{"id":112902,"date":"2016-05-19T09:33:12","date_gmt":"2016-05-19T13:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=112902"},"modified":"2016-05-24T10:27:56","modified_gmt":"2016-05-24T14:27:56","slug":"uconn-puppets-take-pops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2016\/05\/uconn-puppets-take-pops\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Puppets Take the Pops"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Students from UConn\u2019s internationally renowned Puppet Arts Program created original works and built 40 puppets to perform with the Boston Pops Orchestra, featuring a puppet of legendary conductor Arthur Fielder.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"UConn Puppets Take the Pops\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4xogzGzXmNQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>When Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart raises his baton on Saturday to begin the \u201cPuppets Take the Pops\u201d program at Symphony Hall in Boston, the performance will mark the culmination of nearly five months of developing a series of original puppet vignettes created by a class of UConn students.<\/p>\n<p>The students participated in a special class this past spring semester led by Bart Roccoberton Jr., head of the Puppet Arts Program, which developed six vignettes inspired by the music of Leroy Anderson, the iconic American arranger and composer (\u201cSleigh Ride,\u201d \u201cThe Syncopated Clock,\u201d \u201cThe Typewriter\u201d). Anderson lived in Woodbury, Conn., and was a longtime collaborator with the legendary Pops conductor, the late Arthur Fiedler.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are always looking for new collaborators and inspiration, and creative partners that will really enhance the music by adding some sort of visual element that is not normally there,\u201d Lockhart says. \u201cWe really wanted something to mark this collaboration that was new, that we had created. We gave them a lot of Leroy Anderson to listen to. He was kind of the poet laureate of the Boston Pops. We have been adding greater emphasis to our family matinees during the Pops season. It\u2019s going to be wonderful for our audiences, and a great experience for the students involved. My only regret is that since I have to conduct it and will be behind the puppets, I have the worst seat in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPuppets Take the Pops\u201d will be performed at 3 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, and again on May 24 at 8 p.m. as part of \u201cArthur Fiedler Night \/Harvard 50th Reunion Night.\u201d When he was a Harvard graduate student, Anderson served as director of the Harvard University Band.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the Anderson compositions, the program will begin with the UConn puppeteers performing \u201cPeter and the Wolf,\u201d the children\u2019s story composed in 1936 by Sergei Prokofiev that is narrated to the accompaniment of an orchestra. The narrator will be a puppet of Arthur Fielder commissioned by the Boston Pops and created by Roccoberton and Sarah Nolen \u201915 MFA. Kalob Martinez \u201916 MFA will give voice to the Fiedler puppet.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wonderplugingallery-container\" id=\"wonderplugingallery-container-29\" style=\"max-width:640px;margin:0 auto;\"><div class=\"wonderplugingallery\" id=\"wonderplugingallery-29\" data-galleryid=\"29\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"420\" data-skin=\"light\" data-autoslide=\"false\" data-autoplayvideo=\"false\" data-schemamarkup=\"false\" data-autoslideandplayafterfirstplayed=\"false\" data-html5player=\"true\" data-responsive=\"true\" data-fullwidth=\"false\" data-showtitle=\"true\" data-showdescription=\"true\" data-showplaybutton=\"true\" data-showfullscreenbutton=\"true\" data-showtimer=\"true\" data-showcarousel=\"true\" data-galleryshadow=\"false\" data-slideshadow=\"true\" data-thumbshowtitle=\"false\" data-thumbshadow=\"true\" data-lightboxshowtitle=\"true\" data-lightboxshowdescription=\"true\" data-specifyid=\"true\" data-donotinit=\"false\" data-addinitscript=\"false\" data-triggerresize=\"false\" data-thumbcolumnsresponsive=\"false\" data-showimgtitle=\"false\" data-titlesmallscreen=\"false\" data-initsocial=\"false\" data-showsocial=\"false\" data-showemail=\"false\" data-showfacebook=\"false\" data-showtwitter=\"false\" data-showpinterest=\"false\" data-socialrotateeffect=\"false\" data-doshortcodeontext=\"false\" data-duration=\"1500\" data-slideduration=\"1000\" data-slideshowinterval=\"6000\" data-googleanalyticsaccount=\"\" data-resizemode=\"fill\" data-imagetoolboxmode=\"mouseover\" data-effect=\"fade\" data-padding=\"12\" data-bgcolor=\"\" data-bgimage=\"\" data-thumbwidth=\"48\" data-thumbheight=\"48\" data-thumbgap=\"8\" data-thumbrowgap=\"16\" data-lightboxtextheight=\"72\" data-lightboxtitlecss=\"{color:#333333; font:bold 12px Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; overflow:hidden; white-space:normal; line-height:18px;}\" data-lightboxdescriptioncss=\"{color:#333333; font:normal 12px Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; overflow:hidden; white-space:normal; line-height:14px;}\" data-titlecss=\"{color:#ffffff; font-size:14px; font-family:Armata, sans-serif, Arial; overflow:hidden; white-space:normal; text-align:left; padding:10px 0px 