Warning: Undefined array key "HTTP_REFERER" in /home2/puppetmo/public_html/torontoschoolofpuppetry/wp-content/themes/twentyfifteen/twentyfifteen.theme#archive on line 43

Author: schooladmin

Foolish tales for Foolish Times

Available in schools Winter & Spring terms 2024 / Grades K to 3, Audience maximum 200: Grades K to 6, Audience maximum 250 / $650 in the GTA / 45 minutes plus optional post-show Q&A.

Four classic tales of misadventure are combined to take the audience on a journey of venerable folk wisdom, in a celebration of our shared humanity. Presented in a deceptively simple, low-tech style, the play highlights how we humans can overlook the obvious when we worry needlessly about the impossible, take advice without thinking, or use yesterday’s solutions to solve today’s problems; these traditional tales have it all!

Watch a short excerpt video.

This richly imaginative production, with each story playfully told using a different style of puppetry – from human-sized to hand puppet, table-top to kitchenware – kindles creativity, inspires role play and encourages thinking outside the box. 

Excellent presentation: fun was had by the students and teachers. We would have them back again and recommend to other schools.  Children’s Garden School

A Study Guide is available on request

Curriculum Connections: Knowledge of Drama & Visual Arts Elements; Creative Work; Critical Thinking; Introduce Puppetry and Theatre Arts; Oral & Visual Communication; Problem Solving

Character Education: Humility; Self-esteem; Co-operation; Learning from Mistakes

I wish they could come to our school every day!    A Student, Lockview PS

For further information or to make a booking, please contact Ann at ann@puppetmongers.com 416-538-6210

The Brick Bros. Circus

Available fall 2023 / Grades K to 8 / Audience maximum 250 / $650 in the GTA / 45 minutes plus optional post-show Q&A.

Guaranteed to stimulate imaginations and spark creative thinking, the Brick Bros. Circus is a complete miniature one-ring circus, performed by highly trained building bricks in itty bitty costumes. Be amazed by the acrobatic Bildovitch Family, awestruck by the breathtaking Madame Brikaskova on her High Trapeze, astounded by the unbelievable Brick Contortionist… and much much more!

See a short clip from the show

Challenging preconceived perceptions of objects and materials and employing simple mechanical ingenuity, this inventive production brings the world of play, creativity and performance to life, brick by brick by brick.

The students really enjoyed this quirky and creative puppet theatre, as did the teachers! I have never seen a more creative and unique show! Our students are not frequently exposed to theatre and having this opportunity… really changed the way they view theatre. They now know that theatre is not exclusive or prejudiced, but an open-minded, exciting and accessible art form!                          Centennial PS

A Study Guide is available on request

Curriculum Connections: Knowledge of Drama & Visual Arts Elements; Creative Work; Critical Thinking; Introduce Puppetry and Theatre Arts; Oral & Visual Communication; Problem Solving; Simple Machines – ingenuity with simple materials.

The students loved it. It was the topic of conversation for quite a few days after. The show was thought provoking and exposed our students to a different type of humour… Many of the teachers used this performance as an opportunity to inspire many forms of writing by the students… I listened in on a few follow up discussions in classrooms and was amazed at thoughts and opinions students had.                                                       W.E. Gowling P.S.

For further information or to make a booking, please contact Ann at ann@puppetmongers.com 416-538-6210

OAC Recommender Grants 2022

Puppetmongers is accredited as a Recommending Company for the Ontario Arts Council’s Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators 2022-23

We have a total of $5,000 to divide between all worthy projects.

All applications are now online! Deadline is October 27, 2022, at 1 pm ET

 CLICK HERE for the full guidelines and application form

Puppetmongers is seeking applications from artists who wish to develop puppetry projects.  Our priorities and areas of interest are:

  • The development of theatrical work with puppetry
  • The integration of puppetry into theatre productions
  • The creation of new forms of puppetry and new theatrical uses of puppetry
  • The nurturing of new generation and culturally diverse artists

Projects may be at any stage of development prior to production or workshop production.  These small grants are particularly suited to helping artists with the earliest phases of creation, the development of ideas, the building of a creative team etc.

We have a total of $5,000 to assign between all successful applications, thus the grants we can recommend range from a minimum of $1,000 to the unlikely maximum of $5,000.  They have tended to be on the lower end, spread over a few projects.  We are curious and excited to see what the artistic community has percolating, and extremely grateful to the Ontario Arts Council for their increased support of puppetry.

Deadline for applications is 1 p.m. ET on October 27, 2022.  We strongly recommend that you submit your application at least by the day before this deadline, to avoid technical glitches.

Before you apply, note that we request submissions include a budget and a short bio for all participants in their support material. NOTE: We do not require script samples but do want ideas in the form of sketches, influences, photos… which can be included as stills on video in the Audio/Visual link.

These small Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators are to provide time in which to explore, experiment, and develop an idea in its infancy, and the why, what and how of the puppetry of it. This is not a grant to write or finish a script; it is not a grant to build already-designed puppets; or to complete a show for performance bookings.

