NPL - Flipbook - Page 14
Wishing Chair
brought more
than 450
performances
to the library’s
21 branches.
SPOTL IGHT
Wishing Chair Productions
Since 1938, when revered puppeteer
Tom Tichenor performed his first “Puss in
Boots” marionette show at Nashville Public
Library, puppetry has been one of our most
cherished traditions.
Today, our award-winning Wishing Chair
Productions troupe continues to delight
Nashvillians of all ages with magical performances and innovative storytelling.
Drawing on puppetry techniques from all
over the world, Wishing Chair gives performances across the city ranging from old
favorites like “Cinderella” to shows like “Anansi the Spider” and “The Stonecutter” that
are inspired by Nashvillians’ diverse storytelling traditions.
As a beloved fixture of our city’s culture,
Wishing Chair Productions partners with institutions like the Nashville Ballet, the Nashville Jazz Workshop, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to develop
12
world-class puppet theater. This year, Wishing Chair introduced two new shows: “Gulliver’s Travels,” which debuted at Music City
Irish Fest, and “Momotaro, the Peach Boy.”
Produced with guidance from the Japanese
Consulate, “Momotaro” vividly brings a classic Japanese folktale to life with hand-carved
puppets and traditional Bunraku puppetry.
More than 59,000 children and adults visited
the library this year to experience Wishing
Chair’s weekly story times, and Wishing Chair
brought more than 450 performances to the
library’s 21 branches and out in the community. We also worked closely with the library’s
Bringing Books to Life! program to inspire
reading-readiness in preschools across the
city. This year, our mobile Puppet Trucks delivered 647 literature-based puppet shows to
more than 47,200 enthralled children. In every
performance, we built upon Tom Tichenor’s
legacy of storytelling, and we look forward to
enchanting Nashville for years to come.
N A S H V I L L E P U B L I C L I B R A R Y A N D T H E N A S H V I L L E P U B L I C L I B R A R Y F O U N D AT I O N