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LA MALETA DE MAEBELLE (MAEBELLE'S SUITCASE)
Based on the book by Tricia Tusa
Produced by Glass Half Full Theatre
From Austin, TX
Resources
About the Company
A bilingual adaptation of a beloved Reading Rainbow picture book.
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Maebelle lives in her treehouse and is an incredible hat maker. She’s been working hard ahead of the town’s annual hat contest when she befriends Binkle, a bird with a migration dilemma. He’s trying to carry too much on his flight south for the winter! As Maebelle generously offers her cherished suitcase from her own migration from Colombia, they delve into profound reflections on the significance of our possessions and memories. Through laughter and tears, Maebelle and Binkle help each other discover the beauty of remembrance and the liberating power of letting go.
Multi-generational audiences will love this enchanting tale celebrating friendship, cultural heritage, and the universal lessons found within the stories of our lives. Featuring a two-person cast, various styles of puppetry, environmental themes, & Colombian music by Kiko Villamizar.
This production premiered in June 2024, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and will continue development in Spring 2025 before its first national tour in 2025-2026. Glass Half Full Theatre is on the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster, so funding is available for presenters in Mid America (AR, KS, MO, NE, OK) and Texas! Learn more about the Mid America Arts Alliance Regional Touring Program here and the TCA Touring Roster here.
Best for Grades: K-6th
Audience Size: Small to Large Venues
Contact us to preview the full length performance.
Curriculum Connections
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Fine Arts: Performance, Puppetry, Music (including Columbian Flute)
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Language Arts: Adapting a Book into a Play, Spanish, English, Reading, Writing
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Science/Social Studies: Animal Migration, Human migration, Latino heritage
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Social/Emotional Learning Development: Bravery, Resilience, Imagination, believing in your self, and helping others. Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Self Management, and Relationship Skills.
Outreach & Workshops
Please contact us if additional outreach or workshops is something you'd like to explore. A member of the creative team may be available to deliver a Meet the Artists/Q&A or a hands on workshop for participating audiences, such as:
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Object Puppetry Workshop: Learn puppetry skills to bring everyday objects to life.
Whether it’s a spoon, teapot, or spool of tape, each object has its own story. The workshop engages students' empathy, collaboration, and fine motor skills to create original performance stories using objects as puppets.
Max 25 students. 1 hour duration (can be shorter).
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“Relaxed” or “Sensory Friendly” Performances
This performance is also available as a “sensory friendly” or “relaxed” performance if arranged with the company in advance and with specific direction as to what adjustments are necessary for your venue.
Minimum Tech Specs
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Load in Time: 4-5 hours (with prehang)
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Crew Needs: 2 Stagehands, 1 lighting/Master Electrician, and 1 sound/audio technician for during load in and load out (roles can be combined if applicable.)
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Minimum Stage Size: Stage depth 25’ by width 30’. Height 12’
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Load out: 1.5 hours
Artistic Team
Based on the story and illustrations by Tricia Tusa (Maebelle’s Suitcase)
Adapted by Gricelda Silva and Caroline Reck
Directed by Caroline Reck
Dramaturg Henry Castillo
Stage Manager Tamara Farley
Puppet Design & Costume Design Team: Anatar Marmol-Gagne (Felted Puppets), Caroline Reck (Birds), Kelli Bland (Costumes, Puppet & Human)
Scenic Design by Caroline Reck & Connor Hopkins
Scenic Fabrication Artists: Anatar Marmol Gagne and Sarah Mendoza
Fabricated Props by Kade Conklin
Lighting Design by Rachel Atkinson
Sound Design by K. Eliot Haynes
Music by Kiko Villamizar
Original Performers: Stephanie Vasquez Fonseca and Gricelda Silva
Touring Company will include 2 cast members and 1 technician, TBD
Critical Acclaim
“It’s really funny! And there were only two actors that were really good. The burds were cute and the hats were funny” - Audience Member (Age 6)
“I had the loveliest time… I will say the kids behind us were INTO IT but then so was I. Got quite choked up somehow about a bird who was overpacking – a tribute to [the] artistry” – Audience Member (Adult)
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Listen to the creative team and performers talk about the adaptation process on KUT Arts Eclectic radio show.
About the Company
Past North American Tours include: Petra & the Wolf, Cenicienta: A Bilingual Cinderella Story (national tours in 2023 and 2024)
About Glass Half Full Theatre:
Glass Half Full Theatre (Puppetry of Objects & Ideas) innovates performance structure and audience experience with original works featuring both humans and puppets to address complex problems through an optimistic lens. Our bilingual performances spotlight the Latinx community, crossing linguistic and cultural boundaries towards the heart of the imagination, where artists and audiences examine how oppressive power structures work and how they can be overcome.
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Glass Half Full Theatre was lauded by the Austin-American Statesman for an “inventive blend of puppetry and physical storytelling that employs gestures and expressions in tandem with props and sets to convey the narrative along with a variety of puppetry techniques.” Based in Austin, Texas, the company creates original works for youth and adults, with a focus on environmental and social justice. They have received B. Iden Payne Awards for Direction, Design, Writing, Acting, Puppetry and Visionary Innovation, and Austin Critics Table Awards for Design, Acting and Best New Play. The company follows the rigorous training of Jacques Lecoq and employs sophisticated puppetry forms such as Tabletop, Shadow Puppetry, Body Puppetry, Hand and Rod, Czech marionette, and Object Puppetry. Their original works, including Petra and the Wolf, Once There Were Six Seasons, and The Orchid Flotilla, have toured nationally. Glass Half Full is known for their “precise, engaging, and humorous” approach to real world issues and imaginative solutions.
For more information, please visit the company’s website here.
Past Productions
