The 2025 Chicago Puppet Fest will span 12 days and dozens of Chicago venues, presenting  an international pageant of puppet artists sharing more than 100 puppetry activities. Get set for all-ages spectacle shows in landmark theaters, intimate works on smaller stages, and the always popular, adults-only, late night puppet cabarets.

Schedule of Events:

January 15, 2025

7:00 pm: Plexus Polaire: Dracula: Lucy's Dream

In her visual adaptation of the famous myth of Dracula, Yngvild Aspeli freely draws inspiration from Bram Stoker's story to tell the story of Lucy. As the character fights against her inner "Dracula-esque" demon she surfaces and reveals an inclination toward domination, dependence, addiction and destructive force. A metaphor of control, both forced and desired, seductive and deceptive. From the makers of Moby Dick and Chambre Noire, Plexus Polaire returns flaunting its mastery of the form and serving up large-scale spectacle, human size bunraku puppets, hypnotic video projection and their signature style of imbuing the puppet with storytelling power.

Click here to Buy Tickets

5:00 pm - 6:45 pm: Opening Night Prelude Reception

Join top supporters, festival leadership, staff and the Artistic Directors from the shows being presented this year in the Festival. Together we will toast the opening of the 7th edition of the festival at this exclusive, pre-show reception featuring drinks, hors d'oeuvres, early access to claim your opening night seating in person and to visit the exhibitions before they open to the public. Prelude reception is immediately followed by the opening night performance of Plexus Polaire's Dracula: Lucy's Dream (show tickets sold separately).

Click here to Buy Tickets

8:15 pm - 10:15 pm: Opening Night Postshow Party

Celebrate opening night with the artists who are all in town to share their astonishing and delightful acts with you for the next 12 days of the festival. Enjoy drinks, dessert, live puppetry performance, dancing and DJ.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 16, 2025

9:00 pm - 7:30 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

5:00 pm: Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre: Made in Macau

Rolling Puppet Alternative Theater from Macau celebrates Chinese culture through both traditional and modern puppetry styles. Known for visually vibrant storytelling, they combine classic puppetry styles with contemporary narratives. At the festival, Made in Macau offers a glimpse into Macau's rich heritage and diverse artistic influences.

6:00 pm: RoiZIZO theatre: I Killed the Monster

In a small village in France's Ardennes Forest, peace reigns, and yet, Daniel is a little agitated. Now that he has a new medicine though, some blue pills made by an American pharmaceutical laboratory, everything should be fine…right? A pitch perfect show packed with humor and farcical discoveries, on a simple table using everyday objects. Small-scale grandiose art in a clever, tabletop fable dedicated to the right to be different.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:00 pm: Cabinet of Curiosity: The Cabinet

It has been 15 years since Chicago audiences last saw critically-acclaimed, The Cabinet. This story of the murderous Dr. Caligari and his somnambulist slave Cesare is set in an off-kilter world of puppetry and intricate machinery. Evoking the 1919 German Expressionist silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and created by Frank Maugeri, it was Redmoon Theater's longest running show, now reinvented for the larger stage. Cabinet of Curiosity revives it with another distinctive "cabinet of curiosities" in which puppeteers manipulate the characters and objects, just as Caligari controlled Cesare's plight.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:30 pm: Theatre de l'Entrouvert and Chicago Puppet Fest: Anywhere

Theatre de l'Entrouvert and the Chicago Puppet Festival collaborate to create minimalist puppet theater with a philosophical edge. Through performances that explore human connection and solitude, they bring subtle narratives that resonate deeply. At this year's festival, Anywhere invites audiences into a quiet, reflective space of universal themes.

