Sometimes I get a jones for something dark, sparkling, and bizarre (don’t we all?), and I find myself scanning the listings for the magic-makers: specifically, All the Saints Theater Company. There’s no entertainment quite like gigantic, exquisitely crafted puppets rollicking around to the sounds of homemade instruments and oohing, ahhing audience members. If you hit up one of their spaghetti dinners—monthly at Gallery 5, check their MySpace page for info—you’re in for a true feast for the senses. All the Saints’ spaghetti dinners are based on the model started by Vermont-based troupe Bread and Puppet, providing food, art, puppets and music on a sliding-scale basis where no one is turned away. And they’re super cool. “The motto is that ‘you can’t just feed your belly, you must also feed your mind’...it’s a forgiving atmostphere for everyone to perform, share space and eat together, and there’s something sacred about that,” says ATSTC founder Lily Lamberta. Lily works closely on projects with Julie Elkins and Mike Dulin of Punk Sinatra, a like-minded performance team that offers up original works with an abstract, theme-driven feel. Coming up in early June is the Health Fair Carnival for the Uninsured at Dudetown, Punk Sinatra’s home base, and it will feature fun stuff like hooping, yoga, massage, info on midwifery and homebrewing, plus choice theatrical performances.

ATSTC’s past events have pretty much floored the gathering crowds. Last year’s Halloween parade brought acts like the No B.S. Brass Band and Special Ed and the Shortbus along in the throngs of drumming skeletons, flaming building characters, color guard bees, and herds of cardboard-constructed elephants. The finale of the parade included a 20-foot cloth boat delivering the message “We’re all in the same boat, let’s keep the boat afloat,” a fair synopsis of the company’s political viewpoint; they make all their masks, puppets, costumes and props from found and recycled materials and work to spread the word about sustainability. Community involvement is a big part of the picture, too—ATSTC supports street arts and focuses on creating with and for the Richmond area. Lily comments, “You’ve got to approach topics like war and environmental crisis through a circus-like medium, with fun and community… you can’t do it through pain and guilt.  It doesn’t reach people that way. When puppets mimic the violence [in our society], it really gets the message across to people of all ages. It’s a reflection of our world, a microcosm. And it’s a medium that we can use to effect change… We’ve made jaws drop with cardboard bombs.” Right now, they’re trying to raise funds for a shared workspace and “real, live, old-school proscenium stage,” so if you’re interested in furthering the cause or you’ve got cardboard, corn starch, wood, pipe, house paint, fabric or good ol’ fashioned cash to donate, contact Lily at 525-4185 or , or send it to 3128 Parkwood Ave.