Powerhouse Theatre brings NH premiere of 'The Magician's Elephant' to Colonial stage

LACONIA — One of the central characters in Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative’s performance of “The Magician’s Elephant,” coming this weekend to the Colonial Theatre, is an inanimate object that speaks no lines, yet still communicates a powerful message about community.

Made of bamboo sticks, crepe fabric and embroidery hoops in descending sizes, the 8-foot-tall elephant created by Sherry Gardner, of Gilford, uses gestures and its eyes — made of giant prisms — to interact with the other characters, and the audience.

“I think people will be moved by how emotions such as playfulness, sadness, excitement, curiosity, can be communicated through the puppet,” said Amanda Wagner, of Gilmanton, one of four puppeteers that operates the animal. “Through teamwork and breathwork, we are able to bring it to life, literally.”

Written by Nancy Harris and Marc Teitler, “The Magician’s Elephant” is a musical adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s award-winning novel, which was also recently adapted into an animated film on Netflix. A relatively new play, it debuted in England in 2021, with the Royal Shakespeare Company performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

It was later performed in Utah, and the rights suddenly became available, which Bryan Halperin, Powerhouse’s producer, said is unusual for such a new show.

“We jumped on the opportunity to tell a new story,” he said. “Powerhouse is always looking for new ways to challenge performers, designers, choreographers and directors. None of us have any history with this show, so we got to approach it with fresh eyes, and the challenge of bringing an elephant to life as the central character was too juicy to pass up.”

The story's message

Fifty-six performers from all over the state will take part in the show, which marks the premiere of the play in New Hampshire, with three performances only: 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Set in Baltese, a town in which everyone is recovering from the trauma of a recent war, people have isolated themselves, and feel lonely and broken.

Peter Duchene, an orphan played by Carson Curtis, is taken in by the general his father served under before he died.

Peter has a recurring dream his sister, who he was told died in childbirth, is actually alive. A fortune teller, played by Emilee Thompson, visits the town, and tells Peter if he follows the elephant, he’ll find his sister, who is not dead.

Of course, there are no elephants in Baltese — but then, one appears, sending the town into a tizzy, and Peter into a search for his sister.

While townspeople focus on what the elephant can do for them, only Peter sees its sadness and endeavors to help it. “His selflessness transforms the whole town,” Halperin said. “I think that’s a great message to share with the community in these frazzled times we’re living in. We all do better when we work together.

“Powerhouse’s motto is ‘Building community though community theater,’ and that’s what this play is about.”

Building an elephant

Gardner has been involved in creating everything from costumes to set designs for Powerhouse for many years. She enjoys being involved behind the scenes, and had an interest in puppets since she was a child, because she has no desire to be on stage.

“With a puppet, you can be hidden, but present,” she said.

As she began to build the magician’s elephant, Gardner was mindful it had to be very large — it’s 8.5 feet tall, 4 feet wide and 10 feet long — yet, it also needed to be lightweight, so the four puppeteers could manage it.

She considered using PVC pipe, but is not a fan of plastic, so she deconstructed a bamboo bifold screen, and used the slats and poles to create the frame. “It took a lot of hours of trial and error,” she said, noting “bamboo itself is very stubborn. It doesn’t bend. You have to heat it and work with it. It has almost a personality. I felt like I was fighting with it at certain points.”

She started the build in her office, but then couldn’t get the head out the door, so she moved into the basement, where there are large sliding doors. When even the basement got too tight — and Gardner literally worked herself into a corner — she moved the project into her garage.

Over the bamboo frame, Gardner laid a very light crepe fabric, which she had manipulated to look wrinkled like elephant skin. The eyes are glass prisms with a photo of an eyeball behind each one, and the flexible trunk is made of embroidery hoops in descending sizes.

“I’m pleased it looks like an elephant,” she said. “And the puppeteers are doing a brilliant job of bringing it to life. The exchange between the audience and those on the stage creates a really beautiful energy. It’s playing make-believe, which is what the theater is.”

Coordinating the motions of the individual puppeteers took much practice. “When they first got in, the head took off without the body,” Gardner said. “They all have to work together. It’s a big challenge for people to collaborate like that.”

One of the four controlling the creature, Wagner says she asked about the role and expressed a desire to learn puppeteering. “It takes a lot of concentration, coordination and communication with my puppeteer team,” she said. “I also have to connect to what the elephant is feeling in each moment, and communicate that through my own body.”

Besides Halperin, production team members are Meg King, assistant director and choreographer; Alex Hunton, vocal director; and Dana Gardner, stage manager. Costumes are by Heather Vitale and Darcy Mussey, props by Johanna Halperin and BJ Eckardt, set design by Samantha Tutasi, and lights and sound by Tyler Soucy.

For a cast list, visit powerhousenh.org/magicianselephant.

Tickets are available at coloniallaconia.com.