A Foolish Premiere! Death and the Fool by Happenstance Theater at the Maryland Renaissance Festival 1821 Crownsville Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401 Sat Oct 5 at 5:15pm Sun Oct 6 at 5:15pm Sat Oct 12 at 5:15pm Sun Oct 13 at 5:15pm Sat Oct 19 at 5:15pm Sun Oct 20 at 5:15pm Tickets: HERE
Photo by Walter Reeves
Back by Popular Demand! CABARET NOIR with Happenstance Theater Oct 24 - Nov 10, 2024 at Baltimore Theatre Project 45 W Preston St, Baltimore, MD 21201 CABARET NOIR video trailer. Tickets: HERE
Happenstance Theater’s CABARET NOIR is a Film Noir inspired theatrical montage. This series of dark, comic vignettes reveals Femmes Fatales and fedoras, trench coats and torch songs, physical comedy, object manipulation, and music played on multiple instruments. Featuring Mark Jaster, Sabrina Mandell, Gwen Grastorf, Sarah Olmsted Thomas, Alex Vernon, and guest musician Stephanie Baird.
Photo by Richard Termine
Pennsylvania Premiere! MAROONED! A Space Comedy by Alex and Olmsted at the Weis Center at Bucknell University 525 Weis Dr, Lewisburg, PA 17837 MAROONED! video trailer. Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 at 4pm Tickets: HERE
An astronaut traveling 87,000 light years into space crash-lands on an uncharted planet where she must resort to emergency measures to seek rescue. From the award-winning team Alex and Olmsted, MAROONED! A Space Comedy is a show where elegant puppetry design meets joyful, meaningful storytelling. Live performance, shadow puppetry and marionettes shine to delightful effect in a production that is “Achingly beautiful...” (Maryland Theatre Guide) and “...amusing, charming, delightful and, at times, utterly and completely astonishing” (DC Theatre Scene). This Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded show is puppetry life support of the best kind – at just the right moment. *MAROONED! was awarded a 2020 Jim Henson Foundation grant and a 2024 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence.
This production of MAROONED! A Space Comedy is made possible in part by a Touring Grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.
Photo by Ryan Maxwell Photography
Happy Birthday, Mon Ami by Alex and Olmsted at Baltimore Theatre Project 45 W Preston St, Baltimore, MD 21201 Thursday, Dec 5 at 8pm Friday, Dec 6 at 8pm Saturday, Dec 7 at 3pm Saturday, Dec 7 at 8pm Sunday, Dec 8 at 4pm Tickets: HERE
Class, cultures, and expectations clash when Jacques’ American cousin Sam visits him in Paris for a birthday celebration. Winner of a 2024 Jim Henson Foundation grant award, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MON AMI combines glove puppetry, live music, and audience participation to create a delightful hour of fun for the whole family.
This production of HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MON AMI is made possible in part by a Touring Grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.
Photo by Ryan Maxwell Photography
Happy Birthday, Mon Ami by Alex and Olmsted at The National Theatre 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004 Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 9:30 & 11am Tickets: SOON
Class, cultures, and expectations clash when Jacques’ American cousin Sam visits him in Paris for a birthday celebration. Winner of a 2024 Jim Henson Foundation grant award, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MON AMI combines glove puppetry, live music, and audience participation to create a delightful hour of fun for the whole family.
Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez
A Documentary Film Available Now! People | Things Episode 17: Alex and Olmsted by Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez Watch Carlos' film: HERE.
"People | Things" is a project by Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez that profiles artists and their creative processes. Over the past 6 months, we've had the unique pleasure of getting to work with Carlos and our film shoots often waxed philosophical as we chipped away at the Why and How of making art.
PAST 2024 PROJECTS:
Photo by Richard Termine
Alex and Olmsted's Milo the Magnificent® at the Center Stage - Reston Community Center 2310 Colts Neck Rd, Reston, VA 20191 Milo video trailer Sunday, September 29 at 3pm Tickets: HERE
Alex and Olmsted's Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded Milo the Magnificent®is a highly engaging puppet show about an aspiring magician. This wordless comedy, inspired by turn of the century vaudeville entertainers, is as highly physical as it is charming. Using stunningly innovative puppetry, Milo presents a variety of magic tricks which don’t always go as planned.
