Puppet Show: A Very Fairy Tale
One Dennis Vierling, from New Bern Puppets, will be with us after a pool party and pot luck dinner at Jack’s on July 23, to present a puppet show: A Very Fairy Tale … with a gay theme. (Arrive at Jack’s for the pool party at 6:00; the potluck will begin at 7:00.)
Plot: [Do not read. Full of spoilers!] A prince is cursed and blinded. He is exiled to the Haunted Forest until he wins love’s first kiss. Will the prince find love, or will he be a meal for the frightful creatures who dwell there? [See? You knew not to, but you read it anyway!]
Title of Show: A Very Fairy Tale
Dennis is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and has been doing puppetry as a hobby since he was 13 years old. This gradually evolved into a small business called New Bern Puppets, which is a traveling puppet show. He drives throughout eastern North Carolina to museums, festivals, fairs, schools and churches, performing shows. His characters are marionettes (stringed puppets), and he writes the dialogue, using rhymes and songs to entertain children and adults alike. Most of the shows are fantasy, though some are historical or Biblical performances.
Puppetry as an art form has declined with the rise of CGI,* and many people, including most children, have never seen a live puppet show. However, children and adults appear to cherish the experience of seeing this art form, and New Bern Puppets has been invited back by nearly all their clients for future shows.
Dennis plans to give a talk about the history of puppetry and his experience as a puppeteer. Then he will present “A Very Fairy Tale,” a short show he wrote (you’ll see the gay theme). After the show he will open up to answer questions. Dennis looks forward to showing the gentlemen at Mary Renault Society (yes, both of them) what he does. Some have heard about the business, but this will be an opportunity to see what an actual performance is like.
“CGI” stands for “Computer Generated Images” – those digitized computer created images so popular in movies and on TV.
A note from Dennis Vierling following his presentation:
Dear Bill and Mary Renault Society, hooray!
I pen this rhyme with joy, I must convey,
To thank you all for granting me a space,
To share my puppetry and marionette embrace.
Your welcome arms at Jack’s embraced my puppet show,
A heartfelt thanks, it truly means a lot, you know.
With strings and threads, my marionettes danced free,
In awe I watched, as “A Very Fairy Tale” came to be.
A stage adorned with colors bright and bold,
The audience's eyes, like stars, they hold.
Their laughter and applause, like music sweet,
Echoed through the air, a standing ovation to greet.
I spoke with fervor about the puppeteer's art,
How each character is a piece of my heart.
With nimble fingers, I bring them to life,
Weaving tales of wonder, joy, or strife.
The Mary Renault Society, oh, how I'm blessed,
For the chance to share the passion for which I’m obsessed.
With puppetry's magic, we found a connection,
A symphony of souls in joyful reflection.
To each member of your wonderful congregation,
Your enthusiasm filled me with elation.
Your curiosity and smiles were pure delight,
In your company, my spirits reached new heights.
So here's a heartfelt thank you from Keith and me,
For welcoming our marionettes with glee.
I'll cherish the memories we've woven together,
In the tapestry of life, a bond to forever tether.
May your days be filled with laughter and glee,
As you journey through life, carefree and carefree.
And as I bid adieu, with a heart full of glee,
Thank you once again, dear friends, for having me!
With gratitude and warmest wishes,
Dennis