Sgt. Pepperoni leads his troops

Well-known children’s poems will spring to life when the Crabgrass Puppet Theatre brings their delightful new show, “Haiku, Hip Hop and Hotdogs” to The Public Theatre on Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m.

Perfect for families with children in pre-K through fifth grade, this show provides an exciting introduction to the magic of poetry and theatre. In Crabgrass’s exciting new production, the world, action, and emotion of poems by Jack Prelutsky, David McCord, Calef Brown, and Beatrice Schenk de Regniers spring vividly to life as young audiences thrill to the adventures of Fearless Flying Hotdogs, a dancing Funky Snowman, and a Goblin who must overcomes his fear to make friends with the terrifying boy on top of his bed.

“The best poetry has the power to create pictures in our heads, to make us feel emotion, to make us laugh and cry,” said program co-creator Bonny Hall. “It’s a small step from watching puppeteers bring a poem to life to wanting to read that poem, and then wanting to read more, and more and more…”

The Crabgrass Puppet Theatre has delighted young audiences across the nation since 1982. They have received two Citations of Excellence from UNIMA-USA, the highest puppetry award in the United States. Their popular productions of “Jabberwocky” and “Anansi: Spiderman of Africa” have previously been performed at The Public Theatre.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 18 and under. Additional school-day matinees are available by advance reservation only on Monday, May 20 (at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.), on Tuesday, May 21 (at 9:30, 11:30 and 4:30), and on Wednesday, May 22 (at 9:30 a.m.). For more information or to buy tickets, call 782-3200 or see www.thepublictheatre.org.