WONDERFUL JOE: Created and performed by Ronnie Burkett (March 1)

Image of Joe and Mister Wonderful Joe by Ronnie Burkett

Joe and Mister Wonderful Joe by Ronnie Burkett. Photo credit: Ian Jackson.

“Paint gold in the part of me that is broken. Let my faultline shine, these golden precious scars are fine, divine, and mine.”

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.

"Ronnie Burkett’s solo puppet show about gentrification and aging hit me like a train when I saw it in October. Burkett’s puppets have always been breathtaking, but Wonderful Joe was particularly special for its writing, with piercing allusions to the condo-ification of downtown cores across Canada. The story of Joe and his dog, Mister, will haunt me forever, as will the final scene, in which Joe offers parting advice to a young schoolgirl named Getty. If I had to pick only one favourite piece of theatre from this year, Wonderful Joe was it." – Aisling Murphy, BEST OF 2024: Best theatre of 2024 from Toronto, Stratford and Shaw, The Globe and Mail

“Wonderful Joe is, true to its name, wonderful. It’s pure magic from a veteran puppeteer bringing to life some fantastical characters to tell an important story.” — Edmonton Journal

"The new Ronnie Burkett show Wonderful Joe delights!” —Toronto Star

"A moving puppet extravaganza!" —The Globe and Mail

Image gallery

Credits and Creative Team

WONDERFUL JOE was created with the support of
The Explore and Create Programme of the
Canada Council for the Arts.

Co-commissioned by Stanford Lively (Stanford CA, USA),
UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance or CAP UCLA (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).

Created and performed by: Ronnie Burkett
Music composition and lyrics: John Alcorn
Lighting design: Kevin Humphrey
Production manager/artistic associate: Terri Gillis
Stage manager/technical director: Crystal Salverda
Associate producer: John Lambert
Marionette and costume design: Ronnie Burkett
Costumes: Kim Crossley
Puppet studio: Alexander Mantia, Aidan Sparks, Angela Talbot, Dina Meschkuleit, with Martin Herbert, Andy Hayward, Shanna Miller, Justin Mezzapelli, and Brigitte Sampogna
Shoes: Camellia Koo
Marionette controls: Greg Ballora (after Luman Coad)
Marionette stringing: Marcus Jamin
Majordomo: Robbie Buttinski
Scenic construction: Shop Dogs, Montreal
Scenic painting: Daniel Barkley
Model and drafting: Aidan Sparks
Music production, arrangements, vocals, keyboards, and digital programming: John Alcorn
Featured vocals: Coco Love Alcorn
Mixing and mastering: Jeff Wolpert, Desert Fish Studios

Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes is exclusively represented by John Lambert & Assoc., Montreal, Canada (www.johnlambert.ca).

Biographies

Ronnie Burkett – Creator and Performer

Ronnie Burkett has been captivated by puppetry since the age of seven and began touring his shows around Alberta at the age of fourteen. Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes was formed in 1986, continuously playing on Canada’s major stages, and as a guest company on numerous tours abroad. Ronnie received the 2009 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, The Herbert Whittaker Drama Bench Award for Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Theatre, a Village Voice OBIE award, and four Citations of Excellence from the American Center of the Union Internationale de la Marionnette. In 2019, Ronnie Burkett was appointed as an Officer of The Order of Canada and in 2024 he was awarded Canada’s Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement.

John Alcorn – Music Arrangements and Production

John Alcorn is one of Canada’s premiere jazz vocalists, delivering his distinctive renditions of jazz standards on the most prestigious bandstands and concert stages across Canada. His list of citations and acknowledgements in music and theatre include both Jazz Report (Male Vocalist of the Year) and Dora (Outstanding Music) awards. As composer, lyricist, musical director, arranger and producer, he has collaborated with numerous significant Canadian theatre artists, including Daniel MacIvor, Deanne Taylor, Sky Gilbert, Theresa Tova, and Tomson Highway, and eight collaborations with Theatre of Marionettes.

Crystal Salverda – Stage Manager

With over 30 years in the entertainment industry, Crystal has been blessed to work both across the country and internationally stage managing some wonderful productions. She has had the pleasure of working with Ronnie fo the past 11 years. She has also worked with companies such as Blyth Festival, Kidoons Network, Calgary Stampede, Necessary Angel, Soulpepper Theatre, Canadian Stage, Harold Green Jewish Theatre, just to name a few. Other work experience includes Operations for Field of Dreams and Little League Classic (BaAM Productions), Sales Manager (Westsun), Concert Stage Manager (Marquis Entertainment).