Geppetto: Extraordinary Extremities
About
Geppetto: Extraordinary Extremities is a tale of resilience, adaptation and ingenuity that tells the story of puppet-maker Geppetto, who is attempting to perform — all by himself for the first time ever — the grand mythical love story of Perseus, who slays a sea monster to save his beloved Andromeda. During the show things begin to go haywire, and Geppetto finds himself desperately improvising to overcome the challenges of performing solo while at the same time scrambling to devise new story lines, new characters, and even new limbs.
Geppetto: Extraordinary Extremities was inspired by a NPR story on Hugh Herr, whose legs were amputated after a climbing accident and who now designs technologically advanced artificial limbs.
Performed by: Carlo Adinolfi
Written and Directed by: Renee Philippi
Original Music by: Lewis Flinn
Set & Puppet Design: Carlo Adinolfi
Lighting Designer: Casey McLain
Cellists: Jeanette Stenson and Alon Bisk
History
June 2020
Bridge Street Theatre, Catskill, NY
September 2019
Newburgh Free Library, Newburgh, NY
June 2018
New York State Puppet Festival, Theatre@37, Perry, NY
March 2018
SUNY-Orange, Kaplan Hall, Newburgh, NY
January 2018
Canal Café Theatre, London, UK
November 2017
Dixon Place, New York, NY
October 2017
Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI
June 2017
Storytelling Arts Center, Laurinburg, NC
January 2017
South Korea Tour: Gwangju Cultural Center, Baekseok University & Jeju
December 2016
Flint Institute of Arts, Flint Public Library, Flint Local 432, and Mott Middle College,Flint, MI
November 2016
Bridge Street Theatre, Catskill, NY
March 2016
Amphibian Stage Productions, Fort Worth, TX
September 2015
The Dairy Center for the Arts, Boulder, CO
June 2015
Diana H. Jones Innovative Senior Center, Brooklyn, NY
March 2015
Creative Aging Conference, The Creative Center, New York, NY
January 2015
Mint Theater, New York, NY
January 2015
Rowan University, Performing Arts Center, Glassboro, NJ
November 2014
Pontine Theatre, Portsmouth, NH
April and May 2014
OFF-Broadway, SoHo Playhouse, NYC
January 2014
Teatro Jaco, Jaco, Costa Rica and Embassy Club de Artes, Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica
November 2013
7-City Tour of Northern Italy
August 17-18, 2013
Bard SummerScape Spegieltent, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
June 10-30, 2013
HERE Arts Center, New York, NY
March 16, 2013
Two In-progress showings at Hudson Opera House, Hudson, NY
June 1-3, 2012
An early In-progress showing, St. Ann’s Warehouse’s Labapalooza!, Dumbo, NY
Geppetto: Extraordinary Extremities development began during a residency at St. Ann’s Warehouse’s Puppet Lab, Brooklyn, NY, 2011-2012. The development of Geppetto has been made possible through the support of New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and The Jim Henson Foundation.
Press
“The play focuses on a longing for magic, a wish for a transformative power…A compelling performance, enhanced by haunting cello music… It celebrates human ingenuity.”
– The New York Times
“It’s romantic in an old-fashioned way…lovely music…Carlo Adinolfi’s performance is charming.”
– The New Yorker
“Poignant yet funny… worth seeing…”
–nytheatre.com
Photos
Video
Workshops
1) “Geppetto” Workshop – “Evil Guy” (one of Geppetto’s puppets): Participants make their own “Evil Guy” and learn how to manipulate him.
2) “Geppetto” Workshop – Acting and Directing with Puppets: Can be either an introductory workshop or a master class and can focuse on either acting or directing or both.
3) “Geppetto” Workshop – What are Prosthetics: looks at developments in modern prosthetics and the use of prosthetics in “Geppetto”.
4) Talkback with Audience or Special Focus Group.
5) Lecture/Demonstration: with excerpts from the show as examples. The Lecture/Demo can focus on: Our Creative Process, “Meet the Puppets,” Different Types of Puppetry, Manipulation of puppets, Creating Puppet Plays, etc.