Celebrating 30 years of puppetry performances

"Thank you so much for your incredible artistry and collaborative leadership on our STONE SOUP Lollipops concert! The creative and dynamic way you brought the script to life, combined with your compassionate inclusion of rescue animals at the performance transformed our family experience into a completely inclusive one. Thank you for everything you did to enable this, and for your kind collegiality along the way.   I want you to know how genuinely I enjoy working together. I hope we'll have another opportunity along the journey. Until then, I hope the many people for whom you perform appreciate the true brilliance of your work. I know all of us at the CSO do."

"Bathtub Pirates, a little bit of history set in an adventuresome kid’s imagination (and his tub), is more than squeaky-clean fun. It’s nearly genius."

The Emperor's New Clothes

What's big and pink and loves to dress up in fancy clothes? Give up? It's the Emperor himself in Grey Seal Puppet's clever adaptation of The Emperor's New Clothes. Not only is this Emperor big and pink, he just happens to be a pig. The Hans Christian Andersen story takes on a whole new dimension as this classic tale is transformed into a fable. The crafty tailors are foxes; the prime minister is a near-sighted camel; and the councilor is a befuddled old walrus. Even the audience takes part - as animals, of course. 

“Best of all, The Emperor’s New Clothes is entertaining. Not only is the story appealing, but you’ll find yourself absorbed in the clever mechanics of one person juggling seven puppet creatures. Allison’s been working on his art for more than a quarter-century and practice is definitely making Grey Seal really close to perfect.”

The Nightingale

Hans Christian Andersen wrote “The Nightingale” in 1843 and yet its themes are relevant still today. Materialism, device dependency and mindfulness create the framework for Grey Seal Puppets’ adaptation of this endearing tale of selfishness versus selflessness

Receiving gifts every day of the year sounds like a dream come true. But for the mighty Emperor, who can have anything he desires, that dream becomes a nightmare.

The Emperor is bored with the daily barrage of “fru fru,” “doo dahs,” and “gobbledy gook.” He yearns for the one thing that he does not possess, the beautiful song of a simple gray bird, the nightingale.

His loyal Court Jester captures the nightingale and presents her to the Emperor. The bird’s song enchants everyone in the palace, until the arrival of a curious device that has a picture of a nightingale inside. This Device sings as beautifully as the real nightingale and, even better, whenever the Emperor wants it to!

Mesmerized, the Emperor watches the Device all the time. He cannot turn away, it has him completely captivated.

One day the Device suddenly stops singing. Even The Royal Repairman is unable to fix it. Devastated, the Emperor grows ill and can only be rescued from death by the return of the real nightingale.

The Nightingale” is staged and presented in a unique style. The puppeteer serves as storyteller and also takes on the guise of several characters. He also brings to life the large rod puppets and shadow puppets used to tell the tale. With original music and a slightly steampunk production design, “The Nightingale” is truly an enchanting story!

Salsa Cinderella

Salsa Cinderella uses Grey Seal's trademark approach of whimsical storytelling and exquisite puppet design to tell this classic tale of love and footwear with a spicy twist! Come with us as we take a cilantro-fresh look at the story of Cinderella; re-imagined with south of the border flavors. With an original Latin score, dazzling puppets and fiesta-style staging, this show is sure to delight the salsa fan in everyone! Pass the tortilla chips, please!

"I've gotten great feedback from other teachers and my own students loved it!!!  You make it so easy for us to not only be entertained, but to use your performance as a springboard for further learning.  The many nuances of your stories make for a rich, multi-content area study. You are a complete delight.  Thank you for being one of the highlights of our academic year!"

"We are both pleased and honored to present first-quality family arts events throughout the year at our Gaston county Public Library, and we appreciate the opportunity to present such an outstanding performer as Grey Seal Puppets to our local audiences. Your original puppet production, Salsa Cinderella, now attracts enthusiastic audiences – they also delight all ages.”

A Show of Virtues

Winner of the UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence!

It’s never too early to begin showing children character traits that are most admired by society. Inspired by The Children’s Book of Virtues, Grey Seal has produced an entertaining and enlightening program of stories from around the world including “The Little Hero of Holland,” “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “Please,” and “Why Frog and Snake Never Play Together.” 

A traveling salesman trundles on stage with his large battered sample case and exhibits various containers, filled with virtues. You’ll be delighted as he transforms his sample case into a puppet stage and brings each story to life. Using his wares, he demonstrates courage, perseverance, politeness and tolerance. But in the end, the salesman realizes that virtues can’t be bought; they are priceless but they have to be practiced to be earned.

"I am sure you have probably already heard this from other teachers but I wanted to let you know how absolutely outstanding Drew Allison was today!! That program he presented to the children was phenomenal!! He totally captivated the children and they were so intent on what he was presenting to them. It is so obvious that he has a passion for what he does...you can see it on his face and in his eyes. I so wish you could have seen it... as it has to be one of the very best experiences we have had in quite some time!!"

"Just wanted to let you know that Drew's show today was WONDERFUL and really there aren't words to describe how we all felt about it. The children were mesmerized the whole time!!! What a special person he is!"

A Tangle of Tales

Three favorite folks tales from around the world come to life with a touch of the familiar and a taste of the new. Using a variety of puppet styles, "The Frog Prince" from Germany, "Three Billy Goats Gruff" from Scandinavia and "The Three Little Pigs" from England are each told with refreshing wit and wisdom. In between each of the tales there’s a whole menagerie of zany characters to see and enjoy. A skinny ant dances a lively jig; "block heads" learn how to get along; and the zaniest creatures of all, the "Wobblies", open the forty-five minute perfomance with an extraordinary ballet choreographed to Kablevsky's "The Comedian's Suite".  Tangle of Tales is fun for everyone!

Click here to download our bookmark with a short summary of our performances: