Our puppet building and puppetry performance classes are great for experienced puppeteers and those new to the craft! Expand your artistic toolkit and explore your creativity in a supportive environment, guided by expert instructors.
May 20 (Wed) 2026 | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Armed with a trusty glue gun, you will learn the basics of Nate Puppets’ personal puppet making techniques, including foam sculpture, fabric patching, on-the-fly changes, and "the secret crust."
Recommended for adults 18+
CANCELLED Apr 28 (Tues) 2026 | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Join Heidi Rugg of UNIMA award-winning Barefoot Puppet Theatre in this one-evening workshop all about working with fluffy wool to create dense structures suitable for puppet building.
Recommended for adults and teens ages 16+
CANCELLED Apr 23 (Thurs) 2026 | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
It's springtime — in every sense of the word! Join Heidi Rugg of UNIMA award-winning Barefoot Puppet Theatre for a deep dive into springs.
Recommended for adults 18+
Apr 16 (Thurs) 2026 | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Shadow Girls Cult uses a mind-bending blend of techniques with overhead projection to create an animated film-like shadow puppetry experience — join them for a crash course in the basics!
Recommended for adults and youth ages 10+ accompanied by an adult
Apr 2 (Thurs) 2026 | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm CANCELLED
After years of being asked "How did you make that?!", masterful puppet builders Tom and Marianne Tucker present a one-evening workshop on the unusual construction techniques they’ve developed over their 45-year career!
Recommended for adults 18+
March 26 (Thurs) 2026 | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Step into the vibrant world of traditional Turkish shadow theater in this three-hour, hands-on workshop
Recommended for adults and teens 13+
March 19 (Thurs) 2026 | 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join playwright, director, and puppeteer Charlotte Lily Gaspard of Midnight Radio Show for an overview of the methods (and madness!) behind her collective's magical realist approach to creating live performance.
Recommended for adults 18+
Mar 1 (Sun) | 2026: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (workshop begins at 1:00 pm)
Join Puppet Showplace Theater at MFA Teen Sundays and take a crash course in Puppet Improv with Resident Artist Sarah Nolen!
Find details about MFA Teen Sundays on the MFA website, and register here for the workshop!
CANCELLED Feb 24, Mar 3, Mar 10, Mar 17, Mar 24 (Tues) 2026 | 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
What do translucent buffalo hides and overhead projectors have in common? Find out (and make your own puppet!) in this introductory level class with Puppet Showplace’s Resident Artist Sarah Nolen.
Recommended for adults and teens 16+
Jan 27, Feb 3, Feb 10, Feb 17 (Tues) 2026 | 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Discover the movement and stories within different materials in this four-session weekly class, culminating in a short performance!
Recommended for adults 18+
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Puppet Showplace Theater is dedicated to presenting outstanding puppetry to diverse audiences through performances, workshops, and community outreach activities.
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.
