Tanglewood Marionettes

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Founded in 1993 by Peter and Anne Schaefer, Tanglewood Marionettes is a nationally touring marionette company whose unique productions have been seen by hundreds of thousands of children and families across the country. With seven shows currently in their repertoire, the company performs year-round at venues ranging from school assemblies to renowned cultural institutions.

Peter Schaefer was born into a Boston-area family of puppeteers and has visited Puppet Showplace since he was a child. After apprenticing with the Bennington Puppets, Peter launched his own company, “Mountain Marionettes,” before joining with Anne Schaefer and fellow Bennington puppeteer Stephen Hancock to form Tanglewood Marionettes.

If you had asked Anne when she was young what she wanted to be when she grew up, “puppeteer” would never have entered her mind. Now, however, she can’t imagine being anything else. After studying art and philosophy in college, Anne took a summer job with the Bennington Puppets of Bennington, VT. The summer job turned into five years of intensive puppetry during which Anne immersed herself in the many facets of puppet theater. In 1993, Anne joined with Peter Schaefer in forming Tanglewood Marionettes.

The company has received two UNIMA awards, puppetry's highest honor, for their productions An Arabian Adventure and The Dragon King. Tanglewood Marionettes believes above all that a performance is a communal experience, with connections established not only with the performers, but also between members of the audience themselves as they laugh together, gasp together, and cheer together when the good guys prevail!