10px 10px;  background:rgb(102, 102, 102) transparent; background:rgba(102, 102, 102, 0.6); display:none;}\" data-descriptioncss=\"{color:#ffffff; font-size:12px; font-family:Armata, sans-serif, Arial; overflow:hidden; white-space:normal; text-align:left; padding: 10px;  background:rgb(102, 102, 102) transparent; background:rgba(102, 102, 102, 0.6);}\" data-titleheight=\"72\" data-titlesmallscreenwidth=\"640\" data-titleheightsmallscreen=\"148\" data-triggerresizedelay=\"100\" data-thumbmediumsize=\"800\" data-thumbsmallsize=\"480\" data-thumbmediumwidth=\"64\" data-thumbmediumheight=\"64\" data-thumbsmallwidth=\"48\" data-thumbsmallheight=\"48\" data-jsfolder=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/plugins\/wonderplugin-library\/engine\/\" style=\"display:none;\" ><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/FIEDLER-5-18-4.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/FIEDLER-5-18-4-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"FIEDLER 5 18 4\" data-description=\"The Arthur Fiedler puppet. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">FIEDLER 5 18 4<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">The Arthur Fiedler puppet. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/FIEDLER-5-18-2.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/FIEDLER-5-18-2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"FIEDLER 5 18 2\" data-description=\"The Arthur Fiedler puppet. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">FIEDLER 5 18 2<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">The Arthur Fiedler puppet. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/SLEIGH-RIDE.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/SLEIGH-RIDE-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"SLEIGH RIDE\" data-description=\"A scene from the &#39;Sleigh Ride&#39; vignette, with Santa (the Fiedler puppet) and two reindeer touring Boston. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">SLEIGH RIDE<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">A scene from the &#039;Sleigh Ride&#039; vignette, with Santa (the Fiedler puppet) and two reindeer touring Boston. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/FIEDLER-1_3x2.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/FIEDLER-1_3x2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"FIEDLER 1_3x2\" data-description=\"Arthur Fiedler puppet. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">FIEDLER 1_3x2<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Arthur Fiedler puppet. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/FIEDLER-4.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/FIEDLER-4-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"FIEDLER 4\" data-description=\"Arthur Fiedler Puppet with Peter and the Wolf. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">FIEDLER 4<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Arthur Fiedler Puppet with Peter and the Wolf. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-12.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-12-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 12\" data-description=\"Rehearsal for &#39;Peter and the Wolf&#39; on April 30, 2016. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 12<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Rehearsal for &#039;Peter and the Wolf&#039; on April 30, 2016. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/PopsToDoList_3x2cropnolen1604219c081.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/PopsToDoList_3x2cropnolen1604219c081-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"PopsToDoList_3x2cropnolen1604219c081\" data-description=\"A &#39;to-do list&#39; for the Arthur Fiedler puppetry performance for the Boston Pops, on April 19, 2016. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">PopsToDoList_3x2cropnolen1604219c081<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">A &#039;to-do list&#039; for the Arthur Fiedler puppetry performance for the Boston Pops, on April 19, 2016. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/nolen1604219c015-e1461163623497.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/nolen1604219c015-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"nolen1604219c015\" data-description=\"Sarah Nolen MFA &#39;15 making the Arthur Fiedler puppet for the Boston Pops performance. April 19, 2016. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">nolen1604219c015<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Sarah Nolen MFA &#039;15 making the Arthur Fiedler puppet for the Boston Pops performance. April 19, 2016. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/nolen1604219c050-e1461163660794.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/nolen1604219c050-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"nolen1604219c050\" data-description=\"Sarah Nolen MFA &#39;15 demonstrates the mouth movements of the Arthur Fiedler puppet for the Boston Pops performance.  The head in the foreground is the pattern model for the final puppet. April 19, 2016. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">nolen1604219c050<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Sarah Nolen MFA &#039;15 demonstrates the mouth movements of the Arthur Fiedler puppet for the Boston Pops performance.  The head in the foreground is the pattern model for the final puppet. April 19, 2016. