Guy Doucette and The Shadow Band

I recently have had the opportunity to get to know Guy Doucette, a new arrival to Bridgewater. A few weeks ago he showed me his awesome handmade puppets and his creative spirit is truly unique.  Let's get to know Guy a little bit better: 


Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you live and your creativity
My name is Guy Doucette and I live in Bridgewater right on King Street. I love to work in and with many different artistic mediums to create fresh and exciting new projects and pieces to present to the public. For this years Afterglow Festival I will be presenting a piece called Guy Doucette and The Shadow Band. This project combines my love of theatre, music and puppetry to create a show that can go almost anywhere and is very different from most shows you've seen. Shadow Puppetry is an ancient art form the stems from all over the world, but it is the closest to bridging the worlds of both live theatre and modern film. Using a variety of techniques involving old school overhead projectors and mashing them up with a whole host of paper puppets and backgrounds called 'Crankies', audiences find themselves quickly absorbed in light and shadow and images that seem to leap off the screen

How do you feel Afterglow makes an impact on Bridgewater?
When you bring arts of any kind out of the galleries, stages and bars and take it to the streets you immediately change the perspective outlook of a place. I've seen shows in alleyways that on any regular day would seem dreary, dirty and uninspiring, but brought to life through the arts changes the space into one that is oppositely joyful, magical and moving. Engaging local artists to create and present in their own communities helps build local business, promotes enjoying and utilizing your town and encourages others to take part in the future. Like a good dance it only takes one person to get up and dance to encourage others to join in

Why have you chosen to take part in this years festival? 
As a citizen of Bridgewater and as an artist who believes in engaging and changing perspectives I believe I have a unique ability to reveal a side of Bridgewater that is beautiful and uplifting. I have come to see that there are many outside views of Bridgewater that paint it as a less the enjoyable place to come and visit or live - I believe that the people make the place, and as a person of this place, I intend to help to make it magical!


What are you looking forward to most for this year's festival? 
Watching peoples faces light up when they see all the amazing things happening in this town and hearing people talk about seeing or hearing something that sparked inspiration and wonderment in them