Rock out with the world premiere of Party Animals!

Join us June 7 - 15 for the latest show from our Resident Artist Sarah Nolen, Party Animals — a show about big feelings, throwing your first party, and rock ‘n’ roll!

GET TICKETS

Ensure that Puppet Showplace thrives for 50 more years to come! By donating to Puppet Showplace, you can help share awesome puppetry, champion artistry, and welcome everyone.

 
Mainstage | Shows for Kids & Families
Party Animals_Blue with Guitar_coloredit.png
Jun 7
Party Animals by Sarah Nolen of Puppet Motion — World Premiere & Open House Celebration!

June 7 (Sat) 2025: 10:30 am | 1:00 pm (PWYC)

Party Animals follows four furry friends as they navigate the biggest social hurdle of their young lives — throwing their first party!

This latest Incubator world premiere comes from Sarah Nolen (Puppet Motion) — creator of Judy Saves the Day and Lisa the Wise; and our beloved Resident Artist!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 5 - 9
Hand puppetry

Party Animals_Blue with Guitar_coloredit.png
Jun 8
Party Animals by Sarah Nolen of Puppet Motion — World Premiere & Open House Celebration!

June 8 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am | 1:00 pm

Party Animals follows four furry friends as they navigate the biggest social hurdle of their young lives — throwing their first party!

This latest Incubator world premiere comes from Sarah Nolen (Puppet Motion) — creator of Judy Saves the Day and Lisa the Wise; and our beloved Resident Artist!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 5 - 9
Hand puppetry

Party Animals_Blue with Guitar_coloredit.png
Jun 14
Party Animals by Sarah Nolen of Puppet Motion — World Premiere & Open House Celebration!

June 14 (Sat) 2025: 10:30 am | 1:00 pm

Party Animals follows four furry friends as they navigate the biggest social hurdle of their young lives — throwing their first party!

This latest Incubator world premiere comes from Sarah Nolen (Puppet Motion) — creator of Judy Saves the Day and Lisa the Wise; and our beloved Resident Artist!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 5 - 9
Hand puppetry

Party Animals_Blue with Guitar_coloredit.png
Jun 15
Party Animals by Sarah Nolen of Puppet Motion — World Premiere & Open House Celebration!

June 15 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am | 1:00 pm

Party Animals follows four furry friends as they navigate the biggest social hurdle of their young lives — throwing their first party!

This latest Incubator world premiere comes from Sarah Nolen (Puppet Motion) — creator of Judy Saves the Day and Lisa the Wise; and our beloved Resident Artist!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 5 - 9
Hand puppetry

Kids Puppetry Workshops & Vacation week Programs
22_summer_kids_marionettes_outside.jpg
Aug 18
Summer Puppet Adventure: Marionette Maestro — Master the Strings for Rising 2nd - 8th Graders

Aug 18 (Mon) - Aug 22 (Fri) 2025 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Aftercare available!

In Marionette Maestro, kids will dive into the exciting world of string marionettes, designing their very own puppet and learning to control it with precision and musical flair!

Rising 2nd - 8th Graders

puppet-recess_april-2023_butterfly-cycle-4_52905843740_o.jpg
Aug 25
Summer Puppet Adventure: Puppets in Space for Rising 2nd - 8th Graders

Aug 25 (Mon) - Aug 29 (Fri) 2025 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Aftercare available!

Blast off into an out-of-this-world adventure with Puppets in Space! Young creators will design, build, and control their own cosmic puppets, preparing them for a journey across the stars.

Rising 2nd - 8th Graders

Puppets at Night | Shows and Classes for Adults & Teens
CRBP2025-Showcase-Event-Website-Image.png
Jun 20
Amplify: The Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers Showcase

June 20 ( Fri) 2025: 8:00 pm

Celebrate bold new voices in puppetry! Discover innovative works at a one-night-only finale to the 5th edition of the Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers, featuring “puppet slam”-style performances — at Boston University’s lovely Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre!

Recommended for adults & teens

News & Blog Posts
Cover Image (Optional).jpg
CRBP Current Artist Spotlight: William PK Carter

As an interdisciplinary artist from Central Valley, NY with intersectional identities, William PK Carter creates work that exists between mediums and social norms. Currently developing their project Something Must Give — And It Will Not Be Me with the support of Puppet Showplace’s Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers, William recently shared a few of their thoughts about the program…

Read More →
Cover Image (Optional).jpg
CRBP Artist Spotlight: ChelseaDee Harrison

“The Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers has cracked open my artistry into a whole new world of storytelling,” ChelseaDee says.

Read More →
DSC_1352.jpg
Diving into Underwater Puppetry

The world premiere of the underwater version of Little Big Eye by Works with Water was a splashing success, with two sold-out weekends,!

Read More →
LunarNY_decoratedlobby.jpg
A Celebration of Languages

In January, we celebrated the many languages of our community and audience with two special shows.

Read More →
New Staff Square Cover for Web.jpg
Meet the Newest Members of the Puppet Showplace Team!

Over the past few months, we’ve welcomed a handful of talented folks to the Puppet Showplace team.

Read More →
William PK Carter headshot smaller.jpg
Introducing the Artists of the 2025 Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers

We are thrilled to announce the recipients of Puppet Showplace Theater’s 2025 Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers!

Read More →
Marvelous-Metamorphoses-Herter-Park-2024-2.jpg
An $18 obstacle

As a supporter of Puppet Showplace, you know that theater brings us together. But for some families, even an $18 ticket is a barrier to joining in.

Read More →
Imagination Video - Final Thumbnail.png
A video to warm your heart

We've got something special for you this morning.

Read More →
54140813807_6488e42e1a_k.jpg
Warning: this blog contains bees

It’s a summer afternoon and Natsumi, age 10, is here to express herself. She doesn’t want to act in a play — “I don't like it when eyes are on me,” — but she loves designing her own puppets and creating shows in our vacation week programs.

Read More →
54142063409_f605923db6_o.jpg
Nurturing the next generation...

As I write this, Puppet Showplace is preparing to announce the 5th cohort of our Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers (CRBP). This program is expanding from two months to six months so that we can offer more support, mentorship, and community-building to support early-stage works by Black artists.

Read More →
unnamed_drawing1.png
Glad and Grateful 💜

Each year we receive hundreds of thank you cards from children who have come to Puppet Showplace Theater on field trips.

Today we want to share their thanks with you. 

Read More →
Work by Nehprii, Leah, Dirk.png
Announcing the 2025 Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers — now accepting applications!

Now in its 5th year, Puppet Showplace’s Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers has invested in 20 Black artists since 2020 by supporting creative research at the earliest stage of production development.

Read More →
 
 

Our Mission

Puppet Showplace Theater is dedicated to presenting outstanding puppetry to diverse audiences through performances, workshops, and community outreach activities.

Connect with us

Puppet Showplace Theater is supported by...

 

Puppet Showplace Theater is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts through the New England Arts Resilience Fund, part of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund, an initiative of the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations and the Mellon Foundation, with major funding from the federal CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan from the National Endowment for the Arts.