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-19_3x2crop-e1463602216464.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-19_3x2crop-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 19_3x2crop\" data-description=\"Mark Blashford, second year MFA student, presents a storyboard. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 19_3x2crop<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Mark Blashford, second year MFA student, presents a storyboard. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/nolen1604219c032-e1461163670115.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/nolen1604219c032-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"nolen1604219c032\" data-description=\"Sarah Nolen MFA &#39;15 building the Arthur Fiedler puppet for the Boston Pops performance. The head in the foreground is the pattern model for the final puppet. April 19, 2016. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">nolen1604219c032<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Sarah Nolen MFA &#039;15 building the Arthur Fiedler puppet for the Boston Pops performance. The head in the foreground is the pattern model for the final puppet. April 19, 2016. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-17.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-17-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 17\" data-description=\"Zach Broome, first year MFA student, building a raccoon puppet for &#39;Blue Tango.&#39; (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 17<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Zach Broome, first year MFA student, building a raccoon puppet for &#039;Blue Tango.&#039; (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-16_3x2crop.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-16_3x2crop-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 16_3x2crop\" data-description=\"Katayoun Amir-Aslani \u201917 (SFA), right, listens as Bart Roccoberton Jr., head of the Puppet Arts Program, explains how to design a puppet to students working on the &#39;Puppets Take the Boston Pops&#39; project on March 31, 2016. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 16_3x2crop<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Katayoun Amir-Aslani \u201917 (SFA), right, listens as Bart Roccoberton Jr., head of the Puppet Arts Program, explains how to design a puppet to students working on the &#039;Puppets Take the Boston Pops&#039; project on March 31, 2016. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-15.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-15-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 15\" data-description=\"Boston Pops staff tour the Puppet Workshop at UConn&#39;s Depot Campus. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 15<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Boston Pops staff tour the Puppet Workshop at UConn&#039;s Depot Campus. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-13.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-13-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 13\" data-description=\"Sculpted puppets of pigs for &#39;Belle of the Ball.&#39; (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 13<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Sculpted puppets of pigs for &#039;Belle of the Ball.&#039; (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-11.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-11-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 11\" data-description=\"Rehearsal for &#39;Blue Tango&#39; on April 30   L-R:  Krista Weltner, third year MFA student; Zach Broome, first year MFA student; Mark Blashford, second year MFA student; and Mac Cherney &#39;16 (SFA).  (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 11<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Rehearsal for &#039;Blue Tango&#039; on April 30   L-R:  Krista Weltner, third year MFA student; Zach Broome, first year MFA student; Mark Blashford, second year MFA student; and Mac Cherney &#039;16 (SFA).  (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/SKATING-FLAMINGO.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/SKATING-FLAMINGO-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"SKATING FLAMINGO\" data-description=\"Skating Flamingo. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">SKATING FLAMINGO<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Skating Flamingo. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-9_3x2crop-e1463602229136.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-9_3x2crop-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 9_3x2crop\" data-description=\"Duck rod puppets being made in the Puppet Arts workshop. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 9_3x2crop<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Duck rod puppets being made in the Puppet Arts workshop. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-8.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-8-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 8\" data-description=\"Dennis Alves, director of artistic planning for Boston Pops making notes during the April 30 rehearsal in Storrs.\n(Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 8<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Dennis Alves, director of artistic planning for Boston Pops making notes during the April 30 rehearsal in Storrs.\n(Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-7.