Fox Valley Lutheran High School Years

2019-20 Highlights

December 2019 was a special time for the Fox Folk Marionette Troupe. The season opened with our traditional performances at the Apple Creek YMCA on the first Saturday of the December. On 12/10, the troupe hosted a pair of special 60-minute Christmas shows for the 4K - Grade 3 students on the FVL stage.

The performance began with the audience favorite "The Gift of the Princess" telling the story of the Wisemen coming to visit the young Jesus in Bethlehem. After a short, interactive intermission, the show continued with the debut of "Children of the Kingdom" -- a newly written Christmas fairy tale that encourages the audience to continue to share the message of Jesus. Over 700 students, parents, grandparents, and teachers attended. FVL Musicfest in January featured an encore showing of "Children of the Kingdom." The final performance of the season was slated to be at Kinderfest 2020 in April. Unfortunately, due to the closure of the Wisconsin schools by Governor Evers' order, the event and performance needed to be canceled. 

December 2019 performance (video link coming soon)

2018-19 Highlights

For the Christmas season, the troupe performed the audience favorite "The Search for the King." This was the first time this show was ever offered "open stage." A pair of Christmas shows were performed at the Apple Creek YMCA and at the Christmas for Kids event hosted by St. Paul Lutheran Church of Green Bay in early December.

On December 13, the team traveled to Emanuel Lutheran School in New London for a special show and to St. Peter Lutheran School in Weyauwega for a Senior Showcase honoring veteran puppeteer Aidan Smithson. The show was covered in an article in the Waupaca newspaper. FVL's Musicfest on January 27 gave the puppeteers another chance to perform "The Search for the King." Their final show was Kinderfest 2019 in April.

2017-18 Highlights

The season opened at the Apple Creek YMCA on December 2 with two performances of "Baboushka & the Surprise Visitors." The next Saturday, the same show was offered at a joint Christmas for Kids event hosted by Riverview and St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Appleton. Two community Christmas shows were offered on Dec. 13 at Fox Valley Christian Academy in Neenah and St. Paul Assisted Living Home in Kaukauna. This marked the first time the team had performed in a nursing home setting.

For FVL Musicfest, the troupe performed a Christian fairytale show entited "I Can Do All Things." A pair of Senior Showcase performances were performed at Mount Olive Lutheran School of Appleton and Trinity Lutheran School of Neenah. The troupe also performed "A Sight to See" at Eternal Love Lutheran Church's "Easter Egg-stravaganza" in Appleton.

The last show of the year was for 200-plus kindergarteners at FVL Kinderfest 2018 in April.



See pictures of the 2017 Apple Creek YMCA show

2016-17 Highlights

Our marionette troupe performed for the first time ever at Grow With Us Childcare on the campus of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Black Creek. The date was December 8 at 4 p.m. On December 10, the Apple Creek YMCA was the host of two performances of "The Gift of the Princess" @ 11 am & 1 pm. Sadly our Dec. 17 show at St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Appleton had to be canceled due to a major snow storm.

At FVL Musicfest on January 29, FFM performed our new open-stage fairy tale show with knights, a dragon, a lovely princess, and an enchanted forest. Senior showcase performances of this same show were performed at St. Peter Lutheran School of Appleton, Bethlehem Lutheran School of Hortonville, Immanuel Lutheran School of Greenville and a first-ever visit to Riverview Lutheran School of Appleton. The last show of the year was for the 200-plus kindergarteners at FVL Kinderfest 2017 on April 7. We enjoyed a wonderful year and were sad to see our seven senior members graduate. 

2015-16 Golden Anniversary

50 Years of Sharing the Christmas Story

In 2015-16, the Fox Folk Marionette Troupe celebrated the 50th year of its puppets telling the Christmas story. Practices began in mid-October. In honor of their golden anniversary, the show "The Search for Christmas" was chosen. It is a modern retelling of the classic Henry Van Dyke's "The Other Wiseman." This story is special because it is not only one of the original shows performed by the original puppet creators at All Saints Episcopal Church in downtown Appleton, but it is also the first show the marionettes performed in their new home at Fox Valley Lutheran High School.

The troupe's annual visit to the Apple Creek YMCA was Dec. 5 with a pair of performances. The visit was made much easier by the new trailer which had been purchased over summer. In conjunction with the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, FFM also offered a special inter-generational show at the Thompson Community Center on December 7. Along with the performance, a brief history of the puppets was shared along with a puppet-building session for the audience! Also that December, the group performed as part of the "Christmas for Kids" program at St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Appleton.

