bringing puppets to life

A one-day introduction to the art of puppetry.

Upcoming dates: May 30, 2026

Bringing Puppets to Life is a practical, studio-based workshop that focuses on the basic, core principals of puppetry.
Participants will learn techniques such as breath, stillness, weight, and focus. These skills can be applied to any puppet to give it life.
This beginner workshop is suited for:
- Actors and theatre-makers
- Physical theatre and movement practitioners
- Teachers who wish to incorporate puppetry into the classroom
- Artists curious about puppetry
No prior puppetry experience is required, but participants should be comfortable working physically and collaboratively.
In this one day workshop, participants will explore:
- Preparing the body & mind
- Animating rigid objects
- Animating soft objects
- Discovering character and voice
- Waking, seeing, moving, thinking, reacting and breathing with the puppet
- Exploring a range of emotions
- Creating a paper puppet and bringing it to life
Most of the day will be guided explorations, with some improvisation.
Jessica Hickman is a puppeteer, puppet designer/builder, and mask performer. She has trained with The Old Trouts (Calgary), Mermaid Theatre (Nova Scotia), Maison internationale des arts de la marionnette (Montreal), and Puppetmongers (Toronto). She tours with the Wonderheads, and co-founded VAMP. Check out her work at @mixed.media.monsters
Date: Saturday, May 30

Time:
10:00am-12:30pm + 1:30pm-4:00pm

Cost: $100