Puppet pageant ‘Fauna Fantastique’ brings natural and supernatural beasts to Lions Park

For the next month, Olympia’s Lions Park will be filled with fantastic creatures, including giant geese, moving mushrooms and the mythical baku.

These natural and unnatural wonders — and others yet to be revealed — are part of String and Shadow Puppet Theater’s “Fantastic Fauna,” a puppet pageant opening Friday, July 9.

“We were like, ‘Let’s do something that’s light-hearted and full of wonder,’“ said String and Shadow founder Emily McHugh. “It’s been a really hard year.”

The puppet pageant, running through Aug. 1, is structured as a nature show — something like a psychedelic take on “Wild Kingdom,” hosted by the colorful Dr. Menagerie, played by storyteller Elizabeth Lord.

Like TV nature shows, “Fauna” is not so much about plot as it is about showing audiences something they haven’t had the opportunity to see before — something like the baku, a tapir-like Japanese supernatural being said to devour nightmares.

“That’s the puppet I’m most excited about,” McHugh told The Olympian.

She’s clearly excited about the mushrooms, too. “With all the shapes and the colors, they are just so fun to make,” she said.

The show is told in four acts, with each featuring handmade puppets operated by McHugh, Donald Palardy II, Kelsey Magnuson and Dylan Clifthorne and live music by the String and Shadow Cartoon Orchestra, made up of Luz Gaxiola, Francis Brennan, Cory Mahler and Ben MacSpadden.

Dr. Menagerie’s highly scientific-sounding observations tie the whole thing together.

Lord, who did recorded narration for String and Shadow’s 2020 drive-in puppet show, is thrilled about the role — and not just because this will be her first appearance on stage since COVID-19 arrived.

“It was definitely Emily and Donald’s vision, but I got to sit with them and help write the piece and create a new character,” Lord said. “It was very exciting.”

Menagerie is, she said, a mixture of eccentric forest dweller Tom Bombadil from “The Lord of the Rings” and eccentric psychiatrist Lawrence Jacoby from TV’s “Twin Peaks.”

“I wanted a character who’s an expert but maybe he’s an expert on something that isn’t real,” she said.

‘Fauna Fantastique’

• What: String and Shadow Puppet Theater is back with a giant puppet pageant featuring live music and storyteller Elizabeth Lord.
• When: 7 p.m. July 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 and July 30-Aug. 1, with matinees at 3 p.m. July 25 and Aug. 1.
• Where: Lions Park, 800 Wilson St. SE, Olympia.
• Tickets: By donation; suggested amounts are $15 for adults and $8 for children.
• More information: https://www.stringandshadow.com/
• Also: Bring a blanket or lawn chair, and please wear a mask and follow social-distancing guidelines.

This story was originally published July 8, 2021 at 5:00 AM.