Everything about this show is irresistibly immersive, drawing you into a world of complete fantasy and excitement. “Magic” is a word that gets tossed around a lot when describing pieces of entertainment, but for this show, I don’t use it lightly. There’s no other word that better describes Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher as a whole. This show is filled with enough fantasy and spectacle for audiences of all ages. Even our often-grumpy technical director melts into a little kid again when he sees the puppets come to life on stage (pictured above). Those who still re-watch old Disney movies know what I’m talking about. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher has a charm that few can ignore. Just like any good piece of children’s entertainment, this show is not something that only kids will enjoy. IT MIGHT BE A CHILDREN’S NOVEL, BUT THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT A CHILDREN’S PLAY Seeing as we’re the first theatre company to produce it, coming to see one of Jeremy Thatcher’s shows means you’re seeing the world premiere of a play! How often do you get to do that? 3. Local Kalamazoo playwright Tucker Rafferty adapted Bruce Coville’s novel into a play just for Western’s theatre program to perform. Seeing Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher means partaking in a piece of theatre history. Never before performed on stage, never before adapted into a play and never before seen by a live audience. HOW MANY TIMES IN YOUR LIFE DO YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE A WORLD PREMIERE? There is only one way to truly appreciate the wonder of full contact puppets coming to life on stage and that is by witnessing it, making our puppets one of the reasons this show shouldn’t be missed.

This isn’t your average Pinocchio string marionette this is The Lion King or War Horse. This means there are puppeteers like myself in clear sight of the audience bringing the animals to life through controllers directly attached to the puppet’s body. These animals are manifested on Shaw’s stage in the form of full-contact puppets. One of the animals, however, is something a little more fantastical: a dragon. Most of these animals are ones that we’re familiar with: two cats, a dog, a monkey, a gerbil and two bunnies. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher is filled with animals.

Here are the four reasons why Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher shouldn’t be missed: 1. My name is Brian Wiegand, and I’m a puppeteer for the show. With breathtaking projections, beautiful puppets and a star-studded student cast, this show is guaranteed to be a fast-paced adventure for any audience member. Based on the children’s novel by Bruce Coville, this stage adaptation is making its world premiere at Western Michigan University’s own Shaw Theatre. You’re only going to see one University Theatre show this semester (though I highly recommend them all), let it be Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher.

Dragon thatcher