Shadow Puppetry by Firelight!

Witness scenes from the dramatic epic Ramayana, complete with scenes of battles, trickery, and the natural world, performed by masters of Tholpavakoothu, a traditional form of shadow puppetry from Kerala, India.


Bring the whole family to this all-ages, pay-what-you-can outdoor show!

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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
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Aug 3
The Bella Show: Bugs! by Brenda Huggins & Phil Berman | Pay-What-You-Can Summer Sundays!

Aug 3 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am

Go on a pink and furry adventure with Bella and her friends through a beautiful garden to meet silly bugs, creepy-crawlers, and musical surprises!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 2 - 5
Mixed puppetry styles: Muppet-style, table top, and rod puppets

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Aug 10
The Bella Show: Bugs! by Brenda Huggins & Phil Berman | Pay-What-You-Can Summer Sundays!

Aug 10 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am

Go on a pink and furry adventure with Bella and her friends through a beautiful garden to meet silly bugs, creepy-crawlers, and musical surprises!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 2 - 5
Mixed puppetry styles: Muppet-style, table top, and rod puppets

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Aug 17
The Good News Gus Show by Harry LaCoste | Pay-What-You-Can Summer Sundays!

Aug 17 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am

Join puppeteer, ukulele rockstar, and all around funny guy Harry LaCoste for his family-friendly variety show!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 2-7
Hand puppets, live music, and more

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Aug 24
The Bremen Town Musicians by CactusHead Puppets | Pay-What-You-Can Summer Sundays!

Aug 24 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am

What can a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster do when they have to leave their farm? Become world famous musicians, of course!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 4 - 8
Shadow & rod puppetry

Summer Outdoor Series | Free & Pay-What-You-Can Shows!
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Aug 1
Tholpavakoothu: Shadow Puppet Play of Kerala, India at Allerton Overlook | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 1 (Fri): 8:00 pm at Allerton Overlook

Experience shadow puppetry by firelight! Masters of a traditional form of shadow puppetry from Kerala, India will perform scenes from the dramatic epic Ramayana, complete with scenes of battles, trickery, and the natural world.

Recommended for everyone age 4+
Shadow puppetry

Bella Bugs.jpg
Aug 2
The Bella Show: Bugs! at UnCommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 2 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s Stage at UnCommon Corner

Go on a pink and furry adventure with Bella and her friends through a beautiful garden to meet silly bugs, creepy-crawlers, and musical surprises!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 2 - 5
Mixed puppetry styles: Muppet-style, table top, and rod puppets

Bella Bugs.jpg
Aug 9
The Bella Show: Bugs! at UnCommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 9 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s Stage at UnCommon Corner

Go on a pink and furry adventure with Bella and her friends through a beautiful garden to meet silly bugs, creepy-crawlers, and musical surprises!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 2 - 5
Mixed puppetry styles: Muppet-style, table top, and rod puppets

Harry-LaCoste-Gus-Caboose-Pose.jpg
Aug 16
The Good News Gus Show at UnCommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 16 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s Stage at UnCommon Corner

Join puppeteer, ukulele rockstar, and all around funny guy Harry LaCoste for his family-friendly variety show!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 2 - 7
Hand puppets, live music, and more

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Aug 21
Magnificent Monster Circus at TADPole10 | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

August 21 (Thu) 2025: 10:30 am at TADPole10, at the Tadpole Playground in the Boston Common

Encounter magnificent creatures from the wilds of your imagination as their quirky human caretaker tries to teach them new tricks in this colorful show from CactusHead Puppets!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-7
Mixed puppetry styles, including table top and direct manipulation

John Regan Cactushead Outside.jpg
Aug 23
Magnificent Monster Circus at UnCommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 23 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s Stage at UnCommon Corner

Encounter magnificent creatures from the wilds of your imagination as their quirky human caretaker tries to teach them new tricks in this colorful show from CactusHead Puppets!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-7
Mixed puppetry styles, including table top and direct manipulation

Harry-LaCoste-Gus-Caboose-Pose.jpg
Aug 30
The Good News Gus Show at UnCommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 30 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s Stage at UnCommon Corner

Join puppeteer, ukulele rockstar, and all around funny guy Harry LaCoste for his family-friendly variety show!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 2 - 7
Hand puppets, live music, and more

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

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

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Aug 25
Summer Puppet Adventure: Puppets in Space — Tabletop Puppets 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
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Aug 1
Tholpavakoothu: Shadow Puppet Play of Kerala, India at Allerton Overlook | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 1 (Fri): 8:00 pm at Allerton Overlook

Experience shadow puppetry by firelight! Masters of a traditional form of shadow puppetry from Kerala, India will perform scenes from the dramatic epic Ramayana, complete with scenes of battles, trickery, and the natural world.

Recommended for everyone age 4+
Shadow puppetry

News & Blog Posts
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"You can have your party at my house!"

That was the sweet exclamation from the audience during one performance of Party Animals by Sarah Nolen of Puppet Motion (and the resident artist of Puppet Showplace), during the show’s premiere run on June 7 - 15. 

Read More →
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“My life changed that night”

Puppet Showplace is a home for many artists, including musician Tony Leva of The Gottabees — who shares his “open letter to Puppet Showplace” below! 

Read More →
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WBUR “5 Things to Do This Weekend” — Featuring Our Summer Outdoor Series!

“If you’ve never caught a Puppet Showplace Theater show before, you’re missing out on some serious magic…”

Read More →
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Boston Magazine: Best of Boston® “2025 Best Place to Spark Your Kid's Imagination”

Boston Magazine writes, “This delightfully homespun community hub showcases something completely unique in today’s world of Pixar animation: the precious art of puppetry.”

Read More →
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The Boston Globe: "A professional puppeteer builds a world with its own set of rules"

Recently, The Boston Globe sat down for an interview with Resident Artist Sarah Nolen of Puppet Motion!

Read More →
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GBH Boston Public Radio: Interview with The Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers Leadership Team

“I took my kids to the Puppet Showplace Theater, now my grandchildren are going there. It’s a wonderful place!”

Read More →
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CRBP Artist Spotlight: Brett Swinney

“Even across time zones, every meeting feels like we share the same space…” says Brett.

Read More →
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When five-year-olds feel powerful 💪

This is a good kind of power. A kind of power I want kids to feel and practice.

Read More →
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CRBP Artist Spotlight: Fatima Seck

“Being able to connect with other puppeteers and their perspectives on how to tell stories empowered me to tell my own, and stretch the limits of my imagination…” says Fatima.

Read More →
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CRBP Artist Spotlight: Khaleshia Thorpe-Price

“Everyone has different talents, strengths, and interests. We make a well-rounded collective,” says Khaleshia.

Read More →
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CRBP Artist Spotlight: William PK Carter

“As someone who is relatively new to the puppet world, it's incredible to have one of my first cohorts be composed of people that reflect my identities,” says William.

Read More →
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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 →
 
 

Our Mission

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

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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.