In early 2016, the team attended a professional puppetry performance by the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia at Oshkosh's Grand Opera House on Monday, January 25. That same morning, they also offered a community performance at Trinity Lutheran School in Oshkosh. FVL's Winterfest 2016 saw the group stage an encore performance of "The Search for Christmas." Other performances included shows at Immanuel Lutheran School of Greenville, Emanuel Lutheran School of New London and Our Shepherd Child Care in Appleton for their "Easter for Kids" event. The season closed with a performance of "I Can Do All Things at FVL Kinderfest 2016 in April.

2014-15 Highlights

The Fox Folk Marionette troupe enjoyed a visit in November to the Fox Cities PAC for "Stella: Queen of the Snow" and a backstage tour with Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. Our annual visit to the Apple Creek YMCA on December 6 saw two performances of "Baboushka & the Surprise Visitors," a retelling of the classic Russian folktale. On the afternoon of December 12, the troupe performed a Community Showcase of "Baboushka" at New Hope Christian School. St. Paul Church & School in Green Bay hosted a showing of "Baboushka" on December 13 for their Christmas for Kids event. An encore performance of "Baboushka & the Surprise Visitors" was offered at FVL Winterfest 2015 in late January.

Spring 2015 found the team sharing a Senior Showcase program at St. Peter Lutheran School in Weyauwega and a school show at Mount Olive Lutheran School in Appleton. A special Easter Community Showcase was hosted by St. Paul Lutheran Child Care of Winneconne. Another Community Showcase was offered in April at Faith Lutheran Church of Appleton. The final performance of the year was FVL Kinderfest 2015 in April.

2013-14 Highlights

On December 7, the Fox Folk Marionettes visited the Apple Creek YMCA for two performances of "The Gift of the Princess." On December 11 and 14, braving brutal cold and a nasty winter storm, the troupe shared "The Gift of the Princess" for the Memory Cafe at the Thompson Community Center in downtown Appleton and at St. Paul Lutheran Church & School in Green Bay for their Christmas for Kids program.

FVL Winterfest 2014 was Sunday, January 26. The first show of the day was an encore performance of "The Gift of the Princess." For the second show, the troupe debuted their new Easter program entitled "A Sight to See." The show features a little blind boy who miraculously receives his sight from Jesus just before the Savior is betrayed and crucified. "A Sight to See" was also performed at three Senior Showcase programs at Bethlehem Lutheran School of Hortonville, Immanuel Lutheran School of Greenville, and St. Peter Lutheran School of Appleton.

We also enjoyed performing for over 200 kindergarten students at FVL's annual Kinderfest event. Director Dave Payne is 120 pages into his book designed to capture the history of these special puppets who have now performed for over 32,000 people.

2012-13 Highlights

The Fox Folk Marionettes made our annual trek to the Apple Creek YMCA on December 1 for a pair of performances of "A Lamb's Tale," an original script written by director Dave Payne. On January 27, as part of Winterfest, the troupe performed "A Lamb's Tale" at 12:30 and "Princess Gloriana & the Dragon" at 2:30 PM in the small gym. "A Lamb's Tale" features the Christmas story from the perspective of the Bethlehem shepherds and their sheep. In "Princess Gloriana & the Dragon," the land of Fortunia is rocked by the arrival of an evil dragon who makes his lair in their enchanted forest. Does Sir Baldwin make a difference and save the royal family? Kinderfest was moved from February to April to accommodate weather complications this year. The team performed "I Can Do All Things" for an auditorium filled with 200 kindergarteners at the event.

2011-12 Highlights

The Fox Folk Marionette Troupe opened their season with a pair of performances on December 3 at the Apple Creek YMCA. The debut showing of "The Gift of the Princess" was well received. December 10 found the puppeteers sharing the same show in the gym at St. Paul Lutheran School in Green Bay for that church's special Christmas outreach event. Two shows were performed with over 200 in attendance.

At FVL's Winterfest, the puppeteers encored the same show and introduced their new fairy tale show entitled "The Girl Who Cried Wolf." This show was written by Director Dave Payne and puppeteer Alyssa Lawrence. This is the first time the troupe had performed a play written by one of the performers. A select group of the marionettists also performed in February for FVL Kinderfest 2012. The inaugural performance of "I Can Do All Things" was a hit with the kindergartners and adults alike and will be performed again at future Kinderfest devotions.

