Wonderful Joe

“Wonderful Joe is, true to its name, wonderful. It’s pure magic from a veteran puppeteer bringing to life some fantastical characters to tell an important story.” —Edmonton Journal

“What a thrill it is to see a Burkett play—and see that world, in all its beauty and heartbreak, its cruelty and its absurdity, imagined up close and created in miniature, with real dramatic force, by one of the country’s great originals.” —12thNight.ca

“Paint gold in the part of me that is broken. Let my faultline shine, these golden precious scars are fine, divine, and mine.”

Joe and his dog Mister lose their home, and facing separation, head into the world for one last grand adventure together. The world seems broken, but Joe sees magic in the mundane, beauty amidst brutality, and life in the lost and lonely. He and Mister encounter Mother Nature, Santa Claus, Jesus, and the Tooth Fairy; witness a troupe of homeless players in a cardboard theatre; and show a disenfranchised teen how to jump over the moon in a playground rocketship. A seemingly simple tale of a simple man, Wonderful Joe is a love letter to imagination, hope, and the art of filling broken hearts with gold.

Ronnie Burkett brings this story to life with his signature style of beautiful puppetry and solo performance, with a glorious score and soundscape by John Alcorn.

Warning: This production is intended for adult audiences only, ages 16 and up. Children under the age of 16 will not be admitted.

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