Help Us Bring Tales from the Bayou to Life This September!

To learn more about the show and other ways to contribute, visit: https://www.mattamagical.com/tales-from-the-bayou

Want to support local theatrical arts in the southwest? This new original show, created by Matthew McGee or “Matt-a-Magical” and in association with Great Arizona Puppet Theater, is officially crowdfunding for its world debut in September 2024. Proceeds will go towards paying the actors, designers, and builders who are helping to bring the show to life, as well as covering the cost of materials. It will be hosted in the evening, families and all age groups are encouraged to come; this show is sure to awe everyone who sees it, young or old!

What is Tales from the Bayou?

Tales from the Bayou presents a series of short, original, musical folktales that all take place in the mystical regions of the swamp. The show, taking some inspiration from Jim Henson’s "The Storyteller,” combines and embraces the hypnotic wonder of oral storytelling with the visual magic of puppetry.

Want a closer look? Here's a behind-the-scenes look at some character designs and puppets we’ve cooked up so far!

This year, Tales from the Bayou was awarded a Family Grant from the Jim Henson Foundation: the only grant-making institution with a mission to promote the creation and development of innovative live puppet theater in the United States. We are incredibly thankful for the Jim Henson Foundation for making it possible to get this flight off the ground—now, with your help, we can make it soar!

(Also, if that photo of Matt with the possum puppet looks familiar, it’s because it’s from his beloved Puppet Slam performance, “How Possum Played Death,” which as of writing this is featured on the official homepage of the Puppet Slam Network! This short piece is just the beginning of what he has to show, however, and as opposed to a Puppet Slam, this full-length production will be targeted at family audiences.)

Where will my donation go?

All donations will go directly to Great Arizona Puppet Theater to be used exclusively for the production of Tales from the Bayou, which includes both paying the cast & crew and covering the cost of materials.

- A donation of $5-100 could help us get materials and supplies for making costumes, props, puppets, and the set! Your name will be added to the program with a special thanks.

- A donation of $100-500 could help us pay our designers and performers for all their time and talents on this production. Your name will be added to the program as an artistic sponsor.

- A donation of $500 or more could sponsor an artist or even cover the cost of getting the set built! Your name will be added with the name of the actor you sponsored.

- A donation of $1000 or more would sponsor several artists, or cover an entire category of expenses (like costume design AND materials). Your name will be in the program as a co-producer.

Who is Matt-a-Magical?

Matthew McGee, also known as Matt-a-Magical, is an award-winning actor and puppet designer with over 25 years of puppet-making-experience. A second-generation puppeteer, Matt was practically raised by puppets in the wilds of Central California and spent many a summer attending puppetry festivals throughout his youth. In fact, he has known some of the founding family behind the Great Arizona Puppet Theater since he was at least 12 years old!

His years of experience with theater production and puppetry (primarily in D.C.) culminated the summer of 2022 in an original, two-time Jim Henson Foundation Grant-awarded show, titled Under the Sea with Dredgie McGee, that Matt wrote, directed, starred in, and designed over 35 puppets for, along with a collaborative team of talented actors and artists. In 2023, it was nominated for 4 Helen Hayes Awards, including Best Ensemble and Outstanding Production.

In addition to years of theater experience, Matt is a self-motivated media-maker, artist, builder, and seasoned teacher, having taught workshops at national puppetry festivals, high schools, and other venues; led summer camps at the Smithsonian on puppetry and other areas of craft; taught courses on acting at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts; and even instructed for a year at Fresno State University on using puppetry in education.

For more information, visit: https://www.mattamagical.com

Who is the Great Arizona Puppet Theater?

Founded in 1983, The Great Arizona Puppet Theater is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance and promote the Art of Puppetry; to celebrate the great State of Arizona's heritage, cultures and ecology; to educate children and families through Puppetry, and to enhance Arizona's cultural climate. The theater is open to the public 5 days a week year-round with shows for children and adults and also tours statewide, serving a total audience of 85,000.

The home of the Great Arizona Puppet Theater is an important Phoenix landmark. Built-in 1929, the beautiful Phoenix LDS 2nd Ward Church was purchased by the Highway Department in 1972 for construction of I-10 and targeted for demolition. Public outcry saved the building, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was bought and renovated by GAPT in 1996, and it has been where the theater calls home ever since!

The theater has won numerous awards, including Best Children’s Theater from the New Times and Arizona Republic, the UNIMA-USA Citation for Excellence in Puppetry, the Mayor's Environmental Award for Education, Puppeteers of America Endowment Fund Award, and more. Their shows have been performed regionally, nationally, and even as far as internationally. The theater has also hosted outstanding puppeteers from around the world, including from India, Greece, England, China, Mexico, Russia, and Germany, among others.

For more information, visit: https://www.azpuppets.org/

Once again, we would like to thank you for your support, and for taking the time to read all of this! Even just spreading the word helps in getting more eyes on the project as we start to ramp up production, so share this with whoever you think might be interested in local theater or just cool puppet stuff. Stay tuned for more announcements (and maybe sneak peaks!) as we get closer to the show’s official debut.