Click here to Buy Tickets

10:00 pm: Nasty, Brutish and Short - Week 1

Don't let the evening end! Come join the fun at this fan-favorite late show where eyebrows meet lowbrows. Enjoy Chicago's long-standing puppet cabaret with your hirsute host Jameson and somewhat furry friends for a naughty night of raucous, dark, sassy, sad and highly unusual puppet theater. Out-of-towner puppeteers are invited to join local legends for friendly unwinding. All shows are at Links Hall this year for the Nasty, Brutish and Short puppet cabaret.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 17, 2025

7:30 pm: Plexus Polaire: Dracula: Lucy's Dream

In her visual adaptation of the famous myth of Dracula, Yngvild Aspeli freely draws inspiration from Bram Stoker's story to tell the story of Lucy. As the character fights against her inner "Dracula-esque" demon she surfaces and reveals an inclination toward domination, dependence, addiction and destructive force. A metaphor of control, both forced and desired, seductive and deceptive. From the makers of Moby Dick and Chambre Noire, Plexus Polaire returns flaunting its mastery of the form and serving up large-scale spectacle, human size bunraku puppets, hypnotic video projection and their signature style of imbuing the puppet with storytelling power.

Click here to Buy Tickets

10:00 pm - 7:30 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

3:00 pm: Iniskim - Return of the Buffalo FILM

Iniskim - Return of the Buffalo is an intercultural artistic response to the return of the buffalo, as wild animals, to North America. Directed by Leanne Allison and Pete Balkwill, the film is an opportunity to learn about Indigenous ways of knowing. We watch as a group of puppeteers are transformed by their experience of ‘being buffalo' at night under the stars, guided by the stories of the Blackfoot Elders.

Click here to Buy Tickets

4:00 pm: Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre: Made in Macau

Rolling Puppet Alternative Theater from Macau celebrates Chinese culture through both traditional and modern puppetry styles. Known for visually vibrant storytelling, they combine classic puppetry styles with contemporary narratives. At the festival, Made in Macau offers a glimpse into Macau's rich heritage and diverse artistic influences.

Click here to Buy Tickets

5:00 pm: Tortoise in a Nutshell: Concerned Others

Tortoise in a Nutshell, a Scottish puppetry company, creates visually engaging theater that tackles contemporary social issues. Known for its multimedia approach, the company blends puppetry with reflective storytelling. Their festival piece, Concerned Others, encourages audiences to reflect on the dynamics of modern human relationships and society.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:00 pm: Feisty Elephant, Pam Arciero Productions, and Little Shadow Productions: Aanika's Elephants

From Sesame Street staff writer and children's book author Annie Evans, comes a delightful story of compassion and courage. Aanika, a young African girl meets Little, an orphaned baby elephant living at the sanctuary where her father works. The two grow up together surviving some of the pitfalls of humanity, the loss of family and the threat of poachers. Charming and innovative visuals illustrate perfectly the real possibility of adopting new family and finding beautiful peace in the most unexpected of ways.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:30 pm: Theatre de l'Entrouvert and Chicago Puppet Fest: Anywhere

Theatre de l'Entrouvert and the Chicago Puppet Festival collaborate to create minimalist puppet theater with a philosophical edge. Through performances that explore human connection and solitude, they bring subtle narratives that resonate deeply. At this year's festival, Anywhere invites audiences into a quiet, reflective space of universal themes.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:30 pm: Yael Rasooly: The House by the Lake

Yael Rasooly, an acclaimed puppeteer from Israel, creates intimate and poetic performances that blend puppetry with visual storytelling. Her work is known for exploring personal and historical narratives, drawing audiences into detailed, emotionally rich worlds. At this year's festival, Edith and Me tells a story of memory and identity, inviting audiences on a deeply personal journey. Furthermore, in The House by the Lake, Yael Rasooly continues her exploration of memory and mystery through her signature intricate puppetry style. Known for crafting unique, detail-rich settings, Rasooly's work pulls audiences into a world where the past surfaces through layered storytelling. These festival performances offer a suspenseful and nostalgic experience that resonates with audiences on multiple levels.

