First Saturday of the month * 10am-noon * RSVP

Puppet Gym: Exploring Object Theater

w/Genna Beth Davidson

In this 2-hour workshop, Genna Beth Davidson will lead participants through a variety of styles and techniques from the zany and fascinating world of Object Puppetry.

Please Come ready to move your body;

Puppet Gym will start with exercises to get the body and voice warmed-up.

Please wear comfy clothes so you can move with ease!

active-wear is recommended for improvisation.

We will then view object work by famous puppet artists like Paul Zaloom and Philippe Genty, as well as others.

With these inspiring performances in mind, we’ll roll up our sleeves and get to playing with our own objects finding stories and ideas.

Come with object(s)

objects are anything: raw materials like fabric/paper/packaging, figurines, or a shoe. Nothing is really off limits as a puppet. One can pick an object because it is nostalgic or symbolic. Pick a thing from nature,toys, food,kitchen items or just grab something from the junk drawer! Experiment!

-Please Have a playing surface (playboard) for your object.

An ironing board is a great playboard so you can stand instead of sit, but space on the table in front of your laptop will work fine (a box on the space in front of your laptop to serve as "ground" can be helpful depending on your set-up).

Genna Beth Davidson spent a decade living and working in DC before moving to Connecticut to pursue her MFA in Puppetry Arts at The University of Connecticut. In addition to performance and puppet building, she would like to work in the field of therapeutic puppetry one day.

Lab is a safe place where people brave theatrical exploration and mistakes are welcome.
"the only failure is not trying"
theater = Baptism by Fire.

Puppet Lab supports the development of works in progress: you can present work for feedback or direct others in lab to improvise parts/puzzle out specific scenes and how your show might work.

Puppet Lab’s purpose is to be a hub for all those interested in puppet theater who would benefit from:
boosting creative power
honing puppet-manipulation skills
cross-pollinating ideas
receiving feedback about works in progress
building puppet community

Rhizome Puppet Lab works to uphold community access: no one will be turned away for lack of funds. However, if you appreciate what we are doing and would like to contribute something (suggested donation $8) please do so.