Author: David

With David Powell of Puppetmongers Theatre.  Sunday May 17^th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at our new studio in Kensington Market. Fee $100 – click here to enroll

This will be a hands-on exploration of the brave new world of shadow puppetry techniques: With new light sources, such as halogen lamps, overhead projectors, document camera, and other technologies, along with new materials and forms of shadow puppetry, manipulation and staging.  We will discover the amazing imagery and special effects possible with this new technology.

David Powell, the other co-founder of Puppetmongers, has been involved with all levels of production: design, scripting, construction, marketing, touring, performing and administration.  With Puppetmongers, he has created eleven new theatre works, toured extensively nationally and internationally, and received awards from both the theatre and puppetry communities in Canada and the USA.  David’s other work has included design and building puppet, sets, masks and props for many theatre companies.  He created Shuttle Dreams, a new-music shadow play with musicians Scott Wilson and Daria Kwiatkowska.  He has taught puppetry arts at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, York University, University of Windsor, University of Guelph, the Toronto Teachers’ College, and at several C.O.D.E Conferences.

With David Powell of Puppetmongers Theatre.  Sunday April 26^th, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  At our new studio in Kensington Market. Fee $100 – click here to enroll

When David was a child, he made all sorts of toys out of Bristol Board, and eventually discovered a way to make amazing masks from card, masking tape and acrylic paint. He has been making masks for theatre companies ever since.  These masks are long lasting, light weight, flexible, and easy to alter later on, if required.

So, the trick is to take a two-dimensional piece of cardboard and, with nips and tucks, turn it into a three-dimensional face. There will be discussion of facial structure, realism vs cartooning, and step by step construction instruction – everyone will come away with a first mask and the skill to make more.

David Powell, the other co-founder of Puppetmongers, has been involved with all levels of production: design, scripting, construction, marketing, touring, performing and administration.  With Puppetmongers, he has created eleven new theatre works, toured extensively nationally and internationally, and received awards from both the theatre and puppetry communities in Canada and the USA.  David’s other work has included design and building puppet, sets, masks and props for many theatre companies.  He created Shuttle Dreams, a new-music shadow play with musicians Scott Wilson and Daria Kwiatkowska.  He has taught puppetry arts at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, York University, University of Windsor, University of Guelph, the Toronto Teachers’ College, and at several C.O.D.E Conferences.

With Rag & Bone Puppet Theatre of Ottawa. Online Saturday April 11^th from 1.30 to 3:00 pm. Fee $50 – click here to enroll

What makes a successful grant application? From finding the right program for your project, describing yourself and your work, making a budget, and submitting support material, this workshop will discuss successful strategies and share advice. Bring some ideas and let’s brainstorm!

John Nolan and Kathy MacLellan, of Rag & Bone Puppet Theatre have been producing shows and touring for 47 years, and have received grants from the Ontario Arts Council, The Canada Council, the Ottawa Community Foundation, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and the City of Ottawa.

With Robin Polfuss.  Sundays April 12^th & 19^th from 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.  At our new studio in Kensington Market

With Ann Powell of Puppetmongers Theatre.  Sunday May 3^rd, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  At our new studio in Kensington Market. Fee $100 – click here to enroll

Discover how to bring any object to life: a stuffy, a shoe, an old tuque, a kitchen gadget, a brick – anything can and will come to life in your hands. You are invited to bring objects or materials you are fascinated with, and also work with the plethora of objects provided. Our investigations will include both soft and rigid objects, together we will delve into the relationship of the object to the puppeteer, object to audience, puppeteer to puppeteer, and puppeteer to audience. Part of our job will be to allow ourselves the time, space, and freedom to make discoveries, to wobble, fly, and fail. The group will create short pieces and offer each other helpful critical feedback for ongoing growth and improvement.

Ann Powell, co-artistic director of Puppetmongers Theatre, is involved with all levels of production: design, scripting, construction, performing, touring, marketing, and administration. With the company, she creates critically acclaimed, award winning shows for both young and adult audiences, and has toured with them around the world.

