In association with the Henson International Festival of Puppet Theater, Rhode Island's Perishable Theatre hosts the Providence Puppetry Festival, Sept. 15-Oct. 8, kicking off the company's Stage II season.

Alongside the Perishable's own late-night puppet salon, Blood from a Turnip, two Henson regulars, White Goat and Jim Henson's daughter, Heather Henson, will perform. White Goat, the Russian company known for their miniature puppets, stage three short pieces entitled Women's Songs. A theatre and performance artist, Henson uses light, shadow play, sound and animation to explore universal rhythm and the individual's place in it in Echo Trace.

Providence's own internationally known touring shop, Big Nazo, finishes off the festival with Rubberneck & Nimrod, a humorous new show about bizarre friendship, grotesque beauty and twisted dreams. Nazo is recognized for combining visual theatre, music, humor, audience interaction and unconventional surgery techniques into their unique puppet-creature plays.

Women's Songs run Sept. 19-24, Echo Trace Sept. 28-Oct. 1 and Rubberneck & Nimrod Oct. 5-8. Blood From a Turnip plays Sept. 15, kicking off the fest.

Tickets are $15-$13 with "early bird Thursday" discounts for $10. Blood From a Turnip tickets are $5. The Perishable Theatre is located at 95 Empire Street. For reservations, call (401) 331-2695. The Perishable Theatre is on the web at http://www.perishable.org. -- By Christine Ehren