The premise is simple: Breathe life into an inanimate object, use it to tell a story, entertain us all. We’re drawn to puppets because of their epic quality. They can defy gravity. They can be large or small, radically shifting the scale of our world and illuminating a new perspective (marionettes). They can put animals on stage in a way that wouldn’t be possible otherwise (The Lion King). They can create metaphors. They can critique society, politics, and modern life (Avenue Q). When one considers this trove of unique abilities--puppet powers, if you will—it’s no wonder they’ve been able to captivate us for centuries. But in smaller, realistic stories, why choose a puppet over a human? Puppets have an amazing ability to reflect our humanity and our innermost thoughts and feelings. There’s a reason why any new Muppets content has us salivating with anticipation. It’s not just the education, absurdity, or nostalgia, it’s that we see bits of ourselves reflected in these wildly colorful characters. We understand Kermit’s anxiety, Miss Piggy’s determination. In puppets, we recognize something authentic about the human experience, which makes us lean in. Moreover, when we observe puppets in action, a unique relationship between audience and performer is forged. We experience several perspectives at once: the wonder of the puppet coming to life, the awe of the puppeteer’s skill, and the investment in the story unfolding before us. It’s this combination of puppeteer, puppet, and our imaginations that creates in our minds the illusion of life. In War Horse, at feeding time, the mistrustful young Joey huffs and backs away as the boy approaches with a bucket of food. The boy turns to leave. But Joey steps closer as his curiosity and hunger get the best of him. The boy turns back and makes an offering. Joey watches. The alert stillness, the unsure eye contact, the cautious breath. And finally, the guarded, courageous approach toward the bucket. In that moment, through simple action, we see a living being work through fear and begin to trust. And suddenly, we understand this non-living, living being in a deeply intimate way that shouldn't be possible, but it is. Lastly, puppets inherently tap into our childlike sense of wonder and play. Which, among many benefits, has proven to be a useful mental health tool. “Puppets are a way to externalize a problem, emotion, or experience and can help children identify and relate to a trauma because as they play, the puppets become an extension of themselves” (Anderson, pg. 5). In Wolf Play, though Jeenu is the puppet instead of an actual child, as the Wolf, he uses play and imagination to re-contextualize the very real trauma he’s experiencing. When a production incorporates puppetry, it cracks open imagination and possibility in new ways, inviting in magic, metaphor, and critique through inanimate objects. It’s a way of connecting and having a shared experience that takes us outside of ourselves, placing it externally before us to grapple with and to be wowed by. Bibliography Anderson, Keely, "Puppet Creation: A Lost Art in Treating Child Trauma" (2019). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 136. *Published in Encore program, May 2023 Download full program below
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