Created for Trusty Sidekick Theater Company, A Perfect Party for Trees was originally developed both for and with the collaboration of neurodivergent young people.
As featured in the New York Times, “perhaps the greatest gift this new play offers its audience is intangible: the freedom to be themselves.”
A Perfect Party for Trees takes audiences on an outdoor promenade adventure as we join The Bear, The Beekeeper and Ms. Branch in their quest to create the perfect birthday party for the forest.
In Perfect Party we welcome our party guests to try multi-sensory activities, participatory puppetry, and collective live music in a celebration of nature, and the many ways that we see ourselves as a part of it. Guided by our friends The Beekeeper, The Bear, and Ms. Branch, we create a gentle and playful space for our audience to dig like a badger, sing like a bird, and sit quietly like a tree to become a part of the forest itself. With no wrong way to celebrate, it will be the perfect party every time.
PAST PERFORMANCES
October, 2025 - Theatre@37 - Perry, NY
Remounted as ‘A (Little) Perfect Party for Trees’ as a part of the ‘Theater for All of Us’ Workshop
September, 2022 - Little Island, NYC
September, 2022 - Brooklyn Bridge Park
June, 2023 - NY Puppetry Festival, Autism Nature Trail
Marty Allen: Co-creator, Writer, Co-producer, Audience Support Specialist, Classroom Curriculum Development
2025 re-mount: performed as The Beekeeper
Project Lead/Director: Leigh Walter
Project Lead/Writer: Marty Allen
Project Lead/ Associate Director: Andrew M. Duff
Puppet Design: Eric Wright
Puppet Fabrication: Rose Labarre
Costume Design and Fabrication: Natalie Loveland Prop Design and Fabrication: Rowan Magee
Composers: Jesse Greenberg and Naeemah Z. Maddox
Lyrics: Marty Allen, Jesse Greenberg and Naeemah Z. Maddox
Cast:
Jesse Greenberg as The Bear
John Rankin III as The Beekeeper
Naeemah Z. Maddox as Ms. Branch
Swing/Understudy: Andrew Duff
Forest Friend/Audience Support: Marty Allen
Line Producer: Amanda Joshi
Production Manager: Carly Levin
Production Stage Manager: Aoife Hough Assistant Stage Manager: Taryn Uhe
Assistant Director: Stella Hu (Twig)
Logo and Map Design: Sara Moncure