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-7-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 7\" data-description=\"Bart Roccoberton Jr., head of Puppet Arts, working on a butterfly puppet with Ana Maria Craciun, a third year MFA student. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 7<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Bart Roccoberton Jr., head of Puppet Arts, working on a butterfly puppet with Ana Maria Craciun, a third year MFA student. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-3_3x2crop.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-3_3x2crop-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 3_3x2crop\" data-description=\"The UConn group visits Symphony Hall in Boston, the home of the Boston Pops on Feb. 22, 2016. Front row from left: Cori Leyden-Sussler, first year MA; Zach Broome, first year MA; Anatar Marmol-Gagne, third year MFA, Caracas, Venezuela; and Isinsu Ersan, Fulbright Visiting Student Researcher. Back row from left: Elizabeth Acosta, administrative coordinator, Puppet Arts Program; Bart Roccoberton Jr., director, Puppet Arts Program; Mark Blashford, second year MFA; Shane McNeal, second year MFA; and John Cody \u201917 (SFA). (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 3_3x2crop<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">The UConn group visits Symphony Hall in Boston, the home of the Boston Pops on Feb. 22, 2016. Front row from left: Cori Leyden-Sussler, first year MA; Zach Broome, first year MA; Anatar Marmol-Gagne, third year MFA, Caracas, Venezuela; and Isinsu Ersan, Fulbright Visiting Student Researcher. Back row from left: Elizabeth Acosta, administrative coordinator, Puppet Arts Program; Bart Roccoberton Jr., director, Puppet Arts Program; Mark Blashford, second year MFA; Shane McNeal, second year MFA; and John Cody \u201917 (SFA). (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-6.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-6-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 6\" data-description=\"Anatar Marol-Gagne, a third year MFA student, presents her vignette to Boston Pops staff. From left: Wei Jing Saw, assistant manager of artistic administration; Leah Monder, production manager; Amanda Severin, manager of artistic planning and services; and Dennis Alves, director of artistic planning. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 6<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Anatar Marol-Gagne, a third year MFA student, presents her vignette to Boston Pops staff. From left: Wei Jing Saw, assistant manager of artistic administration; Leah Monder, production manager; Amanda Severin, manager of artistic planning and services; and Dennis Alves, director of artistic planning. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-4.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-4-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 4\" data-description=\"Staff of the Boston Pops Orchestra listen to UConn students present their ideas for &#39;Puppets Take the Boston Pops,&#39; during a meeting at Symphony Hall in Boston on Feb. 22. From left: Leah Monder, production manager; Amanda Severin, manager of artistic planning and services; and Dennis Alves, director of artistic planning. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 4<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Staff of the Boston Pops Orchestra listen to UConn students present their ideas for &#039;Puppets Take the Boston Pops,&#039; during a meeting at Symphony Hall in Boston on Feb. 22. From left: Leah Monder, production manager; Amanda Severin, manager of artistic planning and services; and Dennis Alves, director of artistic planning. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-5.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-5-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 5\" data-description=\"Zach Broome, a first year MFA student, describes his vignette to Boston Pops staff. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 5<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Zach Broome, a first year MFA student, describes his vignette to Boston Pops staff. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-2_3x2crop-e1463602242754.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-2_3x2crop-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 2_3x2crop\" data-description=\"Students meet for the first day of class on Jan. 21, 2016 (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 2_3x2crop<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Students meet for the first day of class on Jan. 21, 2016 (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-1_3x2crop-e1463602201766.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/POPS-1_3x2crop-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"POPS 1_3x2crop\" data-description=\"Students meet for the first day of class on Jan. 21, 2016 (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">POPS 1_3x2crop<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Students meet for the first day of class on Jan. 21, 2016 (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_puppets-take-the-pops-stage.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_puppets-take-the-pops-stage-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Performance_puppets take the pops stage\" data-description=\"Boston Pops at Symphony Hall in Boston, on Saturday, May 21, 2016, with Keith Lockhart, conductor, and University of Connecticut&#39;s Puppet Arts Program as special guests. