Contemporary Arts Museum Houston: Joel Orr/Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre Artist Talk and Performance for “The Puppet Show”

Puppetry helps Joel Orr get surreal. “It kind of suited my satirical approach [to writing] because I didn’t have to worry about realism,” says the founder of Houston’s Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre. Unlike actors, puppets allow Orr to illustrate the elements of satire more effectively — especially hyperbole. “I can go a little bit further and actually shape the physicality of what the character is…I can make an old and decrepit character, really old and really decrepit,” he says.

Since 1995, Orr and a cast of rotating musicians, artists, puppeteers and actors have produced notoriously odd and compelling puppet-starring works including The Black Box and the Danse Macabre series. As part of today’s Artist’s Talk for “The Puppet Show” exhibit, Orr will discuss the history of these works and perform excerpts from past productions such as Le Balloniere. 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 5216 Montrose. For information, call 713-284-8250 or visit www.camh.org. Free.

Thu., March 5, 6:30 p.m., 2009

This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2009.