Ronnie Burkett is Canada’s premiere puppeteer, having received both the Order of Canada and the Governor General’s Award for his artistry and originality in the art of puppetry.
This season, Ronnie will tour his WONDERFUL JOE to the THOUSAND ISLAND PLAYHOUSE in Gananoque ON in September 2026, to THE CENTAUR in Montreal QC in October 2026 and then to the PERSEPHONE THEATRE in Saskatoon SK in March 2027. In March 2027, Ronnie premieres his new produciton, THE DAISY THEATRE: BACK IN BLOOM somewhere in Alberta (not yet officially announced) in January 2027 and then at THE CULTCH in Vancouver in February 2027 (see CALENDAR for specific dates)
Here are some of the reviews for WONDERFUL JOE:
“Burkett and a cast of diminutive cohorts come this time with a real play, a funny, thoughtful, and deeply poignant one, that cuts to the heart of a multicultural city like the one we live in. It’s a beauty of a piece, in its generosity of spirit and affection for the urban demimonde, imaginative in conception and creation, and impeccable in design and craftsmanship” Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca (Edmonton AB)
“Ronnie Burkett is pulling on our heartstrings, as well as his puppets’ strings, with his latest creation Wonderful Joe. Burkett brings his unique blend of comedy and compassion to this awe-inspiring production, taking us on a journey with Joe Pickle and his colourful cast of neighbours. As side-splitting as it is tear-jerking, Wonderful Joe lives up to its name.“ Deirdre Kelly, Critics at Large (Toronto ON)
“Wonderful Joe is a melancholy work with plenty of dark content – puppets aside, it’s not for kids – but the stars poke through, like the golden filaments of kintsugi that can repair a broken dish or broken heart.“ Ilana Lucas , Globe and Mail (Toronto ON)
Joe and his dog Mister lose their home, and facing separation, head into the world for one last grand adventure together. The world seems broken, but Joe sees magic in the mundane, beauty amidst brutality, and life in the lost and lonely. He and Mister encounter Mother Nature, Santa Claus, Jesus and the Tooth Fairy, witness a troupe of homeless players in a cardboard theatre, and show a disenfranchised teen how to jump over the moon in a playground rocket ship. A seemingly simple tale of a simple man, WONDERFUL JOE is a love letter to imagination, hope, and the art of filling broken hearts with gold.
Ronnie Burkett brings this story to life with his signature style of beautiful puppetry and solo performance, with a glorious score and soundscape by John Alcorn.
WONDERFUL JOE was created with the support of The Explore and Create Programme of the Canada Council for the Arts
Co-commissioned by Stanford Live (Stanford CA, USA), UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance (Los Angeles CA, USA and TO Live (Toronto ON, Canada) With developmental support from Theatre Network (Edmonton AB, Canada) In collaboration with Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes (Toronto ON Canada)