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">Performance_puppets take the pops stage<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Boston Pops at Symphony Hall in Boston, on Saturday, May 21, 2016, with Keith Lockhart, conductor, and University of Connecticut&#039;s Puppet Arts Program as special guests. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_keith-lockhart-and-arthur-fiedler.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_keith-lockhart-and-arthur-fiedler-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Performance_keith lockhart and arthur fiedler\" data-description=\"Keith Lockhart, conductor, addresses the Arthur Fiedler puppet onstage at Symphony Hall. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">Performance_keith lockhart and arthur fiedler<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Keith Lockhart, conductor, addresses the Arthur Fiedler puppet onstage at Symphony Hall. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_peter-and-the-wolf.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_peter-and-the-wolf-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Performance_peter and the wolf\" data-description=\"UConn&#39;s Puppet Arts Program performs &#39;Peter and the Wolf&#39; at Symphony Hall. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">Performance_peter and the wolf<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">UConn&#039;s Puppet Arts Program performs &#039;Peter and the Wolf&#039; at Symphony Hall. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_plink-plank-plunk.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_plink-plank-plunk-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Performance_plink plank plunk\" data-description=\"&#39;Plink plank plunk.&#39; Puppeteers from UConn with duck puppets. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">Performance_plink plank plunk<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">&#039;Plink plank plunk.&#039; Puppeteers from UConn with duck puppets. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_belle-of-the-ball.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_belle-of-the-ball-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Performance_belle of the ball\" data-description=\"&#39;Belle of the Ball,&#39; part of the performance of &#39;Puppets Take the Pops&#39; at Symphony Hall in Boston, on Saturday, May 21, 2016. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">Performance_belle of the ball<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">&#039;Belle of the Ball,&#039; part of the performance of &#039;Puppets Take the Pops&#039; at Symphony Hall in Boston, on Saturday, May 21, 2016. (Winslow Townson\/Boston Pops)<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_PUPPETS-AND-KIDS-3.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Performance_PUPPETS-AND-KIDS-3-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Performance_PUPPETS AND KIDS 3\" data-description=\"UConn puppeteer Mac Cherny \u201916 (SFA) showing children the duck puppets after the family matinee afternoon performance of  &#39;Puppets Take the Pops&#39; at Symphony Hall in Boston on May 21. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo )\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">Performance_PUPPETS AND KIDS 3<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">UConn puppeteer Mac Cherny \u201916 (SFA) showing children the duck puppets after the family matinee afternoon performance of  &#039;Puppets Take the Pops&#039; at Symphony Hall in Boston on May 21. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo )<\/div><\/div><a class=\"html5galleryimglink\" href=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/ARTHUR-AT-POPS.jpg\" data-mediatype=1><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"html5galleryimg html5gallery-tn-image lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/ARTHUR-AT-POPS-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"ARTHUR AT POPS\" data-description=\"Puppet of Arthur Fiedler outside Symphony Hall in Boston. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\"><\/a><div class=\"html5gallery-info\"><div class=\"html5gallery-title\">ARTHUR AT POPS<\/div><div class=\"html5gallery-description\">Puppet of Arthur Fiedler outside Symphony Hall in Boston. (Ken Best\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p>The collaboration between Boston Pops, known as \u201cAmerica\u2019s Orchestra,\u201d and UConn\u2019s renowned Puppet Arts Program, was initiated two years ago during the orchestra\u2019s annual holiday performance at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. One of the highlights of the Pops\u2019 holiday tour is a reading of Clark Clement Moore\u2019s poem \u201cThe Night Before Christmas,\u201d narrated by a prominent person in the community. In 2014, Roccoberton was invited to do the reading but said he had another idea \u2013 a puppet could read the poem.<\/p>\n<p>Nolen had recently created video for a social media campaign for UConn in which a puppet that she designed and built, Skip Toumalou, decided to photobomb student selfies to add friends to her new Facebook account. Roccoberton asked Nolen if she could develop a voice for the puppet for the Pops performance and she did. A video of Skip narrating the poem was sent to Boston.