Center for Puppetry Arts

The Center's mission is to inspire imagination, education, and community through the global art of puppetry. Founded by Vincent Anthony in 1978, the Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest nonprofit in the U.S. dedicated to the art of puppetry, and it has introduced millions of visitors to the wonder and artistry of puppetry through three key programming areas: Performance, Museum, and Education. Aretta Baumgartner, Education Director, has been a professional puppeteer and educator for almost 30 years and holds leadership roles in the Educational Theatre Association, Teaching Artist Alliance, and Puppeteers of America. Baumgartner and the Center’s professional teaching artists regularly go out into the community—both virtually and in-person—by serving as artists-in-residence, conducting special workshops, and offering outreach programming.

https://www.puppet.org

International Puppetry Presentation

AudienceEveryone
Delivery MethodLive & Indoors Live & Outdoors
Learn about different puppet traditions from around the world in this entertaining and interactive International Puppetry Presentation! Celebrate the intersection of geography, history, social studies, and the arts and experience the magic of puppetry through demonstrations, stories, music and more. Perfect for school assemblies, library programs, senior/multigenerational presentations, museums, arts and culture days and parent nights– and customizable for any occasion or learning goal.

Preschool Puppetry Playshops

AudienceChildren
Delivery MethodLive & Indoors Live & Outdoors
Geared for children ages 3-5, these high-energy, engaging experiences bring a book to life in developmentally-appropriate ways through reading activities, songs, fingerplays, and puppet-making activities. Supports early childhood literacy, enhances motor skills, increases language and social skills, and develops self-confidence. Themes include: Dinosaurs; Amazing Animals; Perfect Pets; The Wheels On The Tuk Tuk by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal; Fairy Tale Fun.

Artist-in-Residence Experience

AudienceEveryone
Delivery MethodLive & Indoors Live & Outdoors
Puppetry: Welcome a professional Puppeteer/Teaching Artist to your school for an in-depth puppetry immersion experience! Residencies can be tailored to suit your needs/class schedules, and can include an introductory performance/presentation, a mini-Museum, and classroom break-out sessions (on scriptwriting and literature, theatre games for puppetry, puppet design, puppet building, puppet performance, puppet history, puppets in world culture, and more).Welcome a professional Puppeteer/Teaching Artist to your school for an in-depth puppetry immersion experience! Residencies can be tailored to suit your needs/class schedules, and can include an introductory performance/presentation, a mini-Museum, and classroom break-out sessions (on scriptwriting and literature, theatre games for puppetry, puppet design, puppet building, puppet performance, puppet history, puppets in world culture, and more).