The Company

S.A .Marionetas - Teatro & Bonecos 

THE WHOLE STORY 

 

It all started in 1979 with the name "Pequenos Comediantes de Trapos e Farrapos", in the form of school theater, which remained until 1984. From that year onwards, the project remained at a more or less amateur level. In 1993, the current name and collaboration with the Carpe Diem Association emerged, which lasted until June 1997. In October of the same year, the Associação S.A.Marionetas - Teatro & Bonecos was created, and the group and its members were professionalized.

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It is worth mentioning the participation in the National Meetings of Puppet Theater from 1981 to 1989; at the Leiria Amateur Theater Festival in 1984 and 1985; at the Almada Puppet Theater Meeting in 1993; at the Alcobaça Theater Festival in 1993 and 1994; also in 1994 at the Meeting of Street Artists (Coimbra) and at the Meeting of the Portuguese Marioneta in Évora. More recently, they were present at the Évora International Puppet Biennial (May 1997 – Festival Off), as well as at the 1st Puppet Theater Festival in Viseu (November 1997). In 1998, the company organized the 1st edition of "Puppets in the City" in Alcobaça (October), and participated in the 1st Puppet Week in Leiria (November)."

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In 1999, the company participated in the 2nd Festival of Puppets of Viseu, in the 25th Anniversary Celebrations of the 25th of April 1974 promoted by the Civil Government of Leiria, in the Commemorations of the Bicentennial of the Neapolitan Revolution of 1799 (Naples - Italy), was present at the Évora International Puppet Biennial (Festival Off), and participated in the 1st International Puppet Festival for Adults in Granada (Spain); it also participated in the 2nd Puppet Week of Leiria. In the same year, they organized As Fridays with SAM (a project to publicize amateur cultural activities in the district of Leiria), and the second edition of “Puppets in the City”, which was part of the 1st National Meeting of Robertos Theater.

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In 2000, they participated in the Storytellers Week in Vila Franca de Xira, the Europaisches Puppentheater Festival in Hamburg (Germany), the 3rd Puppet Week in Leiria, the World Children's Day Celebrations in Aljustrel, European Car Free Day in Leiria, the Exhibition of the Glass Region / Mglass in Lisbon, and the Festa da Cidade de Loures. They co-produced the project “Teatro Dom Roberto” – Animation on the beaches of the Leiria/Fátima Tourism Region, as well as the Christmas animation project with the Alcobaça Trade, Services and Industry Association. Also in 2000, they organized the 2nd Exhibition of Sounds and Gestures of Alcobaça (publication of amateur street animation projects), and the third edition of “Puppets in the City”.

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In 2001, they participated in the Évora International Puppet Biennial; organized the 4th edition of the Festival “Puppets in the City”; participated in the 4th Puppet Week organized by the Municipalities of Leiria, Pombal, and Marinha Grande; participated in the 1st Festival da Praça in Gouveia; and in the 1950s Fair Recreation in Loures.

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In 2002, they organized the 1st Theater Exhibition of the Municipality of Alcobaça in collaboration with the Municipality, in which the amateur theater groups of the municipality joined; they co-produced the video “A question of love” by the band The Gift, which won the Best Production award given by the TMN Gala. They participated in the closing of the Cultural Pedagogical Project promoted by the Casa da Cultura de S. Miguel and Camacho CATS* - Cultural Production (Ribeira Grande - S. Miguel - Azores); at the Atlantic Festival (Santa Maria – Azores); co-produced the show “Why mice live underground” by the company A Quatro Patas; and also participated in various locations across the country in activities to encourage reading, as well as to publicize the traditional Portuguese puppet theater – “D. Roberto”. They organized the 5th edition of the “Puppets in the City” Festival, participated in the 1st Puppet Festival of Valongo do Vouga, at the Recreation of the 50's Fair in Loures, and in the Book Marathon in Leiria. They co-produced the “Hybrid Jazz Project” in Alcobaça and produced the project “Puppets with a lot of Jazzil” also in Alcobaça.

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In 2003, they organized the 6th edition of the festival “Puppets in the City”; participated in the 1st National Gala of Homage to the Firefighters of Portugal and in “Magicx Cultura” – Feira da Cultura; participated in the 3rd International Puppet Festival in Carrazeda de Ansiães, at the Évora International Puppet Festival (BIME), the 6th International Puppet Festival in Albacete (Spain), and the 5th International Puppet Festival in Lasseube (France) – “Fête des Enfants Pas Sages”; promoted several training courses in the field of construction and manipulation of puppets, as well as in the area of actor's theater (Alcobaça, Caldas da Rainha, Pedrógão); co-produced “Alcobaça Jazz”; and participated in various activities encouraging reading and promoting traditional Portuguese puppet theater – “Teatro D. Roberto”.

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In 2004, they participated in the 3rd Meeting of Theater Groups of the Municipality of Alcobaça, which included the celebrations of World Theater Day; in the project “Água e os Monges de Cister” organized by IPPAAR and the Municipal Library of Alcobaça; co-produced the show “Zik & Zib and other songs...” with tubist Sérgio Carolino, premiered at the 6th Caldas da Rainha Music Festival “Spring Concerts”; participated in the “Puppet Extravaganza” in Birmingham (England), as well as in “Puppets a Plenty” in Birmingham and the 4th “Punch & Judy Festival” in Aberystwyth (Wales). They participated in various reading encouragement activities in various libraries across the country, namely at the Municipal Library of Alcobaça, where they carried out an extensive program lasting from April to June; were present at the celebrations of World Book Day in Castro Verde and Coimbra, and World Children's Day in Ovar and Nazaré. They also produced the show “Captain Caracol and the hidden treasure”. Since October, they have been responsible for programming the Auditorium of the Adães Bermudes School in Alcobaça and have organized the 7th edition of the “Puppets in the City” festival.

