Tales of ᏓᎦᏏ Dagsi Turtle & ᏥᏍᏚ Jisdu Wabbit
A new musical adventure into Cherokee Futurism!
in-person performances
April 19 at 10:30am
Open Eye Theatre
Suggested donation: $5–15
April 19 at 1:30pm
Open Eye Theatre
Suggested donation: $5–15
April 26 at 10:30am
East Side Freedom Library
FREE!
April 29 at 5:30pm
Hosmer Library
FREE!
Dagsi Turtle & his sidekick Jisdu Wabbit race through time and space to bring you a new musical adventure into Cherokee Futurism. Hop aboard the Turtleship and join Dagsi and Jisdu's quest to help Grandmother Turtle keep alive the endangered Cherokee language!
Tales, a 2025 Jim Henson Foundation Family Theater Grant Awardee, features catchy original tunes and out-of-this-world puppet characters. The show is created and performed by Cherokee Nation citizen Chris Griffith and Shari Aronson, directed by Julie Boada (Anishinabe).
Recommended for ages 5+.
About the artists
Chris Griffith (Writer/Composer/Puppetry Designer/Performer), is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Co-Creative Director of Z Puppets Rosenschnoz and award-winning puppetry artist/arts educator in Minneapolis. His work in Cherokee Futurism has attracted support from Indigenous Performances Productions, Cherokee Film Office/OK Film & TV Academy, NDN Collective, FilmNorth and the Tiwahe Foundation. Over 30 years, Chris has also earned honors from the National Endowment of the Arts, Perpich Center for Arts Education, Ivey Awards and the Minnesota State Arts Board.
Shari Aronson (Writer/Performer), Co-Creative Director of Z Puppets Rosenschnoz, started her career as a Resident Playwright at Bloomington Playwrights’ Project in Indiana, followed by a McKnight Foundation Screenwriting Fellowship and M.A. in Drama Education. Theaters nationwide produce Shari’s stage adaptation of children’s book Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. She has also developed interactive environments and experiences for Minnesota's History Center, Science Museum and Children''s Museum.
Julie Boada (Director) is an Anishinabe artist, storyteller, puppeteer and arts educator. Julie has worked regionally and nationally with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre, Z Puppets Rosenschnoz, ArtStart and the MN History Center. A 2014 Ivey Award recipient, Julie has received support from the MN State Arts Board and the Jerome Foundation. Julie has a B.A. in Studio Arts and American Indian Studies from the University of Minnesota.
Tales of ᏓᎦᏏ Dagsi Turtle & ᏥᏍᏚ Jisdu Wabbit
media kit
DOWNLOADABLE IMAGES
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Media & Event Contacts:
Amy Danielson, Marketing Coordinator
amy at zpuppets dot org or 612-245-2020
Shari Aronson, Creative Director
shari at zpuppets dot org or (612) 724-1435 x 2
Z PUPPETS ROSENSCHNOZ PRESENTS
Tales of ᏓᎦᏏ Dagsi Turtle & ᏥᏍᏚ Jisdu Wabbit
A new musical adventure into Cherokee Futurism
Premiering April 19 at Open Eye Theatre, April 26 at East Side Freedom Library,
and April 29 at Hosmer Library
(Minneapolis, MN) Feb. 19 — Dagsi Turtle & his sidekick Jisdu Wabbit race through time and space to bring you a new musical adventure into Cherokee Futurism. Hop aboard the Turtleship and join Dagsi and Jisdu's quest to help Grandmother Turtle keep alive the endangered Cherokee language. Tales, a 2025 Jim Henson Foundation Family Theater Grant Awardee, features catchy original tunes and out-of-this-world puppet characters. The show is created and performed by Cherokee Nation citizen Chris Griffith and Shari Aronson, directed by Julie Boada (Anishinabe) and is recommended for ages 5+.
In 2019, the Cherokee Nation declared a state of emergency for their language. In response, Z Puppets is creating live performances, music videos and web series to engage youth and adults in seeing and hearing Cherokee language, culture and history. This work has earned critical acclaim, media attention (Indian Country Today, Cherokee Phoenix and MN Public Radio) and thousands of viewers for their creative approach to revitalizing an endangered language. Behold! The power of playfulness.
For more information on these events, visit zpuppets.org/tales.
For questions, contact info@zpuppets.org or call (651) 231-9000.
DETAILS
Premiering
Saturday, April 19, 10:30 am and 1:30 pm as part of the Wish Work Puppet Series
Open Eye Theatre
506 E 24th Street, Minneapolis
Admission is at the door with a suggested donation of $5-15
Saturday, April 26, 10:30 am
East Side Freedom Library
1105 Greenbrier Street, St. Paul
Free admission
Tuesday, April 29 at 5:30 pm
Hosmer Library
347 36th Street., Minneapolis
Free admission
PHOTO: Download photo by Liping Vong.
About Z Puppets Rosenschnoz
Z Puppets’ mission is to bring people of all ages and abilities into the power of playfulness, through performances, workshops and feats of imagination. Our work delights children and their adults with the inventive blend of hand-crafted puppetry, quirky humor and whimsical music. Since 1998, we have created 30+ original shows — from a glow-in-the-dark performance of cell division to a mindfulness musical. Z Puppets has earned honors and support nationally from the Jim Henson Foundation, Network of Ensemble Theaters, Puppeteers of America, Parents' Choice and Creative Child Magazine and Ordway Center for Performing Arts. Z Puppets performs across the country (including National Puppetry Festivals, Heard Museum of American Indian Art and Eric Carle Museum), as well as in Minnesota (at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, Walker Art Center and Minnesota State Fair).
Shari and Chris consider it a great honor to lead people into sharing laughter and making meaning of the world. Thus, their company motto: Behold! The Power of Playfulness.
Learn more at zpuppets.org.
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