Tears of Joy Theatre creates amazing puppetry The Mission Besides our extensive touring program, Tears of Joy Theatre is a resident company at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts where we present six productions each year, for a total of over 100 performances. |
| Our History Tears of Joy Theatre is recognized as one of the nation’s outstanding puppet theatres, known internationally for its innovation and excellence. Each year the programs of the theatre serve over 200,000 children and adults. The company was originally founded in Hawaii in 1971 by Reg and Janet Bradley. In 1973 the Bradley’s returned to the Portland area accompanied by Norman and Dale Kaneko and began touring throughout the Northwest. In 1980 Tears of Joy Theatre was reorganized as a not for profit corporation governed by a board of directors. Tears of Joy is a resident company in the Winningstad Theatre at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. It also continues to tour widely throughout the West as well as offering a variety of educational programs in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area. Tears of Joy Theatre has received a Washington State Governor’s Arts Award and a Young Audiences Sunburst Award for its “exemplary commitment to arts in education." Four of the theatre’s productions have received American puppetry’s highest honor, The Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry from UNIMA-USA. Tears of Joy is currently led by Managing Director Paul Jacobs, and Artistic Director Nancy Aldrich. “At Tears of Joy Theatre, puppetry is enlarged, taken on stage and combined with the tradition of classical theatrical performing. The company’s beautifully designed puppets will blow you away as they come to life.” Willamette Week |