Tap your toes and flap your flippers to Mr. Popper’s Penguins at Children’s Theatre Company! It is hard enough for Mr. Popper, a modest painter, to support himself and his wife, and the unexpected addition of ten penguins makes it even tougher. But then, the imaginative Popper turns his talented penguins into a traveling vaudeville act – they sing, they dance, they become a theatrical sensation! Mr. and Mrs. Popper, Captain Cook, Greta, and all 22 penguin puppets will show you a wild and witty way to follow your dreams.
Don’t miss our must-see penguiny performance, now through February 24, and keep the fun going before and after you see the show. Think outside the box with these activities inspired by Mr. Popper’s Penguins!
Richard Holt, Christopher Finn, Susanna Jennings and Monica Nash in ‘Mr. Popper’s Penguins’ | Photo by Dan Norman
“Greetings from the South Pole. My name is Admiral Drake, famed Explorer, and today I speak to you from the bottom of the world!”
Radio Show – Exploring Explorers!
Every day, Mr. Popper listens to the Admiral Drake radio broadcast and wishes he could also be a great explorer, to see far-away lands, have incredible experiences, and make discoveries. What do you think it means to be an explorer?
Did you know there was a real Admiral Drake? Sir Francis Drake was an English sea captain in the 16th century and sailed around the entire world between 1577-1580. Use books and online resources to research explorers from all over the world, from any time period; then, pick one explorer and create a radio show about them, just like the one Mr. Popper loves! What are they exploring? Are they very far away from home? What problems are they coming across? How would you suggest solving these problems? Are you the interviewer, or the explorer?
Mix it up: A Foley Artist is someone who uses everyday objects to create sound effects for a film or radio program. Use objects from your home to create sound effects that add to your radio show.
Monica Nash, Richard Holt and Susanna Jennings in ‘Mr. Popper’s Penguins’ | Photo by Dan Norman
“But I think the nicest part of all is the penguins. They are the funniest birds in the world… It would be very nice to have one as a pet.”
Penguin Puppets!
Puppet designer Nick Barnes created puppets to play the many penguin characters you will see onstage in Mr. Popper’s Penguins. How would you design penguin puppets that can dance, perform circus tricks, and run around stage causing mischief? Use the box below to draw your design. After answering the questions, build your puppet and perform in your own version of Mr. Popper’s Penguins.
Monica Nash, Susanna Jennings, Christopher Finn, and Richard Holt in ‘Mr. Popper’s Penguins’ | Photo by Dan Norman
“It’s a penguin. We keep it for a pet. We keep him in the refrigerator.”
Object Transformation!
Captain Cook the penguin takes a refrigerator and turns it into a bed! Now, it’s your turn to take an ordinary, everyday object, and transform it into something else entirely!
Use a cardboard box, paper towel roll, old pillowcase, or any other everyday household or recyclable object. Imagine a potential alternative use (or uses) for this object. What object might you use?
Mix it up: When you’ve come up with the object’s new use, create a 30-second commercial that showcases your new product!