Click here to Buy Tickets

9:00 pm: RoiZIZO theatre: I Killed the Monster

In a small village in France's Ardennes Forest, peace reigns, and yet, Daniel is a little agitated. Now that he has a new medicine though, some blue pills made by an American pharmaceutical laboratory, everything should be fine…right? A pitch perfect show packed with humor and farcical discoveries, on a simple table using everyday objects. Small-scale grandiose art in a clever, tabletop fable dedicated to the right to be different.

Click here to Buy Tickets

9:00 pm: Cabinet of Curiosity: The Cabinet

It has been 15 years since Chicago audiences last saw critically-acclaimed, The Cabinet. This story of the murderous Dr. Caligari and his somnambulist slave Cesare is set in an off-kilter world of puppetry and intricate machinery. Evoking the 1919 German Expressionist silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and created by Frank Maugeri, it was Redmoon Theater's longest running show, now reinvented for the larger stage. Cabinet of Curiosity revives it with another distinctive "cabinet of curiosities" in which puppeteers manipulate the characters and objects, just as Caligari controlled Cesare's plight.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 18, 2025

10:00 pm: Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium Panel 1 - The Puppet that Brings Us Together: Thoughts on Intercultural Puppetry Arts

This roundtable proposes to explore the challenges, the joys, and the practical and philosophical implications of making intercultural puppetry arts. How do we best engage with people in an intercultural project? What is our relationship to the space where the work is created? How can we engage with objects, materials, and puppets in an intercultural setting? This event centers on the experiences of the following artists: Peter Balkwill (Old Trout Puppet Workshop, Canadian Academy of Masks and Puppetry, University of Calgary, Canada), Ty Defoe (writer, actor, interdisciplinary artist, Ojibwe + Oneida Nations), Teng Teng Lam + Kevin Chio (Rolling Puppet Alternative Theater, Macau), and Dr. Paulette Richards. Moderated by Gabrielle Houle (University of Lethbridge, Canada).

2:00 pm: Plexus Polaire: Dracula: Lucy's Dream

In her visual adaptation of the famous myth of Dracula, Yngvild Aspeli freely draws inspiration from Bram Stoker's story to tell the story of Lucy. As the character fights against her inner "Dracula-esque" demon she surfaces and reveals an inclination toward domination, dependence, addiction and destructive force. A metaphor of control, both forced and desired, seductive and deceptive. From the makers of Moby Dick and Chambre Noire, Plexus Polaire returns flaunting its mastery of the form and serving up large-scale spectacle, human size bunraku puppets, hypnotic video projection and their signature style of imbuing the puppet with storytelling power.

Click here to Buy Tickets

10:00 pm - 7:30 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

1:00 pm: Feisty Elephant, Pam Arciero Productions, and Little Shadow Productions: Aanika's Elephants

From Sesame Street staff writer and children's book author Annie Evans, comes a delightful story of compassion and courage. Aanika, a young African girl meets Little, an orphaned baby elephant living at the sanctuary where her father works. The two grow up together surviving some of the pitfalls of humanity, the loss of family and the threat of poachers. Charming and innovative visuals illustrate perfectly the real possibility of adopting new family and finding beautiful peace in the most unexpected of ways.

Click here to Buy Tickets

3:00 pm: Tortoise in a Nutshell: Concerned Others

Tortoise in a Nutshell, a Scottish puppetry company, creates visually engaging theater that tackles contemporary social issues. Known for its multimedia approach, the company blends puppetry with reflective storytelling. Their festival piece, Concerned Others, encourages audiences to reflect on the dynamics of modern human relationships and society.

