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Center for Puppetry Arts recreating Rudolph’s Christmas Town this holiday season

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Center for Puppetry Arts recreating Rudolph’s Christmas Town this holiday season

The Center for Puppetry Arts is recreating Rudolph's Christmas Town this holiday season to give guests a look into the creation of the 1964 stop-motion television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Photo courtesy of the Center for Puppetry Arts.
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Atlanta, GA — Guests visiting the Center for Puppetry Arts can step into the world of Christmas Town, the fictional town in the 1964 stop-motion production of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” this holiday season. Christmas Town will include a special exhibition, live performance and hands-on workshop, according to a press release.

The exhibition will offer visitors a glimpse into the history behind the making of “Rudolph.” The performance and puppet-making workshop will bring the iconic seasonal figures to life. Shows will run through Jan. 2, 2022.

Guests are invited to learn more about those involved in Rudolph’s creation, and enjoy a live-performance of the center’s adaptation of the television classic. Attendees will additionally have the chance to make a Rudolph puppet to take home as a souvenir.

On exhibition for the first time in Atlanta since 2006, the Ranking/Bass Santa and Rudolph puppets are on long-term loan to the Center for Puppetry Arts after their recent sale at auction. The exhibition pairs the puppets with archival film footage, other items of Rudolph history, and festive vintage holiday decor to transport visitors to the fictional setting.

“The Rankin/Bass puppets are certainly nostalgic for fans of the classic television special, but they are also representative of the early days of a golden age of stop-motion puppetry in mainstream film and television and the creativity and engineering of an influential Japanese film and animation studio. The special remains popular from generation to generation,” said Sarah Dylla, the Center’s Museum Director.

Christmas Town opens with a special member-only VIP reception on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Members are invited to explore the exhibition, write a letter and take a photo with Santa, make a puppet and enjoy holiday sweets and hot chocolate.

The center will offer its Sensory-Friendly Sundays with a sensory-friendly celebration of Rudolph on Nov. 14. Guests with sensory sensitivities and other developmental differences are invited to experience the exhibition in a comfortable and judgment-free setting, supported by trained and experienced staff members.

Each component of the center’s programming is adapted to reduce sensory stimuli, including adjusted lights and sounds, freedom for children to talk or leave their seats, and a quiet zone in the lobby.

Christmas Town festivities will continue on Nov. 20 as the center hosts a Yukon Cornelius Look-Alike Extravaganza. The event will feature a costume contest where participants can walk a runway and will be judged by a panel of special guests. This event is an inclusive, all gender, race, and age costume contest. Tickets for the event will include access to the museum and special exhibition.

“The Center is delighted to present this extraordinary new exhibition of these rare puppets from the original stop-motion production.” said Beth Schiavo, Executive Director. “Guests will learn the fascinating and largely unknown origin story of Rudolph and then be able to enjoy the Center’s own faithful adaptation of the television special live on stage. They’ll also have the opportunity to make and learn to puppeteer a Rudolph puppet of their very own. Our all-inclusive ticket allows for a Center-wide experience of everything we have to offer this holiday season.”

Masks are required for all guests and staff at the Center for Puppetry Arts.

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