The style of puppetry in The Little Prince was unlike anything I had ever seen, and that made it really special. (I missed Peter and Wendy at the New Vic last season, which also featured Bunraku puppetry.) The Little Prince isn't a traditional puppet show though; people and puppets share the stage.

The Little Price puppet is almost life-sized, with a large elaborate head. His handler sort of squatted next to him throughout the show. Fox, Rose and Snake were all smaller puppets but animated in the same way, so the visible puppeteers really got to add a lot to their characters.

Five performers bring The Little Prince to life on a mostly bare stage. A small, circular sandbox represents the Sahara Desert, and a luminous screen displays colorful images of space and stars in the background.

My son said that he loved the show, but I can’t say that he sat riveted in his seat for the entire hour. The New Vic recommends the show for kids six and up but I think older is better. I noticed that he and his six-year-old peers got a little fidgety during the slower scenes, while more mature children were watching more intently.

Make sure you leave time to head to the lower lobby level for a The Little Prince display. There's a paper-mache globe, props from the show and information about the book's author, whose crash-landing in the Sahara inspired the tale.

Tickets are still available for all of the remaining performances, and the New Vic is also running a pair of related Bunkaru Puppetry Family Workshops on Saturday, October 15, which are $17 per person.

The Little Prince is playing at the New Victory Theater through Sunday, October 16. Click here for schedule. $14-$38.


Looking for other shows for your little drama queen? We've got the scoop on the best theater for kids this fall.


Photos by Alexsey Photography