Utah State Theatre's Children's Production of 'Issun Boshi' Opens Dec. 1

The creative use of large-scale puppets plays an important part in the next stage production to open at Utah State University when the Caine School of the Arts presents Utah State Theatre’s production of “Issun Boshi,” the Japanese tale of Tom Thumb.

 

The production runs Dec. 1-5, in the Morgan Theatre of the Chase Fine Arts Center on the USU campus (approximately 1110 E. 610 North, Logan). Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. for all dates, and an additional matinee performance is Saturday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m.

 

Tickets are available at the Caine School of the Arts Box Office in the Chase Fine Arts Center, FA 138-B, 435-797-8022, or online and are $13 for adults, $7 for K-12 students and free to USU students with a valid ID.

 

Issun Boshi (“Little One Inch”) is the Japanese tale of Tom Thumb; a story of an elderly couple who wish for a child no matter the size. Issun arrives the size of a thumb and never grows any larger. He has many adventures which are portrayed in the play.

 

“This show is very playful,” said director and theatre arts faculty member Nancy Hills. “The actors and the crew have had so much fun with this show. We hope that people have as much fun watching as we are having creating the show.”

 

Utah State Theatre’s production involves large-scale puppets, designed by associate professor Dennis Hassan. Hassan spent part of his sabbatical year studying traditional Eastern European marionette design and construction. Following his return, Hassan organized a theatre crafts course specializing in puppetry. Students of that class and other theatre arts specialists have invested hundreds of hours in the construction of the puppets for Issun Boshi.

 

“Considerable time has been spent in rehearsal with the actors learning to manipulate the puppets,” said Hassan. “It hasn’t just been a show where you build something and walk away from it, and we didn't expect it to be. That’s part of what makes it exciting.”

 

The director also discussed the process of working with the large puppets.

 

“All the puppeteers are in full view of the audience,” said Hills. “Some of the puppets are operated with several people. You really have to work as a team when there’s an actor on each of the feet and the arms and you’re trying to walk in opposition.”

 

The puppets range from the littlest Issun, a small puppet operated by the actor who plays big Issun, to the gigantic samurai operated by up to eight actors. The production also features a wasp, rat, fish and kappa — a water spirit — all large-scale.

 

Issun Boshi is a story about how a very tiny soul can have a really big impact, Hills said. She believes that we all have tiny parts of us that can have big impacts as well, which is why she loves the idea that the actor who plays big Issun manipulates the small Issun puppet — Big Issun is always with Little Issun.

 

A children’s activity book was prepared by students in the USU honors creative arts class specifically for Issun Boshi. To request a copy, contact Hills at nancy.hills@usu.edu. The books will also be made available at each performance free of charge.

 

The Caine School of the Arts presents more than 200 events each academic year. For information on upcoming events presented by Caine School of the Arts, visit its Web site (http://caineschool.usu.edu).