January marks the return of the all-ages hit show The Selfish Giant, a musical spectacle created for CCT in 2008 by two Chicago theater icons � master puppeteer Blair Thomas and singer-songwriter Michael Smith� based on Oscar Wilde�s classic story about a grumpy giant who forbids children from playing in his garden.

After the children are locked out, the trees and flowers refuse to grow and the garden plunges into an eternal winter. Then one morning, the children sneak back into the garden, bringing with them the joyous rebirth of spring. Featuring original puppets and music,�The Selfish Giant�is enormously imaginative, gigantically whimsical, and is sure to thrill children and giants of all ages.

Blair Thomas & Co. presents the 2014 Living Room Tour, November 4 � 9, 2014, featuring a selection of artists performing at the�Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. This annual fundraiser invites audiences into private homes for food, drink, and conversation�topped off by a set of intimate performances by Chicago’s best puppet theater artists.

Located in six�distinctive Chicago homes, each stop on the tour includes food, drink, performances, and the opportunity to discuss the work with the artists. To purchase tickets, select the desired performance date. The exact location of each event will be revealed on ticket purchase.

Buy Tickets!

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Performances by Blair Thomas & Co., Manual Cinema, and Michael Montenegro.

2014 LIVING ROOM TOUR HOSTS

2014 LIVING ROOM TOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS

“Chicago’s unofficial Puppeteer General, Blair Thomas, is spearheading a grand-scale new festival aiming to make the city a center for puppet arts. The inaugural Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival is set for January 16�25, 2015, with major institutions from the Art Institute to the Second City on board to present events.”

Read the full article here.

Robert W. Harwood, author of �the book “I Went Down To St. James Infirmary” and creator of the blog by the same title interviews Blair Thomas:

“St. James Infirmary” has a great untold story lurking in between its few short verses. . . . There is an intimate relationship between puppetry and death, and I see this song as a form of mourning or grief at the loss of a loved one.��Continue to article.