Members of Imaginary Friends theater cut the ribbon on their Strawberry Square location.
Some new fuzzy friends are bringing all things silly, fun and musical to the Harrisburg theater scene.
Imaginary Friends, a brand-new children’s puppet show theater, cut the ribbon on its space in Strawberry Square on Tuesday.
Owner and production designer Bill Kassay said he wants the show to encourage interest in the arts from an early age.
“I think Harrisburg has a great arts scene, [and] a great theater scene. It just needs to start developing a little younger,” Kassay said.
The grand opening included a free show for those in attendance, however, the first official shows will begin on June 1.
The show’s troupe consists of puppeteers and musical performers alike, many of whom met during their work at nearby amusement parks.
“[It’s] a gap that we kind of have in the area. I don’t see too many children’s theaters or really puppet theaters,” performer Ben Stansbery said. “I think there’s a really good opportunity here to bring this new art form here.”
The puppet friends include Darling Daisy, Emery the Elephant, Sasha the shark and Fallon the fruit bat. The theater itself is also a part of the show, as if the audience is entering a house with blue skies and a rainbow in the background.
“I’m a big fan of site-specific theatre, and it’s a great ephemeral experience because you’re only there for a short time. So, I knew I wanted to transform this place,” Kassay said.
There are currently two shows that will run throughout the summer, “A New Neighbor!” which promotes themes of friendship and acceptance and “Imaginary Friends Tell Jokes!” which brings comedy to a young audience. Another show is likely to be added in July, Kassay said.
Imaginary Friends is scheduled to host shows through Aug. 31, focusing primarily on the summer break while children are not in school, with hopes of eventually expanding that time frame.
Imaginary Friends is located in Suite 117, inside Strawberry Square. For more information and showtimes, visit their website.
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