Based on the book by Jon Scieszka & illustrated by Lane Smith Adapted by Jason Hines
Step into a wildly inventive world where fairy tales don’t quite go as planned. This world premiere adaptation of the best-selling 1992 children’s book The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith bursts onto the stage in a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud world premiere at the Center for Puppetry Arts.
Packed with irreverent humor, unexpected twists, and a cast of delightfully unruly characters, this high-energy production gleefully turns classic fairy tales inside out. Familiar stories unravel, characters take over, and storytelling rules are tossed aside in a playful, anything-can-happen theatrical experience.
Brought to life through inventive puppetry and bold, handcrafted design, this one-of-a-kind show captures the book’s signature chaos and charm that delivers a nostalgic nod to its ‘90s roots while feeling fresh, surprising, and completely original.
Come ready to laugh, be surprised and see your favorite fairy tales like never before.
April 26, 2026 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM
Guests with sensory sensitivities or developmental differences are invited to enjoy a fun, comfortable, and welcoming experience at the Center for Puppetry Arts.
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Performance tickets include the Create-A-Puppet Workshop™, Worlds of Puppetry Museum, and limited free onsite parking.
Celebrate Opening Saturday of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales with the Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s hands-on Potions Lab. Young scientists can suit up, explore chemical reactions, and mix their own hilariously stinky creations, perfectly inspired by the show’s delightfully twisted tales.
*Included in all performance tickets.
Tickets Include Create-a-Puppet™ Workshop
Stinky Cheese Man Rod Puppet
Your All-Inclusive Performance ticket includes the show, admission to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum, and a Create-A-Puppet™ Workshop. The puppet is based on the style of puppetry or character used in the production.
Visitors can create a rod puppet, inspired by the character from The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.
Join Us for Puppet Camp!
Select Weeks June 1-July 31
Camps Available for Ages K-12
Put a little whimsy into your summer at the Center for Puppetry Arts Puppet Camp, where young creators of all kinds bring their imaginations to life. In one- or two-week sessions, campers build confidence through hands-on fun featuring puppet parties, parades, and performances while celebrating creativity at every turn.
Rachel Frawley is thrilled to return to the Center for this project! An Atlanta-based actor, writer and director, she is also Artistic Director of Piccadilly Puppets. Recent theatre credits: Pete the Cat (Pete) at the Center for Puppetry Arts, The Taming of the Shrew (director) at the Shakespeare Tavern, Julius Caesar (Julius Caesar) with Prague Shakespeare, Gods of Comedy (Brooklyn/Zoe) at Aurora. Rachel wrote (book and lyrics) and directed The Mad Hatterpillar and Her Many Heads, a new children’s puppet musical, with Sarah Beth Hester (music composition and direction) at both Out Front and Stage Door Theatre. Love to family and friends.
Scottie Rowell (They/Them) is SO stoked to be returning the Center for Puppetry Arts. Scottie can be seen performing their bonkers Cardboard Silly Show at The Supermarket arts venue, hosted by The Bakery Atlanta, as well as leading the popular, twice-monthly Atlanta Puppet Jam. As owner of Teller Productions, Scottie creates tactile, immersive experiences for families using sustainable materials (all repurposed, discarded, or easily recycled). Clients include the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Georgia Aquarium, the Alliance Theater, the Center for Puppetry Arts, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Visuals and fun at ScottieRowell.com and TellerProductions.com
Photo Credit: Scottie Rowell
Sarah Beth “EssBee” Hester
Puppeteer | Artist in Residence
Sarah Beth “EssBee” Hester is an Artist in Residence here at the Center for Puppetry Arts. As a multi-disciplinary artist, Essbee is an active member of the Atlanta theatrical community, since their apprenticeship with the Shakespeare Tavern in 2015. They were a head puppeteer for BBC’s Moon and Me and continue to develop their craft in both performance and fabrication. Sarah Beth recently took over the direction for the Center’s annual production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, of which they have performed the past six seasons.
Recent credits: Callie/Gus, Pete the Cat (CPA) Boy, The Cat in the Hat (CPA); Principle Performer, Sesame Street the Musical (CPA); Puppyteer, Dr DeSoto (Alliance); Shmoopy Lou, Rainbows (Havoc) Diafoirus/ Puppet Fabrication, Le Malade Imaginaire (Théâtre du Rêve) Benvolio, Romeo & Juliet (ASC); Puppet Captain/ Performer, Tesla vs Edison (CPA, World Premiere); Puppet Fabrication for Havoc Movement; Musical Composition and puppet fabrication, The Mad Hatterpillar (a new puppet musical). You can find EssBee’s album I’M FINE. anywhere music streams.
Photo Credit: Scottie Rowell
Evan Hill Phillips
Puppeteer | Artist in Residence
Evan Hill Phillips is a graduate from Michigan State University with a BFA in Theatre. Evan is also an Associate Artist of the Sense-Ability Ensemble and is currently developing an original musical geared towards neurodiverse audiences.
At the Center Evan was last seen performing in productions like Harold & the Purple Crayon, The Cat in the Hat, Sesame Street the Musical, Human, The Ghastly Dreadfuls, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & more. Some of Evan’s other Atlanta credits include When Last We Flew (Out Front Theatre), The Speakeasy Encounter, The Student Body (Destination Theatre), The Mad Hatterpillar & her Many Heads (Synchronicity Theatre), Cat & Mouse Tales (Stage Door Theatre/ Piccadilly Puppets), And Then They Came for Me, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Georgia Ensemble Theatre), The New Black Fest’s Hands Up (Alliance Theatre), Newsies (Atlanta Lyric Theatre/Aurora Theatre), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Reindeer Games & The Lawrenceville Ghost Tours (Aurora Theatre, Appco19).
Evan is also skilled in graphic design, animation, playing music on the Alto Saxophone, appreciating trash, improv, stage-combat, befriending rubber duckies, quoting obscure cartoons & cooking tostadas. He hopes you enjoy the show! Shoutout to Mom, Dad, Kyron, Blake & Jalen for all of their support. Sporadic updates at @evanhillphillips & www.evanhillphillips.com
Photo Credit: Scottie Rowell
Aretta Baumgartner
Puppeteer | Understudy
Aretta Baumgartner (arettabaumgartner.com) is proud to be the Puppetry Specialist for the Teaching Artist Alliance. A professional puppeteer since 1992, Aretta has traveled extensively as an educator, performer, keynote speaker and coach, served multiple terms as President of the Board of Directors for the Puppeteers of America (PofA) and was Education and Advocacy Director at the Center for Puppetry Arts from 2011-2024. Recent puppetry performance credits include “Doctor De Soto” and “The Birthday of the World” with the Alliance Theatre and “learning to fly” with ONE DOUBLE-O FOUR EIGHT. She is a member of the Atlanta Puppetry Guild, serves on the board of Piccadilly Puppets, is an affiliate artist with Puppet Guy Productions and is New Works Fund Chair for PofA. Aretta is dedicated to using puppetry and theatre as tools to unlock potential, passion and story in every human she meets.