With puppetry being such a visual artform, to help us get a feel for your proposed project please attach in your application any images, inspirations and influences; sketches and storyboards; any mock-ups of puppetry and performance ideas – anything that would give us insight into how puppetry is to be incorporated into your plans – We do not want scripts!

All applicants must meet the criteria requirements of the Ontario Arts Council.

For more information on Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators, and to access the full guidelines and the application form:

Click here for the OAC’s website

What’s on at Fresh Ideas in Puppetry Day 2022

Click here for the digital program

Click here for tickets

DAYTIME PROGRAM – Sunday June 5th – STARTING AT 2:00 p.m. ET

2:00 P.M.  There and Back Again, From Live Shows to Virtual Shows to ?!  Three companies discuss their transitions from live shows to pre-recorded work, online streaming, and hybrid presentations. Has the pandemic profoundly changed our companies, our industry, and our audiences’ expectations? Panelists: John Nolan and Kathy MacLellan of Rag & Bone Puppet Theatre and Robin Polfuss of RoRoArt.

2:30 p.m.  Channels: Creating a Puppet Show from Found Audio.  How I turned an audio collage into a celebration of bad television, starring an unlucky channel-surfing puppet. Follow me through workshopping a script, building a stage, and creating special effects. Presenter: Grant Harding (The Abstractions) studied puppetry at Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. He has created short puppet films, live concert visuals, and puppet templates for children.

3:00 p.m.  Light & Shadow: from Shadow Puppetry to 2D Platformer.  Light & Shadow is a free-to-play, 2D platform video game being developed by Shadowland Theatre and Flawed Designs. The game explores anxiety and depression through the artistic style of shadow puppetry. Presenters: Sequoia Erickson of Shadowland Theatre, and Robin Careless of Flawed Designs. Shadowland Theatre creates theatre that is expressive in style, highly imaginative in concept, and spectacular in execution.  Flawed Designs is a media production company that specializes in films and video games.

3:30 p.m.  OCEAN SWING & GARDEN GROOVE –the search for original sound in FRAKTAL THEATRE.  Musical instruments from old, recycled objects. Puppets and set design as musical instruments. Sounds of the changing seasons. Sounds of the ocean, sounds of the mystery. Garden as an orchestra.  Presenter: Ewa Maria Wolska of Teatr FRACTAL (Poland).  Ewa Maria is a director, puppeteer, stop-motion animator. Founder of Teatr FRAKTAL (FRACTAL Theatre), creating original, intímate, poetic performances known for rich visuality, experimental sound, and original instruments.

4:00 p.m.  The White Plague by Karel Čapek: A Cardboard Puppet Production.  Alex and Gabe discuss the puppetry production elements from their winter show about a mysterious, contagious, and lethal disease ravaging the population with doctors around the world racing to find a cure.  Presenters: Alexandra Montagnese and Gabriel Levine. As curators, Gabe and Alex have collaborated (along with three other puppet enthusiasts) on Toronto’s Seasonal Experimental Puppetry Cabaret: Concrete Cabaret since 2018. The White Plague is their first directorial collaboration.

EVENING CABARET OF VIDEOS – (not in scheduled order yet) Sunday June 5th – STARTING AT 7:00 p.m. EDT

Jovita Idár: A Maiden of Justice.  Created for the 2020 Women’s Suffrage Pageant at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, this toy theatre piece honours Jovita Idár’s courageous work as a journalist, teacher, political activist, and civil rights worker.  Performer: Genna Beth Davidson is a puppeteer, actress, musician, and graduate student in the UConn Puppet arts program.

Ottawa Valley Stories.  A 6-minute film of mini-object performances expressing stories of social goodness, with local artists/residents of Killaloe, Ontario in August 2020 – part of Jumblies’ Grounds for Goodness project. groundsforgoodness.ca  Performers: Jumblies and Ruth Howard make art with, for and about people and places. This video was produced in partnership with Ottawa Valley Creative Arts, filmed and edited by Studio Dreamshare.

Jack be Limber.  These Laughing-Limberjacks and Limberjackys are musical instruments and Irish/British folk-like dancing, paddle puppets. Each is manipulated by an elastic string attached to its head and a vibrating paddle at its feet.  Performers: Linda Fitz is a retired 3D animator, now video editing and making and animating limberjacks. Steve Paul Simms is a singer-songwriter, actor, guitarist, seniors’ entertainer who regularly performs his original music.

The Awkward Date.  You can’t always tell everything about your date from their picture, but it still might work out! Or… maybe not?  A short video on the perils of dating.  Performer: Robin Polfuss is a storyteller, puppet builder and puppeteer at live festivals and events, and has been making short films for Slams and YouTube.  She teaches puppet building & performing workshops.

It Only Takes the Smallest Light… The Journey to LuminUS.  During the darkest days of the pandemic, the Lumins come to life for Clay and Paper Theatre, artful expressions of sculpture, light, music, large scale puppetry and spectacle.  Performers:  Since 1994, Clay & Paper Theatre has been producing plays, pageants and parades with and for the community, grounded in the idea that performance in public space is an act of cultural transformation.

