Around Atlanta
Center for Puppetry Arts Shares Global Holiday Traditions Through Puppetry
This holiday season, Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts is proud to present groundbreaking displays highlighting how puppetry — an ancient form of storytelling — brings together diverse religious and cultural traditions.
Running from November 12 to December 29, this special holiday exhibition invites visitors to experience a global celebration of unity — all under one roof.
Two remarkable exhibits at the heart of this year’s holiday programming are Jane Henson’s Nativity Story and The Famous Chelm Players by Robert Rogers. These powerful displays bring to life Christian and Jewish traditions through the art of puppetry, alongside contributions from other world cultures.
In addition to these new exhibits, the Center’s signature Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ performance returns, making the Center for Puppetry Arts a must-visit holiday destination.
A rare display of Christian artistry: Jane Henson’s Nativity Story
Jane Henson’s Nativity Story, a masterful crèche, brings the birth of Jesus to life through puppetry. Created by the co-founder of The Jim Henson Company (and wife of Muppets creator, Jim Henson), Nativity Story adds emotion to the traditional display, making it an engaging exhibit for all ages.
The Center for Puppetry Arts is one of the few museums in the world to publicly showcase Jane Henson’s work, offering a rare chance to experience her artistry. This unique celebration of Christian tradition is also a tribute to an often-overlooked female pioneer in puppetry.
A closer look: The Famous Chelm Players
Another highlight of the holiday exhibition is The Famous Chelm Players, created by renowned puppeteer Robert Rogers. These characters, inspired by Eastern European Jewish folklore, depict the Wise Men of Chelm, a town known in Jewish stories as the “village of fools.”
The puppets bring to life the lighthearted and well-meaning — yet comically misguided — characters who share wisdom and are used to tell stories about holidays and everyday lessons. They have been a beloved part of many Jewish traditions.
Designed with intricate detail, the Chelm puppets evoke the shtetls (small Jewish towns) of the past, capturing the essence of Jewish cultural heritage. Originally performed in Rogers’ New York playhouse, the debut at the Center for Puppetry Arts marks a rare opportunity for Southern audiences to see these whimsical puppets and learn about the timeless tales of Chelm.
A global holiday experience
In addition to these special exhibits, The Center maintains a rich collection of global puppetry in its permanent collection, some include:
• Puppets of Hindu deities, crafted by Indian artist Anupama Hoskere, depict stories from Hindu epics like the Ramayana, showcasing the intricate traditions of Indian puppetry.
• Muslim folk characters from various regions illustrate how puppetry has been used to convey religious stories and community traditions from the Middle East to Southeast Asia.
• Asian puppets, including shadow puppets from Indonesia and China, show how they are used in religious ceremonies and folk storytelling.
Rudolph returns for holiday fun
No visit to Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts during the holidays would be complete without Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Running fromNovember 13 to December 29, this family-friendly adaptation of the 1964 Rankin/Bass television special features fully staged puppetry performances that capture the timeless story of Rudolph, Santa, Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snowman.
An Invitation to All Faiths and Communities
The Center for Puppetry Arts is extending a warm invitation to religious and interfaith organizations to participate in this celebration of global traditions.
By bringing together these diverse stories, the Center is offering a rare chance for communities of all backgrounds to come together through the common love of art and storytelling.
Plan Your Visit
Dates: November 12–December 29; Performances of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ begin November 13.
Location: The Center For Puppetry Arts: 1404 Spring St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309. Parking is free.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: puppet.org/programs.
Rudolph performance tickets include the show, as well as admission to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum, Festive Features special exhibition and a Create-A-Puppet™ Workshop.
To purchase a membership, visit: puppet.org/visit/become-a-member.
About the Center for Puppetry Arts
The Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest nonprofit in the U.S. dedicated solely to puppetry, offering live performances, interactive workshops and a world-class museum. Home to the Jim Henson Collection, featuring original Muppets, Fraggle Rock characters and Sesame Street icons, the Center provides a rare, behind-the-scenes look at beloved TV and film favorites.
With over 4,000 puppets from around the world in the museum, the Center immerses visitors in diverse cultural traditions, making it a must-visit destination for families. Supported by local institutions, it remains a key player in Atlanta’s vibrant arts scene.
Local artist and Peachtree Corners resident, Amy Rader, will be part of the first-ever Atlanta Art Fair, being held at Pullman Yards October 3–6. The fair will feature local galleries, artists and curators alongside a variety of national programs and a dynamic series of public art projects and events presented at locations around town.
Aimed at amplifying local voices and acting as a platform for the city’s incredible creativity, the Atlanta Art Fair — the first major art fair of its kind in the city — will showcase a wide range of artistic styles and genres, including contemporary work, paintings, photography, live performances and innovative projects.
Represented by the esteemed Fay Gold Gallery, Rader will have several pieces on show at the Fay Gold Booth E07, something the artist is thrilled about, as her connection to Gold spans three decades.
“In 1993, while still in high school, I attended a summer arts program at Lagrange College,” Rader recalled. “We took a field trip to visit the top gallery in Atlanta — the Fay Gold Gallery. I stood in awe of the marvelous pieces on display … [Later] after years working with ad agencies for Fortune 500 clients, I was ready to leave my career in graphic design to pursue art full time. Showing my work at a gallery in Buckhead introduced me to Fay Gold 29 years after that visit in 1993. It was a full circle moment.”
A local legend
An Atlanta art legend, Fay Gold is best known for her groundbreaking exhibitions of artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cindy Sherman, Keith Haring, Andres Serrano and Robert Mapplethorpe.
She curated the formative years of Elton John’s personal art collection and raised $750,000 for the Elton John Aids Foundation by creating and chairing two art auctions for the organization. Over the years, she’s also worked with corporate clients and has received dozens of awards for her many contributions to the Atlanta art scene.
Fay Gold represented Rader’s work in a successful art show in 2022 followed by an art auction in 2023 and now at the Atlanta Art Fair in 2024.
A lifelong love of art
In love with art from an early age, Rader was encouraged by a high school teacher to apply to art school, which she did, receiving a scholarship from the Art Institute of Atlanta and graduating from the (now-closed) art school with the Best Portfolio Award. For the past 25+ years Rader has worked within the design and art fields, building an impressive body of work, with a particular focus on creating traditional art and large-scale pieces for hospitality spaces.
Her work can be seen in galleries, private collections, luxury buildings, restaurants and more, including the Buckhead Art & Company Gallery, The Hue Midtown and Chops restaurant in Buckhead.
According to her website, Rader’s notable accomplishments include “being selected to represented Tesla and Microsoft at Art Basel, commissioned work for a new Lake Nona project with Tavistock, creating custom pieces for two $140 million luxury Related Group buildings and commissioned work for Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Prima ships.”
Rader is especially excited about the Atlanta Art Fair — not just being part of it, but the fact that it’s happening at all.
“This is such a big deal for the arts community,” said Rader. “The Art Fair is a wonderful addition to Atlanta’s cultural offerings. I’m describing it as our very own ‘Art Basel’ level fair, with both national and international galleries. We are used to art festivals, but this is a different caliber of event by the producers behind the San Francisco Art Fair, Seattle Art Fair and Art on Paper New York.”
The details
The Atlanta Art Fair takes place at Pullman Yards and other venues throughout the city, October 3–6. Schedules, artist lists, tickets and additional information can be found online at theatlantaartfair.com.
For more about Amy Rader, visit raderdesigns.net.
To learn more about Fay Gold and the Fay Gold Gallery, visit faygoldgallery.com.
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