MICE IN NEW YORK

CAT IN HOT WATER

PUPPETS MAKE CHOICES-MEET CHALLENGES

The Lionwitch Puppet Theater of Freedom, Maine presents a humorous look at the challenges of modern life through updated versions of two classic stories. In "The Magic Pot" a formerly stray cat with low self esteem and a reading problem, loses control over Delilah's magic cauldron. This results in the puppet stage being completely covered with the pot's remarkable contents, a seemingly endless flow of spaghetti. Police, fire department, and even Gorbo Duck arriving in an Army helicopter are no match for the preponderance of pasta. Only Delilah's timely return and Paw's quick response prevent complete culinary catastrophe.

In the other story, "Two Country Mice in New York," a marriage is almost broken up and a mouse couple find themselves in an environment even more difficult than the old one. The city (with its rear-projected skyline) is full of peril and surprises. Max Mouse, having followed his wife's impetuous flight to her former home, must use all his wit and knowledge to get himself out of some threatening situations. The program is specially geared to grades K through 6 and runs approximately 50-55 minutes. The Lionwitch Puppet Theater is the creation of Frances Silenzi, formerly of New York and now a long time resident of Freedom, Maine. Her stories are often modern renditions of folk and fairy tales. ("Two Country Mice in New York," owes its inspiration to Aesop's "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse.") "I try to be faithful to the spirit of the original stories," says Silenzi, "but also make them applicable to the world as it is today."