Experts have agreed that puppetry offers a tremendous opportunity for creative and imaginative play, family interaction, and role playing. In addition, it helps youngsters develop confidence, language and motor skills.

Performing the Show  

The Grand Little Theater of Puppets offers a variety of experiences. Don’t let the size fool you. This theater has all that’s needed for a sophisticated and dramatic puppet performance. It’s ideal for home, school, or almost anywhere. Adults can perform shows for children. Children can perform for adults, or any mix of the two. Below are some tips for those who want to improve and refine their puppetry skills. Most important, have fun!

• Be familiar with the story! Tell your version of the story in your own way. Be creative. Make up your own script—it’s part of the fun. Find various versions of a story at the library, or online.
• We suggest that you do not have small children memorize lines. Once they are familiar with the story they can improvise as they go.
• Consider WHERE the story takes place. You might have the puppet characters talk about the scenery, where they are, and why.
• Think about WHO the characters are in the story, and what they would say in each scene (the dialogue). Think about the character’s personality; its name, what it likes, what it cares about. Who are its friends and enemies? How old is the character? How does it relate to the other characters in the story?
• To get started, an adult could play one of the parts and a child or children play the others. The adult can stimulate conversation and nudge the story along.
• Practice and perfect your show. The more you practice, the more entertaining it will be for the audience.
• Add effects like lighting, music, instruments, props, or sound effects.
• Practice good puppet movement.
• Practice making them look realistic when they move. Watch how people and animals move and try to make the puppet imitate those actions.
• Make the puppets move smoothly and slowly. Avoid jerking or hopping.
• Keep their feet on the ground, not floating in the air.
• Look at the stage and the puppets as you act out the story. Be aware of the audience and have the puppets face out so that the audience can see their faces.
• A puppet moves when it talks, but FREEZES when it listens.
• Practice hand movement. Use different gestures for expression and drama.
• Practice small head movements. This can be done by turning the control handle.
• Get the puppet to sit down or kneel.
• Find as many interesting ways as possible for the puppets to move. Remember movement is as important as words.
• Give each puppet character a different voice. This greatly adds to the drama and helps the audience know “who is speaking”. Project your voice loud and clear. Experiment with changing your voice.
• High voice—good for children or some women characters.
• Low voice—for men.
• Squeaky voice—silly or tiny characters.
• Talk through your nose—silly or snobby.
• Talk very slowly and leave long pauses between words.
• Add a laugh, sneeze, or hiccup etc. as the character talks.

TIP: Listen to and try to imitate cartoon voices. Doing some voices may strain your vocal cords. If this happens, use a different voice that is comfortable for you.