Puppet masters

I can’t remember the last puppet show I went to, but this one made me feel like a kid again.

That good feeling was shared by the real kids in the audience, about 30 of them, at the Saturday noontime performance I attended at Mum Puppettheatre, 115 Arch St.

Jack and the Beanstalk, written and performed by Jim Napolitano, is a shadow puppet show. Of the many forms of puppetry, shadow puppets are the most cinematic.

Shadow puppets are flat figures held up and controlled by thin sticks attached to their bodies and limbs. A variety of animals and people, easily recognizably by their silhouettes, can be created. This art is featured in the hit Broadway musical The Lion King, which will be coming to Philadelphia next year.

In Jack and the Beanstalk, Napolitano, or "Nappy" as he likes to be called, has created a fairy-tale world full of charm, invention and freshness the entire family will find endlessly fascinating. Nappy’s puppets have been seen on a number of children’s television specials, including Between the Lions, which was produced for PBS, and The Book of Pooh.

This version of Beanstalk is based on the Appalachian folk tale and is presented in four nicely paced acts. The entire show, without intermission, is 40 minutes.

In between Jack’s story of a sale gone wrong, there is a roller-coaster ride of short stories, vignettes and songs from children’s literature and traditional puppet theater. The fun moments when the audience joins in include Four Little Monkey’s Jumping on a Bed; The Green Apple Tree with a pig, a rooster, a cow and a sheep; The Moo-Moo Cow that never said moo; the story of The Three Little Ducks; The Singing Chick; and a nursery rhyme about The Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.

Arrive at least 15 minutes early for children to create their own shadow puppet at the theater lobby workshop table – complete with a projection screen.

Following the show, there is a question-and-answer session during which one bright little girl wanted to know, "why some shadow puppets had color?" In addition, families are encouraged to take a captivating look behind the scenes and find out from the performer what happens during the show. A long-standing Mum tradition, children will delight in asking questions and finding out how theatre magic is made, according to Mum’s Web site.

Mum Puppettheatre was named one of Philadelphia’s top attractions for kids by Fodor’s Travel Books. Founded in 1985, the theater has won 13 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre.

No doubt, after seeing this show, you will be interested in Mum’s upcoming three shows in its Family Series:

In The Emperor’s New Clothes, Hans Christian Andersen’s story is turned into a fable by Grey Seal Puppets. The crafty tailors are foxes, the prime minister is a near-sighted camel, the emperor’s councilor is a befuddled old walrus and the emperor himself is a big fat pig, according to Mum’s Web site.

In The Velveteen Rabbit, a plush rabbit discovers there is a difference between being a toy and being real. His owner’s love can make him real, but almost too late, as the now well-loved and well-worn rabbit learns what it means to be alive, said the Web site.

In The Adventures of a Boy and His Dog in Outer Space, audiences will join the daring duo as they blast off to encounter alien life forms and uncharted planets on their fantastic voyage, said the Web site. Full of supersonic saucers, invisible rays and space monsters, their trip takes them to the outer edges of the universe, according to the site.

Jack and The Beanstalk runs through Aug. 28 and is appropriate for all ages. Tickets are $15. Performances are noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 4 p.m. Sundays. Information: 215-925-7MUM or at www.mumpuppet.org.

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Jack and The Beanstalk
Through Aug. 28
Mum Puppettheatre
115 Arch St.
Tickets: $15
215-925-7MUM
www.mumpuppet.org.