Details & Registration
July 26 (Sat) 2025 | 10:00 am - 3:00 pm (with break for lunch)
Location: Puppet Showplace Theater
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$80 Regular
$65 Access
$100 Supporter
$40 for children 14 & under Must be accompanied by an adult also taking the workshop. Note that there will be sharp objects.
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Registration Deadline: July 17
Register early — if minimum enrollment is not met by July 17 the class may be cancelled.
About the Class
Behind-the-scenes of traditional Tholpavakoothu, performed by firelight.
Try your hand at Tholpavakoothu, the traditional shadow puppetry technique from Kerala, India! Learn from a 12th-generation master of the form, Rahul Koonathara, in this four-hour step-by-step workshop. You will receive an introduction to Tholpavakoothu shadow puppetry, before designing and building your own puppet characters out of card stock and dowels. The workshop will conclude with a sharing of short performances by participants. Then, head home with your brand new puppet, created in the style of Tholpavakoothu!
Tholpavakoothu is preserved as a family tradition by Koonathara’s family. It is an ancient ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati, who is worshiped by the people of Kerala as the Mother Goddess. Tholpavakoothu puppets are made of colored deer hide. The figures are drawn on the skin, cut out, and embellished with dots, lines, and holes. The arms of the puppets are completed with movable joints. In this workshop, you will mimic this traditional process using card stock and dowels to make a jointed shadow puppet.
There will be a one-hour break for participants to have lunch on their own, not included. You are welcome to bring a bag lunch or there are many nearby options in Brookline Village.
Minors must be accompanied by an adult also taking the workshop. Please note that sharp tools will be used.
About the Instructor
Rahul Koonathara (he/him) is an accomplished artist and a 12th generation shadow puppet practitioner from Kerala, India. He holds a BFA in physics and theatre, an MA in Comparative Literature, and is currently working towards his PhD. He is also the recipient of UConn’s Harriott Fellowship. He has toured extensively through the U.S. and has dedicated his life to preserving and showcasing this extraordinary art form on national and international platforms.
