‘Night at the Grand Opera’ puppet show to come to Olmsted Brothers Green

From the prima donna to the vermin backstage, all the roles take on larger-than-life puppet forms in String & Shadow Puppet Theatre’s “Night at the Grand Opera.” The puppet show and its oversized characters come to the Olmsted Brothers Green in Kendall Yards on Saturday.

Olympia-based String & Shadow started in 2020 as a drive-in puppet show as a way to connect the community despite the pandemic.

“It started this tradition of doing a big outdoor show for a month in the summertime,” said Emily McHugh, co-artistic director of String & Shadow Puppet theatre.

This will be the theater’s third show to travel around the Northwest and their first show in Spokane.

“Night at the Grand Opera” tells the story of a single night at an opera house at the turn of the 19th century, as narrated by a literal fly on the wall.

“You do see some scenes from the opera, but most of the play is taking place behind the stage,” McHugh said.

The show is free and designed to appeal to all ages.

“The puppets are very colorful and engaging and funny and do a lot for our young audiences,” McHugh said. “And then we try to write stories that we think our adult audiences will take something away from as well.”

The event is sponsored by Spokane Puppetry and Spark Central.

“We’re excited that this will be a new place for us to bring the show,” McHugh said. “We hope it becomes an annual tradition.”