2010-11 Highlights

The Fox Folk Marionette Troupe opened their season with a pair of performances December 4 at the Apple Creek YMCA. "Baboushka and the Christmas Visitors" was well received. Segments of the program were videotaped for an upcoming edition of Kids Connection - a Wisconsin Synod video newsmagazine for school-age children.

At FVL's Winterfest on January 30, the puppeteers presented "Princess Glorianna & the Jewel Tree" and "The Miracle of the Candles." Both shows were presented in the open stage format - a first for the Fox Folk Marionette Troupe. "Princess Glorianna" brought back last year's popular fairy tale program, while "The Miracle of the Candles" was a new show based on a folklore legend about a poor widower and his two girls whose celebration of Christmas is aided by miraculous means. That March we received the sad news of the death of Barbara Purdy, one of the leading inspirations behind the creation of the marionettes. Spring saw a visit to Trinity Lutheran School in Brillion and May found the troupe traveling to St. Mark School in Green Bay for a "Grand People's Day" performance -- two cities where the puppets had never performed before.

Read an article from the County Post East highlighting our show!

2009-10 Highlights

FFM debuted its new portable stage (created/built by Director Dave Payne) with a pair of shows at the new Apple Creek YMCA. Especially exciting was the opportunity to perform an updated version of "The Search for Christmas," one of the first shows ever performed by our team and one that goes back to the original shows for which the puppets were built. It is adapted from the famous story "The Other Wiseman" by Henry Van Dyke. It also was a chance to pay tribute to the Purdy family who donated their marionette collection to FVL and were instrumental in the creation of the Apple Creek YMCA as well.

This season also marked the debut of our first fairy tale show: "Princess Glorianna & the Jewel Tree" created by Directors Dave & Cassie Payne and featuring our brand new dragon marionette. Our "Senior Showcases" took us on the road to the schools at Mount Olive-Appleton and St. Peter-Freedom. We were also privileged to perform for Bethany Lutheran Church's Christian Education Sunday held at FVL. A special treat was the opportunity to take the puppeteers backstage after an Oshkosh performance by the Mermaid Theatre, a professional troupe from Nova Scotia, Canada.

2008-09 Highlights

This season marked the debut of the "Piccolo: The Stubborn Little Donkey," a tale adapted from the famous Charles Tazewell story entitled "The Small One." Our Senior Showcases took us on the road to the schools at Emanuel-New London and Martin Luther-Neenah. We were also privileged to perform at Oshkosh's Martin Luther School after attending a professional puppetry performance at the Grand Opera House--complete with a backstage tour.

At Winterfest on January 31, 2009, the troupe debuted its new fairy tale show entitled "Princess Gloriana & the Jewel Tree." The photo below depicts the nativity scene with Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus.

The directors of the troupe also partnered with the Fox Cities PAC to visit area elementary schools to share puppetry workshops tied to the Mermaid Theatre's production of "Swimmy," performed at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in October.

2007-08 Highlights

The troupe debuted its new script "A Lamb's Tale" (written by Director Dave Payne). The show tells the Christmas story from the perspective of the sheep in the fields of Bethlehem.

The team also began its "Senior Showcase" program by visiting St. John Lutheran School in East Bloomfield and St. Peter Lutheran School in Appleton. The Senior Showcase program featured the Russian folktale of "Baboushka." Directors Dave & Cassie Payne also worked with the Fox Cities PAC to visit area elementary schools and share a short Introduction to Puppetry workshop program.

2006-07 Highlights

2006-07 was an important year for the troupe. Many new, young puppeteers joined the team. Also, Cassie Payne, director of Hands 2 Grow Puppet Productions, volunteered as Assistant Director. The team reprised "Darko's Song" -- FFM's adaptation of an old Serbian folk tale. It tells the story of a blind shepherd boy who miraculously teaches the people of his village to see what is truly important in life.

FFM also presented two special performances at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in conjunction with the opening of Disney's "The Lion King" in May 2007. The performances highlighted the different types of puppetry -- shadow, rod, mask, hand, and moving mouth puppets.

See the LION KING SHOW PowerPoint

In addition to our traditional performances at FVL Winterfest, the troupe also performed for the Christian Education Sunday of Bethany Lutheran Church of Appleton. Also for the first time in its FVL history, the puppets made a road trip to perform for FVL Schools Week at Trinity Lutheran School in Neenah. The Russian folktale "Baboushka" was the feature presentation that afternoon.