(NORTH ADAMS, Mass.) — Italian puppet company La Capra Ballerina brings “Dorme” to the Branch Gallery on Monday, December 2, 2013, at 6 and 8:30pm, as part of MCLA Presents! inaugural Puppet Fest. “Dorme,” which is Italian for sleep, tells the story of a girl who goes to sleep and embarks on a journey within her dreams and nightmares: flying among fish with human faces; playing with light and shadow; the death of her cat; falling into water and meeting her own death. The show is conceived and will be performed by Italian puppeteer Laura Bartolomei.

The non-linear narrative is composed as a dance, with a musical score by Stefano Zazzera and the wrist puppet technique developed by the Russian master, Vladimir Zakharov. Bartolomei, who studied with Zakharov, is one of the few non-Russian practitioners of this technique.

This production has toured Italy, South Korea, Brazil, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia and Germany, and is the winner of In-Produzione 2011, Festival Immagini dell’Interno, Pinerolo and the La MaMa Spoleto Open Award.

Dorme was selected to headline this year’s “La Mama Puppet Series” in New York City and will travel to Fitchburg State University following the MCLA Presents! performance.

Tickets for “Dorme” are $10 for general admission. Tickets for MCLA alumni are $8, $5 for staff and faculty and non-MCLA students. Tickets for members and MCLA students are free. Tickets may be reserved by calling MCLA Presents! at (413) 662-5204