Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Associate Vice President, Marketing Communications, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

10/06/09
Story by Peggy Graham

Body parts perform

alive_04.jpg (337 KB) It's Alive

alive_01.jpg (647 KB) It's Alive

It’s Alive! How Our Organs Work is a wild science class presented by ventriloquist Steve Petra and Petra Puppets at 9:45 a.m. and noon Tuesday, Nov. 3 (for K-2nd grades) and Wednesday, Nov. 4 (for grades 3-6) in Yardley Hall of the Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College, as part of Performing Arts Series Arts Education.

The show features audience participation, illusions, original songs and music. Student helpers come to deliver messages from the brain to body parts, scratch the nose, watch veins and arteries as the heart pumps the blood through them, stretch 20 feet of intestine across the stage and much more.

Petra trained at the National Theatre of Puppet Arts and Jim Henson Productions, Manhattan, and has been a professional puppeteer since 1990 performing his own scripts, songs and music. Before that, he worked as a professional musician. He now specializes in educational programs.

Petra Puppets is Steve and his wife, Jeanie. Steve performs the shows, and Jeanie does the administrative work.

Steve has performed at Puppeteers of America festivals and at Puppet Guild of Long Island events. He's a member of The Puppeteers of America, Union Internationale de la Marionnette, Puppet Guild of Long Island and International Ventriloquists Association.

Tickets for It’s Alive! How Our Organs Work are $5, available by calling the Performing Arts Series box office at 913-469-4445.

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