Puppets of all shapes , sizes and styles have been around for countless centuries . Some historians believe they go back as far as ancient China . No matter if they are the traditional marionettes , hand puppets , a ventriloquist’s dummy or a body puppet , they serve one purpose – to tell a story – and often with a moral .

On Aug . 1 , at the Raymond Library , master puppeteer Rolande Duprey performed for children and parents . The show , entitled “ A Basket Case , ” is a mystery surrounding a small “ child ” trying desperately to find his mother . After the show , a free lunch was provided outside on the library lawn .

By using a wide assortment of baskets of various shapes and sizes , Duprey is able to convey a sense of loss , searching and , ultimately , joy when the child finally relocates its parent .

“ The baskets and puppets yousee are all hand-made , ” said Duprey . “ Most were made by a woman named Jane Ward , a weaver from upstate New York , who has passed away . ”

Duprey assembles the baskets in a way that resembles a city , which she has named appropriately , “ Basket City . ” As she opens each basket in her search to reunite the parent and child , a multitude of surprises – not all of them good – await her .

An eerie ghost emerged from one hidden spot , as did a large snake dubbed the “ color eater , ” that attempted to rid “ Basket City” of all the colors of the rainbow . Even the detective who appeared on the scene to solve the missing person’s case found difficulty and was suddenly transformed to a much older gent . Duprey kept the kids involved by asking them questions about what she should do next .

“ Should I open this basket , is the child’s mommy in here ? ” she queried the audience .

The narrative allows children the opportunity to become part of the story and makes them feel as if they assisted in discovering the whereabouts of the missing parent .

After graduating from UConn with a Master’s in Fine Arts , Duprey began her career in puppetry . Her company , Purple Rock Productions , recently celebrated its silver anniversary . For more than 25 years, she and her troupe have travelled the east coast to perform a variety of plays and stories geared towards children .

“ This particular story is about abundance and want , ” Duprey explained . “ But it also teaches children about colors and inside and outside . These are key words . You hear them yell, ‘ Stay out’ or ‘ Stay in . ’ These concepts get them to practice memory usage . This is very important when learning to speak the language . ”

Duprey’s company performs other shows with different themes that are focused on helping children with concepts and ideas – and having fun in the process . She also holds workshops and lectures that demonstrate puppet building and techniques . As a teaching artist with the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism , Duprey has much to offer to budding puppeteers in the state .

“ I had a burning interest in this , ” she said . “ My mom was a teacher , and I knew how important it was for children to learn out of something theatrical . It isn’t boring , and it can be taught easily through theater . ”