Explore puppetry design, construction, and manipulation as it applies to puppetry in contemporary theatre. Build your own tabletop puppet using simple materials and techniques. Using the puppet you build in class, we will explore the cornerstones of puppetry manipulation; breath, focus, response and posture.  In other words, while playing with materials, a puppet will be born through your own creativity. They will tell you how they want to move and what story they want to tell. You and your fellow classmates will be delighted!

This course is ideal for anyone with a curiosity and desire to tell stories using materials from our world and your imagination. All skill levels and artistic interests are welcome. Those with backgrounds in performance, dance, theatre production, visual arts, sculpture, and storytelling  will find this course will complement and build on your experience.

Bring the following materials with you on day one:

• pencil and sketch pad for note taking and sharing ideas
• scissor and box cutting knife, if you have them

Bring the following materials with you on day two depending on your own puppet's design (to be discussed with instructor on the first day):

• variety of fabrics: gauze or cheese cloth, burlap, tissue paper, dolls clothes or baby clothes (from thrift store)
• ideas for hair: wool, pot scrubbers, ribbons, mops
• buttons or large beads for eyes

About the instructor: Heather J Kent is a local educator and artist living on Vancouver Island. She has been working in and teaching theatre production for over 25 years. Her passion for puppetry arts and spectacle informs her visual arts practice and assemblages. Regardless of the selected medium, Heather is a storyteller who loves to collaborate and share ideas with other artists.