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In 2005, the company co-produced the Baroque Puppet Opera “As Variedades de Proteu” with the Cistermúsica Festival of Alcobaça, touring through Barreiro, Abrantes, Santarém, and Alcobaça; participated in Dynamics'05 in Birmingham with the shows “TUBIC” and “Teatro D. Roberto”; attended the 5th “Punch & Judy Festival” in Aberystwyth (Wales); guided several puppet construction workshops in Funchal (Madeira), Barcelos, and Alcobaça, among others; co-produced with the Associação dos Amigos de D. Pedro and D. Inês the show “A culpa foi da Inês”; organized the 8th edition of the festival “Marionetas na Cidade” in Alcobaça; and co-produced with Velcro Graphic Design the project “The Adventures of Bnec”.

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In 2006, the company was distinguished with the Afonso Lopes Vieira award from the Leiria Region in the Arts and Entertainment category; featured assets from the exhibition “The Wonderful World of Puppets” in Mundicenter commercial areas; participated in the Funchal Book Fair with various shows and puppet-building workshops; and produced the puppets for the advertising campaign “Triplus” by BANIF - Banco Internacional do Funchal. They produced the project “Theatrum Puparum” (medieval theater of bonifrates) which includes the pieces “D. Inês de Castro” and “A Padeira de Aljubarrota”. They continued to co-produce the project “As Aventuras do Bnec” with Velcro Graphic Design. In October, they organized the 9th edition of the National Puppet Festival “Puppets in the City”, which was part of the 2nd National Meeting of the Dom Roberto Theater.

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In 2007, the company S.A.Marionetas celebrated 10 years as a professional structure, holding 199 shows in 25 locations in Portugal, seen by 12,775 spectators. They created 3 new productions: a co-production with the Contemporary Dance Company "A Caixa de Pandora - Dolls and Dancers" by José Gil and António Rodrigues; "Ben Almanzor - the spell of the Moor in the castle of Alcobaça" (theater of shadows) by José Gil, Sofia Vinagre, and Natacha Costa Pereira; and, at the end of the year, "Cabaret Minhoca" by José Gil, Sofia Vinagre, and Natacha Costa Pereira. In October, they organized the 10th National Festival of Puppet Theater in Alcobaça. In partnership with the Cultural Foundation “Armazém das Artes”, they presented their entire collection (200 puppets) at the “Puppets in Alcobaça – 1979 – 2007” Exhibition for 3 months. The film "Comanipulação" [a documentary about the company S.A.Marionetas] by Rita Pimenta and Gonçalo Tarquínio closed the year.

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During 2008, they presented 226 shows from 9 touring productions in 53 locations in Portugal and abroad, seen by 26,673 spectators, and created 3 new productions. With the company “Marionetas da Feira” from Santa Maria da Feira, they co-produced the project “Bonecreiros da Corte”, creating the show “Princesa Lia – Tomo I” by José Gil, Rui Sousa, Sofia Vinagre, and Natacha Costa Pereira. Then, with the company Puppetlink from Birmingham, England, they co-produced “puppets in glass and crystal”, giving rise to another project – “Theatre of Glass”, which created the show “Tempestade”, premiered in Stourbridge, England, under the direction of Clive Chandler and José Gil.

Later, in co-production with Cine-Teatro de Alcobaça, they debuted another major project that had been in development for about a year: “A Ver Navios – in the reign of D. João VI and Carlota Joaquina” by Sofia Vinagre, Natacha Costa Pereira, José Gil, and Rui Sousa (included in the commemorations of the 200th anniversary of Portugal/Brazil). Worth mentioning is the invitation by the Punch and Judy Fellowship to present “Teatro D. Roberto” in London for the celebrations of Mr. Punch's birthday, as well as the participation of a company member in a show with Royal de Luxe (France). The marionettes offered by the company to the Lisbon Puppet Museum are also on display in its permanent collection dedicated to Portuguese puppet theatre.

At the end of the year, the double CD “As Variedades de Proteu” by António José da Silva was released by the Ministry of Culture (an opera performed in 2005 by S.A.Marionetas in co-production with the Cistermúsica Festival), containing the entire audio show. In October, they organized the 11th National Puppet Theater Festival in Alcobaça, “Puppets in the City”.

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In 2009, the company toured nationally with the shows “A Ver Navios – in the reign of D. João VI and Carlota Joaquina”, “The Mystery of Disappeared Books”, “D. Roberto Theater”, and “Theatrum Puparum”. They participated in the Dynamics'09 Festival in the United Kingdom with the show Tempestade, the Galicreques Festival in Galicia with Theatrum Puparum, the November Puppet Festival in Leiria, and the Puppet Encounter in Montemor-o-Novo.

The show Génesis debuted in Santa Maria da Feira during the Medieval Journey and was also presented in Salir, Loulé. The show MUSIS premiered as part of the Alcobaça International Chamber Music Competition. They organized the 12th edition of the National Puppet Theater Festival – Marionetas na Cidade.

In December, the exhibition “S.A.Marionetas - 12 years working for the puppet” opened at the Temporary Exhibitions Gallery of the Monastery of Alcobaça, featuring the company's assets. In short, they presented around 182 shows across 37 locations.

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In 2010, they premiered Res Publica – the caricature at the service of public sadness at the Cine-Teatro de Alcobaça, which toured throughout the country. The show Portucale premiered in Santa Maria da Feira at the Medieval Journey event.

They spent a season at the Monastery of Alcobaça with the show Theatrum Puparum – Inês de Castro, and participated with the same show in the 16th-century fair Foral de D. Manuel in Torres Novas; the MIMA International Puppet Show Festival of the Atlantic in S. Miguel, Azores; the World Festival of Puppet Art in Prague, Czech Republic; and the Galicreques Festival in Galicia.

They participated in the III Meeting of Puppets of Montemor-o-Novo, the Terra dos Sonhos event in Santa Maria da Feira with The Adventures of the Wooden Boy, and premiered Na Tal Estrela at the Óbidos Vila Natal event. They organized the 13th edition of Marionetas na Cidade in Alcobaça.

