Inside the B&P Museum

If ideology is religion then Bread & Puppet is the Lefty’s shrine.

Nestled in the “Northeast Kingdom” of Vermont, where there are supposedly two kinds of people: conservatives and progressive idealists, is Bread & Puppet – a theatre group that describes itself as “Cheap Art and Political Theatre.” Once known far and wide for their annual circus attended in the 30,000 range, Bread & Puppet now attracts a more mellow 100ish people every Sunday for an afternoon of politically charge puppetry and pageants.. Seated on the slope of a grassy amphitheater, I munch (predictably) on granola while taking in scenes of poignant political commentary delivered by near-silent actors in clever costumes.

The Decapitalization Circus went about decapitating corporate culprits behind the economic crisis and neo-colonial rule to the tune of “Goldman Sachs has duped us all so let’s go shopping at the mall”; genetically modified superweeds attack the crowd to the with the band fervently playing Michael Jackson’s Thriller; and a raggedy farmer sings about the demise of small farming to the tune of Don’t Stop Believing… “just a small farm boy, increasingly underemployed…”

It’s amazing how Bread & Puppet can portray the depressing truths of injustice, corporate greed, and environmental degradation while putting their audience in stitches. But perhaps laughter and convivial gatherings are the best way to face off with these demons. Rather than become immobilized by the demise of democracy and freedom (ironically the very ‘rights’ the government calls tantamount here in America), why not get creative? B&P’s out-of-the-box awareness-raising through unconventional theater and art are bringing thousands of people out in a way that fuels the fire for change, instead of dousing it through depressing statistics. May the revolution be fueled by fun!

Bread & Circus, and their sister rebel, the Lubberland National Dance Company, also tour extensively! Click here for details.