**A Play on Words — Literally!**

Take an **adventure through the alphabet** with clowning, puppetry, and live original music. A perfect blend of education and entertainment, ***Word Play*** kicks off our **Pay-What-You-Can Summer Sundays**!
You can also catch this show on Saturday at **UnCommon Corner on the Boston Common**!

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Mainstage | Shows for Kids & Families

Jul 13

Word Play by Puppet Motion / Good Hearted Entertainment | Pay-What-You-Can Summer Sundays!

July 13 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am

Word Play uses clowning, puppetry, and live original music to take audiences on an adventure through the alphabet!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-7
Object puppetry, live actors, and original music

Jul 20

Magnificent Monster Circus by CactusHead Puppets | Pay-What-You-Can Summer Sundays!

July 20 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am

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

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Jul 27

Sir George and The Dragon by Pumpernickel Puppets | Pay-What-You-Can Summer Sundays!

July 27 (Sun) 2025: 10:30 am

Join an adventurous princess as she journeys to Mystery Mountain to visit the Great Green Dragon!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3 - 7
Hand puppets

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

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

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

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!

Jul 11

Jul 11, 2025

Fun-Size Puppet Shows at Boston Summer Eats in East Boston | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Jul 11, 2025

July 11 (Fri) 2025: short puppet performances will take place from 12:20 pm – 1:30 pm, as part of an event that runs from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm.

An assortment of short, comic puppet scenes set to music, created and performed by Puppet Showplace's very own Resident Artist, Sarah Nolen of Puppet Motion! Boston Summer Eats provides nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost across the City. All youth 18 and under are welcome to participate.

All ages welcome, from 3 to 103!
Hand puppetry

Jul 11, 2025

Jul 12

Jul 12, 2025

Word Play at Uncommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Jul 12, 2025

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

Word Play uses clowning, puppetry, and live original music to take audiences on an adventure through the alphabet!

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-7
Object puppetry, live actors, and original music

Jul 12, 2025

Jul 19

Jul 19, 2025

Magnificent Monster Circus at Uncommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Jul 19, 2025

July 19 (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

Jul 19, 2025

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Jul 25

Jul 25, 2025

Tholpavakoothu: Shadow Puppet Play of Kerala, India at Allerton Overlook | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Jul 25, 2025

July 25 (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

Jul 25, 2025

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Jul 26

Jul 26, 2025

Growing Things: A Cow and Mouse Story at Uncommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Jul 26, 2025

July 26 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s Stage at UnCommon Corner

Join Cow and Mouse in planting their favorite foods, and learn about farming and healthy soil in this interactive tale.

All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3 - 8
Hand and rod puppets

Jul 26, 2025

Aug 2

Aug 2, 2025

The Bella Show: Bugs! at Uncommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 2, 2025

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

Aug 2, 2025

Aug 9

Aug 9, 2025

The Bella Show: Bugs! at Uncommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 9, 2025

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

Aug 9, 2025

Aug 16

Aug 16, 2025

The Good News Gus Show at Uncommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 16, 2025

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

Aug 16, 2025

Aug 21

Aug 21, 2025

Magnificent Monster Circus at TADPole10 | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 21, 2025

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

Aug 21, 2025

Aug 23

Aug 23, 2025

Magnificent Monster Circus at Uncommon Corner | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

Aug 23, 2025

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

Aug 23, 2025

Kids Puppetry Workshops & Vacation week Programs

Jul 26

Tholpavakoothu Shadow Puppetry Workshop

July 26 (Sat) 2025 | 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Try your hand at Tholpavakoothu, the traditional shadow puppetry technique from Kerala, India! Learn from 12th-generation master of the form, Rahul Koonathara, in this four-hour step-by-step workshop.

Minors must be accompanied by an adult also taking the workshop.

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

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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

Jul 25

Tholpavakoothu: Shadow Puppet Play of Kerala, India at Allerton Overlook | SUMMER OUTDOOR SERIES

July 25 (Fri): 8:00 pm at Allerton Overlook

Recommended for everyone age 4+
Shadow puppetry

Jul 26

Tholpavakoothu Shadow Puppetry Workshop

July 26 (Sat) 2025 | 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Minors must be accompanied by an adult also taking the workshop.

News & Blog Posts

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Jul 8, 2025

“My life changed that night”

Jul 8, 2025

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

Jul 8, 2025

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Jul 3, 2025

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

Jul 3, 2025

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

Jul 3, 2025

Jun 30, 2025

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

Jun 30, 2025

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

Jun 30, 2025

Jun 24, 2025

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

Jun 24, 2025

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

Jun 24, 2025

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Jun 20, 2025

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

Jun 20, 2025

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

Jun 20, 2025

Jun 12, 2025

CRBP Artist Spotlight: Brett Swinney

Jun 12, 2025

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

Jun 12, 2025

Jun 10, 2025

When five-year-olds feel powerful 💪

Jun 10, 2025

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

Jun 10, 2025

Jun 5, 2025

CRBP Artist Spotlight: Fatima Seck

Jun 5, 2025

“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.

Jun 5, 2025

May 28, 2025

CRBP Artist Spotlight: Khaleshia Thorpe-Price

May 28, 2025

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

May 28, 2025

May 15, 2025

CRBP Artist Spotlight: William PK Carter

May 15, 2025

“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.

May 15, 2025