Our Story

BooTown is an independent theatre group in Houston, Texas. We focus on homegrown storytelling based pieces that audiences have never seen before and this fall weve decided to tell some stories using puppets. Houston has a sweet underground puppet scene and weve teamed up with local puppeteer Camella Clements to make some magic happen. There will be three pieces, two by BooTown and one by Camella.

The first, A Bloody Puppet Show is based on the Sally Jesse Rafael episode featuring musical guest Gwar. Oh, and were putting it on ice. ON ICE! The second piece, A Sandbox Love Story is about two kids who like each other but dont know how to express it. Sound familiar? This one features real sand. REAL SAND! And a sand castle.

Camellas piece NO SOY MARINERO is a high-stakes maritime drama loosely based on Samuel Coleridge Taylors Rime of the Ancient Mariner. It features a live score by real roustabouts, marionettes built from genuine Galveston sea trash, and of course, a mariner.

The shows will be presented at Caroline Collective, a Houston co-working space on October 29, November 4 and 5 at 8pm. In an effort to make sure everyone who wants to see a puppet show can see a puppet show, all performances are pay-what-you-can. And in a daring attempt to let the audience offer feedback and support at the same time, all performances are pay-what-you-can after the show.

What We Need & What You Get

One of BooTowns initiatives this year is to pay our actors, designers, videographers, musicians, and of course puppeteers, what they deserve. The majority of the $1500 we are asking for will go towards paying the puppeteers and musicians who have been working tirelessly to put these shows together. If our entire goal isnt reached, the money that we do raise will still go directly to the artists. In order to pay for supplies (building puppets is waaaay more expensive and time intensive than even we thought) we will use revenue from ticket sales, concessions, and merchandise sold at the event.

But enough about us, here is what you get for helping us out:

$10 a thank you card signed by BooTown's artistic director Emily Hynds and kissed by a puppet. We will also recognize you on our fancy-pants website.

$25 one of our custom handmade t-shirts! (plus the above)

$50 entrance to the show for free! (plus all of the above)

$100 - a framed photo with the puppets (plus all of the above). Don't worry, we have a plan if you can't actually make it to the show. Although we don't know why you wouldn't come. Unless you live in another city. Then it's okay.

Other Ways You Can Help

There are tons of other ways to help these shows get produced. You can come see the show! Most of all we want to get butts in seats so as many people as possible can enjoy. It sounds silly, but spreading puppet awareness and creating a dialogue means that more experimental shows like this will happen and have an audience to watch them.

You can also help us spread the word. We have a facebook page you can like, we have a twitter feed you can follow, we have a website you can bookmark, we have an email list you can join (and forward to all your pals), and we have this indiegogo campaign page that needs your help.