ORANGE CITY – The Cashore Marionettes are not just for kids! Joseph Cashore has received national awards for creating puppet shows for all ages, from children to adults. He will be presenting a show in Orange City Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m. at Northwestern College’s Christ Chapel. Sponsor is the Orange City Arts Council.
Cashore remembers seeing his first marionette at age 10 or 11; it was hanging from the ceiling of a gift shop. He stood and imagined the possibilities, then worked up the courage to ask the saleswoman if he could try moving the marionette. She said ‘no.’
Cashore Marionettes: elephant
That didn’t stop Cashore. He eventually created a puppet that would convincingly “play” a violin solo – Ralph Vaughn Williams’ “The Lark Ascending.” He worked long and hard to solve the technical problems. As a result, “the quality of manipulation is unparalleled, and the effect upon the audience is powerful,” said The Center of Contemporary Arts in St. Louis.
His awards include a Pew Fellowship for Performance Art for artistic accomplishment and a Henson Foundation Grant which encourages puppetry to adult audiences. He received the highest honor possible for an American puppeteer, a UNIMA Citation of Excellence… “awarded to shows that touch their audiences deeply; that totally engage, enchant and enthrall.” Joe and Wilma Cashore have toured across Europe and North America, including the Kennedy Center, and received accolades everywhere.
Cashore Marionettes: mother & baby
The Toronto Sun said: “The range of movement truly has to be seen to be believed, and even that might be pushing it!”
According to Baylin Artists, Cashore Marionettes are “unmatched in artistry, grace and refinement of movement. They redefine the art of puppetry.”
Cashore has created a show that celebrates everyday life with humor and feeling, set to music by composers including Beethoven, Vivaldi, Strauss and Copland. It’s a theatrical piece which uses marionettes to evoke strong emotion… so parents of young children are asked to take that into consideration.
General admission tickets are $10 adults, $7 students, and free for children ages 5 and under. Tickets are available at Orange City Arts Council, Dove Christian Bookstore, Northwestern College theatre and music departments, and at the door.
Marionettes for all ages
They’re not just for kids! Cashore Marionettes, founded by Joseph Cashore, has received national awards for creating shows that appeal to all ages. The Toronto Sun said, “Each creation is a slice of life, awe-inspiring in the minutest detail.” Tickets for the April 8 Orange City show are available at OC Arts Council, Dove Bookstore and Northwestern theatre and music departments.
The show is the final in the 2013-’14 Beyond Onstage series, sponsored by the Orange City Arts Council, with support from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For information, phone 712-707-4885 or email ocarts@orangecityiowa.com.
Check out Cashore Marionettes here.
Life in Motion from Joe Cashore on Vimeo.
Links: http://cashoremarionettes.com/