Click here to Buy Tickets

5:00 pm: Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre: Made in Macau

Rolling Puppet Alternative Theater from Macau celebrates Chinese culture through both traditional and modern puppetry styles. Known for visually vibrant storytelling, they combine classic puppetry styles with contemporary narratives. At the festival, Made in Macau offers a glimpse into Macau's rich heritage and diverse artistic influences.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:00 pm: RoiZIZO theatre: I Killed the Monster

In a small village in France's Ardennes Forest, peace reigns, and yet, Daniel is a little agitated. Now that he has a new medicine though, some blue pills made by an American pharmaceutical laboratory, everything should be fine…right? A pitch perfect show packed with humor and farcical discoveries, on a simple table using everyday objects. Small-scale grandiose art in a clever, tabletop fable dedicated to the right to be different.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:30 pm: Theatre de l'Entrouvert and Chicago Puppet Fest: Anywhere

Theatre de l'Entrouvert and the Chicago Puppet Festival collaborate to create minimalist puppet theater with a philosophical edge. Through performances that explore human connection and solitude, they bring subtle narratives that resonate deeply. At this year's festival, Anywhere invites audiences into a quiet, reflective space of universal themes.

Click here to Buy Tickets

8:00 pm: Yael Rasooly: The House by the Lake

Yael Rasooly, an acclaimed puppeteer from Israel, creates intimate and poetic performances that blend puppetry with visual storytelling. Her work is known for exploring personal and historical narratives, drawing audiences into detailed, emotionally rich worlds. At this year's festival, Edith and Me tells a story of memory and identity, inviting audiences on a deeply personal journey. Furthermore, in The House by the Lake, Yael Rasooly continues her exploration of memory and mystery through her signature intricate puppetry style. Known for crafting unique, detail-rich settings, Rasooly's work pulls audiences into a world where the past surfaces through layered storytelling. These festival performances offer a suspenseful and nostalgic experience that resonates with audiences on multiple levels.

Click here to Buy Tickets

9:00 pm: Cabinet of Curiosity: The Cabinet

It has been 15 years since Chicago audiences last saw critically-acclaimed, The Cabinet. This story of the murderous Dr. Caligari and his somnambulist slave Cesare is set in an off-kilter world of puppetry and intricate machinery. Evoking the 1919 German Expressionist silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and created by Frank Maugeri, it was Redmoon Theater's longest running show, now reinvented for the larger stage. Cabinet of Curiosity revives it with another distinctive "cabinet of curiosities" in which puppeteers manipulate the characters and objects, just as Caligari controlled Cesare's plight.

Click here to Buy Tickets

10:30 pm: Nasty, Brutish and Short - Week 1

Don't let the evening end! Come join the fun at this fan-favorite late show where eyebrows meet lowbrows. Enjoy Chicago's long-standing puppet cabaret with your hirsute host Jameson and somewhat furry friends for a naughty night of raucous, dark, sassy, sad and highly unusual puppet theater. Out-of-towner puppeteers are invited to join local legends for friendly unwinding. All shows are at Links Hall this year for the Nasty, Brutish and Short puppet cabaret.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 19, 2025

10:00 pm: Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium - Panel 2 - Humans and Objects

The visibility or invisibility of puppeteers manipulating the puppets provokes phenomenological reflection on the nature of human consciousness. What is our relationship to the material world outside of ourselves? In this panel Pam Arciero (Aanika's Elephants), Julian Crouch (Birdheart), Choiti Ghosh (Maati Katha), and Gildwen Peronno (I Killed the Monster) extend this reflection by commenting on how their shows interrogate humans' roles in a variety of ecosystems. Moderated by Dr. Paulette Richards.

2:00 pm: Plexus Polaire: Dracula: Lucy's Dream

In her visual adaptation of the famous myth of Dracula, Yngvild Aspeli freely draws inspiration from Bram Stoker's story to tell the story of Lucy. As the character fights against her inner "Dracula-esque" demon she surfaces and reveals an inclination toward domination, dependence, addiction and destructive force. A metaphor of control, both forced and desired, seductive and deceptive. From the makers of Moby Dick and Chambre Noire, Plexus Polaire returns flaunting its mastery of the form and serving up large-scale spectacle, human size bunraku puppets, hypnotic video projection and their signature style of imbuing the puppet with storytelling power.

