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26 March 2009 16:11

Children’s Puppet Show Festival Held in Rivne

March 24-25, Rivne Oblast Academic Theater hosted the You and I in Wonderland children’s puppet show festival. The festival was a result of the Mriya [Dream] project by the Lyalkar [Puppeteer] Rivne Oblast Youth Organization, started last October.

The project was one of the winners of the Small Culture and Arts Projects Grant Program by the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation. Its goal is helping children with limited abilities, orphans, children deprived of parents care, through creating favorable conditions for their balanced development through the theater and creativity. For several months children have been learning how to make and operate puppets and made sets for the future shows.

The You and I in Wonderland festival was timed to coincide with two events: the International Day of the Theater and International Day of the Puppeteer. Almost 100 students of the Mizok, Ostroh, and Kleva special boarding schools and Bereznia Secondary School No. 2 appeared onstage. The yiung puppeteers presented the Bremen Town Musicians and Friends Rescuing the Sun show. Also, the festival featured an exhibition of puppets, toys, and stage sets made at the master classes.

The festival was organized by the Lyalkar [Puppeteer] Rivne Oblast Youth Organization, working in this field since 2007. Members of the organizations, most of who are staff members of the puppet theater, have a great experience in working with children. In addition to shows, the Lyalkar carries out many social actions for children.