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In 2011, the company premiered the show "Amigo" at the cine-theatre of Alcobaça. They participated in the BIME Biennial of Puppets of Évora, the Festival of Puppets of Cádiz, Spain; the IV Meeting of Puppets in Montemor-o-Novo; the International Puppetbuskersfestival in Gent, Belgium; and the International Festival of Traditional Puppet Theater in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. They also participated in the 10th Anniversary Celebrations of the Lisbon Puppet Museum and Feira Afonsina in Guimarães, premiering Portucale – the consecration at the Medieval Journey in Santa Maria da Feira. They organized the 14th edition of Marionetas na Cidade in Alcobaça and debuted "Fado Portugal – a history of the knife and bowl" in co-production with the Puppet Museum.

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In 2012, they celebrated 15 years of existence as a professional puppet theater structure. It was, without a doubt, an anniversary that goes down in the company's history, in which they made many trips, had many adventures, new friends, and an endless number of stories that will remain in their memory forever. They started the year with a series of shows and puppet building workshops at the Armazém das Artes Cultural Foundation in Alcobaça, followed by participation in the 3rd meeting of UNIMA Portugal in Espinho in March. Montemor-o-Novo marked World Puppet Day commemorations, after which they returned to the 4th National Meeting of Teatro D. Roberto. On their way to Coimbra, they were invited to speak about their production “A Culpa foi da Inês” at the International Congress “Pedro e Inês: the future of the past”. May saw the premiere of “A Farsa do Sapateiro”, an original by Sofia Vinagre, Natacha Costa Pereira, and José Gil in Torres Novas. That same month, tuba player Gil Gonçalves joined them, and they left for China with the show “TUBIC” to participate in the 21st UNIMA Congress and World Puppetry Festival in the city of Chengdu, where they hosted the “Puppetry Festival Participation”.

In June, they premiered “ETC…” in the auditorium of the Casa Garden of the Orient Foundation in Macau during the Day of Portugal and Communities commemorations. In July, they went to England to represent Portugal in the 350th Anniversary Celebrations of Mr. Punch in Lincoln City. Santa Maria da Feira was the city that, in August, hosted the third premiere of the year: “O Povoador”, an original by José Gil, Natacha Costa Pereira, Rui Sousa, and Sofia Vinagre. Then they went to Kremnica, Slovakia, to participate in the European Festival of Humor and Satire – Kremnica Gags 2012, where they received a nomination for best production of a children's show with the Dom Roberto theater. In September, they went to the European Capital of Culture – Guimarães, to participate in Feira Afonsina, and then traveled to Almaty, Kazakhstan, to participate in the 2nd World Puppet Carnival.

October was once again the month to organize the Marionetas na Cidade festival in Alcobaça, now in its 15th edition. In November, they participated in the Casa Mágica festival in Valongo do Vouga. Also in December, they co-produced the street actions promoted by the Viver Alcobaça movement. They signed a partnership with Parque dos Monges in Alcobaça to co-produce several events related to puppet theater and inaugurate a puppet exhibition with part of the company's assets at the Museu dos Doces Conventuais. They also opened their online store, selling puppets produced in the company's workshop.

In short, in 2012 they produced 3 new shows, 1 festival, 1 exhibition, 111 stage performances across 13 locations in 5 different countries, and coordinated 6 puppet construction and manipulation workshops. Everything was possible with the unconditional support of the Municipality of Alcobaça, as well as that of all those who continue to support them in this project that has existed since 1997.

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In 2013, they made two premieres, presented their 13 touring productions 163 times, held three puppet-building training courses, and mounted an exhibition. They started in the best way with the premiere of O Saloio de Alcobaça, a play recovered from the repertoire of the Dom Roberto theater. At the invitation of the Periferias festival, they performed in Sintra. In April, the company received the Alcoa Gold award in the culture category from the newspaper O Alcoa, and then they flew to Brussels to participate in the Journées européennes de la Marionnette at the Théâtre Royal du Peruchet. Returning to Portugal, they participated in the Puppet Encounter in Montemor-o-Novo and the FOME Puppet Festival in Faro. Heading North, they were present at the 1st Exhibition of Robertos and Marionetas in Gafanha da Nazaré. They organized the 1st Medieval Puppet Festival at Parque dos Monges in Alcobaça and once again participated in the Medieval Fair in Torres Novas. In Águeda, they participated in AgitÁgueda.

In August, they premiered O Gordo Afonso at the Medieval Journey in Santa Maria da Feira. They flew again, this time to South Korea for the Puppet Festival in Chuncheon, and shortly after traveled to Indonesia to participate in the 3rd World Puppet Carnival in Jakarta, where they were nominated for best street show and received the award for best traditional street show. Also in September, with the support of the Lisbon Puppet Museum, they presented the book Dom Roberto by José Gil and once again participated in Feira Afonsina in Guimarães. They then flew to France for the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes in Charleville-Mézières.

In October, for the 16th time, they organized the Marionetas na Cidade festival in Alcobaça. In partnership with the Alcobaça Cooperative Winery, they launched Licoroso Dom Roberto wine in honor of traditional Portuguese puppet theater. They then flew to Iran to participate in the 20th International Children & Youth Theater Festival in Hamedan. To close the year, at the invitation of the Municipality of Marinha Grande, they presented the exhibition “S.A.Marionetas - 16 years working for the puppet” in the Foyer of the Glass Museum and the Municipal Gallery—remaining open through January 2014—and participated in the Christmas Fair of Santa Casa da Misericórdia in Lisbon.

Special thanks are extended to the Municipality of Alcobaça for their support of the company, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and the Secretary of State for Culture / Government of Portugal for supporting their internationalization in 2013.

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In 2014, it was one of the best years ever for the company. They premiered four productions: “Os Cousins”, “D. Sancho II - O Azarado”, and “O Cerco” (originals by José Gil, Sofia Vinagre, and Natacha Costa Pereira), alongside “Por este rio acima” by Fausto Bordalo Dias. They performed in 7 countries (Brazil, Macau, Turkey, Spain, England, Austria, Thailand) with more than 150 presentations of 11 different productions across 37 locations, plus an exhibition and a training course.