Photo by Richard Termine
Maine Premiere! MAROONED! A Space Comedy by Alex and Olmsted at thePuppets in Portland Festival John Ford Auditorium 284 Cumberland Ave, Portland, ME 04101 MAROONED! video trailer. Friday, September 20 at 7pm Saturday, September 21 at 7pm Tickets: HERE
An astronaut traveling 87,000 light years into space crash-lands on an uncharted planet where she must resort to emergency measures to seek rescue. From the award-winning team Alex and Olmsted, MAROONED! A Space Comedy is a show where elegant puppetry design meets joyful, meaningful storytelling. Live performance, shadow puppetry and marionettes shine to delightful effect in a production that is “Achingly beautiful...” (Maryland Theatre Guide) and “...amusing, charming, delightful and, at times, utterly and completely astonishing” (DC Theatre Scene). This Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded show is puppetry life support of the best kind – at just the right moment.
*MAROONED! was awarded a 2020 Jim Henson Foundation grant and a 2024 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence.
Ryan Maxwell Photography
Vermont Premiere! MAROONED! A Space Comedy by Alex and Olmsted at the Puppets in the Green Mountains International Festival of Puppet Theater at the Latchis Theatre 50 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301 MAROONED! video trailer. Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024 at 4pm Tickets: HERE An astronaut traveling 87,000 light years into space crash-lands on an uncharted planet where she must resort to emergency measures to seek rescue. From the award-winning team Alex and Olmsted, MAROONED! A Space Comedy is a show where elegant puppetry design meets joyful, meaningful storytelling. Live performance, shadow puppetry and marionettes shine to delightful effect in a production that is “Achingly beautiful...” (Maryland Theatre Guide) and “...amusing, charming, delightful and, at times, utterly and completely astonishing” (DC Theatre Scene). This Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded show is puppetry life support of the best kind – at just the right moment. *MAROONED! was awarded a 2020 Jim Henson Foundation grant and a 2024 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence.
Alex U. Griffin Photography
Alex and Olmsted's Milo the Magnificent® at the Workhouse Arts Center 9518 Workhouse Wy, Lorton, VA 22079 Milo video trailer Friday, July 12 at 11am Saturday, July 13 at 2pm Tickets: HERE
Alex and Olmsted's Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded Milo the Magnificent®is a highly engaging puppet show about an aspiring magician. This wordless comedy, inspired by turn of the century vaudeville entertainers, is as highly physical as it is charming. Using stunningly innovative puppetry, Milo presents a variety of magic tricks which don’t always go as planned. This production of Milo the Magnificent® is made possible in part by a Touring Grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.
NOTHEAST TOUR with Happenstance Theater
Leslie Swan Photography
A sophisticated, family-friendly, pocket-sized theatrical clown circus! These charming vintage clowns play circus animals, sing as a human calliope, do the classic circus mirror routine, invent a number of ridiculous "entrées," perform live music, and execute a very satisfying slow motion number involving a PIE! Featuring Mark Jaster, Sabrina Mandell, Gwen Grastorf, Sarah Olmsted Thomas, and Alex Vernon.
Sunday, June 23 at 1pm at the Waterfront Museum in Brooklyn, New York 290 Conover St, Brooklyn, NY 11231 Tickets for the Waterfront Museum HERE.
Sunday, June 23 at 7pm at The Pines in the Catskills 5327 Route 212 Mount Tremper, NY 12457 Tickets for The Pines: FREE! More info HERE.
June 28 at 11am & 2pm atStepping Stones Children' Museum in Norwalk, CT 303 West Ave, Norwalk, CT 06850 Tickets for Stepping Stones HERE.
June 29 at 3pm at The Foundry in West Stockbridge, MA 2 Harris Street, West Stockbridge, MA 01266 Tickets for The Foundry HERE.
June 30 at 3pm at the Camden Opera House 29 Elm St, Camden, ME 04843 Tickets for the Camden Opera HERE.
A FREE performance in the Park! PREPOSTEROUS! A Happenstance Circus with Happenstance Theater PREPOSTEROUS! video trailer. Saturday, June 22 at 10am at the Cabin John Regional Park 7400 Tuckerman Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817 Tickets: FREE! More info here.
Leslie Swan Photography
The Triumphant Return of the Famous Variety Show! Clown Cabaret with Happenstance Theater at The Writer’s Center 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda, MD 20815 Monday, June 17 at 8pm Tickets: HERE
Alex U. Griffin Photography
Pennsylvania Premiere! Alex and Olmsted's Milo the Magnificent® at Gretna Music at theMt. Gretna Playhouse 200 Pennsylvania Ave, Mt Gretna, PA 17064 Milo video trailer Saturday, June 15 at 7pm Tickets: FREE! More info here.
