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  • 1.  Puppetry Projects

    Posted 06-02-2015 09:28

    I am looking for a worthy project for my Level II theatre students.  I am interested in any puppetry subjects that might challenge and inspire them to be creative and possibly result in a public performance with original puppets, performance space and story line.  Any and all suggestions would be welcome. 

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    Jeffrey Hudkins

    Theatre Director/Teacher

    Hedgesville High School

    Hedgesville, West Virginia

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  • 2.  RE:Puppetry Projects

    Posted 06-02-2015 20:03
    Hi Jeff....I have my Theater 4 students write plays and then the theater 1 and 2 students direct and act them. One of the requirements is to incorporate a puppet in a surprise role. I have had some really cool outcomes with this unit! Some puppets are serious characters, some are comic. We use puppets made from soda bottles and felt.. they are modeled after the Avenue Q style puppets. If you inbox me I can tell you more about how to make them. Good luck!

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    Lorie Baldwin
    High School Theater Teacher and Director
    Richboro PA
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  • 3.  RE: Puppetry Projects

    Posted 06-03-2015 07:39

    You might consider doing something with Japanes Bunraku. Three actors per puppet. 

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    Scott Hasbrouck
    Wheat Ridge CO
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  • 4.  RE: Puppetry Projects

    Posted 06-04-2015 08:40

    I had success with students writing, recording, and editing their own puppet skits this year.  Our elementary school is close by, so the kindergarten class took a walking field trip to the high school and we performed our skits for them.  Everyone loved the project! 

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    Denise Connor
    English/Drama Teacher
    Montoursville PA
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  • 5.  RE: Puppetry Projects

    Posted 06-05-2015 10:40

    We had a blast with doing shadow puppets in our production of "The 39 Steps" last fall. Very easy to make and very effective! I saw a production of "The Snow Queen" in Chicago a few years ago that also utilized shadow puppets. I would love the opportunity to work with shadow puppets again, and challenge ourselves with more intricate designs. Hope this helps. Good luck in your search!

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    Angie Kells
    A.P. Admin. Assistant & Drama Director
    McHenry IL
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  • 6.  RE: Puppetry Projects

    Posted 06-05-2015 12:23

    Hi, folks--I am happy to pass along grade-specific puppetry resources, ideas, designs, tips that any of my EdTA colleagues might be looking for--too numerous to outline here.  Send me a note or call me at the Center for Puppetry Arts: 404-881-5144 or arettabaumgartner@puppet.org.  Or look me up in Lincoln: I'll be returning to Festival to present puppetry workshops  (including a couple teacher only sessions where we can get into cool conversations about this very thing).  Thanks so much for including puppetry in your curriculum and work/play--huzzah!

    Best,

    Aretta 

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    Aretta Baumgartner
    Education Director
    Center for Puppetry Arts
    Atlanta GA
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  • 7.  RE: Puppetry Projects

    Posted 06-06-2015 06:45

    My Art teacher colleague and I have done many puppet shows over the years with all types of puppets. Sock puppets, shadow puppets, rod, marionette, water bottle, you name it.  Please contact me via email lhouston@pennington.org if any of these suit your fancy.  Puppets work extremely well with simple children's stories, or Greek myths, in our experience. Good luck!

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    Lisa Houston
    Pennington NJ
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  • 8.  RE: Puppetry Projects

    Posted 06-06-2015 09:50

    I do a lot of puppetry with  my middle schoolers because it is one of my favorite areas - plus, it is an easy way for me to get tangible class projects to display in display cases and walls! 

    1 - Fractured fairy tale shadow puppets:  This one is a blast.  They take a classic tale fairy tale and fracture it, write the script, design and make puppets, and then perform the show.  Typically, they like to take stories and give them an updated, modern twist:  (ie, Cinderella lost her iPhone instead of her shoe, or instead of the three little pigs, one did the Three DC Superheroes).  This year, the new thing that I added that I love is letting them use cheap colored cellophane sheets to add color.  Hygloss Cello Sheets, 8.5 by 11-Inch, 48-Pack.  This was a huge hit!!!

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    2 - I have done Bunraku puppets/large jointed puppets to do different things.  This year I used it in conjunction with my theatre of the middle ages unit.  We read Sir Gawain, talked about the types of plays, etc., and then they wrote their own morality tale plays to go with the puppets they made.  These are pretty cool to do, too.

    3 - Creative book characters hand puppets:  Last year I had students make hand puppets and they got to pick their own favorite book character to make a puppet based on...then after they completed their own, I put them into pairs and they had to create a short scene based on the two characters and how these characters from different stories would interact. 

    4 - I've also used shadow puppets in productions.  We did Alice in Wonderland this year and when Dee and Dum told the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter, they narrated it while a group of students (they were my version of the mome raths) came out and performed the shadow puppets.

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    Jennifer Simmons
    Lexington SC
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