The Poacher (Fall 2022)

Title and production info for The Poacher surrounded by silhouettes of branches.

About the Show
The Poacher is a visually evocative puppet show for discerning adult audiences. A young puppet seeks refuge from a difficult home-life by poaching mushrooms in a dark, but spirited forest. This impenetrable fortress hides a bright secret which our protagonist dares to disturb. Adapted from Ursula K Le Guin’s short story of the same name, The Poacher walks a sharp edge betwixt reality and fantasy, sleeping and waking, and the distinction between animate and inanimate. Featuring bunraku-style, shadow, tabletop, full body, and scenic puppetry.

Performance Dates and Times
Farkas Hall, 12 Holyoke Street, Cambridge, MA
Thursday, December 1 at 8pm
Friday, December 2 at 8pm
Saturday, December 3 at 3pm and 8pm

Adapted from the short story by Ursula K. Le Guin
Adapted and Directed…Kate Brehm
Created with Students in TDM Production Studio… Tess Carney ’23, Yuan Ting Chan GSAS '23, Avery Hansberger ’25, Katie McClanan ’23, Madison Pankey ’24, Yolanda Peng GSD '23, Tatara Tang GSE '23, and Ari Troper ’23
Set Design…Andreea Mincic
Lighting Design…Caitlin Smith Rapoport
Burnaku-style Puppet Design…Tom Lee
Tabletop and Shadow Puppet Design…Linda Wingerter
Hedge Puppet and Costume Design…Sarah Lafferty
Composition and Sound Design…Sxip Shirey
Stage Management…Sam Tirrell

Production Photography by A Priori Photography

A puppet child sits on the stage floor with shadow puppetry behind it

A small puppet child, operated by three puppeteers dressed all in black, looks up at a carved white guard outside a white castle set piece.

A student gestures to the left, surrounded on all sides by performers dressed in green hedge costumes.

Shadows of a house and a forest are projected onto a light screen. Actors dressed in green hedge costumes watch the screen from the front.

A small child puppet, operated by many puppeteers dressed all in black, stands on a white set piece depicting a kitchen.