Category: Buzz

We love Doctor Noize!

I wanted to share a project that I am incredibly proud of. Over the past 18 months I’ve been working with New York Times Best Selling Children’s Book Author Debbie Diesen to turn her book The Pout-Pout Fish into an interactive multi sensory theatrical experience for youngsters age 18 months to 6 years old. This past weekend was the World Premiere Celebration held in Sheboygan,WI. Debbie joined us along with the composer for the show, Cory Cullinan, aka Doctor Noize, and Seattle Children’s Theater master puppet artisan Annett Mateo, who designed and built the puppets for the show for an awesome weekend of events for families, including 4 free performances of Pout-Pout Fish at Mead Public Library and John Michael Kohler Arts Center.

This project was magical! It started and nothing more than a bubble of an idea (and in all honesty, a completely different idea!) but as we’ve discovered on this journey, Mr. Fish has a mind of his own…and he wanted to swim off the pages of the New York Times Best Selling Children’s Book by Debbie Diesen and find a place on the stage with music by Cory Cullinan and puppets by Annett Mateo. I am forever grateful to this amazing creative team, as well as our partners and performers and the 1,200+ kids who attended performances.You have helped us all smile!

What a beautiful experience this was. To see the amazing collection of writers, actors, musicians, and artists from across the country, all working together and bringing so much joy to so many children was truly inspiring. I’m so very proud to be associated with this visionary and groundbreaking youth theater company.

Amazing. Enriching. Innovative. Immersive. Inclusive.

This whole project could not have come together in a more amazing way! Thank you to all involved.

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure to be in Wisconsin for the Dare To Dream premiere of a Theater for the Very Young (TVY) production of The Pout-Pout Fish. The project was put together by Rachel Thuermer, artistic director of Dare To Dream, and it featured puppets by Annett Matteo, music by Cory Cullinan (aka Dr. Noize), costumes by Lyn Kream, creative support by theater educator Karen Sharp, and the acting talents of Rachel, Dan Burkey, Mary Burkey, and Rissa Kream. Behind the scenes were funders and supporters and many, many volunteers. The Saturday performances were at the Mead Public Library, where I also did story times last Thursday and Friday; and the Sunday performances were at the John Michael Kohler Art Center.  Sheboygan and the surrounding communities show great support for literacy and the arts, and it was fantastic to see so many children and families at the events.

Congratulations on the success of all the Pout-Pouts. Those kids are enthralled!

The pleasure was mine! What a great experience.

Amazing!!!