They participated in several events dedicated to the art of puppetry around the world, highlighting two in particular: the Mistelbach puppet festival in Austria, where the city's philately club and the Austrian post office created a special day stamp dedicated to S.A.Marionetas' Dom Roberto, and the Harmony World Puppet Carnival in Bangkok, Thailand, where they were awarded the “Best Traditional Show” award among 170 companies from 80 countries, marking the biggest event held to date dedicated to puppet theatre.

They also highlighted their participation in major events in Portugal, such as the Foliazinho festival in Lousada, FOME in Faro, FIMO in Ovar, the Robertos Marathon in Lisbon, the Medieval Journey in Santa Maria da Feira, the Odeceixe Theater Encounters, Feira Afonsina in Guimarães, and participation in the ArtemRede program and the Puppet Festival. In October, they organized the 17th edition of Marionetas na Cidade in the city of Alcobaça, featuring 19 shows by 10 companies over 4 days.

The company expressed its gratitude to the Government of Portugal / Secretary of State for Culture / DGArtes, the Municipality of Alcobaça, the Embassy of Portugal in Thailand, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and the Orient Foundation for their support in international events, as well as Terra-Produções, Art Institute, Casa de Portugal em Macau, the Union of Parish Councils of Alcobaça and Vestiaria, ACSIA, BricoMarché Alcobaça, António Padeiro Restaurant, Corações Unidos, Arte Ataca, and all supporting media.

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In 2015, the company celebrated 18 years of existence as a professional puppet theater structure, marking this milestone in a very special way by continuing to create, produce, and promote puppet theater made in Portugal and in Portuguese, as they had always done since 1997.

The year 2015 brought 2 premieres, 10 countries, 9 touring productions, 108 performances, and 1 exhibition. This was the year of their 18th anniversary as a professional puppet theater structure, and there was no better way to celebrate than with a retrospective exhibition of their work. This took place from July 2nd to September 13th at the Puppet Museum in Lisbon—the best gift they could have asked for! They expressed deep gratitude for the excellent work that portrayed the company's journey into adulthood so well, sending a very special hug to Dr. Maria José Machado Santos, Maria Carrelhas, António Viana, Miguel Costa, and the entire team involved.

They started the year with the national tour of the show “Por este rio acima”, which throughout the year took them to several venues from north to south of the country: Teatro Lethes in Faro, Teatro Stephans in Marinha Grande, the Puppet Museum in Lisbon, the Cultural and Congress Center of Caldas da Rainha, the Gonçalves Sapinho Cultural Center in Benedita, the Ílhavo Cultural Center, the Sintra Theater House, the Lousã Cine-Theater, the João Mota Municipal Cine-Theatre in Sesimbra, the Fernando Lopes Graça Municipal Auditorium in Almada, the Joaquim d'Almeida Cinema Theater in Montijo, and the Cine-Theater of Sobral de Monte Agraço. To all of them, the company extended their thanks for hosting this project.

They also highlighted their participation in various events in Portugal, such as the Periferias Festival in Sintra, FestIn in Lisbon, the 2nd edition of Books & Movies in Alcobaça, EI! PUPPETS - International Puppet Encounter in Gondomar, FOME - Festival of Puppets and Objects in Faro, Feira Afonsina in Guimarães, Terra Transmontana Festival in Mogadouro, Caldas Anima in Caldas da Rainha, the Medieval Journey in Terras de Santa Maria in Santa Maria da Feira, BE in Odeceixe, the 5th Puppet Festival at the Center in Lousã, ArtemRede Puppet Festival 2015, and Espinho Cidade Encantada 2015. In October, they organized the 18th edition of the Marionetas na Cidade festival in Alcobaça and obtained the EFFE-Label, a recognition of European artistic quality, spanning 7 days with 11 companies and 12 shows.

2015 was the most international year ever for the company, and the recognition of their work abroad was always very gratifying. In January, they participated in Brazil in the 2nd São Vicente/São Paulo International Children's Theater Festival. Almost non-stop, they went straight to the 13th Ishara International Puppet Festival in New Delhi and Chandigarh, India. In April, they embarked again for the United States, presenting shows in Farmingville and Tarrytown, New York. Also in April, they traveled to Belgium to participate in the 2nd Journées Européennes de la Marionnette at Le Théâtre Royal du Peruchet in Brussels. In May, they went to Spain to attend the El Rinconcillo de Cristobica Festival in Granada. In July, they returned to Spain and Granada to participate in the Verbena con títeres en la Huerta de San Vicente at the Federico García Lorca House Museum, and in August, to the Titirinoia festival in Noia. In September, for the second consecutive time, they returned to the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes in Charleville-Mézières, France. October was England's turn to see them at the Skipton Puppet Festival, after which they changed bags and traveled to Romania to participate in the Iasi International Theater Festival for Young Audience. November brought the realization of an old dream: they finally managed to go to Timor, presenting their shows as part of the Commemorations of the 500th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Portuguese in Timor in Dili and Oecussi.

These thousands of kilometers across the world would not have been possible without the support of the Government of Portugal | Secretary of State for Culture | DGArtes, Camões - Language and Cooperation Institute, the Portuguese Embassy in Dili, the Municipality of Alcobaça, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Oriente Foundation, the Arte Institute, and the Portuguese American Center of Suffolk in Farmingville. They also thanked the Union of Parishes of Alcobaça and Vestiaria for the Honorable Mention awarded during their 2nd-anniversary celebrations, and sent a big thank you to the Municipality of Alcobaça for continuing to believe in and support puppet theater produced from Alcobaça in Portugal.

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In 2016, the company recorded 110 presentations, 2 international awards, 6 countries visited, and 11 touring productions. It was a busy and well-traveled year, featuring 11 original productions that covered Portugal from north to south, including the Azores. They represented the country at various international events: the UNIMA World Congress 2016 and World Puppet Festival in San Sebastian and Tolosa, Spain; Marionnet'IC 2016 in Côtes d'Armor and Binic, France; the Lincoln Punch & Judy Festival in England; the Animart World Puppet Carnival 2016 in Lodz, Poland; and the 5th Shanghai International Puppet Festival & Competition in China.

