Author: David

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.   Fee $200 – Click here to enroll

Life sized animal puppets on a journey from The Congo Basin to the Arctic Circle – with Logan Robins.  Saturday June 13^th, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.  At our new studio in Kensington Market.  Fee $75 – click here to enroll

THE HERDS:  From the canals of Venice to the largest glacier in mainland Europe- puppeteer Logan Robins will share the stories of the people, places, and puppets that brought The Herds, one of the largest climate action theatrical projects in history, to life! We will start the workshop with an artist talk, Q & A, and interactive exploration of some of the warmup techniques and team building rituals that we used on the project!  We will also include the creating and animating of some animals.

What do gorillas, lions, and giraffes have in common? For The Herds they all required three puppeteers to bring them to life! In the second part of this workshop, puppeteer Logan Robins will lead participants through foundational techniques on how different parts of a puppet can be manipulated, communication strategies, and exploration on how to focus, breathe, and work with a team to bring a creature to life. Participants will also get to craft their own creatures from recyclable materials!

This will be an amazing afternoon of exploring the magic that brings puppets to life and the magical impact they can have on the world! This workshop is open to puppeteers and artists of any skill level (no experience necessary).

Logan “Lo” Robins is a queer environmental theatre maker, puppeteer, director, science communicator, and the Artistic Director of The Unnatural Disaster Theatre Co.

He is based in the Moolipchugechk region of Mi’kma’ki (colonially known as Herring Cove, NS) and has performed across the world in theatres, on glaciers, and everywhere in between. Logan is passionate about devising, mask, puppetry, and outdoor site-specific theatre. As a theatre maker they believe in prioritizing collective creation and community care.

Find Logan online: @loganrobins @unnaturaldisastertheatre

Please note that the PROGRAM SEQUENCE is still TBA

SATURDAY ON-LINE PRESENTERS

PROGRAM SEQUENCE TBA

Left above: Logan Robins – A Puppet Journey from Spain to the Arctic Circle – Joining The Herds Emerging Company.
Right above: Teatro Firulete – The Immigrant – How to approach a puppet drama

Left above:  Zero Untitled Productions – Ruination. Right above:  Alex Winfield Nautilus Theatre – War of the Newts or Here we go   again

Left above:  Cemal Fatih Polat Karagöz Theater – World Stars Show.  Right above:  Julia Schemmer – Puppetry on Broadway.

Planning, Shooting and Editing; How to Make Movies with Puppets with Robin Polfuss.

Saturdays March 29 & April 5 in-person 10:30 to 5:30 at Puppetmongers Studio.  Plus Saturday April 12 online Zoom 10.30 to noon, and in the afternoon work from home is required (with full instructor access on Zoom), finishing online with Zoom again at 4.30 to 5:30

Fee: $275

Learn how to make movies with puppets, from story-boarding to post-production – by DOING IT! This class is a 3-days one; two in-person in studio, and the last day is online with two Zoom sessions and some offline independent work. By the end, you’ll have made a short puppet film!

The image on the right is of one of Robin’s film sets.

Robin is a whimsical storyteller, puppet builder and performer at festivals and events. She makes short films, organizes online and in-person Puppet Slams, and teaches puppet building & performing workshops. RoRo Art is her toy-making business, and Puppet What What is the irrepressible sock puppet who bosses her around. www.youtube.com@sockpuppety

 with Ann and Davidof Puppetmongers – in person in Toronto – 5 evenings: Monday May 12^th through to Friday May 16^th, 5:30 to 9:00 p.m.

 Fee: $375 (materials included)

Tabletop puppetry is a technique that has been evolving in the West ever since the first international tours of Japan’s Bunraku Theatre Company. Having spent fifty years developing their own version of this style of puppetry, Puppetmongers have generated a great store of information, techniques and skills. In this workshop, Puppetmongers Ann and David will help participants design, construct, dress, and manipulate their own puppet figures in this form of puppetry.

Some previous experience with saws, tools and sewing required.

Ann and David started their puppetry journey when they were kids, with marionettes from the Pelham Puppet Company, and in their teens started making their own. They founded Puppetmongers Theatre in 1974, and have toured the world and received many awards for their innovative theatrical productions.

With Ann of Puppetmongers – in-person – May 3rd & 4th, 10.30 to 5.30 daily

Fee: $200 (materials included) 

Making and performing Toy Theatre was a popular at-home activity in the 19^th century. Now this theatrical form is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, with artists exploring its unlimited potential in the context of contemporary theatre.

Workshop participants will transform ordinary cardboard boxes into magnificent miniature theatres, complete with little puppet actors, and scenery that rolls, folds or flies, and all kinds of wonderful theatrical surprises.

As co-artistic director of Puppetmongers Theatre, Ann has been playing with puppets of all kinds and creating critically acclaimed new works for audiences of almost all ages with her brother David, since they established the company in 1974. Outside of Puppetmongers, Ann collaborates on projects with other theatre companies and artists, and teaches puppetry arts in universities, colleges and schools. She has also illustrated books for children and written one, and was a founding member of Kids Can Press.

With Puppetmongers / Ann & David

In-person in Toronto – 5 evenings: Monday April 14^th through to Friday April 18^th, 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Fee: $375 (materials included)

The goal of this workshop is to teach the essentials of marionette making, with Ann and David guiding each participant through the building, costuming, stringing and animation of their own marionette. We will explore character development and design, simple woodworking and jointing, the basics of costuming, and bringing your character to life.

Ann and David started their puppetry journey when they were kids, with marionettes from the Pelham Puppet Company, and in their teens started making their own.  They founded Puppetmongers Theatre in 1974, and have toured the world and received many awards for their innovative theatrical productions. Nowadays they seldom work with string puppets, but have retained and honed their interest in this classic form.

With by David Powell of Puppetmongers

in-person in Toronto – 5 evenings: Monday March 17^th through to Friday March 21^st, 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Fee: $375 (materials included)

This workshop will immerse you in shadow puppetry: in the living traditions and contemporary methods and technology.  It will be hands-on, focusing on shadow in theatrical work as fabricated actors (puppets), as powerful images, and for kinetic set design.  Participants will design and build shadow puppets, explore animation techniques and light sources, and work together to develop a short piece.

As a co-founder of Puppetmongers Theatre in 1974, with his sister Ann, David has toured world-wide, and received many awards in Canada and the USA. He co-founded the Toronto School of Puppetry in 1996, for adult enrichment, and has taught puppetry arts at many universities, colleges and schools across Canada.