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Puppetry

Puppetry for Beginners

About Puppetry

Puppetry is a genre of theater. Rather than rely on actors to perform as characters, puppetry revolves around the use of puppets—objects that are controlled by people called puppeteers. Puppeteers manipulate the movements, gestures, and even expressions of the puppets with a variety of methods, including pulling strings (marionettes), propping them up with rods (rod puppets), or simply placing their hands (hand puppets) or fingers (finger puppets) inside the objects.

Much like theatrical performances starring human actors, today's puppet shows often feature props, sets, lighting, and sound. While these modern productions are mostly put on to entertain, puppet shows of the past often served more solemn purposes like telling religious stories, teaching moral lessons, and preserving heritage. Continue reading from My Modern Met

Check out a Book on Puppetry

Link to Puppetry For Beginners by Arthur Allen
Link to The complete book of puppetry by George Latshaw
Link to Making Make-Believe by MaryAnn Kohl in the catalog
Link to Puppet Play by Diana Schoenbrun in the catalog
Link to Stop-motion puppet sculpting : a manual of foam injection, build-up, and finishing techniques by Tom Brierton