Participation in these festivals brought two major accolades: the award for “Best Manipulation” with the shows Dom Roberto and ETC… in Poland, and the “Artistic Innovation” award with the show ETC… in China.

Back home, they organized the 19th edition of the Marionetas na Cidade festival in Alcobaça, where national and international artists lived together and animated the streets and halls of the municipality. Throughout the year, they also kept a well-kept secret that was eventually revealed: they participated in the Portuguese version of the Broadway musical Avenue Q, directed by Rui Melo, for which they built the puppets and trained the actors and singers in puppetry ahead of its February 2017 premiere.

It was a year of great commitment to national touring and large-scale projects, laying the groundwork for the upcoming milestone of celebrating 20 years as a professional structure and 20 years of the Marionetas na Cidade festival.

All of this was made possible through the unconditional support of the Municipality of Alcobaça, the council's parish councils, and local commerce and industry. Internationalization efforts were supported by DGArtes / Ministry of Culture, the Oriente Foundation, and the GDA Foundation, with special thanks extended to everyone who continued to believe in the S.A.Marionetas – Teatro & Bonecos project.

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In 2017, celebrating 20 years of activity as a professional structure, S.A.Marionetas – Teatro & Bonecos produced, presented, and disseminated its work across the globe. They visited 9 countries, received 3 international awards and 1 nomination, and completed 101 presentations of 10 different productions alongside 1 premiere. In Portugal, they brought their productions to more than 20 locations from north to south, performing on the streets and in theaters, with notable festival appearances including the Periferias Festival in Sintra, Mar-Marionetas Festival 2017 in Espinho, the 25th of April 2017 celebrations at the Palace of São Bento in Lisbon, EI! Puppets in Gondomar, MÓ! Puppet Festival in Oeiras, Feira Afonsina in Guimarães, MIMMOS in Sintra, the Cerveira International Art Biennial, Caldas Anima in Caldas da Rainha, and FOME in Faro, among others. This milestone year also saw the creation of “Lúmen – uma história de amor”, the biggest project ever undertaken by the company, involving around 100 people over 8 months of work to create one of the largest puppet shows ever made in Portugal, featuring 5-meter-high puppets that drew an audience of more than 30,000 people over three days, with deepest gratitude extended to the Municipality of Alcobaça and the Centro Tourism Region for believing in local creative entities, as well as to all the volunteers involved in the mega-project. On the international stage, they performed at major events and venues, including the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes in Charleville-Mézières, France; the Harmony World Puppet Carnival in Kanchanaburi, Thailand; the Festival Les Marionnettes Sauvages in Lasauvage, Luxembourg; the International Puppetbuskersfestival in Gent, Belgium; the World Puppet Festival at EXPO 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan; the 1st Kyiv International Festival of Puppet Theater in Ukraine; the PUN International Puppet Festival in Kolkata, India; and the Portuguese Cultural Center in São Tomé and Príncipe. International recognition brought several honors, including the "Puppeteers for Peace" Trophy at the Harmony World Puppet Festival in Kanchanaburi, Thailand; a nomination for "Best Manipulation" at the World Puppet Festival EXPO 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan; the "Best Director" Award at the World Puppet Festival EXPO 2017 in Astana; and the "Preservation of traditions of ancient street theatre" Award at the 1st Kyiv International Festival of Puppet Theater in Ukraine. In October, they organized the 20th edition of Marionetas na Cidade – Alcobaça 2017, featuring participants from Spain, Argentina, Hungary, Italy, France, and Portugal across 23 shows, 2 puppet-building workshops, 1 photography exhibition, and 2 documentaries, thanking the Municipality of Alcobaça, the Union of Parishes of Alcobaça and Vestiaria, ACSIA, Crédito Agrícola de Alcobaça, the Alcobaça Monastery, the Wine Museum, Zé da Loja, Hotel Santa Maria, Hotel D. Inês de Castro, and UNIMA-Portugal for supporting the event. International touring was supported by DGArtes and the GDA Foundation, with special thanks to the Portuguese Embassy in Kyiv, the Portuguese Embassy in São Tomé and Príncipe, and the Portuguese Cultural Center in São Tomé, alongside the host countries of Thailand, Luxembourg, Belgium, Kazakhstan, France, Ukraine, India, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Spain. Concluding two decades of growth, S.A.Marionetas – Teatro & Bonecos reaffirmed its commitment to puppet theater as the core of its work, carrying its artistry from Alcobaça to the world.

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In 2018, it was a year of great travel and adventures. For the second time, the company staged an opera by the great António José da Silva—who only wrote for puppets—partnering with a fantastic team as the Cistermúsica Festival and Artemrede joined forces to bring “The Harlequin and Mangerona Wars” to the stage with puppets, puppeteers, actors, singers, and musicians, making it without a doubt the great project of the year. Alongside this adventure, they traveled to several festivals around the world, presenting their productions in Poland, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Thailand, and Spain. In Portugal, they traveled through 35 locations from north to south, participating in the Eixos festival in Santa Maria da Feira, the 25th of April celebrations at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Lisbon, Feira Afonsina in Guimarães, and Prenda in Ponta Delgada, Azores, among others. In Faro, they presented the show “Lúmen – Uma História de Amor” at the FOME festival organized by ACTA – A Companhia de Teatro do Algarve, featuring the participation of the local population who were tireless in their collaboration and preparation of this great production, ultimately drawing more than 7,000 spectators to watch this love story. In their home city of Alcobaça, they organized the Marionetas na Cidade festival for the 21st time, where 11 companies from 5 countries performed over 4 days with the support of the Municipality of Alcobaça, the Union of Parishes of Alcobaça and Vestiaria, and local shops and hotels. They extended special thanks to those who helped spread their art across borders, including the Municipality of Alcobaça, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and the Oriente Foundation, expressing their deepest gratitude to the many people and institutions that helped bring their ideas and artistic vision to life throughout the year.

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In 2019, the S.A.Marionetas company visited 8 countries with 11 different productions, staging 107 presentations across 28 locations that were watched by 15,896 spectators. They premiered two shows: Consonance with pianist Daniel Bernardes, and A Viagem de Sophia, with a text by Sophia de Mello Breyner. They received the Gulliver Junior International award in Romania with the show ETC…, while Spain, France, Belgium, Slovakia, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Angola completed their international trips outside Portugal.

