Christmas time is almost here, and the thoughts of children turn to Santa in his workshop, preparing to make his big annual trip.
This year, however, Santa’s sack of toys is missing, and the only person who can get it back is an elf.
So begins the story of ‘A Merry Christmas Caper,? the latest production presented by Once Upon a Puppet and the Clarkston Village Players. This special puppet show has two performances only, both scheduled for Dec. 9 at the Depot Theater.
Jingles the elf is on a mission to recover the presents stolen by Burglar Bill on the night before Christmas. But Bill has fled to storybook land, where Jingles meets a variety of characters along his quest.
A Merry Christmas Caper is written and performed by Once Upon a Puppet founder Nancy Penvose of Clarkston, who said she’s been working on this story for a while.
‘This one’s been in the pipeline since last Christmas,? she said.
Last year, Penvose performed an original play called ‘Little Red,? about which she said she received a lot of positive feedback. As an added bonus for children who saw last year’s show, characters from ‘Little Red? have cameo appearances in this year’s show.
The production is Penvose’s third performance presented by the Clarkston Village Players. Penvose, a native of England, is in her 12th year with the Clarkston Village Players and has worked with puppets for some time.
In England, Penvose worked as an aspiring actor, started her own puppet show company and performed plays at birthday parties and such to make money. With her experience as a character actress, Penvose brought her ability to speak in various voices and accents to the characters she creates for her show.
‘It features 15 characters, so it’s quite a challenge,? said Penvose, who does all the work behind the scenes moving and voicing characters.
As with previous performances, Penvose said she encourages audience participation, and the children will have a chance to speak with her and see her creations at a ‘Meet and Greet? after each show.
Two shows are scheduled, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are $6 each. Tickets are available for purchase online through www.clarkstonvillageplayers.org. They are also available by leaving a message on the Clarkston Village Players ticket line at 248-625-8811. Tickets may be purchased at the door the night of the performance. However, availability cannot be assured.