA and STAGOLEE!
The first based on the work of 19th century American painter Eastman Johnson and the second based on the work of 20th century African-America artist Jacob Lawrence. His work in the field of shadow puppetry includes THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO and A VISIT FROM ST NICKLAUS. He also works in Toy Theater, re-creating classic Juvenile Drama pieces like JACK THE GIANT-KILLER and ALI BABA, as well as creating his own productions of DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE and NYAP AND NYAKWE an African folktale. Clay currently lives on Vashon Island. He performs throughout the Northwest at fairs, festivals, schools, libraries and burlesque shows. His latest show is TREASURE ISLAND & OTHER WATERY TALES featuring music by Seattle's TOUCAN PIRATES and a stage designed and painted by his daughter, Lillian Ripley.
Since then, he has worked with master puppeteers Rolf Trexler in Rothenburg, Germany and Burr Tillstrom, creator of the "Kukla, Fran and Ollie Show." He has performed in festivals throughout the world including the International Microtheater Festival in Dordrecht, Holland and the Preetz Papiertheater Treffen in Preetz, Germany. He has also taken his renowned PUNCH & JUDY show to the Punch and Judy Festival in Covent Garden, London. While working primarily with hand puppets, he has also produced marionette productions such as Mozart's opera BASTIEN & BASTIENNE, which featured singers from the Seattle Opera, as well as marionette productions of DON JUAN and FAUST based on his own translations of 19th century German texts. He created two puppet shows on commission from the Seattle Art Museum - PAINTING AMERICA and STAGOLEE!
The first based on the work of 19th century American painter Eastman Johnson and the second based on the work of 20th century African-America artist Jacob Lawrence. His work in the field of shadow puppetry includes THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO and A VISIT FROM ST NICKLAUS. He also works in Toy Theater, re-creating classic Juvenile Drama pieces like JACK THE GIANT-KILLER and ALI BABA, as well as creating his own productions of DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE and NYAP AND NYAKWE an African folktale. Clay currently lives on Vashon Island. He performs throughout the Northwest at fairs, festivals, schools, libraries and burlesque shows. His latest show is TREASURE ISLAND & OTHER WATERY TALES featuring music by Seattle's TOUCAN PIRATES and a stage designed and painted by his daughter, Lillian Ripley.
"One of America's top puppeteers."
--Martin L. Platt, Artistic Director, Santa Fe Stages
"I was amazed at the variety of puppet types and excellent quality of performance managed by only one puppeteer!"
--Kathy Goble, Librarian, North End Library
"…his miraculous hands move about a cast of characters out of Shakespeare, Hugo, and Poe."
--Bob Armstrong, The Seattle Weekly
"…..Damn, Clay Martin is brilliant."
--Bret Fetzer, THE STRANGER
"A master of this age-old art form, Martin brings stories to rip-roaring life."
--Cheryl Murfin-Bond SEATTLE'S CHILD
"This is NOT boring!"
--2nd grader, Lafayette Elementary School, Seattle
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