The Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy

Must see

As I write this, Emmanuel has one performance left, and if you see one more show in the fringe, make it this one. Brilliantly engaging economy of movement and light.

Pure Joy!

Five out of five shells for Turtle Boy! 🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢 Goodness did I love this show! Amazing puppetry, unbridled creativity, and so fun and playful. Can't recommend enough!

Charming!

Come to this show, bring your kids, and sit front and center (or as close as you can get). Both Turtle Boy and Emmanuel will make you cheer and clap and be glad you shared this time with them.

A must see!

I highly recommend this show! It is funny and the puppetry itself is very impressive. It’s choose-your-own adventure style, so the audience “applause voted” added a great element. Stay after to get a demonstration of how Turtle Boy works- it’s very cool.

What a great show for kids and adults!

“Best show in the Fringe! Heartwarming and funny.” — our 10yo daughter “Very Good. I liked the democracy.” — out 13yo son

I will take a bullet for Turtle Boy

Never have I so quickly emotionally bonded to an inanimate object in my life. Even calling Turtle Boy inanimate feels exceptionally wrong, considering how much life Emmanuel breathes into this tiny, beautiful puppet. Just thinking about my sweet, little Turtle Boy son, I vow to avenge all who cross him or would deign to even consider leaving a 4.5 kitty review or less. In all seriousness, this really was one of those very special shows that fills your heart by the time you get up from your seat. Only real suggestion for fellow short audience members is to make sure you’re either front row or elevated enough in the back. Turtle Boy plays pretty close to the ground (stage floor), and you’re not gonna want to miss even a moment of Emmanuel’s beautiful puppet articulation.

A very sweet, lively show

The puppet is darling and the marionette work is delightful, with fun (but optional and low-key, for those who dread it) audience participation ... while I would have loved a little more to be at stake in the story, I enjoyed it!

You cannot fathom the things I'd do for turtle boy

Delightful & surprising

A fun and often hilarious marionette show with a welcoming, creative, playful voice & some marvelous puppetry. Highly recommended!

Best kids show in years

This show was pure energy and joy. I was genuinely shocked by the amazing expression he could get out of the puppet. It is not just a kids show.

Inner Child Happiness

Emmanuel is more than just a great puppeteer. His performance is delightful. The real magic happens with the audience and how many of us were transformed into kids. I think he marrionetted us as he did Turtle Boy.

Must See Hero Adventure

A solo-performer tour de force. Emmanuel’s skills bringing Turtle Boy to life are indescribable. The audience steers the action – and even joins in. It's part action-adventure, part interactive game, and all heart, with a hero you’ll fall in love with. A don't-miss show for all ages, it's exactly the kind of playful, inventive experience that makes the MN Fringe. Bring everyone, sit close & get ready to be delighted!

Dangit Ethan!

This show is the epitome of charming. We had kids at our showing, and the performer interacted so well with them. I’m normally not much for audience involvement , but this is audience involvement done WELL (no forcing audience to participate, but cheering on those who do). Definitely one of a kind, and I’m glad I took a chance on it. Sit in the front for the best view - marionettes are small!

Get Ready to Cheer our Hero On

As a puppet nerd, I knew Choose Your Own Adventure with Turtle Boy would make this year’s fringe line up. But this went way beyond my expectations, to simply say this was an amazing performance or experience isn’t enough. I sat front and center and what Emmanuel does to bring Turtle Boy to life, is a “miracle”. Bring a friend, your family, come by yourself, be ready to cheer our hero and the adventure on. And if you wish, volunteer for a little hand to hand combat!!

You'll cheer for Turtle Boy!

Charming, delightful and very funny! With excellent acting and strong manipulation, Emmanuel brings to life an imaginative marionette boy, who takes us along on his adventures. I don't know when I've seen an audience make such a quick and strong connection with a character.

The Puppet Comes Alive

This piece was beautiful. The script is simple, but that isn’t the point – what’s important is the life that comes through Emmanuel’s spectacular puppetry. Turtle Boy comes alive with all the wonder and flaws of humanity, and his interaction with the audience is perfectly honest. Furthermore, the blocking and movement of this piece is absolutely astonishing as Turtle Boy dances across the stage, and it is easy to lose sight of the puppeteer – he never attempts to hide, but vanishes behind the magic of his work. Highly recommend this performance.

Turtleboy is a national treasure

This show was delightful! It was exactly what I didn't know I needed.

Turtle kick butts!

Great show and very entertaining with crowds participating. I like it.

Delightful!

This was such a charming show, and a deft performance by a clearly practiced puppeteer. My kids loved it, as did my wife, myself, and, judging by their reactions, the rest of the audience, too.

A total joy! A total delight!

A show from a puppeteer who genuinely knows play and how to play — top-notch puppetry, an absolute delight from start to finish. Charming, funny, full of joy and heart. And so funny! I can't wait to go back and see the other choices! We loved Turtle Boy so much. A must-see.