Figures of Speech Theatre is devoted to exploring personal, social, and spiritual issues with work that quietly but emphatically illuminates our relationship to the earth, the inherent value of all cultures, and the balance between individual vision and community obligation. The company has toured all over the world - from Sofia, Bulgaria to Tokyo, Japan, to Lima, Peru. Besides performing at venues such as the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Institution, and the New Victory Theatre on Broadway, the company retains a strong commitment to teaching and performing in rural schools and theater venues throughout its home state of Maine.

Figures of Speech Theatre is a four-time recipient of the coveted UNIMA Citation of Excellence, the highest distinction in American puppet theatre, as well as numerous grant awards from organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Jim Henson Foundation, and the New England Foundation for the Arts. In 1999 Co-Directors John and Carol Farrell were awarded a six-month Fellowship from the Japan-US Friendship Commission's Creative Artists program to live and study in Japan.

CAROL FARRELL began performing experimental theater in 1971 with the New World Energy Theatre in Switzerland, then moved to San Francisco to study dance. After returning back east and completing a Master’s degree in Theater Design, Carol joined the theater faculty at the University of Maine as Costume Designer, until visions of creating whole worlds from scratch inspired her to co-found Figures of Speech Theatre with husband John in 1982. She has studied at the Institut Internationale de la Marionnette in France, and served on the Board of the international puppetry association, UNIMA USA. With FST Carol wears many hats, including writing and designing plays, performing, and creating teaching programs.

JOHN FARRELL founded Figures of Speech with Carol 26 years ago after dropping out of law school. Since then he has studied directing for the puppet theatre with Josef Krofta of Czechoslovakia’s DRAK Theatre, and carving with Toru Saito, Japanese master puppet builder. From 1984-86 he was an adjunct faculty member at the Institute of Professional Puppetry Arts, and in 1991 was a guest artist-in-residence at Trinity College and at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. In 1999 he was one of five American artists awarded a Creative Artists’ Program Fellowship from the Japan-United States Friendship Commission, allowing him to spend 6 months in Japan studying Japanese theater and gardens. The Maine Arts Commission awarded him an Individual Artist Fellowship in 2002.

IAN BANNON came to FST after working on a documentary about women bikers in Maine for the SALT Institute for Documentary Studies. He graduated Cum Laude from Juniata College with a double major in Theater and Psychology. After moving to Maine, Ian worked as Assistant Director of Short Fuse Interactive, a company providing interactive dramatic training for the workplace. Ian has studied storytelling with Milbre Burch and Antonio Rocha, performing objects with Theodora Skipitares, and collaborative theatre with Sojourn Theatre’s Michael Rhode. As FST’s Teaching Associate, Ian implements the lion’s share of FST’s Artist-in-Residence programs. In ‘07-08 he directed a highly successful 4-month ensemble theater project for Freeport teens entitled Perseus the Gorgon Slayer.

ANDREA GOODMAN first met Carol Farrell in 1993 when their babies crawled across the room to each other at an artists’ gathering. Since then Andrea has composed for and performed numerous roles in FST productions, from the conductor of the Chorus of Angels in Festival of Light, to the Countess Odessa in Nightingale. Andrea weaves her vocal expression together with her technical voice study with John Devers in New York, her 17 years of touring with the world-renowned Meredith Monk Ensemble, and her practice of sound-healing. In Maine, she also sings with the Resonance Residence, a voice-flute-trumpet trio.

BEVERLY MANN is a mask maker, performer, and educator who earned a degree in Dance and Children's Theater, then toured nationally and internationally for four years with the renowned mask theater group IMAGO Theatre based in Portland, OR. Beverly is currently a member of Faustwork Mask Theatre, based in Toronto, Canada with whom she has toured for twelve years. When she's not creating original mask performances, Beverly is an arts educator; she is currently affiliated with the Maine Alliance for Arts Education and is on the roster of the Maine Arts Commission. She performs with Carol in Far East - Tales from China and Japan.

STONEY COOK has been making FST productions look good for over 20 years with his exquisite, artistic lighting designs. He frequently saves us from certain disaster. His lights have graced diverse dance productions, from the works of George Balanchine and Paul Taylor at Lincoln Center, to regional ballet companies such as Ballet Theater of Boston. A true Renaissance man, Stoney is also a phenomenal web wizard (did they have computers in the Renaissance?), and a ballet teacher. His choreography has been produced by organizations including Dance Theater Workshop and American Dance Festival. Stoney is a graduate New York University School of the Arts, where he trained under Nanette Charisse.

MICHAEL RAFKIN has an association with FST spanning 25 years, as director, performer, co-creator and friend. Michael is the former Artistic Director of Portland’s Mad Horse Theatre and a graduate of Beloit College and the University of Copenhagen. He earned his MFA in directing from Carnegie-Mellon and moved to Maine where he joined the Profile Theatre Company (now known as Portland Stage Company) and was appointed Artistic Director the next season. In New York, in addition to acting and directing, he co-founded the Playwrights and Directors Project at the Actors Studio and studied with Miriam Goldina, a former student of Stanislavski at the Moscow Art Theatre.