Ongoing Applause for Bread & Puppet Theater Circus

Some “Serious and Silly” Scenes on the Cambridge Common, September 13, 2025 (with quotes for background and links to sites with better photos!)

“Bread & Puppet Theater presents “Our Domestic Resurrection Revolution in Progress Circus” outdoors on Cambridge Common on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at 4 p.m. in partnership with Cambridge Arts.“( quote from CAMBRIDGE ARTS News, Bread and Puppet Circus )

“This circus is a brand new show in the tradition of the iconic Bread & Puppet Circuses that began at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, in 1970. As usual, the show will draw on traditional circus tropes and familiar Bread & Puppet iconography to draw attention to the urgent issues of the day. Stilt dancers, papier-maché beasts of all sizes and a riotous brass band make a raucous, colorful spectacle of protest and celebration.” ( quote from CAMBRIDGE ARTS News, Bread and Puppet Circus )

“We are joined by Palestinian peace cranes on their way to Washington,” the theater says, “green frogs who teach the art of hopping over seemingly insurmountable problems, and gaggles of kindergarten butterflies who frolic to their hearts’ desire. Join us for a serious and silly circus.” ( quote from CAMBRIDGE ARTS News, Bread and Puppet Circus )

“The Bread and Puppet Theater was founded in 1963 by Peter Schumann on New York City’s Lower East Side. Besides rod-puppet and hand puppet shows for children, the concerns of the first productions were rents, rats, police, and other problems of the neighborhood. More complex theater pieces followed, in which sculpture, music, dance and language were equal partners. The puppets grew bigger and bigger.” (quote from About Bread and Puppet )

“In 1974 Bread and Puppet moved to a farm in Glover in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. The 140-year old hay barn was transformed into a museum for veteran puppets. Our Domestic Resurrection Circus, a two day outdoor festival of puppetry shows, was presented annually through 1998.” (quote from About Bread and Puppet )

“The company makes its income from touring new and old productions both on the American continent and abroad, and from sales of Bread and Puppet Press’ posters and publications. The traveling puppet shows range from tightly composed theater pieces presented by members of the company, to extensive outdoor pageants which require the participation of many volunteers.“(quote from About Bread and Puppet)