Open Eye Figure Theatre

Master puppeteer Michael Sommers and his partner Susan Haas operated Open Eye for years before they had their own theater, not even needing a set stage to showcase their work. The popular summer Driveway Tour, where Sommers and crew show up to peoples' houses to put on a show, continues to this day. Still, having a staging area for their work has increased Open Eye’s standing in town. While a good chunk of the work is aimed at children and all-ages audiences, there is also programming aimed at older audiences. In A Hole, Sommers took the audience down Alice’s rabbit hole via a multi-part piece that took place throughout Open Eye’s space, including a tea party in pack. There were few puppets in To The Moon, but the merging of The Honeymooners and Greek tragedy showcased the theater’s usual innovation. A fiercely loyal collaborator, Sommers brings in talented artists to bring their ideas to magnificent, and sometimes mad, life. Frequent collaborators include popular storyteller and writer Kevin Kling, whose artistic vision meshes well with Sommers own. Their summer shows are always a hot ticket. Open Eye is also a popular venue for other companies to use, with the like of Frank and the Loudmouth Collective using the unique space to fine effect.