Bread and Puppet Theater presents The Possibilitarians and Dead Man Rises, along with The Circus of the Possibilitarians (family-friendly). Performances and Cheap Art Sale run January 24 through 27, as well as an Art Exhibit running the week of January 21 through January 27. All held in the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA), 539 Tremont St., South End, Boston [conveniently located near the MBTA Orange Line & bus connections]. Wheelchair accessible. Tickets for the performances available for purchase [cash or check only] in the Cyclorama one hour before each performance. For advance tickets, log onto www.breadandpuppet.org or call 866-811-4111 (toll free). For further information regarding the week’s events, call the BCA’s Bread and Puppet Theater information line at 617-286-6694 or visit www.bcaonline.org.

Commencing its 50th anniversary of presenting in-earnest socio-political puppetry, the long-standing award-winning Vermont-based Bread & Puppet Theater, featuring Artistic Director Peter Schumann and his troupe of puppeteers, returns for its 6th annual visit to the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts, bringing their signature powerful imagery, masked characters, and giant papier-mâché puppets. This year, the one week residency includes the evening double bill of The Possibilitarians and Dead Man Rises (recommended for ages 12 & older) and weekend matinee performances of The Circus of the Possibilitarians (for children of all ages), along with a week-long political art installation (running January 21-27, with an art opening on January 21), the sale of Bread & Puppet’s legendary Cheap Art, and the opportunity to savor Schumann’s home-made sourdough rye bread spread with garlic-laden aioli.

All the visuals are created by Schumann, including sculpting and painting of all the major masks and puppets, with input from the company. Although Bread & Puppet events have a seriousness of purpose — a few laughs are always thrown in!