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe realized we were dealing with someone at a very high professional level,\u201d Lockhart says. \u201cI\u2019ve been doing holiday concerts with the Pops for 21 years. It was one of the very best \u2013 if not the very best \u2013 narrations we\u2019ve had with the orchestra. I met with Bart and said we really have to bring you to Boston to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Roccoberton and the Pops artistic planning staff soon began a series of discussions in Boston about developing an original performance using puppets. By late 2015, they decided to focus on Anderson\u2019s orchestral miniatures along with \u201cPeter and the Wolf,\u201d which UConn puppetry students had performed over the years with the Hartford Symphony and other orchestras in Connecticut. Roccoberton discussed the class and the unique opportunity it would provide with students as they were registering for Spring 2016 courses. Those who registered for the class received a compact disc with 24 Anderson compositions to listen to by the time they would return to campus in January.<\/p>\n<p>On Jan. 21, 10 undergraduate and graduate students sat around a rectangular grouping of tables in the Puppet Arts building on UConn\u2019s Depot Campus for the first meeting of Dramatic Arts 5697, surrounded by shelves holding a variety of puppets designed and built by prior students. Sitting before his students, Roccoberton noted the course syllabus he had distributed to the class \u2013 an ambitious schedule to create, design, build, and rehearse several original puppet performances.<\/p>\n<p>The class, he noted, would serve as the production phase for the performance. At the completion of the class, auditions would be held for any puppetry student to perform. A Dean\u2019s Grant and additional funding from the Boston Pops would pay for materials and other expenses for set design and building puppets.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is going to be a very different class than what you\u2019ve experienced,\u201d Roccoberton said. \u201cThe things I\u2019m going to ask you to bring here are creativity, effort, and passion. We are working on a major project. We are going to work with an orchestra known as America\u2019s Orchestra, the Boston Pops, at their invitation. We have a big, big challenge ahead of us. They see it in us. I see it within us. We\u2019re starting this class with absolutely nothing to touch. We are going to work very hard. I hope in this hard work we\u2019re going to find exciting things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Three weeks later the students presented their ideas for 24 Anderson compositions, each between two and three minutes in length. Each student had selected several compositions to work with for a storyboard, a series of drawings that tell a story in sequence much like a comic book to visualize a creative concept. Some storyboards were simple stick figure drawings. Others were more elaborately drawn. Many of the vignettes were populated by animals \u2013 a raccoon skating on an ice pond with flamingos. ducks jumping in and out of a pond, turtles and fish competing for food in a fish tank, and a cat chasing a mouse. Roccoberton and the students questioned each presenter, offering suggestions based on their answers: What kind of puppet style will you use? Where will the characters go? Will the puppeteers be seen? What kind of materials will you use to build the puppet? How big will the puppet be?<\/p>\n<p>After making the difficult decisions as to which of the Anderson compositions to present to the Pops artistic planning staff, seven students in the class traveled to Symphony Hall in Boston on Feb. 22 with Roccoberton and Elizabeth Acosta, administrative coordinator for Puppet Arts, to present 10 storyboards to consider for the May performance. The Pops artistic staff\u00a0\u2013 Dennis Alves, director of artistic planning; Amanda Severin, manager of artistic planning and services; Leah Monder, production manager; and Wei Jing Saw, assistant manager of artistic administration \u2013 smiled often at the whimsical scenarios presented for the compositions, and raised questions about resetting scenery between the vignettes, for example, and the ability of the audience to see the puppets from different parts of the venue.<\/p>\n<p>Returning to Storrs, the class began creating more detailed designs for the storyboards they had presented. Over the next few weeks, Roccoberton, Alves, and Severin talked regularly over the phone and agreed to focus on seven scenarios, with the understanding they would likely produce five or six.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight now the creator is losing ownership of the piece,\u201d Roccoberton said, as UConn\u2019s Spring Break approached in March. \u201cWe\u2019re looking for that thing we can share through the entire piece that gives the overall concept and is probably going to be designed by someone other than the creator. Now I have to think practically as a director. How many people will it take to pull off this one thing? The class is very much about this project, but the students also have to leave here with something they\u2019re going to use in future productions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the spring semester moved toward its conclusion in early May, the class spent much of its time in the workshop area of the Puppet Arts building. Hand tools were used to begin sculpting puppet heads, hinge legs and arms, and create scenery for sets that would be needed for the performance. Auditions were held for puppeteers who would perform on stage, and they began rehearsals. Four class members who were not performing worked on the production of sets and puppets.