Deborah Beshaw

From February 1 to 18, Theater for the New City (TNC) will present Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre (CAMT) in the world's first puppet theater adaptation of 'The Good Soldier Švejk and His Fortunes in the First World War,' a hilarious 1921 antiwar novel by Jaroslav Hašek, a countryman, contemporary and peer of Franz Kafka.

Because everything is virtual now, Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre (CAMT) decided to go full-out fantasy this year in restaging its perennial holiday favorite, 'A Christmas Carol, Oy! Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa, Happy Ramadan.'

On Sunday, March 31, Theater for the New City will present a free reading of Goethe's classic 'Urfaust,' translated by Charles E. Passage, directed by Elizabeth Ruf Maldonado, to follow the 3:00 PM production of 'Johannes Dokchtor Faust, a Petrifying Puppet Comedye' by Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre.

On Friday, March 22, Theater for the New City will present a special one-hour, acoustic-punk reading of Christopher Marlowe's classic 'Doctor Faustus' script, directed by Elizabeth Ruf-Maldonado. The reading follows the 8:00 PM production of 'Johannes Dokchtor Faust, a Petrifying Puppet Comedye' by Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre.

From March 21 to April 7, Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., will present Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre (CAMT) in an update of its perennially popular 'Johannes Dokchtor Faust, a Petrifying Puppet Comedye,' translated and directed by Vit Horejs. This classic of the Czech marionette repertoire is traditionally used to make fun of a king or a local mayor.  The company's adaptation was initially developed in 1990 and its topical references are being updated to the current topsy-turvy political climate.

From October 6 to 27 at the Upper East Side's Bohemian National Hall and Jan Hus Church, GOH Productions will present a Centennial Heritage Festival, featuring mainstage marionette theater productions for adults and kids and musical concerts for audiences of all ages. The festival celebrates two auspicious anniversaries: the Centennial Anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia (1918) and the Millennial Anniversary of the unification of the Lands of the Czech Crown, under Duke Oldrich (1018).

In the era of alternative truth, it is timely to revisit three 1960s national traumas which are shrouded in dense cobwebs of multiple conspiracy theories: the assassinations of President Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Rev. Martin Luther King. To elucidate them with puppet theater wisdom, Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre revisits these tragedies in 'The Life and Times of Lee Harvey Oswald,' conceived, written and directed by Vit Horejs.

Theater for the New City will present the premiere of his 'Three Golden Hairs of Grandfather Wisdom,' a compendium of Czech, Slovak and Italian fairy tales, tonight, February 16, to March 5. Each Saturday of the run, Vit Horejs will also perform 'The Winter Tales,' a marionette play for young audiences based on three fables of wizards, blizzards and spirits. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the puppets!

Theater for the New City will present the premiere of his 'Three Golden Hairs of Grandfather Wisdom,' a compendium of Czech, Slovak and Italian fairy tales, February 16 to March 5. Each Saturday of the run, Vit Horejs will also perform 'The Winter Tales,' a marionette play for young audiences based on three fables of wizards, blizzards and spirits. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the puppets!

'The New World Symphony: Dvorak in America' is a puppet and object theater work examining the influence of African-American and Native American music upon the great 19th-century Czech composer Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904). The piece is written and directed by Vit Horejš and performed by Czechoslovak American Marionette Theatre. It traces how Dvorak helped America accept its beautiful multicultural musical traditions by his enthusiasm for African-American and Native American music during his short but influential time in the USA. La MaMa Theatre will present the play's world premiere run March 10 to 27, 2016 in its Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 East 4th Street (East Village). Composer and Musical Director is saxophonist James Brandon Lewis.

Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre (CAMT) has created 'The New World Symphony: Dvorak in America,' a play chronicling the American years (1892-1895) of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, during which he produced a flurry of 'American' works. This puppet theater work is rich in classical and original music (played live!) and dramatizes one of the most significant cultural exchanges in American history. GOH Productions and Dvorak-American Heritage Association (DAHA) will present the piece as a work in progress January 30 and 31, 2016 at Bohemian National Hall, 321 East 73rd Street (Upper East Side). This production is preparatory to the play's upcoming world premiere run, which will be presented by La Mama Experimental Theatre, 66 East 4th Street (East Village), six weeks later: from March 10 to 27, 2016 (see more info below). The play is conceived and directed by Vit Horejs. Composer and Musical Director is saxophonist James Brandon Lewis.

Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre (CAMT) has created 'The New World Symphony: Dvorak in America,' a play chronicling the American years (1892-1895) of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, during which he produced a flurry of 'American' works. GOH Productions and Dvorak-American Heritage Association (DAHA) will present the piece as a work in progress January 30 and 31, 2016 at Bohemian National Hall, 321 East 73rd Street (Upper East Side). This production is preparatory to the play's upcoming world premiere run, which will be presented by La Mama Experimental Theatre, 66 East 4th Street (East Village), six weeks later: from March 10 to 27, 2016 (see more info below). The play is conceived and directed by Vit Horejs. Composer and Musical Director is saxophonist James Brandon Lewis. Scroll down for a sneak peek at some of the puppets!

For the delight of audiences aged five to 105, Chechoslovak-American Marionette Theater will perform its newest work, 'The Magic Garden, or, The Princess Who Grew Antlers,' an ensemble creation that is cheerfully concocted from Czech fairy tales in which antlers appear. Featuring four performers, marionettes of various sizes and assorted antique moose and deer antlers, the piece will be presented by Theater for the New City tonight, March 5 to 22. The piece is written and directed by Vit Horejs and co-created by Horejs and the cast.

For the delight of audiences aged five to 105, Chechoslovak-American Marionette Theater will perform its newest work, 'The Magic Garden, or, The Princess Who Grew Antlers,' an ensemble creation that is cheerfully concocted from Czech fairy tales in which antlers appear. Featuring four performers, marionettes of various sizes and assorted antique moose and deer antlers, the piece will be presented by Theater for the New City March 5 to 22. The piece is written and directed by Vit Horejs and co-created by Horejs and the cast.

Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre returns to the Jan Hus Playhouse, 351 East 74th Street, April 10 to May 4 with 'Don Juan, or Wages of Debauchery,' conceived and directed by Vit Horejs, adapted and directed from an anonymous play of itinerant puppeteers.

In Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre's 'The Republic, or My Dinner with Socrates,' playwright/director Vit Horejs dramatizes the historic role of the renowned philosopher with toga-clad puppets, shadow figures and live music. The play's world premiere will be presented by La Mama E.T.C. in association with GOH Productions from tonight, November 29 to December 15 in its First Floor Theater at 74A East Fourth Street.

In Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre's 'The Republic, or My Dinner with Socrates,' playwright/director Vit Horejs dramatizes the historic role of the renowned philosopher with toga-clad puppets, shadow figures and live music. The play's world premiere will be presented by La MaMa E.T.C. in association with GOH Productions from November 29 to December 15 in its First Floor Theater at 74A East Fourth Street.