Critics' Pick Staff Pick
A Life in Fairyland

When: Saturdays, 11 a.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m.
Phone: 510-452-2259
Price: $6

Randall Metz first came to Children's Fairyland when he was ten, to watch a puppet theater production of Treasure Island. By the end of the play, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. Later that year, he entered a contest to become a Fairyland personality. Three hundred kids were competing for five roles in Alice in Wonderland. Metz dressed up as the Mad Hatter and made it through three rounds of tryouts. For the final round, he wrote a play about Alice coming to the tea party. "I was the only one speaking," Metz recalls, "but I had to direct someone else, an Alice personality." Good direction and a tight script apparently cinched the win for this fledgling playwright, who garnered cash, watches, and publicity. His play even aired on Romper Room. Best of all, he got a volunteer position at Fairyland, where he cared for the animals and collected tickets. Fast-forward 37 years. Metz is master puppeteer of Fairyland, renowned for being the longest-running professional puppet theater in the United States. As such, he's following on the heels of notables like Bob Mills, who went on to handle puppets at Tinker Bell's Toy Shop in Disneyland, and Luman Coad, who manipulated the marionettes in Being John Malkovich. Metz took his post in 2003, when his mentor Lewis Mahlmann resigned after 38 years. Metz admits it's not the world's most lucrative career - he's a private contractor with the park but also runs a separate puppet business with Mahlmann, just so he can afford to live in the Bay Area. Still, Metz considers Fairyland his main gig and obviously loves what he does. And it just got better. With the recent implementation of Measure DD - a bond measure passed by Oakland voters allocating $198 million to park restoration, $3 million of which went to Fairyland - Metz and his crew got a spiffy new workshop, so they no longer have to paint backdrops or assemble puppets outside in inclement weather. They also got a new theater with castle turrets, walls in the shape of books, and a protruding dragon's head. Designed by Richmond-based artist Ron Holthuysen, who also did the baseball glove at SF's AT&T Park, it's even equipped with a pulley system for quick set changes, making performances far more spectacular.

Check out the new digs this fall while enjoying Fairyland's production of Aladdin, which runs throughout the day. Fairyland is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, weather permitting. Admission costs $6. All adults must be accompanied by a child. Fairyland.org

— Rachel Swan

Children's Fairyland
- 699 Bellevue Ave. (at Lake Merritt)
- 510-452-2259
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Tags: Kids, Attractions, Critics' Pick, Staff Pick

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I would just like to give kudos to Randy Metz on pursuing his dream of becoming a master puppeteer! I knew Randy back in 4th-8th grade at St Leanders Catholic School. He was so creative and amourous then, its not surprising he still has unlimited talent. We did a puppet show called "The Velveteen Rabbit" in the 70's at St Leanders, I will never forget it. I still have the newspaper article written about it. If anyone can forward this on to Randy, I would sure appreciate it. Thanks....

From your old classmate, Shari Bruce.

Posted by Biggirl on May 26, 2009 at 11:20 PM | Report this comment