Puppet theater gives wing by pulling strings

In many a generation, and nearly everywhere in the world, puppets are a given.

But if you're only familiar with the old-school, fuzzy-wuzzy hand puppets that were once so popular in the U.S., or Miss Piggy, or the Cookie Monster from TV's "Sesame Street," here's a heads-up: There are many other forms of puppetry that families can enjoy in the Seattle region.

So what's currently playing on the puppet circuit in our area? Some options:

"Everyone Knows What a Dragon Looks Like," Seattle Children's Theatre

Bret Fetzer's colorful new adaptation (of the same-titled storybook by Jay Williams) is not billed as puppet play. But the wonderful puppets by designer Tristan Miles Theopholis Dalley do a lot of the emoting in this adventure tale of ancient China.

Aimed at children ages 5 and up, this fable humorously relates the story of a young orphan, Han, a gatekeeper in the ancient city of Wu, and his encounters with a hermit, a monk, a Mandarin ruler and a fierce, mysterious creature known as the Great Cloud Dragon.

Four nimble actors manipulate and provide the voices for the crew of beautifully garbed puppets. And children should especially warm to Ping, Han's adorable pet pig.

Fridays-Sundays through May 12 at Seattle Children's Theatre, Seattle Center; $10-$32 (206-441-3322 or www.sct.org).

"The Liberation of Ruggiero from the Island of Alcina," Northwest Puppet Center

In addition to the comic-fantastical puppet shows it regularly produces for young children, this beloved venue also stages an annual "puppet opera" that middle-schoolers and teens can enjoy — along with their parents.

Mounted by the intrepid Carter Family Marionettes, the resident company and managers of NW Puppet Center, this pocket opera features live singing and instrumental music on harpsichord and strings. The opera was created in the Renaissance for Italy's Medici court, as the nobles celebrated the 1625 visit of Prince Wladislaw of Poland. It also has the distinction of being the first known opera composed by a woman, Francesca Caccini.

The plot, inspired by the epic poem "Orlando Furioso," sounds like pure operatic froth, which can be a lot of fun. It concerns two sorceresses: an evil one who places the dashing knight Ruggiero under a treacherous spell and a good one who tries to break that spell.

Fridays-Sundays through April 29 at Northwest Puppet Center, 9123 15th Ave. N.E., Seattle; $20-$25 (206-523-2579 or www.nwpuppet.org).

"Brother Coyote and Sister Fox," Thistle Theatre

The long-running, very mobile Thistle puppet troupe brings Bunraku-style puppetry (where visible puppeteers clad in black control the puppets) to family audiences around Western Washington.

For those who have not had a chance to catch the show, you can do so this month and next in several locales.

This comic Mexican folktale depicts how the trickster Coyote vies with the sly Sister Fox over some chickens they'd both like to lunch on.

It is aimed at kids age 3 and up and features traditional Mexican music, as well as original tunes by Sue Ennis (sung in Spanish and English).

April 27-29 at Magnuson Park, Building 47, Seattle; May 4-6 at Sunset Hill Community Club, 3003 N.W. 66th St., Seattle; and May 26 and 27 at Bellevue Youth Theater, 16661 Northup Way, Bellevue; $7-$9 (206-524-3388 or www.thistletheatre.org).

Misha Berson: mberson@seattletimes.com