Getting children’s attention

    Nancy Kenton and The Great Haredini spent last week making appearances at all the Bedford area’s libraries.

John Barnhart

Nancy Kenton performs with The Great Haredini, a big pink bunny puppet.

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John Barnhart

One of Nancy Kenton's marionettes captivates her audience at Montvale Library. This one is fitted with a device that allows Kenton to make it appear that the marionette is blowing up a balloon.

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    The Great Haredini is a big pink rabbit puppet. Nancy Kenton is the person behind Haredini’s act.
    Kenton graduated from Hollins University 40 years ago with a degree in Theater Arts and has been performing with puppets and marionettes ever since. Her performances use both in fast-paced routines that combine comedy and magic with constant interaction with her audience. The routines have to be fast paced because the shows are intended for children from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade.
    Her performance at the Montvale Library, Thursday, managed to hold the attention of an audience comprised of this entire age range.
    She has done 40 shows so far this summer. All of these were library shows.
    “I do a lot of travel in the summer,” she said.
    Kenton’s current show uses three puppets and two marionettes. One marionette, a Martian, is made of slinkies. The slinky arms, legs and neck, along with a slinky that forms part of the Martian’s torso, allows some interesting movement as the marionette dances.