Puppetry exists at the crossroads of theatre and visual arts. As an interdisciplinary art form, our puppetry programs are highly adaptable and have the flexibility to encompass research, writing, design, planning, engineering, building, and performance. Barefoot Puppet Theatre’s programs receive enthusiastic reviews from children, educators, and parents.

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We are accustomed to tailoring our programming to dovetail with your needs. You may schedule a consultation with us to get started.

 

Offerings include, but are not limited to:

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• Puppet Making Sessions: We have a variety of ways to make puppets with easily obtained materials. “Emoji Puppets” and “Instant Puppets” are accessible to even the youngest of children! These sessions can be customized to include a focus on puppet mechanisms, prototyping (great for upper elementary and middle school!), and a variety of other processes. (Adaptable to most ages)

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• Puppetry 101: Thinking Outside the Socks – Our most popular program! In this customizable workshop, we introduce the five basic types of puppets (hand, rod, shadow, marionette, and object). Puppeteers demonstrate the different types of puppets and guide participants in basic puppet manipulation. A dash of history, a handful of contemporary examples in movies/television, and a pinch of geography round out this interactive experience. (Recommended for K-5, Middle School, High School, and College. Adaptable for ages 5 and up.)

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• Underwater Shadow Puppetry: Explore the ocean depths through the art of shadow puppetry! Using simple, everyday materials, we will craft shadow puppets of underwater creatures for use on a traditional shadow screen or an overhead projector. We create scenes centered on specific ocean ecosystems and habitats to better connect to the these underwater worlds. (Recommended for Grades 3-12; adaptable to ages 5 and up.)

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• Blacklight Puppetry: We will explore the magic of blacklight puppets as we create a world where colorful puppets glow and defy gravity. Beginning with a chosen environment (i.e. underwater, outer space, or the microscopic world of bacteria and amoebas), we design our creations and then music and movement. (Best as a multi-day residency; Recommended for Grades 5-12)

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• Sew What?: Participants will learn up to three different hand stitches as we create simple animal hand puppets from wool/felt fabrics. Hand-sewing is a great skill to develop and improves hand-dexterity, to. (Multi-day residency. Recommended for ages 7 & up; great for a parent/child workshop, too.)

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• "Talk to the Hand," A Puppet Manipulation Workshop: We will explore puppetry manipulation techniques with attention to stage directions, lip synching, and body positioning for both television and stage. Participants will learn about the two main types of puppets and simple ways to replicate rehearsing and developing skills.  (Recommended for ages 8 and up; adaptable for preschool classroom experiences over multiple days.)

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• Wild & Woolly: An arts integration residency focused on working with wool fibers using either needle-felting or wet-felting techniques. . Participants will understand the science and history of wool as they work to manipulate fibers using methods like those of our ancient ancestors as they crafted the first textiles. By combining ancient techniques with modern twists, participants will transform fluffy wool fibers into solid forms (Multi-day residencies only. Recommended for Ages 10-Adult.)

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• Professional Development for Teachers, Parents, and Librarians: Customized for various grade levels and subject areas. 

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More options available. We welcome inquiries on customized programming.