Ryan Maxwell Photography
Tennessee Premiere! HUBBA HUBBA by Alex and Olmsted at the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts Hubba Hubba video trailer. Murfreesboro, TN, USA June 9, 2024 at 7:00pm This is a closed performance for the students of the Governor's School.
Created and performed by the Jim Henson Foundation grant award-winning Alex and Olmsted (Milo the Magnificent® and MAROONED! A Space Comedy) comes HUBBA HUBBA*, a new show about romantic love that is “...equal parts awkwardness and side-splitting laughter” (Broadway World). Using puppetry and physical comedy, from the sublime to the ridiculous, Alex and Olmsted present love and all its quirks. Suitable for all ages!
*HUBBA HUBBA was awarded a 2023 Creativity Grant from the Maryland State Arts Council
Photograph by H. Armstrong Roberts
World Premiere! Happy Birthday, Mon Ami by Alex and Olmsted at Black Cherry Puppet Theater 1115 Hollins St, Baltimore, MD 21223 May 30 - June 2, 2024 Thursday, May 30 at 7:00pm Friday, May 31 7:00pm Saturday, June 1 at 2:00pm & Saturday, June 1 at 6:30pm Sunday, June 2 at 2:00pm Tickets: HERE!
Class, cultures, and expectations clash when Jacques' American cousin Sam visits him in Paris for a birthday celebration. Winner of a 2024 Jim Henson Foundation family grant award, Happy Birthday, Mon Ami will premiere at Baltimore's renowned Black Cherry Puppet Theater.
Poster by Maya Lawrence.
An evening of Puppetry & Performance for Grown-ups! Black Cherry Puppet Theater's Spring Puppet Slamwich outside at Current Space! 421 N Howard St, Baltimore, MD 21201 Saturday May 18th at 5pm & 8pm Tickets: $12-15 available HERE
Performances by: Alex & Olmsted Chuck Nesci Kevin Sherry The Lantern Sisters Mable Bucannon Palmer Mike Bace Natthew Marvan
And Lambe Lambe performers: Cecilia Cackley & Kara Turner
Photo by Leslie Swan Photography
Ride the Carousel on its opening day! PREPOSTEROUS! A Happenstance Circus with Happenstance Theater PREPOSTEROUS! video trailer. at the Spanish Ballroom in Glen Echo Park 7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD 20812 Saturday, APRIL 27 at noon. Tickets: FREE! More information here. A sophisticated, family-friendly, pocket-sized theatrical clown circus! These charming vintage clowns play circus animals, sing as a human calliope, do the classic circus mirror routine, invent a number of ridiculous "entrées," perform live music, and execute a very satisfying slow motion number involving a PIE! Featuring Mark Jaster, Sabrina Mandell, Gwen Grastorf, Sarah Olmsted Thomas, and Alex Vernon.
Alex U. Griffin Photography
Milo the Magnificent® by Alex and Olmsted at Port Discovery in Baltimore, Maryland, USA Milo video trailer. April 13 at 1pm Tickets: FREE with admission to the museum. Alex and Olmsted's Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded Milo the Magnificent®is a highly engaging puppet show about an aspiring magician. This wordless comedy, inspired by turn of the century vaudeville entertainers, is as highly physical as it is charming. Using stunningly innovative puppetry, Milo presents a variety of magic tricks which don’t always go as planned.
Ryan Maxwell Photography
Back by Popular Demand! HUBBA HUBBA by Alex and Olmsted at Baltimore Theatre Project 45 W Preston St, Baltimore, MD 21201 Hubba Hubba video trailer. March 21 - 31, 2024 March 21 @ 8pm (Pay What You Can) March 22 @ 8pm March 23 @ 3pm March 23 @ 8pm March 24 @ 4pm
March 28 @ 8pm March 29 @ 8pm March 30 @ 3pm March 30 @ 8pm March 31 @ 4pm Tickets: HERE Created and performed by the Jim Henson Foundation grant award-winning Alex and Olmsted (Milo the Magnificent® and MAROONED! A Space Comedy) comes HUBBA HUBBA*, a new show about romantic love that is “...equal parts awkwardness and side-splitting laughter” (Broadway World). Using puppetry and physical comedy, from the sublime to the ridiculous, Alex and Olmsted present love and all its quirks. Suitable for all ages!
