Table top puppetry is a unique performance style that enables a human performer to bring a puppet character to life in full view of the audience. This powerful art form requires both physical precision and an extensive vocabulary of expressive movements that trigger the imagination.

In this hands-on, exploratory workshop, participants built their awareness of the actor/puppet relationship through a series of fun and challenging exercises with professional table top puppets. The class explored the paradox of mutual control, whereby the puppet controls the puppeteer as much as the reverse. Participants practiced core manipulation skills and explored performance techniques that unify actor and puppet, including breath, focus, footsteps, balance, and posture. The class then applied these skills to devise their own unique solo and multi-character scenes.

This was an intermediate level workshop, geared toward participants with some familiarity with puppetry, acting, or dance/movement. Although the class focused on a very specific performance situation, the workshop welcomed anyone interested in broadening their puppetry performance skills in a supportive and detail-oriented environment.

April 29 – May 20, 2014; 4 sessions on Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.