Click here to Buy Tickets

10:00 pm - 4:00 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

3:00 pm: RoiZIZO theatre: I Killed the Monster

In a small village in France's Ardennes Forest, peace reigns, and yet, Daniel is a little agitated. Now that he has a new medicine though, some blue pills made by an American pharmaceutical laboratory, everything should be fine…right? A pitch perfect show packed with humor and farcical discoveries, on a simple table using everyday objects. Small-scale grandiose art in a clever, tabletop fable dedicated to the right to be different.

Click here to Buy Tickets

3:00 pm: Cabinet of Curiosity: The Cabinet

It has been 15 years since Chicago audiences last saw critically-acclaimed, The Cabinet. This story of the murderous Dr. Caligari and his somnambulist slave Cesare is set in an off-kilter world of puppetry and intricate machinery. Evoking the 1919 German Expressionist silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and created by Frank Maugeri, it was Redmoon Theater's longest running show, now reinvented for the larger stage. Cabinet of Curiosity revives it with another distinctive "cabinet of curiosities" in which puppeteers manipulate the characters and objects, just as Caligari controlled Cesare's plight.

Click here to Buy Tickets

4:00 pm: Tortoise in a Nutshell: Concerned Others

Tortoise in a Nutshell, a Scottish puppetry company, creates visually engaging theater that tackles contemporary social issues. Known for its multimedia approach, the company blends puppetry with reflective storytelling. Their festival piece, Concerned Others, encourages audiences to reflect on the dynamics of modern human relationships and society.

Click here to Buy Tickets

4:00 pm: Theatre de l'Entrouvert and Chicago Puppet Fest: Anywhere

Theatre de l'Entrouvert and the Chicago Puppet Festival collaborate to create minimalist puppet theater with a philosophical edge. Through performances that explore human connection and solitude, they bring subtle narratives that resonate deeply. At this year's festival, Anywhere invites audiences into a quiet, reflective space of universal themes.

Click here to Buy Tickets

5:00 pm: Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre: Made in Macau

Rolling Puppet Alternative Theater from Macau celebrates Chinese culture through both traditional and modern puppetry styles. Known for visually vibrant storytelling, they combine classic puppetry styles with contemporary narratives. At the festival, Made in Macau offers a glimpse into Macau's rich heritage and diverse artistic influences.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 21, 2025

6:00 pm: Tram Arts Trust: Maati Katha

In the dangerous and magical land of Sunderbans - the vast forested delta area in West Bengal (Eastern India) and Bangladesh - great rivers combine and split before merging into the Bay of Bengal. Here, living is a fragile balance between land and water, forest and field, domestic and wild, calm and storm and, of course, people. The legend and philosophy of "Bonbibi" looms large in popular imagination, "You are all connected: the crocodile, the tiger, water, forest, land, all human beings…All!" Real-time sculpting meets traditional storytelling as shape shifting ‘maati' (clay, mud, soil, earth, land) shines in the Land of 18 Tides.

Click here to Buy Tickets

8:00 pm: La ruee vers l'or: Arctic Tall Tales

In the mid-1900s only a handful of intrepid hunters and adventurers remain scattered across Greenland's northeast coast. Inspired by writings from Jørn Riel's scientific expedition in the 1950s and 1960s and the subsequent, celebrated graphic novels created 2009-2018 by Frenchman Herve Tanquerelle, Arctic Tall Tales brings tales of adventure, independence, isolation and nature. It's not easy to keep a cool head in the harsh conditions, and yet, the vast wilderness, the majestic snow-covered expanse and the unlikely fates of trusty comrades leave us asking: are they truths, lies or myths? Regardless, together they are larger than life, with puppetry, storytelling, and a live Foley artist generating sound effects in real time. The effect is a universe both uproarious and poetic.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 22, 2025

