Summer Outdoor Series
Join us around Boston for free and Pay-What-You-Can outdoor shows this summer! Outdoor puppet shows make a great summer activity for the whole family.
July 5 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
Party Animals follows four furry friends as they navigate the biggest social hurdle of their young lives — throwing their first party!
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 5 - 9
Hand puppetry
July 12 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
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
July 19 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
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
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
July 26 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
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
Aug 2 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
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 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
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 16 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
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
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 23 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
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 30 (Sat) 2025: 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage
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
Past Summer Outdoor Series Performances
Sept 14 (Sat): 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage in the Boston Common
This summer, we’re bringing marvelous puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
Come celebrate the beautiful — and bizarre! — life cycle transformations that happen every day on our planet. We’ll sing and dance to help polliwogs become frogs and butterflies hatch out of chrysalises.
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-9
Mixed puppetry styles: rod puppets, hand puppets, and masks, plus original music.
Aug 31 (Sat): 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage in the Boston Common
This summer, we’re bringing magnificent puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
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 24 (Sat): 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage in the Boston Common
This summer, we’re bringing marvelous puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
Come celebrate the beautiful — and bizarre! — life cycle transformations that happen every day on our planet. We’ll sing and dance to help polliwogs become frogs and butterflies hatch out of chrysalises.
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-9
Mixed puppetry styles: rod puppets, hand puppets, and masks, plus original music.
July 27 (Sat): 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage in the Boston Common
This summer, we’re bringing magnificent puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
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
July 13 (Sat): 10:30 am at One Brookline Place
This summer, we’re bringing marvelous puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
Come celebrate the beautiful — and bizarre! — life cycle transformations that happen every day on our planet. We’ll sing and dance to help polliwogs become frogs and butterflies hatch out of chrysalises.
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-9
Mixed puppetry styles: rod puppets, hand puppets, and masks, plus original music.
July 12 (Fri): 12:30 pm show / 12:00 pm meal service in Mattapan at Mildred Avenue K-8 School
Supporters are welcome to attend this launch event, in celebration of healthy food for all children. Summer Eats provides nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost. All youth 18 and under are welcome to participate. No ID or registration required to receive meals.
This summer, we’re bringing marvelous puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
Come celebrate the beautiful — and bizarre! — life cycle transformations that happen every day on our planet. We’ll sing and dance to help polliwogs become frogs and butterflies hatch out of chrysalises.
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-9
Mixed puppetry styles: rod puppets, hand puppets, and masks, plus original music.
July 11 (Thu): 10:30 am at TADPole10, at the Tadpole Playground in the Boston Common
This summer, we’re bringing marvelous puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
Come celebrate the beautiful — and bizarre! — life cycle transformations that happen every day on our planet. We’ll sing and dance to help polliwogs become frogs and butterflies hatch out of chrysalises.
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-9
Mixed puppetry styles: rod puppets, hand puppets, and masks, plus original music.
July 6 (Sat): 12:00 pm at Emerson College’s UnCommon Stage in the Boston Common
This summer, we’re bringing marvelous puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
Come celebrate the beautiful — and bizarre! — life cycle transformations that happen every day on our planet. We’ll sing and dance to help polliwogs become frogs and butterflies hatch out of chrysalises.
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-9
Mixed puppetry styles: rod puppets, hand puppets, and masks, plus original music.
June 29 (Sat): 10:30 am at Herter Park Amphitheater
Presented in partnership with the Friends of Herter Park
This summer, we’re bringing marvelous puppetry to an outdoor location near you!
Come celebrate the beautiful — and bizarre! — life cycle transformations that happen every day on our planet. We’ll sing and dance to help polliwogs become frogs and butterflies hatch out of chrysalises.
All ages welcome, especially enjoyed by ages 3-9
Mixed puppetry styles: rod puppets, hand puppets, and masks, plus original music.
Sat Sept 9 | 10:00 am
Be part of the show with Mr. Twister — a family-friendly opera, with puppets! Come early to make your own puppet and be a part of the action as Mr. Twister uses his magic telescope in this adventure about science, climate, and weather.
All ages welcome, recommended for 3+
Giant rod puppets
This summer, we're bringing puppetry outside with Pay-What-You-Can immersive puppetry experiences!
Thurs Aug 10 | 7:00 pm
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
This summer, we're bringing puppetry outside with Pay-What-You-Can immersive puppetry experiences!
Sun July 16 | 10:30 am
This event will be held indoors due to forecasted rain.
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!
This summer, we're bringing puppetry outside with Pay-What-You-Can immersive puppetry experiences for families.