Fun for families: Simon Says’ sister Sally leads the fun and games

Sally is sick of her bossy brother Simon. So, she heads out to play with her dog, Red Rover, in the new puppet show by Kelly Campbell of KC Puppetree.

“Simon Says’ Sister Sally” is based on different fun games brought to life through various characters, Campbell said.

There’s Simon Says, of course, and Holly Hopscotch. There’s even a bully named Jacks, with a lesson about how playing games are for fun, not for keeps, Campbell said.

“It’s a story about both friends and family, playing games and being active,” she said.

The show is coming to the Spokane County Library District libraries as part of the summer reading program, as well as other libraries through Washington and Oregon.

It’s a one-woman show, with Campbell manipulating the six or seven puppets.

“I use all different voices,” she said. “I bounce around a lot.”

And the audience can see her as she works the puppets. That’s better for children, she said. “It’s less scary that way.”

Campbell, who studied theater in college and is also a trained teacher, started KC Puppetree about three years ago. She’s based in Portland and has worked in puppetry for more than 10 years, including with the company Tears of Joy.

All of her puppets are made from recycled materials and papier mache, and after the show she’ll talk about how she creates them.

For instance, a plastic salad or yogurt container might make a head, pingpong balls for noses, bottle caps for eyes, plastic bags of different colors for hair or clothing. Red Rover is made out of a pompom.

“I kind of let the objects speak to me,” she said.

And she wants to show children that they can do the same thing. She said she’ll often get emails and photos from parents about the puppets their children made from things in the recycling bin.

“It doesn’t have to be hard and complicated and expensive,” she said.

Kimberly Lusk