10:00 pm - 7:00 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

5:00 pm: Tram Arts Trust: Maati Katha

In the dangerous and magical land of Sunderbans - the vast forested delta area in West Bengal (Eastern India) and Bangladesh - great rivers combine and split before merging into the Bay of Bengal. Here, living is a fragile balance between land and water, forest and field, domestic and wild, calm and storm and, of course, people. The legend and philosophy of "Bonbibi" looms large in popular imagination, "You are all connected: the crocodile, the tiger, water, forest, land, all human beings…All!" Real-time sculpting meets traditional storytelling as shape shifting ‘maati' (clay, mud, soil, earth, land) shines in the Land of 18 Tides.

Click here to Buy Tickets

5:00 pm: La ruee vers l'or: Arctic Tall Tales

In the mid-1900s only a handful of intrepid hunters and adventurers remain scattered across Greenland's northeast coast. Inspired by writings from Jørn Riel's scientific expedition in the 1950s and 1960s and the subsequent, celebrated graphic novels created 2009-2018 by Frenchman Herve Tanquerelle, Arctic Tall Tales brings tales of adventure, independence, isolation and nature. It's not easy to keep a cool head in the harsh conditions, and yet, the vast wilderness, the majestic snow-covered expanse and the unlikely fates of trusty comrades leave us asking: are they truths, lies or myths? Regardless, together they are larger than life, with puppetry, storytelling, and a live Foley artist generating sound effects in real time. The effect is a universe both uproarious and poetic.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:00 pm: Baxter Theatre and Handspring Puppet Co - J.M. Coetzee's Life and Times of Michael K

In this stunning transformation of Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee's Booker Prize-winning novel by the same name, a humble man finds solace in nature as he takes an epic journey through a mythical, war-torn landscape. In search of his mother's ancestral home, he finds strength in his own humanity and a profound connection to the earth. With puppets by Handspring Puppet Company, known for building the War Horse and Little Amal, Cape Town's Baxter Theatre brings us a new level of exquisite bunraku-style puppet theater.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 23, 2025

10:00 pm - 7:00 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

5:00 pm: Josh Rice Projects: Kayfabe

Jump in the ring for this puppet wrestling entertainment spectacular! Puppetry meets pro wrestling, meets rock show; high art meets low art meets Samuel Beckett! A frenetic frenzy slash aburdist love letter combines Bunraku-style table-top puppetry, cart puppetry, live-feed projection (instant replay) and object performance, as well as the wrestling tropes of matches, monologues, and music and video.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:30 pm: Marana: Organismo

Berlin's cutting-edge collective brings this celebrated kaleidescope aerial arts piece, combining art installation, contemporary circus, object theater, textile arts, live music - and lots and lots of wool. A trust-filled performance of connectedness and obsessive organic magic, where the division between object and body become indistinguishable, teems in a massive, hand-knit visual feast.

Click here to Buy Tickets

10:00 pm: Nasty, Brutish and Short - Week 2

Don't let the evening end! Come join the fun at this fan-favorite late show where eyebrows meet lowbrows. Enjoy Chicago's long-standing puppet cabaret with your hirsute host Jameson and somewhat furry friends for a naughty night of raucous, dark, sassy, sad and highly unusual puppet theater. Out-of-towner puppeteers are invited to join local legends for friendly unwinding. All shows are at Links Hall this year for the Nasty, Brutish and Short puppet cabaret.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:30 pm: Yael Rasooly: Edith and Me

Based on a true story, Yael Rasooly bring her virtuosic vocals and puppetry to share the struggle of a singer nearly silenced at the hands of political leaders, immobilized, and perhaps never to perform again. Yet she is not alone - the famous singer icon Edith Piaf is there to drag her out of bed and pull her back into life. "Edith and Me" is a one woman show doubling the power of French cabaret.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 24, 2025

10:00 pm - 7:30 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

1:00 pm: Marana: Organismo

Berlin's cutting-edge collective brings this celebrated kaleidescope aerial arts piece, combining art installation, contemporary circus, object theater, textile arts, live music - and lots and lots of wool. A trust-filled performance of connectedness and obsessive organic magic, where the division between object and body become indistinguishable, teems in a massive, hand-knit visual feast.

