From paper puppets to lit-up bubbles, Eastern Michigan University Theatre presents "The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Keats," a family-friendly show that showcases experimental theater and creative prop pieces.
First written in 1962 by Ezra Jack Keats, "The Snowy Day" stars Peter, a young boy, as he explores his neighborhood after the year's first snowfall. Comprised of four parts that take place throughout the four seasons of the year, "The Snowy Day" explores youth, coming of age and the beauty of growing up. The play adapts four of Keats' children's books, including "The Snowy Day," "Whistle for Willie," "Goggles" and "Letter for Amy."
Olivia Allen, a part-time lecturer at EMU in the communications, media and theater arts department and the director of EMU's performance of "The Snowy Day," expressed the impact that the books had on young readers when they were first released. While the play feels more like a slice of life to modern audiences, the books that they are adapted from acted as an early form of diversity and representation, being some of the first picture books to feature a young Black protagonist.
"You're watching him [Peter] experience these childhood wonders, joys and growing up for the first time. To us as a modern audience, I don't know that there is necessarily a moral. We're watching him go through things like being angry at a friend and having to resolve a conflict, or real experiences like the magic of seeing snow for the first time ... I think it offers, especially in the '60s and now ... this representation and this diversity, and continuing on the tradition of diversity representation in children's theater," Allen said.
While the show is geared more toward younger, elementary-aged audiences, there is still plenty for older attendees to enjoy about the production, Allen said.
For this show, EMU Theatre's crew built more than 100 puppets out of black card stock and laminated them to ensure they would remain intact on the road. Each character in the show, including Peter, is depicted in both human form and puppet form. Throughout the show, the form the characters take switches to reflect their mindset.
According to Allen, the use of puppets was a way for the group to experiment with different scenes, with some specific parts of the original picture book being difficult to adapt without the use of extra props.
With a show that appeals to a younger audience, the use of puppets and shadow actors also allows for elementary-aged students to suspend their disbelief and interpret the reality of what's happening on stage with their own imaginations.
Prior to showing "The Snowy Day" at EMU, the cast and crew toured a number of local elementary schools from March 13 through April 17, 2026, as part of the EMU Theatre for the Young Tour. According to Allen, touring offers EMU Theatre students a variety of new experiences, including the ability to perform their pieces in front of larger audiences. Each year, the tour brings shows for younger audiences to nearby schools. Some performances are designed specifically for individuals who enjoy hands-on and sensory performances.
"It's such a special thing to be able to take high-quality, really thoughtfully crafted, acted and performed pieces of theater into communities where the students already live," Allen said. "They get to see something new and exciting that maybe shows them something they didn't know was possible before, or just gives them an exciting Friday morning."
Outside of puppets, the crew also used experimental methods to depict large settings on a small stage, including using bubbles to depict snow and scaling prop pieces to allow a character to ride down a mountain.
The show lasts approximately 45 minutes and will include a Q&A section afterward for audience members to ask the cast and crew questions about the show.
"We're really excited to bring it home to our EMU community," Allen said. "I just want to give a huge shoutout to all the beautiful artists who worked on this show. It takes a lot to make a set and puppets and costumes that travel, and can handle the wear and tear of being on the road and still come home and look beautiful. They've done a beautiful job at that."
Those interested in seeing "The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats" once it returns to Eastern Michigan University from April 24-25, 2026, can purchase tickets online at EMU Theatre's website or in person at the box office. General admission for each ticket is $6.
Performances will be held in person at the Sponberg Theatre, located in the Judy Sturgis Hill Building, on April 24 at 7 p.m. and April 25 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
More information on the show can be found through the Snowy Day Study Guide, available through Google Drive on EMU Theatre's website.