In Portugal, they directed the community show Lúmen – a love story at the Imaginário Festival in Sintra and the Hat Weekend Festival in São João da Madeira, expressing eternal gratitude for the effort and dedication of all the participants in this grand production. They also organized the 22nd edition of the Marionetas na Cidade Festival in Alcobaça, featuring 4 days, 9 companies, 11 productions, and 21 presentations, including 1 national premiere and the Marionetas do Mundo exhibition showcasing the company's estate at the Alcobaça Wine Museum, which welcomed 768 visitors over 30 days. For the fifth consecutive year, the festival received the EFFE Label (Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe) recognizing European artistic quality.

Throughout the year, the company's presence was marked by notable engagements at the EFFE Summit in Lisbon, TEDx Alcobaça, and the 1st Iberian Theater Fair in Fundão. They extended their thanks to the entities that supported their international outreach—the Camões Institute for Cooperation and Language, the Portuguese Cultural Center in São Tomé and Príncipe, and the Arte Institute—as well as the Municipality of Alcobaça for its ongoing support of their indoor and outdoor projects, and everyone who has stood by them across 22 years and 51 productions.

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In 2020, the company started the year by receiving the “Best Original Music” Award for the show Consonância with pianist Daniel Bernardes, awarded by the Guia dos Teatros blog. Soon after, like everyone else, they found themselves facing pandemic restrictions and waiting for better days. Even so, they managed to present 15 sessions of 5 different productions and guided 8 training courses in puppet construction and manipulation across various techniques.

Their activities included participating in the Mariofa International Festival of Puppets, Objects and Animated Forms (Funchal), May Faire Online (London), RHI Stage Online, Fora dos Eixos (Santa Maria da Feira), Onda de Verão (Santa Cruz), Estado of Exception (Monte Real), and Christmas Moments (Alcobaça). They organized the 23rd edition of the Marionetas na Cidade Festival in Alcobaça, which sold out all 11 shows by 10 companies across 26 sessions in 3 days. They also took part in the campaign to prevent domestic violence, "54 seconds," promoted by the Union of Parishes of Marrazes and Barosa, appeared on Canal Q’s É a vida Alvim to promote A Viagem de Sophia, and were featured on the RTPPlay program Andarilho to discuss their 23-year journey. Additionally, they restored the marionettes for the musical Avenue Q (originally built in 2016), which completed its successful fourth season at Teatro Maria Matos, and launched their new social media project Mariolinda Tradespi – the missing Drag Influencer! for fun and reflection. Despite the difficulties, they extended their sincere thanks to the public and supporting entities, including DGArtes, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Solidarity Fund for Culture, the Alcobaça City Council, the Union of Alcobaça and Vestiaria Parishes, Pensão Corações Unidos, Hotel Santa Maria, and Tasca Zé da Loja.

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In 2021, the company faced its biggest challenge yet due to the disruptions caused by Covid-19, which suspended their entire schedule until May. Despite the uncertainty, they persevered. In May, they performed Consonância at the Lisbon Puppet Museum and participated in the Seeds Festival in Almada and Loures. That same month, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, they premiered Alfredo – the butterfly collector in Alcobaça, followed immediately by the Évora International Puppet Biennial. They later traveled "virtually" to the 34th International Theatrical Festival VALISE in Poland with A Viagem de Sophia and appeared in person at the MATERINKA International Puppet Festival in Liberec, Czech Republic, where they received the “Best Manipulation Award” with Theatro Dom Roberto.

Domestically, they participated in the "Onda de Verão" event in Torres Novas, conducted workshops at the Cultura em Expansão 2021 festival in Porto and Ei! Puppets in Gondomar, and attended the Iberian Theater Fair in Fundão. After appearing at the EIXOS festival in Santa Maria da Feira in August, they held their second premiere of the year: a large-scale co-production with A Corda and Companhia Livre titled Margens da Batalha: As Mulheres de Aljubarrota by Elsa Childs, involving over 50 people on stage with the support of the Rede Cultura Batalha de Aljubarrota 1385, Centro 2020 | Portugal 2020, and the Municipalities of Alcobaça, Batalha, and Porto de Mós. They also performed for the first time at the MOMO Circus Museum in Foz do Arouce, Lousã.

September brought a packed festival schedule, including the 1st Once upon a time in the West festival in Alcobaça, the historic É só Palheta 1st Meeting of Traditional Theater Dom Roberto in Sintra/Agualva celebrating Dom Roberto's entry into the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and tour stops in Tavira, São Brás de Alportel, Faro, and Albufeira via the FOME Festival. In October, they received the "Prêmio do Público" for Portucale at the MÓ Puppet Festival in Oeiras, performed at the Festival Novo Palco in Benedita, opened the Fólio literary festival in Óbidos, organized the sold-out 24th edition of Marionetas na Cidade with the backing of the Culture Guarantee Program and local partners, and closed the month at the FIMP International Puppet Festival in Porto and Sesimbra with Artemrede.

November featured another premiere: the opera El Retablo de Maese Pedro by Manuel de Falla, co-produced with the Orquestra Filarmonia das Beiras under guest conductor Rita Castro Blanco and singers Vera Silva, Pedro Cruz, and Tiago Matos, presented in Aveiro, Leiria, and Alcobaça (Cistermúsica). They also joined the 20th-anniversary celebrations at the Lisbon Puppet Museum's Robertos Marathon. In December, they participated in the French Invasions historical reenactments in Penacova and Lourinhã, premiered their fourth production of the year—Aljubarrota 1385 – A Batalha—and took part in Momentos de Natal in Alcobaça. To cap off the year, the Marionetas na Cidade festival was nominated for the "Iberian Festival Awards" in the Non-Music Festival category and once again received the European EFFE Label, leaving the company deeply grateful to everyone who supported them as they prepared to celebrate 25 years of uninterrupted activity in 2022.