Outside of Puppetmongers, Ann‘s solo puppet play, Bed & Breakfast, was awarded a Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry by UNIMA-USA, and she collaborates on projects with other
theatre companies and artists. She was a founding member of Kids Can Press, and has illustrated a number of books for children.

Ann has conducted puppetry workshops and programs in elementary schools and universities, at summer camps and conferences, across Canada, in the US and the former USSR.

SHADOW PUPPET 101 with David Powell of Puppetmongers Theatre.  Sunday May 10^th 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  At our new studio in Kensington Market. Fee $100 – click here to enroll

This workshop will take you on a brief visit to the living traditions of shadow puppetry around the world.  This will be a hands-on workshop, focusing on the use of shadow in theatrical work: as fabricated actors, as powerful images, and as kinetic set design.  Working with incandescent light sources, you will design and build your own shadow puppets, explore a number of manipulation techniques and start to develop a short piece of theatre.

David Powell, the other co-founder of Puppetmongers, has been involved with all levels of production: design, scripting, construction, marketing, touring, performing and administration.  With Puppetmongers, he has created eleven new theatre works, toured extensively nationally and internationally, and received awards from both the theatre and puppetry communities in Canada and the USA.  David’s other work has included design and building puppet, sets, masks and props for many theatre companies.  He created Shuttle Dreams, a new-music shadow play with musicians Scott Wilson and Daria Kwiatkowska.  He has taught puppetry arts at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, York University, University of Windsor, University of Guelph, the Toronto Teachers’ College, and at several C.O.D.E Conferences.

This two-day workshop will take you on a brief visit to the living traditions of shadow puppetry around the world, and immerse you in contemporary shadow puppetry methods and technology. It will be a hands-on workshop, focusing on the use of shadow in theatrical work: as fabricated actors, as powerful images, and as kinetic set design.

Day 1.  Introduction to shadow puppetry techniques with traditional light sources. On this day, you will design and build your own shadow puppets, explore a number of manipulation techniques, and start to develop a short piece of theatre.

Day 2.  Exploration of the possibilities with new types of light sources.  We will play with overhead projectors, document cameras, halogen lamps and more.  See what amazing images and effects you can accomlish with recent technology.

Fee $200.

David Powell, a co-founder of Puppetmongers, has been involved with all levels of production: design, scripting, construction, marketing, touring, performing and administration.  With Puppetmongers, he has created eleven new theatre works, toured extensively nationally and internationally, and received awards from both the theatre and puppetry communities in Canada and the USA.  David’s other work has included design and building puppet, sets, masks and props for many theatre companies.  He created Shuttle Dreams, a new-music shadow play with musicians Scott Wilson and Daria Kwiatkowska.  He has taught puppetry arts at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, York University, University of Windsor, University of Guelph, the Toronto Teachers’ College, and at several C.O.D.E Conferences.

Tabletop puppetry is a puppetry technique that has been evolving in the Americas and Europe ever since the first international tours of Japan’s famous Bunraku Theatre Company. A few generalities about the style would be:

• The puppets are complete sculptural figures, fully three-dimensional.
• As the manipulators work in full view of the audience and close up to the figures, their relationship to the puppets and the action must be taken into consideration.
• The performance no longer fits in a booth, and, with the manipulators visible, the full stage area comes into play.

Ann & David will help participants to design, construct, dress and give life to their own puppet figures. Some experience with saws and other tools is useful, but not essential.

Ann Powell& David Powell, the Puppetmongers have spent fifty plus years developing their own version of tabletop puppetry,  generating a great store of information, techniques and skills in this style.  Puppetmongers Theatre now in its 51st year, has performed across Canada, the US, Europe, and Iran.  Nominated for two Chalmers Play Awards and eleven Dora Mavor Moore Awards, we have received five Citations for Excellence from the Union International de la Marionnette USA, plus the Award for Artistic Excellence and The President’s Award from the Puppeteers of America.