Preparing to burn Benedict Arnold

Dana Jensen, The Day, New London, Conn.
·1 min read

Aug. 31—NEW LONDON — Flock Theatre Artistic Director Derron Wood and Associate Artistic Director Victor Chiburis made papier-mâché heads with two faces for Benedict Arnold puppets Thursday on Wood's front porch in New London.

Their Benedict Arnold puppet will be burned Sept. 9 during the group's Burning of Benedict Arnold festival where it and the Colchester Continentals Fife & Drum Corps will march down Bank Street to Waterfront Park in New London for the burning.

The Burning of Benedict Arnold is is part of the Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival that runs from Sept. 9-10.

Wood and Chiburis were making more than one head so they have others available for future burnings.

The Benedict Arnold puppet in the background is the one they made for the first burning in 2013, but didn't burn it because they didn't apply for a fire permit. They kept the original puppet because they didn't want to burn the nice clothes.

The body of the puppet that will be burned on Sept. 9 is made of papier-mâché and has a burlap costume, all of which are flammable.