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Hi.

My name is Gary Zidek. Welcome to The Arts Section. Tune into the radio program every Sunday morning on WDCB 90.9 & 90.7 FM or listen to it online here. I'll be showcasing a variety of arts & entertainment stories.

Festival Brings World-Class Puppet Artists to Chicago

Festival Brings World-Class Puppet Artists to Chicago

WDCB’s Gary Zidek sits down with Blair Thomas, the founder and artistic director of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.

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WDCB's Gary Zidek talks to Blair Thomas, the founder and artistic director of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.

“Puppetry is often perceived as a child’s practice, and it can be that, it functions well in that field. But its also an opportunity for a different kind of theatre experience for adult audiences.” - Blair Thomas, founder & artistic director of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.

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The third-ever Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival continues through Sunday January 27, presenting over 100 performances from 10 countries at 19 different Chicago-area venues.

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Blair Thomas’ own interest puppetry can be traced back to his childhood in Alabama, when he started putting on puppet shows at the age of 10.  Years later he founded Chicago’s acclaimed Redmoon Theater in 1989. He stepped away from Redmoon and started his own organization known as Blair Thomas and Company Puppet Theater.  And then in 2015, Thomas launched the first Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.

Blair Thomas, founder/artistic director of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival

Blair Thomas, founder/artistic director of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival

The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival continues through Sunday January 27.

Go to chicagopuppetfest.org for a complete schedule and more info.

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