Pup-a-Foo-Glee!

It's almost time for Pup-a-Foo-Glee -- a FREE day of Puppets, Food and Fun, at the Hazel Green Opera House.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17

This year's festivities are made possible by the proceeds from our weeklong residency for the Dubuque Arts Council.  Pup-a-Foo-Glee performances and events are FREE, but we accept cash donations (we're a 501c3).

And, we invite you to bring a canned food item to donate to the Hazel Green Food Pantry across the street. It's only fair, since we will be partying at their front door.

• 10 a.m. -- "Donkey Tales," by Corcoran Puppets of Stevens Point, Wis.

Our friend Pam Corcoran has performed and presented workshops many times. Her adorable puppets are hand-felted from wool grown by her own sheep! Pam is currently president of the Puppeteers of America. In "The Bremen Town Musicians," the animals turn in the stolen goods to the authorities and receive a fine reward, enabling them to stay in the cottage while perfecting their act. "That Donkey" is a heart-warming tale about a donkey with cold ears and a kind-hearted little girl.

• While the puppeteers switch stages, in the back of the hall, there will be puppet games for your entertainment and enjoyment.

• 11 a.m. -- "The Musical Ant," by Eulenspiegel Puppets, of West Liberty, Iowa. Veteran puppeteer Monica Leo returns to our stage with guest puppeteer Eli Portugal, of Mexico, with "The Musical Ant," a delightful bilingual folk tale from south of the border.

• 11:30 a.m. -- Concessions by the Hazel Green Lions Club across the street.  

Make a puppet, paint a picture, do a sidewalk chalk drawing on the street.

(Rain site: Hazel Green United Methodist Church Hall, 1920 Percival St.)

• 1 p.m. -- "Sock Puppet Serenade," by Hunter Marionettes, of Minneapolis. An expert in marionette design and construction, Kurt has designed and built puppets for the Minneapolis Children's Theater as well as Mall of America commercials. He has a droll, killer sense of humor.

• In between shows, we'll be selling root beer floats.

• 2 p.m. -- "Punch & Judy," by the Fever River Puppeteers. We will close the day's festivities with everybody's favorite bad boy. Mr. Punch battles a man-eating plant, a crocodile and his wife, Judy.