Showtimes & Tickets
$18 all-ages general admission / $14.50 members / plus $2 service fee
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Jan 31 (Sat) 2026: 10:30 am | 1:00 pm
Feb 1 (Sun) 2026: 10:30 am | 1:00 pm
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About the Show
Party Animals follows five furry friends as they navigate the biggest social hurdle of their young lives — throwing their first party! Meet a bunny with boundless energy, a sloth with social anxiety, a hedgehog wrestling with wrapping, and a skunk who's trying to keep everything cool and under control. Through song, dance, and original rock 'n' roll music by Boston local Phil Berman (of Puppet Playtime & The Holiday Sing-Along), these little stars discover that music can be an exuberant and healthy way to express their inner selves.
Party Animals comes from Sarah Nolen (of Puppet Motion) — creator of Judy Saves the Day and Lisa the Wise; and our beloved Resident Artist! The show balances silly antics with deeper truths, all conveyed through traditional hand puppetry performance: the life of the party!
Legendary rock star Pete Townshend once said, "Rock 'n' roll might not solve your problems, but it does let you dance all over them" — equally true for children and their grown-ups!
After the Show: Meet the Puppets & More!
Stay after the show to meet the artists and see the puppets up close!
Plus, enjoy a dress-up station and coloring sheets! These activities are available after every performance, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm.
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 5 - 9
Hand puppetry
Length: 40 minutes
Language: English
From Waltham, MA!
The development of Party Animals was funded in part by a Family Grant from the Jim Henson Foundation and supported by Puppet Showplace Theater’s Incubator program.
Production Credits
Original Music Written & Composed Phil Berman
Original Music Performed by Poh Hock Kee, Dylan Jack, Tony Leva, Phil Berman, and Sarah Nolen
Sound Engineering by Forrest Pettengill
Puppets, Set, and Props Created by Sarah Nolen with Bonnie Duncan, Carole D’Agostino, Amanda Gibson, Abigail Baird, Faye Dupras, and Jessica Simon
Props Illustration by Jonathan Little
Color Consulting and Fabric Draping Assistance by Marta Kaemmer
Puppet Assembly Assistance by Vincent Campbell
About the Artist
Photo by Peter Senzamici
Sarah Nolen is a puppeteer and filmmaker known for her versatile work across multiple puppetry styles. Originally from Texas, Sarah lives in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she works as a freelance puppeteer, director, and puppet builder for both stage and screen through her company, Puppet Motion.
Currently, she is the third-ever resident artist at Puppet Showplace Theater, touring family puppet shows and teaching puppetry to all ages. Most recently, Sarah was a shadow puppet fabricator for A.R.T.'s The Odyssey (2025), built a puppet and puppeteered in Adam McKay's Don’t Look Up (2021), and directed Sandglass Theater's latest puppet production Feral (2024). In June 2025, Sarah premiered Party Animals, a new touring family puppet show with original music by Phil Berman.
