PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center will host a performance of “Ship of Fools: A Giant Puppet Odyssey” in the meadow of Webster’s Woods on Thursday.
The outdoor performance will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the center at 1203 E. Lauridsen Blvd. Tickets are $18 for adults who are not members of the center and $16 for member adults; $12 and $10 for youth, $50 for a family of four and $52 for a family of five. They can be purchased at https://pafac.kindful.com/e/ship- of-fools-1.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket, lawn chair and picnic down into the meadow. They may use the new accessible trail from the center’s parking lot for a more comfortable route to the meadow. Additional parking can be found along Lauridsen Boulevard, at Franklin Elementary School or Peninsula College.
Ice cream will be available for purchase from Welly’s Ice Cream.
The show is written, created and performed by String and Shadow, a performance company based in Olympia. It is a troupe of multi-disciplinary performance artists known for creating giant puppet shows set to live, original music.
Using paper-mache, cardboard, bamboo and cloth (among many other found and recycled materials), String and Shadow creates giant puppets and masks and weaves them into performances for all ages.
“We could not be more excited to bring this performance to Port Angeles for our community to experience,” said Rachel Storck, the center’s community engagement director.
“String and Shadow is an incredibly creative group of artists with a truly unique way of connecting to audiences,” she said.
“From stunning visuals to fantastical plots, you’ll be blown away by these talented storytellers.”
“Ship of Fools: A Giant Puppet Odyssey” is the fifth original show by String and Shadow.
A mix of magical realism, science fiction and folk tale, “Ship of Fools” is a nautical journey for all ages. In it, three mimes set sail from the Port of Styx across the mythical boundary waters connecting the world of the living to the underworld.
Aboard a mysteriously sentient ship, they encounter a world of beautiful and strange creatures: hermit crabs carrying houses on their backs, a ghostly humpback whale and much more.
Under layers of colorful fabric and dancing cardboard, Ship of Fools deals with themes of loss and acceptance, depicting a wondrous unknown and speaking to the power of friendship and love. It is brought to life by three mimes, three musicians and six puppeteers.
For more about the center, see www.pafac.org.
