Did you see the puppets?

 

 

The sixth incarnation of the Puppets in the Green Mountains festival pulled the heartstrings of audiencespulled this past weekend.

The festival was founded by Eric Bass and Ines Zeller Bass in 1997.

They are also the co-artistic directors of Sandglass Theater in Putney, which since 1982 has toured 24 countries with their puppet shows. When they decided to create their own festival, they drew from the many festivals they played overseas as examples of what to do or not to do.

“When we decided to start a puppet festival, we decided to take the things that worked best and the things that fit our community,” Eric Bass said. “It was important to us that the festival be for the community, and not just for the people in the (puppet) field.”

During the festival, performers stay with host families within walking distance of the Sandglass Theater and dine together during communal meals either at the homes of the host families or at local restaurants.

“The community provides meals together every night. We have kind of a movable feast,” Bass said. “It creates a great feeling among the puppeteers.”

It also helps to form lifelong relationships between the international guests and their host families.

“They will form lifelong friendships that will last for years, and they will continue to see each other long after the festival,” Bass said. “We want people to see a wonderful part of America and to love it and to bring back to their countries a good report about the kind people they met.”

This year’s puppeteers come from four different continents and will perform in Bellows Falls, Brattleboro and Putney, in venues ranging from traditional theaters to an apple orchard.

“The puppets are all martial artists and they leap through the air,” Bass said. “It’s just amazing to see.”

French puppet company Vélo Théâtre will perform “There’s a Rabbit in the Moon,” a show designed especially for young children, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday at the Latchis Theater.