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Fratello Marionettes Delight Young Audience

By GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA

Moapa Valley Progress

Kevin Menegus of Fratello Marionettes, performed a production of ‘The Frog Prince” for kids at the Overton Community Center. The program was hosted by the Moapa Valley Library. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA/Moapa Valley Progress.

“Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away…”
A reader or viewer coming across this familiar fairy-tale opening can usually predict the sugar-coated outcome of the story. But Kevin Menegus, founder of the Fratello Marionettes, brought a host of surprises along with his cast of puppets when he visited Moapa Valley last week.

It was a blazing hot Monday, on June 19. Adults and children alike were glad for the midday reprieve of Menegus’ magical performance. The show, a feature of the Summer Reading Program, was hosted by the Moapa Valley Library in Overton. The library program seeks to involve young readers in creative and educational activities throughout the summer.

After introducing himself, Menegus disappeared behind a blue-curtained stage, and the show began. The performer and his stringed subjects were silent, but a recording of rich theatrical music, a variety of realistic sound effects, and a range of voices brought the show to life.

Menegus himself chooses the music, writes a script, and hires actors to perform for his lively recordings, which are entrancing enough to make a show of their own, even without the assistance of the puppets.
Yet these marionettes were a sight to behold, designed beautifully and intricately with gorgeous costumes, distinct expressions, and uniquely lifelike personas. As Menegus carried out his one-man show, using deft hand movements and careful maneuvers, the viewers became so lost in the story that they forgot, if only for a moment, that the puppet master was there at all, and that these lifelike puppets, with their fluid motions and gestures, were not actually speaking for themselves.

“Each of the characters takes about 2-3 months to make,” said Menegus. The bodies of his marionettes are constructed of Styrofoam and covered with paper. The clay heads are left hollow so they are very lightweight, Menegus explained. The limbs are made of wood and jointed with metal to ensure smooth, humanoid movements, he said.

The fairy tale Menegus performed was “The Frog Prince.” Although it takes its title from the original tale by the Brothers Grimm, the storyline of the Fratello Marionettes version shares more similarities with E.D. Baker’s modernized “The Frog Princess.” Menegus took inspiration from both sources in writing this script.

Menegus’ performance tells the story of a spoiled princess who is unimpressed by the stellar feats the court jesters perform for her: juggling, contortionism, balancing acts, and tightrope walking. She is, however, pleased by a golden ball, a gift from the king. She promptly loses this toy when she goes to play in the meadow against the king’s wishes and drops the ball into a well.

This is where she meets the prince, who was turned into a frog by the Magical Tree Witch and now lives in this very wishing well. He requires that the princess grant him three wishes in exchange for her ball: food off of her dinner plate, a night’s rest on her pillow, and a kiss.
The princess agrees to these conditions, but then runs away without the frog once he has retrieved her toy.

Later, he comes for his wishes, and the princess begrudgingly grants them to him. After finally kissing him, the little frog is transformed back into a prince. Yet the princess does not soften her demeanor, and the two do not receive a “happily ever after.” Instead, the princess herself turns into a frog as punishment for her misbehaving!
“Not all fairy tales have happy endings,” the recording told the audience.

After the show, Menegus opened the floor for questions. Entranced viewers listened as the puppet master explained the process for making his marionettes and the mechanisms that he uses for their lifelike movements. He explained that he choreographed scenes with court jesters “to show a variety of aspects” of marionette capabilities.

The Fratello Marionettes are truly a passion project for Menegus, who first began putting on puppet shows when he was only six years old. He now travels the world for his performances and has recently worked in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

After answering questions, Menegus brought out his puppets individually so that the children could interact and take photos with the magical marionettes.
The show was well-received by its viewers. One young spectator commented, “It was really funny! He did a good job.”
Thus, the fairy tale ends happily, after all!

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