An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good – Rag & Bone Puppet Theatre.  An excerpt from a work in progress hybrid (film/live) show for adult audiences, about an 88-year-old Maud, who pretends to be vague and helpless but is really a cold-hearted killer.  Performers: Rag & Bone has created shows, toured, and worked in TV since 1978, earning an ACTRA award and a Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry from UNIMA.

Short Attention Spa is Tall Attention Spa.  Small town comedians Short Attention Spa takes their act to new heights in this improvised giant puppet documentary.  Performers: Short Attention Spa is the duo of Lenny Epstein and Gavin North. They practice the art of making people laugh. Mostly they do that through comedy.

And an afterparty chatroom Zoom for everyone 

Click here for tickets!

The Art of the Solo Puppeteer, with Mike Harding

Saturdays, 19 & 26 February, from 1:00 to 2:30 EST.


Description: Learn to write a puppet show that can be performed by just one person. Find out how to organize your puppets and props. Discover how to manage an audience by yourself. Decide what type of puppets will work best. Uncover tips about creating a stage that is portable and easy to set up.


Bio: Mike Harding of Applefun Puppetry has been performing for over 20 years. He has conducted thousands of shows at libraries, schools, and birthday parties. Mike studied Improvisational Comedy at Second City which adds a unique and spontaneous flavour to his shows. Applefun Puppetry Puppet Shows are characteristically interactive with a high degree of audience participation. www.applefun.ca

Materials – please contact us for the details – ann@puppetmongers.com

Intermediate Marionettes

May 2nd & 3rd from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In this two day workshop the participants will explore and build more complex marionettes, made of wood, with simple working joints. We will explore character development and design, the basic do’s and don’ts of costuming marionettes, as well as different types of marionette control bars and stringing methods. Through a series of movement exercises everyone will begin to learn how to bring their puppet character to life.

Instructors:  Ann Powell & David Powell

Ann and David started their puppetry careers with marionettes, and have developed a very good understanding of their construction and theatrical potential.  David will focus mainly on the construction and mechanics, while Ann will bring her character development and costuming skills.  Though in their work with Puppetmongers they have developed their art to include many other types of puppetry, marionettes hold a special place in their history.

The Art of the Solo Puppet Show

April 18th    10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Join Mike Harding of Applefun Puppetry and learn how to perform a one-person puppet show! Find out how to organize your puppets and props. Discover how to manage an audience by yourself. Decide what type of puppets will work best. Learn to create a story that can be performed by just one person. Uncover tips about creating a stage that is portable and easy to set up. You too can create a puppet show to be performed anywhere for almost anyone! Participants can bring their own puppets and portable stages if they wish

Recommended companion workshop – Finding Voices for Puppets      

Instructor:  Mike Harding

Mike, Chief Puppeteer and Owner of Applefun Puppetry, has been constructing puppets and studying the art of puppetry for over 20 years. His earliest shows took place on his sister’s farm. Since then, he has performed thousands of shows at libraries, schools, and birthday parties. Mike is a member of the Ontario Puppetry Association and has served as both President and Vice-president. He is also a member of The Puppeteers of America. Mike studied Improvisational Comedy at Second City, which adds a unique and spontaneous flavour to his shows. Applefun Puppetry Puppet Shows are characteristically interactive with a high degree of audience participation.

Hand and Rod Puppet Manipulation

Sunday March 22nd – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Lampoon’s first show, Clowning Around, used a simple hand-puppet technique with mime for the two clown puppets to tell their stories. Greater attention was given to details of the movement because, without words, the movement of the puppets became the language to communicate with the audience. This knowledge became a great tool in the production of Lampoon’s other shows and helped inspire the worldwide appreciation of the company.

In the workshop, attention will be on using the most effective movement, isolating those movements by removing unnecessary moves, to be able to lead the focus of your audience. Participants will also construct their own hand puppet “glove”, following Johan’s effective technique.

Recommended companion workshop – Finding Voices for Puppets

Instructor:  Johan van der Gun Johan, one of the founders of Lampoon Puppettheatre in 1972, stayed with the company as artistic director while also fulfilling many other positions.  Over the years Lampoon Puppettheatre represented Canadian puppetry at about 50 different festivals in about 25 different countries.  While pursuing many different styles of puppetry one show, Clowning Around, did remain their favourite.  The show uses a simple hand-puppet technique but, because of its excellent manipulation, was loved by many audiences and won several awards.

Introduction to Marionettes

Rescheduled to March 29th   10 a.m. to 5 pm.

In this class the participants will gain a sense of how critically important gravity, leverage and fulcrums are to marionettes.   Everyone will make their own simple yet effective cloth marionette and learn how to string their puppet. Everyone will then learn to manipulate their puppet through a series of exploration and movement exercises. 

Instructor:  David Powell

David and his sister Ann started their puppetry journey with marionettes at the ages of 7 and 8.  He has been a co-artistic director of Puppetmongers Theatre since establishing it with Ann in 1974.  With the company he has invented new ideas in puppet theatre, created many award winning puppet productions and toured extensively.