Ryan Racette will haul his puppets, his stories, and his stage name onto the North Andover Town Common on Thursday, July 30, when his traveling show Big Ryan's Tall Tales takes over the free Summer on the Common series at 10 a.m.
The show, at 800 Massachusetts Ave. in the Old Center, mixes original storytelling with puppetry, music, movement, and audience participation, according to the Andover Townsman. It's free and open to all ages.
Racette, a Plymouth-based performer who has been entertaining kids across Massachusetts for more than a decade, is known for pulling young audiences into the act. In past performances reviewed by the Bellingham Bulletin, his cast of puppet characters has included Edgar, a daffy black Labrador retriever, and Uncle Charlie, a long-suffering sheepdog whose attempts to coach Edgar through knock-knock jokes left parents and children in hysterics.
The format keeps small kids moving. Racette weaves juggling and movement breaks between stories, holding toddler attention spans while giving parents something to laugh at too.
Thursday's show is the second of two back-to-back kids' performances in the Summer on the Common series this week. BJ Hickman brought creative magic to the same spot on Tuesday, July 28.
If it rains
The show moves indoors to the North Andover Middle School Auditorium, 495 Main St. No registration is required for either venue.
- What: Big Ryan's Tall Tales — puppetry, music, storytelling, and audience interaction
- When: Thursday, July 30, 10 a.m.
- Where: North Andover Town Common, 800 Massachusetts Ave.
- Rain location: North Andover Middle School Auditorium, 495 Main St.
- Cost: Free
- More info: bigryanstalltales.com
