“My hope still is to leave the world a bit better than when I got here.”
- Jim Henson
 Puppet – almost anything brought to life by a human in
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front of an audience.
Animation – bringing something to life through
movement and action.
Manipulation – the way a puppeteer moves or works a
puppet.
Rod puppet - a puppet constructed without shoulders,
arms, or legs and manipulated by one or more rods.
Shadow puppet – a flat, two-dimensional puppet
designed to cast a shadow or form a silhouette on a white
screen.
 Hand puppet – a puppet that fits over the puppeteer’s
hand, much like a mitten, and is manipulated by the
puppeteer’s fingers inside the puppet’s head and hands.
 Movable-mouth puppet – a hand puppet with a movable
mouth.
 Marionette – a puppet manipulated by strings connecting
a control rod or paddle to the moving body parts.
 Full-body puppet – a puppet worn over the puppeteer’s
head and body like a costume.
 Lip sync – synchronizing movement of the puppet’s mouth
with the spoken words.
 Flipping the lid – improperly manipulating a movablemouth hand puppet, causing flapping of the upper jaw or
head.
 Mounting the show – adding the finishing touches—such
as scenery, props, and costumes—to a theatrical
production.
 Shadow play – projecting shadow images on a screen.
 Recognize and identify the five basic puppet types.
 Use imagination to design and make an original puppet.
 Use other art forms to enhance theatre.
 Explore puppet manipulations.
 Animate a puppet character.
 Experiment with puppet voices.
 Write an original script or recreate a scene using puppets for the characters.
 Work with a group to produce a puppet show. Use technical elements to enhance a
puppet production.
 Experiment with shadow play. Create a shadow play character. Use movement to
project characterization.
 Even though the word puppet comes from the Latin pupa,
meaning “doll,” a puppet is not a doll, nor is it limited to being
doll-like.
 A puppet is brought to life with a puppeteer. The puppeteer
communicates with the audience through the puppet.
 In many different cultures, puppets were used in religious
rituals. Today, puppets are being used to teach religion, in
advertising, art, celebrations, crime prevention programs,
education, entertainment, and therapy.
 Puppets are categorized by the way they are manipulated,
rather than by the fabric from which they are made. A
sock puppet with a hinged mouth, for example, is
considered a hand puppet with a movable mouth.
 A puppet that is made from a cereal box, empty paper
towel tubes, and paper cups and is manipulated by
strings is considered a marionette.
 Five major types of puppets are used in performance
today: rod puppets, shadow puppets, hand puppets,
marionettes, and full-body puppets.
 From the five basic puppet types come other variations or
combinations, such as hand-and-rod puppets, nonpuppet
or object puppets, finger puppets, and even puppets for
the feet.
Rod Puppet
One of the oldest and
simplest of puppet
types. The rod
puppet is a puppet
manipulated by one
or more rods. In its
basic form, it is
constructed without
shoulders, arms, or
legs. Traditionally,
the puppeteer
manipulates the
puppet from below
the stage.
Shadow Puppet
A flat, twodimensional figure
controlled by a wire
or rod against a
screen. Projecting
light from behind
the puppet projects
the shadow onto a
white cloth screen
stretched and
stapled to a
wooden frame. The
puppeteer moves
the puppet to bring
it to life.
Hand Puppets
Also called a glove
puppet, fits over the
puppeteer’s hand
much like a mitten
or glove. The
puppeteer
manipulates the
puppet by placing
the second and third
fingers along with
the thumb as the
puppet’s hands. The
entire puppet is
moved to signify
talking.
Marionettes
Marionettes are
controlled and
manipulated with
strings. Built with
jointed parts, the
marionette moves
much like a human or
animal. The puppet’s
moving parts are
connected by strings
to a control rod or
paddle. The
puppeteer stands
above the puppet
stage.
Full-Body
Puppets
A puppet worn over
the puppeteer’s
head and body much
like a costume. Most
full-body puppets
are animated by one
puppeteer inside
the puppet.
Extremely large fullbody puppets may
be controlled by
more than one
puppeteer or even
remote control.
Movable-mouth
Puppets
A variation of the
hand puppet, and is
constructed with a
hinged jaw and
movable mouth.
The puppet’s head
is manipulated by
the puppeteer's
four fingers, while
the thumb is used
to control the lower
jaw.
 For a detailed view on puppet construction, or at least to give
you ideas on how to start, please refer to Figure 18-1 on page
350 in the Theatre Textbook.
 First and foremost, be creative. Think about what kind of
character you want to create. From what play or movie will
your scene be from? What would that character look like in
puppet form?
 Be sure to use household items such as cereal boxes, paper
towel rolls, construction paper, paper plates, wire hangers,
etc.
 Once you’ve formed a body think about the details of your
puppet? Are you making a marionette or a rod puppet?
What kind of clothing / costume is your puppet going to
have?
 Are you performing a shadow play? What does the
silhouette or outlining of the puppet look like?
 Continue to research examples online for ideas, but also
use your imagination to create a puppet that conveys
specific character.
 While constructing your puppet, consider what type of
manipulation your puppet is going to need.
 When a hand puppet talks, the entire body moves.
However, when a movable-mouth puppet speaks, more
detailed movements can be incorporated such as hand
gestures while the puppet is speaking.
 Be aware of not flipping the lid. Try not to lean on your
elbows or shoulders while on the puppet stage.
 Successful entrances and exits are also important in a
puppet show. A puppet should enter as if walking up a
short flight of stairs.
 Proper exits include turning the puppet around backward and
descending the steps.
 Special entrances and exits might include a puppet popping
up, flying off, or rolling off the stage. These special
movements should be included as part of a well-planned
script rather than improper puppet manipulation.
 Regardless of puppet type, the way to discover exactly what
your puppet can do is to experiment in front of a mirror.
 One of your puppet’s most important features is the way it talks, or
its voice. The puppet’s voice helps define and communicate the
puppet’s character and personality. Give your puppet a voice of its
own—a voice different from yours.
 Experimenting with voices may seem silly at first, but it is the only
way to find just the right tone and quality.
 Be sure to use a voice that you can maintain for the entire show.
And be consistent.
 Think about your favorite puppet characters such as Elmo, Cookie
Monster, etc. What do they sound like? Does their voice match their
appearance?
 Factors to keep in mind for your show are the stage,
scenery, props, and technical elements such as lighting
and sound.
 Think of simple ways to depict setting, such as using a
decorated sheet for a background.
 What sounds such as music can be used? How does
lighting affect your show, especially for a shadow play?
 Be sure to be consistent and work on the details of your
performance in rehearsal.
 Rehearse in front of a large mirror.
 If you’re going to be kneeling for a long period of time, bring a
pillow to protect your knees.
 Bring a puppet first aid kid: such as extra tape, safety pins, etc.
in case your puppet starts to fall apart.
 Overall, commit 100% to your puppet and the character that
you have created.
 Describe the five basic types of puppets?
 How can the puppeteer avoid flipping the lid?
 What should a puppeteer consider before giving a puppet a
voice?
 What technical elements might be used in a puppet show?
 What are two ways to perform shadow plays?
 In a group of 3–5 people, you will each design and
construct an original puppet and puppet theatre. You will
then need to perform a 3-4 minute scene for your puppet
show. You have the option of writing an original scene, or
reproducing a scene from another play or appropriate
television show / movie. Your script does not necessarily
have to be memorized, however, you should be extremely
familiar with the lines so that your show runs as smooth
as possible. You will be graded individually on the
design/construction of your puppets and your
performance in the show.