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In 2022, the company celebrated 25 years of activity, marking it without a doubt as the year with their largest audience ever. From their 10 touring productions, they delivered 89 performances across 63 locations in Portugal, Tunisia, Spain, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Poland, traveling 18,860 kilometers by car and 23,904 kilometers by airplane.

They participated in numerous festivals both at home and abroad, notably the Palheta Festival in Ílhavo and Gafanha da Nazaré; Periferias Festival in Sintra; Theater Festival in Campo Maior; Carthage Puppetry Arts Days in Tunis and the OFF Festival in Tazerka (both in Tunisia); Latitudes Festival in Óbidos; Batalha Children's Theater Festival; Mercat de Cultura Infantil d'Orpesa in Spain; the Robertos Marathon at the Lisbon Puppet Museum; Olhó Boneco Festival in Vila do Conde; FitzMadrid International Summer Puppet Theater Festival at El Retiro in Madrid, Spain; Puppets On Stage International Festival of Street Theatres Dolls in Warsaw, Poland; Manobras / Artemrede Festival in Barreiro and Pombal; and the Foliazinho Festival in Lousada.

In April, the company was invited to a dinner at the Ajuda National Palace hosted by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in honor of the President of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Carlos Vila Nova, recognizing their work in recovering, preserving, promoting, and internationalizing the traditional Teatro Dom Roberto. In June, they made their debut at the Coliseu do Porto, presenting Manuel de Falla's opera El Retablo de Maese Pedro alongside the Orquestra Filarmonia das Beiras.

October brought the 25th edition of the Marionetas na Cidade festival in Alcobaça, highlighted by the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on Rua Dr. José Nascimento e Sousa celebrating 25 years of the company and the first anniversary of Teatro Dom Roberto's entry into the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. To cap off the year, the festival received a nomination for "Best Non-Music Festival" at the Iberian Festival Awards.

It was also a monumental year for their large-scale production Lúmen – Uma História de Amor. In June, at the invitation of TOPIC (International Puppet Center), they performed in Tolosa, Spain. July brought an intense month-long tour starting with the opening of the Veranos de la Villa festival in Madrid, where they filled the Plaza de España, followed by stops in Vila Real, Bragança, and Espinho, and concluding in December in Arcos de Valdevez, drawing thousands of spectators at every stop. The company expressed deep gratitude to the local communities who participated in the manipulation and presentation of the show, noting that the productions would have been impossible without their dedication.

While an exact audience tally is impossible due to the many open-air street performances, an estimated 25,400 people watched their shows throughout 2022, extending celebrations of their 25-year milestone through October 2024. Finally, they extended a massive thank you to DGArtes / Ministry of Culture for their support of internationalization, Conteúdos Mágicos for the adventure of staging four Lúmen performances in a single year, and the municipalities and theaters that hosted them. Special thanks were given to the Municipality of Alcobaça for 25 years of continuous support, the Union of Parishes of Alcobaça and Vestiaria for believing in them from the beginning, and all the local merchants, business owners, artists, and citizens who continue walk this path alongside them.

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In 2023, the company embarked on great travels and adventures, performing 116 times across 52 locations in 8 countries: Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Serbia, China, and Portugal. They published 4 books—three volumes of the Cadernos de Teatro de Marionetas S.A.Marionetas collection (Vol. I Inês de Castro, Vol. II D. Sancho I – O Azarado, and Vol. III Teatro Dom Roberto, by master puppeteer José Manuel Valbom Gil) alongside the company's major 360-page biographical book, S.A.Marionetas – 25 anos a trabalhar para o boneco, supported by the Portuguese Republic / DGArtes, the Municipality of Alcobaça, FEDIMA, Crédito Agrícola, and UNIMA Portugal. At the 30th International Festival of Children's Theatres in Subotica, Serbia, they received the Acting/Manipulation Skills award, and their puppeteer-builders led two puppet construction and manipulation training courses.

Major international tours stood out throughout the year, taking them to Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Serbia, Madeira, and China. They presented two exhibitions at Armazém das Artes in Alcobaça (The Giant Puppets of the Show Lúmen and Avenue Q – All the Puppets of the Musical). The year began with a high-energy performance at the Cabalgata de Reyes in Burgos, Spain, before 60,000 people, followed by a great honor: an invitation to participate in the tribute celebrating the centenary of Miguel Pino, creator of the Peneque character in Spain. Another special, ongoing project involved collaborating with the Picada Cultural association to create "Urania," an Iberian lynx puppet for Proactivetur and ICNF, raising public awareness to welcome the Iberian lynx back to its territory. They also experienced a unique highlight presenting Lúmen – Uma história de amor at the FIMO festival in Ovar. In May, they received an unforgettable invitation from the band Coldplay to manipulate Jim Henson Company’s The Weirdos puppets in a stadium filled with 50,000 people per day across four days—filling the company with immense pride and a deep sense of recognition.

Domestically and internationally, they participated in the programming of Espaço Cultural Mãozorra, the 3rd Iberian Theater Fair in Fundão, Festival Marionnet'Ic (France), Immagina Festival (Italy), Festival de Títeres de Cádiz (Spain), the 10th Theatre Olympics / World Festival of Puppets (Hungary), POPular INATEL, EI! Marionetas Festival (Gondomar), Música e Tradição INATEL, the 24th International Büyükçekmece Culture and Art Festival (Turkey), the 2nd É Só Palheta!! Traditional Theater Dom Roberto Meeting (Agualva), the 2nd Art’INRUA International Street Arts Festival in Tomar, Cultural Days in Glória do Ribatejo, Mariofa Festival (Funchal), the 7th Golden Magnolia Shanghai International Puppet Festival, the 1st International Excellent Puppetry Presentation (China), Foliazinho '23 (Lousada), and MIA (Cortegaça), closing the year at Histórias com Fio at the Torres Vedras Center for Arts and Creativity, among other cultural spaces. In October, they organized the 26th edition of the Marionetas na Cidade festival in Alcobaça, which achieved an incredible turnout with nearly sold-out sessions across all events, thanks to the support of the Alcobaça City Council, the Union of Parishes of Alcobaça and Vestiaria, the Parish Council of Évora de Alcobaça, Armazém das Artes, Força de Produção, the Lisbon Puppet Museum, Pensão Corações Unidos, Hotel Santa Maria, and Tasca o Zé da Loja. They also reactivated their web store at www.samarionetas.com/loja, extended their gratitude to the Oriente Foundation for supporting the China tour, thanked the book sponsors and co-creators Manuel Leiria and Andreia Silvano, and estimated an audience of approximately 13,230 spectators for the year.