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve never done anything on this scale,\u201d said John Cody \u201917 (SFA), whose concept for \u201cPenny Whistle\u201d will be performed. \u201cThis is taking everything we\u2019ve learned in the other classes and expanding upon it. I\u2019m going to do my senior project next year. To have this experience is great, because you get to see what works in creating a show, what might not work, how to plan it out, and how to really crank out a big endeavor in a fairly short amount of time. It\u2019s pretty wild to come in at the start of the semester with those inklings in the music and build dozens of puppets. It\u2019s pretty crazy for us, with finals and having to get this done. But it\u2019s fun.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, April 30, while the UConn campus was being prepared for its Commencement ceremonies on Mother\u2019s Day weekend, Alves, Severin, and Monder arrived from Boston to see rehearsals of the performance at the Puppet Arts building. Alves, a trumpeter, made notes on the musical scores for each composition, as the student puppeteers danced through the choreography of each piece. Monder also made notations, and Severin took photos with her phone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the things I\u2019m really impressed with is how seriously [the UConn group] took the concerns we expressed before, and they\u2019ve made changes that alleviate them completely,\u201d said Monder.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to narrating \u201cPeter and the Wolf,\u201d the puppet of Arthur Fiedler will appear in some of the Anderson vignettes. Roccoberton designed the puppet, and Nolen offered suggestions as she began to build it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe talked about what are Mr. Fiedler\u2019s outstanding features,\u201d Nolen said. \u201cThe receding hairline, sideburns, longer hair in the back, and the moustache, which is probably the most important. We accentuated features, but we didn\u2019t take them to an extreme.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Avles says the Fiedler family is looking forward to seeing the puppet of the longtime Pops conductor: \u201cI spoke to Peter Fiedler, Arthur\u2019s son. He\u2019s excited about the whole thing. He\u2019ll be here for the performance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cast Members<br \/>\n<\/strong>Mark Blashford, graduate student, second year MFA, Carlisle, Pa.<br \/>\nZach Broome, graduate student, first year MA, Puppet Arts, Macon, Ga.<br \/>\nMac Cherny, undergraduate, senior BA, Theater Studies, West Hartford. Conn.<br \/>\nAna Maria Craciun, graduate student, third year MFA, Budapest, Romania<br \/>\nIsinsu Ersan, Ph.D., Fulbright Visiting Student Researcher, Theater, Izmir, Turkey<br \/>\nAnatar Marmol-Gagne, graduate student, third year MFA, Caracas, Venezuela<br \/>\nKalob Martinez, graduate student, third year MFA, Amarillo, Texas<br \/>\nShane McNeal, graduate student, second year MFA, Bristol, Conn.<br \/>\nChristopher Mullens, graduate student, third year MFA, Lewisburg, W. Va.<br \/>\nNicholas Parks, undergraduate, third year BFA, Puppet Arts, Bellflower, Calif.<br \/>\nMichael Rogers, undergraduate, second year BFA, Puppet Arts, San Luis Obispo, Calif.<br \/>\nKrista Weltner, graduate student, third year MFA, Dayton, Ohio<\/p>\n<p><strong>Production Class Members<br \/>\n<\/strong>Katayoun Amir-Aslani, undergraduate, third year BFA, Puppet Arts, New Canaan, Conn.<br \/>\nJohn Cody, undergraduate, third year BFA, Katonah, N.Y.<br \/>\nCori Leyden-Sussler, graduate student, first year MA, Glastonbury, Conn.<br \/>\nKelly Vickers, undergraduate, second year BFA, Puppet Arts, Scituate, Mass.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Follow the collaboration between UConn&#8217;s Puppet Arts program and &#8216;America&#8217;s Orchestra,&#8217; from concept to dress rehearsal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":112925,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1711,69,2459,2076,1914,1875,2225,70],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1918],"class_list":["post-112902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-culture","category-gallery","category-graduate-students","category-research","category-sfa","category-grad-school","category-uconn-storrs","category-video","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-22 06:53:43","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112902"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112942,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112902\/revisions\/112942"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/112925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112902"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=112902"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=112902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}