Tears of Joy Theatre

Tears of Joy Theatre was a puppet theatre company located in the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon. It was founded in 1971 by Janet and Reg Bradley. The company toured two shows a year to schools in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana and Nevada. It toured libraries and puts on mainstage shows in the Portland Metro area yearly. It ended operations August 25, 2019.
Awards.
Tears of Joy is the recipient of four Citations of Excellence from UNIMA USAin Puppetry Arts (issued by the organization Puppeteers of America).
1986 "Petrouchka"1990 "Jumping Mouse"
1996 "Between Two Worlds/The Dybbuk" based on the folktale written by S. Anksy in 1920. The script was adapted by Mark Levenson, and was directed by Reg Bradley. The play incorporated cantal and kletzmer music and used bunraku style puppets. The puppeteers were in full view of the audience, to represent the spirits and ghosts that haunt the world this tale of deathless love inhabits
2009 "Pinocchio" Directed by Nancy Aldrich and written by Jon Ludwig.
Past Productions.
A chronological list of performances since its debut in 1971..
A chronological list of performances since its debut in 1971.
1971-72: "The Courageous Dragon", "Mumford the Sea Monster", "Aslan Meets the Shrinkerman", and "Jonah"
1972-73: "The Legend of Aukelenuiaku", "In Babel's Rubble-Fare", and "Happy Hours".
1973-74: "Nemo of the Four Winds" and "For Love of Looney".
1974-75: "The Bridge of the Gods", "Bigfoot in the Backyard", "The Breadman Cometh".
1975-76: "The Happy Prince", and "Alice in Voterland"
1976-77: "Miser of Tahoma", "Trouble at the Fort", and "Alice in Wonderland" (version 1)
1977-78: "Sungura the Hare" (version 1)
1978-79: "The Black Heart of Indri"
1979-80: "You Are What You Eat" (Nutrition Show), "Inanna in the Underworld", and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
1980-81: "The Magic Calliope", "Onion Skin Soup", THE MASQUE COMPANY
1981-82: "Coyote and the Cedar Tree", "Faces in Time" (MASQUE Co.), "Frogs" (MASQUE Co.), "Sungura the Hare" (version 2)
1982-83: "Lessons for a Sumo"
1983-84: "Jabberwocky" and "A Pig's Tale"
1984-85: "The Gift"
1985-86: "Petrushka", "The Magic Teakettle", and "Opal".
1986-87: "Adventures of Fet Frumos"
1987-88: "Jumping Mouse"
1988-89: "Baba Yaga" and "Hamitchou the Miser"
1989-90: "There's A Nightmare In My Closet" and "Puppetry in Action"
1990-91: "Rymchimchi" and "Aladdin & His Magic Lamp"
1991-92 "Alice in Wonderland" (version 2), "Coyote & the Cedar Tree" (version 2), and "How Coyote Kept His Name"
1992-93: No new plays produced.
1993-94: "Rumpelstiltskin", "Br'er Rabbit Tales", "Pure Imagination", and "The Lucky Teakettle of Good Fortune"
1994-95: "Pied Piper", "Monkey King", and "Between Two Worlds"
1995-96: "The Amazing Adventures of Coco-Kaba"
1996-97: "Fire on the Mountain", "Toy Box", and "It's a Republic, If You Can Keep It"
1997-98: "Jungle Book" and "Bridge of the Gods".
1998-99: "The Secret of Singbonga"
1999-00: "Singing Our Way Home"
2000-01: "Cinderella" and "Toad Prince"
2001-02: "Coyote Tales" and "Perseus: Hero of Ancient Greece"
2002-03: "Ride the Red Mare"
2003-04: "Anansi the Spider"
2004-05 "The Reluctant Dragon" and "Little One Inch"
2005-06: No New Shows
2006-07 "The Shoemake and the Elves"
2007-08: "Pinocchio" and "Stellaluna"
2008-10 No New Shows.
2011-12 "When Animals were People", "Raven Stories"
2012-13 "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "When Animals were People"
2014-15 Touring Shows: "When Animals were People" and "The Reluctant Dragon". No new shows were added.
2016-17 Touring Shows: "Petroucka", "Jungle Book", and "Toad Prince". No new shows were added.
2017-18: Touring Shows: "Toad Prince" and "There's a Nightmare in My Closet". Music by Richard Moore. Written by Reg Bradely. Directed by Artistic Director, Tim Giugni. No new shows added.
2018-19 Touring Shows: "There's a Nightmare in My Closet" and "Coyote Stories". No new shows added.
2019 Closed August.
They collaborated with Bag & Baggage Productions in December 2012 for an adaptation of "The Velveteen Rabbit".
Several guest directors have collaborated with Tears of Joy: Jan Wilkowski from Poland, Josef Krofta from the Czech Republic, and Yang Feng. In addition, Masaya Kiritaki, master of Otome Bunraku.
In November/December 2006, Tears of Joy produced "To Ride the Red Mare", which former Artistic Director Nancy Aldrich adapted from the book "A Ride On The Red Mare's Back" by Ursula K. Le Guin. Third Angle New Music Ensemble wrote and performed the music.