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07/28/2024 04:15 PMYouth players embodying an ocean of characters for Shoreline Theatre Company’s (STC) production of the Disney/Pixar youth musical, “Finding Nemo Jr.” dove into bringing their puppet alter egos to life during workshops with actress and professional puppeteer Jennifer Barnhart.
STC’s “Finding Nemo Jr.” will splash on stage with four performances this week at Branford High School’s (BHS) Cathyann Roding Auditorium. Two performances on Wednesday, July 31 and two on Thursday, Aug. 1 will take place at 5:30 and 7 p.m. Additionally, a live streaming option is available.Tickets, $10 youth, $15 adult, are available at branfordct.myrec.com
An icon of the craft, Barnhart’s extensive resume includes being an original cast member of Avenue Q on Broadway and playing Zoe the Muppet on the award-winning children’s television show Sesame Street.
STC co-founder and artistic co-director Colin Sheehan and “Finding Nemo Jr.” STC summer theater camp and resident director Chris Lemieux have both worked professionally with Barnhart. Their connections brought Barnhart, a Connecticut native, to BHS to run several workshops with the cast in July. The workshops were part of weeks of experiential learning and rehearsals offered through this year’s STC summer camp, which began June 24 and concludes Aug. 2.
“When you see her work with the kids, and see their eyes light up, it’s amazing,” said Sheehan. “Having Jennifer here has been inspiring not only to the kids, but to us.”
With Barnhart’s guidance, the young players enliven the show’s huge number of puppets of all shapes and sizes. They inhabit the production’s magical under-sea world designed and constructed by STC co-founder and artistic co-director Mike Martone.
From helping actors in harness-like devices deftly operate over-sized puppets at center stage, to demonstrating how a simple gesture can make even the smallest puppet jump to life, Barnhart helped the players gain confidence in embodying a character, while also being in tune with manipulations causing eyes to blink and other animated actions.
“My work as a puppeteer has made me a better actor, in terms of feeling like I can move in my own body comfortably and use it as an expressive tool,” Barnhart said.
She also hopes her visits may have inspired some future puppeteers.
“One of the things I tried to communicate to the students is that puppet arts is one of the most comprehensive arts I know of,” said Barnhart. “People who are drawn to puppet arts tend to be people who have a lot of different skill sets. If you are doing your own shows, it opens doors to explore other things like designing your puppet, costuming, lighting, set creation. So it’s a great leaping off point.”
Barnhart said she loved every minute of sharing puppetry tricks and tips to help STC cast members animate their puppets and commune with their characters.
“I hope, if there are any other productions with puppets, that I’m asked back!” she said.
STC programs are offered through Branford Parks and Recreation and in collaboration with Branford Public Schools. This year’s STC camp drew 70 participants from across the shoreline and Connecticut, Sheehan said.
“The fact that people are coming from all different communities means that we have something special to offer,” said Sheehan.
Lemieux said Barnhart’s contributions to this year’s camp have to helped deliver yet another incredibly enriching experience for its participants.
“I knew they were going to learn so much from her; and I think that is what is super cool about Shoreline Theatre Company, in general,” said Lemieux. “Each summer, we have an experience that’s very unique and different to what we’ve done before.”
“I think we even shock ourselves with the level of cool stuff that we’ve been able to do,” said Martone. “We’re lucky that Colin and Chris have worked in the business with amazing people who want to work with them again. I’m so proud of everyone and what they put into this; and I’m so happy to be a part of it.”