River City Puppets

Saturday, April 11, 2026, 2:00PM

Kimball Recital Hall

Join LSO for an enchanting family concert full of fun and whimsy! Dylan Shelton, founder of River City Puppets, has developed a brand-new production bringing symphony favorites to life with giant puppets and storytelling. Join us one hour before the concert for complimentary face painting, an instrument petting zoo, crafts, and other family activities.

FAMILY PACK SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR $50

SINGLE TICKETS:
$10 ADULTS
$5 YOUTH

Buy Tickets

Guest Artists | River City Puppets

Dylan Shelton

Dylan Shelton is the founder of River City Puppets, a touring theatre that blends the arts of puppetry and storytelling to captivate children and family audiences. Dylan began his career at Madcap Puppets in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2002 where he wrote and directed more than 30 shows with the company as their Artistic Director. Recently, Dylan created and directed a puppet performance of Pulcinella for the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and directed a puppet version of the opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, also with the CCO. In 2022, Dylan performed a solo puppetry piece, Animist, conceived by Andy Gaukel. Animist was awarded a Henson Foundation grant and was performed for Puppetopia at HERE Arts Center in New York City. Dylan is one of the lead puppeteers for $martpath, an Emmy Award winning web series for children. Dylan graduated from Wilmington College of Ohio with a BA in Theatre and received an MFA in Acting from Ohio University.

Karie Gipson

Karie Gipson is a passionate and dedicated teaching artist with over 20 years of experience in theatre and puppetry. Karie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre from Wilmington College of Ohio. She has made a significant impact on the arts community in Cincinnati, particularly through her work with young people at Uptown Arts, where she has developed engaging and innovative curricula for students. Karie is known for artist-in-residence programs and puppetry workshops that inspire creativity and foster artistic expression in learners of all ages.

The Hungry, Hungry Bookworm

The librarians are on the hunt for a story eating bookworm! With help from the orchestra, they strive to replace the stories before they’re all gone. Giant puppets, music, and masterful storytelling come together to delight both the audience and one hungry bookworm.

W.A. MOZART | Overture from “Marriage of Figaro”

J.S. BACH | Air on the G String

JOHANN & JOSEF STRAUSS | Pizzicato Polka

JOSEF STRAUSS | Ohne Sorgen!

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS | Danse Macabre

IGOR STRAVINSKY | Suite from The Firebird