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The year 2024 was incredible, drawing 36,366 spectators across 105 presentations in 8 countries, 46 localities, 9 productions, 3 exhibitions, a giant puppet construction masterclass, a traditional Portuguese puppet manipulation workshop, and two puppet construction workshops, defined by major international tours in Spain, Tunisia, England, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia, and China. The year started with Lúmen – Cabalgata de Reyes before over 40,000 people on the streets of Madrid (not included in the final audience total), followed by a month-long giant puppet construction masterclass at the Centre National d'Art de la Marionnette in Tunis, Tunisia, and the whirlwind experience of bringing all of Lúmen's giant puppets to the Carnival of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. The book tour for S.A.Marionetas – 25 anos a trabalhar para o boneco traveled from north to south in Portugal as well as Spain (Leiria, Évora, Porto, Castellón, Lisboa, Aveiro, Faro, Milheirós de Poiares, Óbidos, and Espinho).

In Portugal, they participated in events such as the Pombal Theater Festival, the 50th Anniversary of April 25th Celebrations in Alcobaça, the 10th Spring Exhibition and April 25th Celebrations in Tavira, IndieLisboa 2024, VI RuArte in Ponte de Lima, Foliazinho'24 in Cinfães, INSantarém Festival, Vivo Verão on Pedrogão Beach, Art and Culture in São Pedro de Moel, Bonecos e Fantoches Festival in Portimão, Fora dos Eixos in Milheirós de Poiares, FolioEduca in Óbidos, Mar-Marionetas in Espinho, Loures Teatro – A Teia, and Marionetas à Capela at the Lisbon Puppet Museum. They represented Portugal with Teatro Dom Roberto at the 49th Annual Covent Garden May Fayre & Puppet Festival in London, Puppets on Stage in Warsaw, Poland, the GAŠPARIÁDA International Puppet Festival in Nitra, Slovakia, TitiriPalma in Palma del Río, Spain, and the Carthage Puppetry Arts Days in Tunis, Tunisia. Lúmen – Uma história de amor returned to Alcobaça for the 50th anniversary of April 25, 1974—seven years after its premiere there—featuring Sónia Tavares from the band The Gift, and in July opened the Almagro Classical Theater International Festival in Spain.

They mounted three puppet exhibitions in Alcobaça: Os Fios na S.A.Marionetas at Armazém das Artes, Esculturas Teatrais by José Gil at the Alcobaça Wine Museum (both part of the 27th Marionetas na Cidade festival), and As Marionetas Gigantes de Lúmen at the Monastery of Alcobaça during the 2024 Doces Conventuais event. In October, they organized the 27th edition of Marionetas na Cidade over 6 days, featuring 11 companies from 4 countries across 12 shows in 8 locations, alongside 2 construction workshops and 2 exhibitions, supported by DGArtes. To close the year, they spent a month in Shanghai, China, presenting Alfredo – O colecionador de borboletas and ETC… at the Showay Arts Space for Families theater, where they also led two puppet construction courses. Internationalization efforts for Lúmen, the festival, and the book were supported by DGArtes, alongside sponsors including the Municipality of Alcobaça, the Union of Parishes of Alcobaça and Vestiaria, Armazém das Artes, Restaurante Reencontro, Pensão Corações Unidos, Tasca do Zé da Loja, Hotel Santa Maria, Hostel Rossio, Cister FM, UNIMA Portugal, and Descampado, with heartfelt thanks extended above all to the audiences.

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The year 2025 was an exceptional period in which the team grew and long-held dreams came true, premiering 3 original productions: Cabaret Voltaire, Quantum – A Origem, and O Marquês de Pombal e os Jesuítas. Their presentations reached 6 countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, and Turkey) and 27 localities, delivering 91 sessions across 12 touring productions to an estimated 10,200 people (excluding the thousands who attended the Cabalgatas de Reyes Magos in Salamanca and Burgos). They organized 4 exhibitions on view through February 15, 2026, at Armazém das Artes in Alcobaça (FELP – Pelo sim, pelo não, as marionetas da série de televisão, Quantum – A Origem: Processo, and O Marquês de Pombal e os Jesuítas – Making-of).

They led workshops in glove puppet construction, rod puppet manipulation, and Teatro Dom Roberto manipulation, as well as two rod puppet workshops partnered with the Centro Qualifica de Cister's Qualifica Program, and spoke at conferences on traditional Portuguese puppet theater in Aveiro and Vila Franca de Xira. They launched the fourth volume of the Cadernos de Teatro S.A.Marionetas featuring the script for O Marquês de Pombal e os Jesuítas, complete with a video titled À Água com Eles and photo documentation of the process, while also documenting the construction process for Quantum – A Origem. In October, they organized the 28th edition of Marionetas na Cidade, featuring 13 original shows by 11 companies (including 2 international ones).

A major lifelong dream materialized: participating in the television series FELP, created by Manuel Pureza, Rui Melo, and Henrique Dias, and directed by Manuel Pureza for RTP and HBO. S.A.Marionetas handled puppet design and construction, trained the actors in manipulation, and performed manipulation and support alongside an unforgettable team from Coiote Vadio production company across 6 months of work and 50 shooting days. Furthermore, 2025 marked the beginning of 2-year sustained funding from DGArtes, allowing the team to expand. The company extended its warmest thanks to all new collaborators, sponsors, and entities who continue to believe in their work.

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The show "TUBIC" in June 2012, was present in Chengdu in China at the World Puppet Festival integrated in the 21st UNIMA congress this time with the participation of Tubista Gil Gonçalves where he received the "Award of Puppetry Festival Participation"