Why we make theatre for family audiences
Puppets! Original music! A Tiny Bit of Acrobatics! Adventure and Invention! The Gottabees started making super fun theater for families in 2013 with the creation of Squirrel Stole My Underpants and it’s follow-up, Lollipops for Breakfast, in 2015. They have since been selling out venues and inspiring homemade puppet shows throughout the US and Canada. They find it deeply satisfying to create original physical theater so families can do something fun together that allows them all to giggle, gasp, sigh, and cheer in 45 minutes or less.
Their shows are often stories told without words—they embrace the physical and the visual in theater. The result is a poetic, nonlinear story that surprises audiences. One of the things that makes members of The Gottabees happiest is when they meet children who have seen a show and parents tell them how their child acted out the entire show for weeks after seeing it. This is the core reason why they make theater for young audiences: The Gottabees want children to know in their hearts that they, too, can make theater wherever they are and whomever they are.
Their shows are often stories told without words—they embrace the physical and the visual in theater. The result is a poetic, nonlinear story that surprises audiences. One of the things that makes members of The Gottabees happiest is when they meet children who have seen a show and parents tell them how their child acted out the entire show for weeks after seeing it. This is the core reason why they make theater for young audiences: The Gottabees want children to know in their hearts that they, too, can make theater wherever they are and whomever they are.
About Bonnie
For the last 15 years, Bonnie Duncan has blended puppetry, dance, and physical theatre in surprising and delightful ways. Her work has been described as “an artful world of silent dreams, mime, and dance” (Austin Live Theatre). She has most recently been working as one half of They Gotta Be Secret Agents with Tim Gallagher. Their show, Poste Restante, continues to tour worldwide, and won “Best Touring Show of 2011,” Austin, TX; Best of the Fringe, San Francisco, 2009; and a nomination for Most Innovative Show at Prague Fringe Festival 2010. Prior to her work as a Secret Agent, Bonnie was a company member of Snappy Dance Theater for 8 years, performing sculptural, acrobatic dances nationally and internationally. Her movement was called “breathtakingly simple” and “delightfully crafty” by the Boston Globe.
Bonnie was a participant at the O'Neill National Puppetry Conference in 2008 and 2013 (working with Martin P. Robinson), an Associate Artist at Atlantic Center for the Arts in 2005 (working with Paul Zaloom), and a Resident Artist at Perishable Theater, Providence, RI, 2007-2009. Her work has been supported by the Cambridge Arts Council, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Puppeteers of America, Jim Henson Foundation, and LEF Foundation.
Bonnie also holds a Masters in Education from Lesley University in Creative Arts in Learning. She has been a Teaching Artist since 1999, working in urban and suburban schools, integrating drama and movement into language arts and social studies classrooms. Bonnie has led Artist-in-Residency programs with five to fifteen year olds, bringing books and historical moments to life and creating original student-created productions. She also developed the curriculum and taught theatre arts at a Montessori elementary and middle school for 12 years.
When Bonnie is not performing and teaching, she is the mother of three young children, an avid runner, and vegan cupcake maker.
Bonnie was a participant at the O'Neill National Puppetry Conference in 2008 and 2013 (working with Martin P. Robinson), an Associate Artist at Atlantic Center for the Arts in 2005 (working with Paul Zaloom), and a Resident Artist at Perishable Theater, Providence, RI, 2007-2009. Her work has been supported by the Cambridge Arts Council, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Puppeteers of America, Jim Henson Foundation, and LEF Foundation.
Bonnie also holds a Masters in Education from Lesley University in Creative Arts in Learning. She has been a Teaching Artist since 1999, working in urban and suburban schools, integrating drama and movement into language arts and social studies classrooms. Bonnie has led Artist-in-Residency programs with five to fifteen year olds, bringing books and historical moments to life and creating original student-created productions. She also developed the curriculum and taught theatre arts at a Montessori elementary and middle school for 12 years.
When Bonnie is not performing and teaching, she is the mother of three young children, an avid runner, and vegan cupcake maker.
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Listen to Bonnie's interview about her career path and practice!
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Collaborators
Brendan Burns (music) is a guitarist & educator rooted in Somerville, MA. He released his debut album TimeStamp (recorded live at the Somerville Theatre) in 2012. Brendan is a founding member of the music & puppetry troupe: Elephant Tango Ensemble (nominated for an IRNE) and former director of the house band for Bent Wit Cabaret. Brendan holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Berklee College of Music and is the guitar department coordinator at Brookline Music School.
Tony Leva (music) Tony Leva is an educator, improvisor, collaborator and performer. He performs regularly with Bury Me Standing, Jaggery, The Michael Dobiel Quartet and the Junk Kitchen Players. Tony is currently working on his Masters of Music degree at Longy School of Music. He also teaches bass at the Rockport Community School and is an active collaborator/educator at Tunefoolery, an artist collective of musicians with psychiatric disabilities. Tony also studies the sintir (a North African bass lute) and has occasionally performed on trumpet, melodica, accordion and clown nose.
Dan Milstein (director/Bonnie's husband) is the founding Artistic Director of Boston’s Rough & Tumble Theater with whom he has made over thirteen original plays. He holds fast to his quixotic belief that theater should be cheap, fun, and deeply satisfying. He also happens to be The Director of Supply Chain Engineering at Wayfair.
Penney Pinette (costumes) recently completed her MFA in Costume Design at Boston University. She worked as a lead pattern maker for the Huntington Theatre Company for 10 years and currently teaches costume production at Boston University. She was awarded a Boston Artist Certificate in 2006 and continues to design independently for theatre, film, and dance.
Hamideh Rezaei-Kamalabad (Squirrel Stole My Underpants set) is a jewelry maker who sometimes dabbles in theater when asked. She is a graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and works as a fabricator for local jewelers. She is currently working on a new line of her own art jewelry.
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Brett Bundock (Lollipops for Breakfast set) has designed sets for Mill 6 Collaborative, Rough & Tumble Theater, and Suffolk University, among others. Brett is also a freelance industrial show carpenter for companies such as Ford, Kawasaki, and Mercedes. He currently lives with his family in Vermont.
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Kristine Cortese (Lollipops for Breakfast set painting) studied Fine Art Painting at Pasadena Art Center, Mass College of Art, and Cooper Union, NYC. She worked as a scenic painter around the Boston area before opening up City Feed and Supply, two neighborhood cafe/deli/natural foods stores in Jamaica Plain with her husband, which now, takes up most of her time.
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Interested in Bonnie's work with They Gotta Be Secret Agents?
Learn more about Poste Restante
A madly inventive mix of acrobatics, paper, laughter, dance, flight, puppetry, longing, and film...all stuffed neatly into a box.
WINNER of Best Touring Show of 2011, Austin Critics' Table
Best of the Fringe & Best Physical Comedy, San Francisco
This charming performance piece is a love letter to the deep human need we have to connect and the terrible trouble we have in succeeding. -- Culture Map Austin
Learn more about Poste Restante
A madly inventive mix of acrobatics, paper, laughter, dance, flight, puppetry, longing, and film...all stuffed neatly into a box.
WINNER of Best Touring Show of 2011, Austin Critics' Table
Best of the Fringe & Best Physical Comedy, San Francisco
This charming performance piece is a love letter to the deep human need we have to connect and the terrible trouble we have in succeeding. -- Culture Map Austin
