This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

Children Will Delight In This Underwater Adventure

From Cornerstone Productions Comes Luna's Sea, A Musical And Puppet Show

Imagine sitting with your children in a theatre while octopus tentacles dangle in front of you and jellyfish float by. That is what happens as ’s Cornerstone Productions brings life underwater onstage in Luna’s Sea.

“I want our audience to become completely submerged in the wonder, beauty, humor and magic we feel when we are performing it,” said children’s book author and creator of , Linda Wingerter.

The musical puppet show tells the story of a young girl, Luna, played by Kaitlyn Kuvalanka, who is swept away from the beach and then guided by the Moon as she explores the sea and meets and learns about different sea creatures. 

Find out what's happening in Stonington-Mysticwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Kuvalanka and Christine Poland, who plays the moon and also choreographed the show, a perfect pair of innocent child and fairy godmother. Luna’s wonder of what she at first calls “sea monsters” turns into fascination as she swims with sea lions and tangos with a giant octopus, all while in search of her friend Pete the Penguin who got swept away with her.

A puppeteer and performance artist, Wingerter has always been fascinated by the sea. She used the character of the Moon before and said it inspired her to create a show, in how connected the moon is to the sea, and how a young girl could learn about the life around her and herself.

Find out what's happening in Stonington-Mysticwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This is not your ordinary puppet show, though. Luna’s Sea is in conjunction with the . The fun-filled day starts with the imaginative show, followed by a treasure hunt through Olde Mistick Village, and admission to the Mystic Aquarium.

To come up with ideas for the show, Wingerter had many visits to the Mystic Aquarium.  

“I fell in love with the animals, especially the stingrays, and was very inspired by the reactions of children seeing these animals for the first time," she said. "I watched a little boy delighted to have a sea lion chase a penny he held up to the glass. I knew I wanted to have that spirit on stage."

A big aspect of this show is the puppets, which are truly dynamic, built by Wingerter and prop artisan Jen McClure.  

“People are usually surprised by what puppets can be,” McClure said. “We have just about every kind of puppet in the show, from little seahorses to a giant pink octopus.”

The puppeteers are visible to the audience and so the puppeteers are also dancers.

“They are giving their life energy to make the puppets come alive,” McClure said adding that the puppeteers through their movement show the audience how to feel about the puppets.

 Weston Long, a member of the cast and an aspiring puppeteer said the cast members studied the behavioral patterns and movements of the creatures they play at the Mystic Aquarium.

 “What makes Luna's Sea so unique is the element of projecting undersea life through dance and puppetry in a way that is so realistic, and in no way exaggerated or cartoon-y at all,” Long said.

Wingerter said she fell in love with the animals and hopes to leave the audience with a deeper desire to protect and appreciate them while having a lot of fun.

“It like traveling underwater and snorkeling for forty minutes,” Long said. “So great!”

Luna’s Sea runs every Saturday at 10 a.m. through October at the Cornerstone Playhouse. Tickets are $35 for the show, treasure map and admission to the Aquarium or $16 for the show and treasure map. Tickets and more information can be found at www.cornerstoneproductions.org .

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?