Enfield —
‘ Rapunzel’ puppet show at Enfield Public Library
Puppets made from laundry lint and an iron playing a horse were just a few pieces of a unique presentation of the fairy tale , “ Rapunzel , ” put on by Rolande Duprey of Purple Rock Productions at the Enfield Public Library on April 7 .
Click the thumbnails above to see the full size pictures.
In this adaptation of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale , the story was told by a washerwoman , played by Duprey . Laundry lint was transformed into puppets , laundry baskets became homes and the tower Rapunzel was held in , a clothesline was re-imagined as a neighborhood , and an iron became a horse . As the familiar story unfolded , Rapunzel herself was quite clever and was able to outwit the witch and get away .
The show was part of the library’s World of Words celebration , which is sponsored by the Connecticut Center for the Book . It celebrates Connecticut’s literary and cultural roots . Germany is the focus for the library’s World of Words programming this year. “ Since the Brothers Grimm were German storytellers , ‘ Rapunzel’ felt like a natural fit , ” said librarian Suzanne Lott .
Lott said these kinds of programs can be very beneficial to children . “[ Programs such as this ] spark the imagination , teach about storytelling and creativity and the importance of pretending , ” she said .
The program was held during Enfield public schools’ spring break week , so the puppet show was a welcome activity for many parents . Michele Cormier was there with her 8-year-old daughter Jenna and 11-year-old son Zack . “ We came because it sounded like fun , ” Cormier said . “ They have a week off of school , so it’s great that the library provides these opportunities . ”
Scott Noble brought two of his nieces to the puppet show . “ The library provides great services for the kids , ” he said , “ and this is their week off of school , so I took advantage of it . ”
Four-year-old Kaylin and 2-year-old Joey had their eyes glued to the show . “ They love puppet shows , ” said their mom , Michele Maher of Vernon .
To learn more about Purple Rock productions , visit the Web site www . purplerock . org . You can also learn more about upcoming Enfield Public Library events at www . enfieldpubliclibrary . org .