*HUBBA HUBBA was awarded a 2023 Creativity Grant from the Maryland State Arts Council
Glenn Ricci Photography
EXTENDED! BY OVERWHELIMG DEMAND! ADRIFT: A Medieval Wayward Folly by Happenstance Theater at Baltimore Theatre Project 45 W Preston St, Baltimore, MD 21201 ADRIFT video trailer. March 15-17, 2024 Tickets: HERE Happenstance Theater is developing a new work inspired by medieval imagery and archetypes collected from the works of Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel, the Tarot, and reinterpretations of religious art. Drawing parallels between our current moment and the "dark ages," the ensemble will explore and exploit buffoonery, magic, notions of good, evil, and absurdity with angelic music, devised and existing text, puppetry and movement. Like a ship of fools, this pod of eccentrics will drift into the world to bring delight, share hopes and fears, find a way forward, and then parade away. Featuring Mark Jaster, Sabrina Mandell, Gwen Grastorf, Sarah Olmsted Thomas, and Alex Vernon.
Ryan Maxwell Photography
NYC Premiere! MAROONED! A Space Comedy by Alex and Olmsted at the HERE Arts Center 145 6th Ave, New York, NY 10013 MAROONED! video trailer. March 5-10, 2024 Tickets: HERE
Alex and Olmsted's Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded MAROONED! A Space Comedy is an innovative new puppet show, featuring music from the Voyager Golden Record, that takes place at the outer reaches of space. An astronaut crashes on an uncharted planet. Will she be able to survive strange creatures, anomalous atmosphere, and isolation in order to find her way home? See for yourself… in MAROONED!
*MAROONED! was awarded a 2020 Jim Henson Foundation grant and a 2024 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence.
Glenn Ricci Photography
Just back from the triumphant Off-Broadway run! ADRIFT: A Medieval Wayward Folly by Happenstance Theater at Baltimore Theatre Project 45 W Preston St, Baltimore, MD 21201 ADRIFT video trailer. February 22 – March 3, 2024 Tickets: HERE Happenstance Theater is developing a new work inspired by medieval imagery and archetypes collected from the works of Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel, the Tarot, and reinterpretations of religious art. Drawing parallels between our current moment and the "dark ages," the ensemble will explore and exploit buffoonery, magic, notions of good, evil, and absurdity with angelic music, devised and existing text, puppetry and movement. Like a ship of fools, this pod of eccentrics will drift into the world to bring delight, share hopes and fears, find a way forward, and then parade away. Featuring Mark Jaster, Sabrina Mandell, Gwen Grastorf, Sarah Olmsted Thomas, and Alex Vernon.
Ryan Maxwell Photography
Chicago Premiere! MAROONED! A Space Comedy by Alex and Olmsted at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival Chopin Theatre (mainstage) 1543 W. Division St. Chicago, Illinois, USA MAROONED! video trailer. Monday, January 22 at 7 pm Tuesday, January 23 at 7 pm Wednesday, January 24 at 5 pm & 8pm (additional show just added!) Tickets: HERE Alex and Olmsted's Jim Henson Foundation grant awarded MAROONED! A Space Comedy* is an innovative new puppet show, featuring music from the Voyager Golden Record, that takes place at the outer reaches of space. An astronaut crashes on an uncharted planet. Will she be able to survive strange creatures, anomalous atmosphere, and isolation in order to find her way home? See for yourself… in MAROONED! *MAROONED! was awarded a 2020 Jim Henson Foundation grant and a 2024 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence.
DJ Corey Photography
Under the Puppet Podcast! EPISODE 79 feat. Alex and Olmsted Released January 1, 2023 Listen: HERE
Under the Puppet, hosted by Grant Baciocco, is a podcast that is preserving puppetry through the personal stories of professional puppeteers. Available wherever podcasts are found.
Alex & Olmsted is an internationally acclaimed puppet theater and filmmaking company than has been the recipient of two Jim Henson Foundation Grants. They create puppet magic in many different mediums and will be performing live at the 2023 National Puppetry Festival. I talk to Alex & Olmsted about their path to puppetry, their wonderful shows including Milo the Magnificent and much more on this episode of Under The Puppet.
Happenstance has launched an interactive website called THE JUXTAPOSE TENEMENT. This virtual shadow-box tenement building, inspired by the works of Joseph Cornell, features portals through which visitors glean poetic glimpses of characters, environments, and fantasias. Juxtaposer Tenement video trailer HERE.
