The Dragon and the Wanderer is the first production of Wandering Theatre, the husband-and-wife-duo of Aaron Roberge and Leah Holleran. Both Aaron and Leah hail from the east coast, and have been professional performing and teaching artists for over a decade. The European tour of The Dragon and the Wanderer in the summer of 2019 doubled as their honeymoon! Now, Wandering Theatre is bringing a revamped version of the show, along with puppet workshops, around the United States in a self-converted skoolie. The Dragon and the Wanderer is a story of courage and friendship; it combines physical theatre, hand puppets, and shadow puppets, and uses no language. Aaron and Leah are thrilled to present this wholly original production—hopefully the first of many they will build together.
Leah Holleran (Co-Creator; Performer)
Leah’s acting and performance credits include film, Off-Broadway, and regional musicals and plays, as well as dance and aerial circus pieces. She toured venues across the U.S. for three years with Enchantment Theatre Company, which was her first foray into both puppetry and Company Management. As a teaching artist, she has taught acting, dance, puppetry, and circus aerials to both kids and adults. She is a writer of fiction, poetry, and personal essays. She is thrilled to embark on the adventure of touring this original piece, and continuing to create and share the love of theatre, puppetry, and storytelling along with her incredible partner. Learn more at http://leahholleran.com, and check out Wandering Theatre’s Blog to read some of her writing and follow the adventure!
Aaron Roberge (Co-Creator; Performer)
Aaron is an actor, puppeteer, and The Dragon and the Wanderer’s set designer. A graduate of the Bloomsburg University Theatre Department, Aaron lives and works with his wife Leah Holleran. He has most recently been seen in Artemesia as Oracio Gentileschi at South Camden Theatre Company, and A Christmas Carol as Jacob Marley (and various) at Walnut Street Theatre. His teaching credits include acting, improvisation, and puppetry, as well as substitute teaching pre-K through middle school in the Philadelphia school district. He enjoyed his belated honeymoon backpacking around Europe in 2019, and looks forward to touring The Dragon and The Wanderer in the U.S.
Rachel Icenogle (Composer)
Rachel is a versatile cellist with a mind for new and interesting sounds. Specializing in experimental music, she loves to explore the tonal palette of her instrument. She performs solo as Uncle Valentine, composes music for puppet shows with Company Aiello, and is also a member of the Philadelphia band Upholstery. Rachel has performed improvisation with Roscoe Mitchell and has collaborated as a musician with several independent theater and dance groups in Philadelphia (BRAT Productions, Ombelico Mask Ensemble, Transmissions Theater, SWARM, and Birds on a Wire). She also often records cello for other bands, including in the last year on new albums from both Eric Slick and Hop Along. With a passion for the unique and unexpected, Rachel sets herself apart as a performer, always seeking opportunities to diversify and discover new artistic expression. http://www.rachelicenogle.com
Other Artists We Would Like to Thank:
Aaron Lathrop and Gina Leigh of North Star Puppets have provided wonderful advice when it comes to the building of puppets and sets (not to mention moral support and board game breaks). They are also our sewing gurus. Their help has been invaluable. Check them out here!
Angelo Aiello, a brilliant puppeteer (and Rachel’s husband), gave us fantastic input and support. They also gave us use of their courtyard as we began to build our set, and their assistance even from afar as we start navigating our way through Italy has been absolutely amazing. Angelo’s incredible puppet shows gave us great inspiration, and you can learn more about Angelo and his company, Company Aiello, here!
Mark Segal of Segal Puppet Theatre and Company, who employs both Leah and Aaron as performers in Tooth Buddy Tales, is a never-ending fountain of thoughts and ideas. He lent materials and use of his workshop in addition to his many words of wisdom. Check out Tooth Buddies here!
Mark Holleran of Holleran Media Productions has provided lighting advice and the resources for all of our sound effects! For any of your video production needs, click here for Holleran Media Productions.
Jess Wallace made our lovely business cards! Check out her company, JWPaperCreations, here.
We would also like to thank Erin Carney and Mike Harkness for generously hosting our very first workshop, and for attending our “shadow screen building party” (in which we coerced our friends into helping us craft) along with Madison Auch. Thanks to Peter Smith for donating materials and for advising us on the merits of different speakers. Thanks to Ben Lloyd and Bright Invention Improvisation Ensemble for hosting an early showing and providing valuable feedback. Thank you to Hannah Wolkowitz and Matt Zito for being the most generous London hosts we could dream of, and for storing extra show materials while we travel. An overwhelming huge, heartfelt thank you to the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes for having us. And of course, a huge thank you to all of the loved ones who generously donated to this ambitious endeavor—we couldn’t have done it without you!
We also could not possibly have achieved any of this without our incredible family, who have gone above and beyond in their love and support. Rob and Tina Roberge were our generous hosts for nearly the entirety of our school bus conversion, and Mark and Deb Holleran hosted us while we rebuilt the show, making this tour possible. We are endlessly grateful.
The Dragon and the Wanderer is a self-produced puppet show, created and performed by Aaron Roberge and Leah Holleran, two working artists who decided that a self-starting backpacking tour of an original children’s show is the only way to honeymoon. Now, they are beginning their U.S. tour in their self-converted skoolie! Any and all support of their crazy endeavor means the world, and makes a huge difference!
Wandering Theatre Presents: The Dragon and the Wanderer 