A podcast for adult audiences

Miss Maple Mysteries

Miss Maple ponders

Rag & Bone is trying something new: a podcast for adult audiences.

Check out Miss Maple Mysteries. These family-friendly, cozy crime capers feature retired civil servant Mabel Maple, who becomes known as the “Miss Marple of Orléans,” as she investigates murder and mayhem in the east end of Ottawa. You can listen on our web page, or on Apple, Spotify or Google.

  • Episode 1: The Body in the Dumpster
    When you leave your safe, suburban house at the end of a pandemic, you’re taking your life in your hands, but you don’t expect to be suddenly on the run from a murderer.
  • Episode 2: The Fault Line
    Orléans is built on a fault line, and so are some relationships.
  • Episode 3: Call Before You Dig
    After two suspicious fires in Mabel’s neighborhood, an excavation unearths some long-buried secrets and a body.
  • Episode 4: Mabel breaks into a stranger’s house with the best of intentions and discovers an attractive, naked dead man in an upstairs bedroom.
  • Episode 5: A voice on the phone tells Mabel that if she doesn’t act quickly, a close relative could end up in jail.

Shakespeare Summer Camp

A Midsummer Night's Dream

For young people ages 10–18
July 11 to 29
at the Billings Estate.

A three-week day camp—young performers will act, sing, dance, and work together to bring the characters of this fun-filled play to life.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s best loved comedies. In an enchanted forest, a mischievous fairy called Puck wants to help his master play a trick on the fairy queen, but his magic accidentally lands on four young people from Athens who are suddenly all running after the wrong person.

What impressed me most was how quickly you got to know each camper and built on their strengths while making adjustments for individual differences. You were very insightful in knowing when someone needed a little more encouragement or individual attention.—a parent

The camp is held outside, on the beautiful grounds of the Billings Estate Museum, 2100 Cabot Street, near Billings Bridge. We have access to some indoor space in case of rain, but there’s something magical about learning lines and rehearsing a play among the trees, the gardens and the fresh air.

No experience necessary. This play is a great introduction for beginners. For those with experience, it’s a chance to be challenged and to bring your work to the next level, while having a lot of fun.

Camp leader Rosemary Nolan is a theatre professional and certified teacher who has acted in 17 productions of Shakespeare plays and directed six!

“Hello Rosemary, this is Abbie from camp. I got your email from my mom. I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful camp and great experience. I had an amazing time learning stage fighting, performing, making friends that like acting just like me, and overall having a great summer!! I found it incredible that you could direct a play (and actually make it good) in only three weeks, as well as learning some things that we didn’t even need to learn for the show. You even found time for auditions, which is always a great experience, no matter if you have done it 100 or 0 times. I enjoyed it so much and learned a lot. Expect to see me next year…Abigail”

Dates and Times: July 11-29, 9 am to 4 pm

Fees: $850 per camper, for the full three weeks. Sibling discount available.

● More about the camp here.
● Request more info here.
Registration form here.

Ah Spring!

We’re celebrating April with The Wind in the Willows (April 9 and 10—online)
The Wind in the Willows: join Mole, Rat and Toad on a boat ride, a car crash, a daring escape from jail, and an epic battle against some weasel-y bullies. A brand-new video with puppets, masks, storytelling, music, and special effects!
Reserve your free Zoom link here.

Other events:

Toronto School of Puppetry Workshops (adult classes)—this weekend!
Just Shoot Me: Exploring Puppetry Video Techniques, with John Nolan, Saturdays, April 2 & April 9, from 11:00 am to 12:30 EST.
Sew you want to make a puppet? Sewing ideas for puppets and puppet costumes, with Kathy MacLellan, Sundays, April 3 & April 10, from 11:00 am to 12:30 EST
Check out the courses here.
 

Felicity Falls

In an animal village, one little rabbit can’t sleep. Another one loses a teddy bear. Others see a hot air balloon that changes everything. Gentle funny stories about families, told with stuffed animal toy puppets.
Saturday, April 23 at 11:00 and 3:00 
Live and in person at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, 3 Rosamond St E, Almonte Ont. We are thrilled to be doing Felicity Falls as part of a series of three shows to preview the return of the Almonte International Puppet Festival, Puppets Up!
Tickets are $12.50 (plus fees). Get tickets here.
Read more about Felicity Falls, Pirate Treasure, and Punch and Judy: The Silly Version here.
 

Shakespeare Camp

It’s back! A three-week day camp for ages 10-18, at the beautiful Billings Estate Museum, from July 11 to 29, 2022, presenting A Midsummer Night’s Dream. More info here.

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A podcast for adult audiences

Miss Maple Mysteries Rag & Bone is trying something new: a podcast for adult audiences. Check out Miss Maple Mysteries. These family-friendly, cozy crime capers

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