Alberti's Programs for libraries and museums are similar but they have a different emphasis. All of Alberti's programs are fun-filled and participatory and include time for the participants to interact with Alberti (and have photos taken, if wanted) both before and after the program.

The library programs are based on shows that share a topic with books that children love to read, such as Hector Has a Flea Circus, Trying Toby and the Punch and Judy Show, the Harry Potter series, and a variety of books that promote imagination.

After reading a story, Alberti discusses with the children how they use their imagination to make stories real for them. He talks about the differences in reading and seeing a movie or event, where in reading we can stop and think about what has happened and what will happen next or create our own pictures of how a character might look, while when we see a movie or a real life event, we may feel more present but we use our imaginations in a different way.

Then, he performs his real shows, such as the Alberti Flea Circus or the Punch and Judy show. He also does a workshop called Magic for Muggles based on the popular Harry Potter Series, where the kids discuss the differences between the books and the movies and then learn to do magic tricks and create stories to make the tricks entertaining for their families and friends.

The Alberti Flea Circus, the Punch and Judy Show, the Street Organ Show, and the Imagination Workshop all spring from the same sources as do the library programs. Whereas the reading of a story is a prelude to a dramatic event in the library programs, in the museums - children's, or other - the shows demonstrate the type of entertainment that audiences have enjoyed for centuries.

Alberti is dressed in bowler and a four-pocket vest that visually suggests a link to the past. This link is enhanced by the vintage street organ and the context for each of the shows - such as the antique housing for the Flea Circus, the fit up for the Punch and Judy show, and the use of newspapers in the Imagination Workshop.

Finally, all of Alberti's shows use the principle of audience interaction and participation, which has allowed these venues to pass from generation to generation as alive, relevant, and engaging as they have been for the past hundreds of years.

In the Punch and Judy Show, a boy and a girl play the title roles so that everyone can learn their vital role of calling out "Oh NO you didn't" or "Oh YES you did" to move the action forward. The show has evolved over time so that Mr. Punch no longer throws the baby off the stage or beats or kills anyone, but he still is a "bad" puppet and needs to be corrected by his contemporary audience.

For example, in the Punch and Judy Show, the character of Jack Ketch, who once was the London executioner, has now become a dog catcher. The audience catches Mr. Punch trying to steal the dog Toby from his owner and the fun begins.

The traditional flea circus where a few people sit around a table with a magnifying glass has been modified so that it can be viewed by a large, participatory audience. The fleas require the audience to help them by giving them encouragement, providing cues and a drum roll, holding props, and even catching a flea.

The Imagination Workshop is based on the old art of folding and tearing newspaper hats. Again, story telling and audience participation are the key to the success of this program. For more information about each show, click on the links below.

Magic for Muggles
The Punch and Judy Show
The Imagination Workshop
The Alberti Flea Circus
The Street Organ Show