Once again the Center Series continues its commitment to high-quality family entertainment with the Family Festival Series, a selection of performances that promises to be enriching entertainment for the entire family. This year the Family Festival Series kicks off with a weekend-long puppetry celebration. Combining brave innovation and time-honored technique, the puppet performances promise to be refreshing, timeless and magical.

On Thursday, October 5 and Saturday, October 7, Teatro Hugo & Inés lend their hands to the puppet celebration -- and their feet, elbows, and knees. This is not your average puppet show: using only a bag of props and a few choice appendages, this team of two creates a parade of characters to perform a series of vignettes titled Short Stories. A knee turns into a balding guitarist; two hands become the face of sentimental man singing the Beatles' "Yesterday;" a bellybutton becomes a hungry woman's mouth: Hugo & Inés' dexterity and craftsmanship make these body puppets come alive. Every member of the family is sure to be delighted by this creative blend of mime, dance, and puppetry.

Hugo Suarez was born in Lima, Peru, and Inés Pasic was born in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina. They crossed paths in Italy and began studying classical mime together. In 1986 they founded Teatro Hugo & Inés, combining their miming background, Inés' comprehensive piano study, and the timeless art of puppetry to give new meaning to the phrase body language. The energy and poetry of their performances promise to engage every member of the family.

On Sunday, October 8, we switch gears from the puppetry of feet and fingers to the puppetry of fairy tales when another brilliant puppet production comes to the Fine Arts Center: the mystical, magical tale of King Stag. The live actors and brilliant puppets of the American Repertory Theater draw from theatrical traditions around the globe -- including Japanese Bunraku, Indonesian Shadow Puppetry, Balinese Temple Dancers, and Italian Renaissance Street Theater -- to tell this classic Oriental fable of a king seeking real love, not love based on greed. Creator Andrei Serban adapted the original text by Carlo Gozzi for American Repertory Theater, adding contemporary allusions and humor.

The puppetry in King Stag is awe-inspiring: the traitor Tartaglia sports broad, bat-like wings while the lively Leandro cartwheels and somersaults through the air. The performance features the outstanding choreography, costumes, masks and puppetry of Julie Taymor, famous for her visual work in Broadway’s The Lion King. Delicate and bright, the puppets cavort on stage amidst actors -- just as comedic relief mixes with poetry -- to produce this charming tale. This enchanted production promises to restore magic to the world of young and old alike.

Mark this weekend-long puppet celebration on your calendar, and join the Center Series as we kick off the family festival series.

More on Hugo & Ines and King Stag.

Check out the Puppet Press Release!

Teatro Hugo & Inés perform Short Stories in Rand Theater on Thursday, October 5 at 7:30pm, and on Saturday, October 7 at 3pm and 8pm. They will also perform two school matinees on Friday, October 6, at 10am and Noon for the Performances Plus! Program. The American Repertory Theater performs King Stag in the Concert Hall on Sunday, October 8 at 7:30pm. For more information on these or any of the exciting events check out the Center Series Calendar.