The first day of the Nature Boy Exploratory Residency, I gave an overview of our puppet show journey, we watched the movie The Red Balloon, and listened to Dosh's music. Local music whiz, Martin Dosh will help to design our music for the show. I explained in my process as an artist I start with things I am inspired by, like music and movies. I wanted to watch The Red Balloon with my 4th grade artist collaborators to set the stage, as it uses almost no words, like my shows, and also is a story of a boy kind of on a journey, and bullies that he encounters, which both will be aspects in Nature Boy. I am honored to work with these kids and teachers. They are smart, sensitive, and spunky. Over the next 4 months, we will be creating a puppet show together called Nature Boy. The young artists in this residency will be in coordination with adult puppeteer and a few musicians that I am working with. In May, we will all pull together to blend into the show for the Ordway's International Children's Festival. This is a dream project. Let the dream begin. -Bart Buch, Puppet Artist