Lolo and Lola

Narration and Music for Puppetry
Directed and designed
by Caitlin Lainoff

Lolo and Lola is a puppetry piece about my grandparents’ experiences during WWII in the Philippines. It premiered in 2010 at the Boulder Fringe Festival.

A WWII-era puppet show based on a true story tells the haunting tale of the romance between a Filipino guerrilla fighter and a young schoolteacher.

Set to an original score, puppets travel through unfolding landscapes, transforming the lives of two young people struggling to survive in the war-torn Philippines.

In 1942, Mauro returns home after a grueling stint in a Japanese POW camp. Half dead from disease and scarred by the cruelties of war, he discovers solace through the letters of Olga, who lights a candle in her window as a signal to her love. Caught between the island’s volcano, the explosions of war, and sustaining power of love amid struggle, LOLO AND LOLA is an inspiring tale told in a theatrical, visually evocative style.

LOLO AND LOLA is the second puppet epic created by Caitlin Lainoff and Daniel Corral. Their previous show starring Catherine Strecker premiered at the Great Small Works International Toy Theater Festival and played at the Santa Monica Museum of Art.