Tickets are still available and the show is presented by the Clark State Performing Arts Center as part of its 2024-25 season.
Already the director of classics stage shows, “Fraggle Rock” stretches back to Tartaglia’s childhood. When he heard of a reboot, there was no stopping his involvement. He’s not only the director, but choreographer, writer and even does character voices.
“This show comes out of my passion for (“Fraggle Rock”) and it combines everything I love to do,” he said. “Part of the magic is it’s fun for grownups, kids, grandparents, grandkids. It’s not for just one group, it’s for everybody.”
“Back to the Rock Live!” is inspired by the “Fraggle Rock” revival series and is the story of a lost Fraggle treasure that can unleash the greatest song in Fraggle history and the Fraggle friends go on an adventure to find it.
While the television screen limits the size of the characters, the stage upscales things. Attendees will find walking puppets opposed to the hand puppets of 18-24 inches of the series.
“We’re scaling everything else up and even our small characters are bigger, making it more immersive to scale up to human size,” Tartaglia said.
With limited vision for the performers to see through the fleece, foam and fur costumes, it means a performer needs to be fearless and have energy, combining being an actor and puppeteer.
Tartaglia is also enthused about the music. Rock, pop, country, rap, rhythm and blues are all represented.
But for all the fun and effects, Tartaglia said the show stays true to Henson’s vision and positive intent and had a global audience at the height of his popularity when “Fraggle Rock” came out. It stresses Henson’s message to stop war and create peace through humor, music and storytelling.
“It was made for everybody,” he said. “The Magic of ‘Fraggle Rock’ is how interconnected and dependent on each other the characters were and as a kid I loved that it felt like a place I could go to be accepted. We’re all looking for that.”
The story has themes of community, diversity and in it. Tartaglia said it can especially speak to the Springfield community, which has had several challenges in those areas in recent months.
“It doesn’t hit you over the head with morals, but has heart and is entertaining,” he said. “We live in a very segmented time and this is about coming together for one night for something special. “People want an escape together. The greatest toy I’ve gotten was on opening weekend hearing the cheering and clapping.”
MORE DETAILS
Tickets cost $25-75, and a special VIP experience to meet and greet one or two Fraggle characters for a photo opportunity approximately 15 minutes after the performance and receive a special Fraggle poster and button is also available for a separate fee.
For tickets or more information, go to pac.clarkstate.edu/shows/2024-2025.
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