Click here to Buy Tickets

3:00 pm: Baxter Theatre and Handspring Puppet Co - J.M. Coetzee's Life and Times of Michael K

In this stunning transformation of Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee's Booker Prize-winning novel by the same name, a humble man finds solace in nature as he takes an epic journey through a mythical, war-torn landscape. In search of his mother's ancestral home, he finds strength in his own humanity and a profound connection to the earth. With puppets by Handspring Puppet Company, known for building the War Horse and Little Amal, Cape Town's Baxter Theatre brings us a new level of exquisite bunraku-style puppet theater.

Click here to Buy Tickets

5:00 pm: UnterWasser: Untold

What cannot be said, cannot be explored nor elaborated upon, so neither can it be resolved. Untold shares a meticulous melding of shadow puppetry, original soundtrack, and illusion to reveal artifice and clues. Images demand the limelight and messages push to the surface in this striking piece of poetic reflection with remarkable technical detail counterpointing the solitude of interior life against a metropolis bustling with crowds and chaos.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:00 pm: Anthony Michael Stokes: The Scarecrow

In a fabulous mash-up of musical, puppets, and the story of OZ, the newly appointed "Majesty the Scarecrow" is tasked to save the citizens of Winkie country from an ever-increasing horde of crows. Fascinated by how he came to be hanging in a field in the first place, his Majesty follows a journey back home learning who he was and discovering who he must be. Joined by new companions; the Wogglebug, Sawhorse, the Patchwork girl and a perpetually puckish crow, his journey lead to discoveries and connections between Oz and the African-American experience in the United States in the early 1900's.

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7:30 pm: Yael Rasooly: Edith and Me

Based on a true story, Yael Rasooly bring her virtuosic vocals and puppetry to share the struggle of a singer nearly silenced at the hands of political leaders, immobilized, and perhaps never to perform again. Yet she is not alone - the famous singer icon Edith Piaf is there to drag her out of bed and pull her back into life. "Edith and Me" is a one woman show doubling the power of French cabaret.

Click here to Buy Tickets

7:30 pm: Josh Rice Projects: Kayfabe

Jump in the ring for this puppet wrestling entertainment spectacular! Puppetry meets pro wrestling, meets rock show; high art meets low art meets Samuel Beckett! A frenetic frenzy slash aburdist love letter combines Bunraku-style table-top puppetry, cart puppetry, live-feed projection (instant replay) and object performance, as well as the wrestling tropes of matches, monologues, and music and video.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 25, 2025

10:00 pm: Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium Panel 3 - Notes on Sounds and Words

Language, music, and soundscapes are especially important elements in numerous works of puppetry this festival. Artists will discuss how the sounds that arise from manipulation of material, the dialogue, the soundscape, and musical accompaniment complement the puppet as a visual object. In this panel Craig Leo (Life and Times of Michael K), Yael Rasooly (The House by the Lake, Edith and Me), Paula Riquelme (Organismo), and Anthony Michael Stokes (The Scarecrow), respond to the question: What do sounds and words contribute to the emotional journey of each story? Moderated by Dr. Paulette Richards.

10:00 pm - 7:30 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

1:00 pm: UnterWasser: Untold

What cannot be said, cannot be explored nor elaborated upon, so neither can it be resolved. Untold shares a meticulous melding of shadow puppetry, original soundtrack, and illusion to reveal artifice and clues. Images demand the limelight and messages push to the surface in this striking piece of poetic reflection with remarkable technical detail counterpointing the solitude of interior life against a metropolis bustling with crowds and chaos.

Click here to Buy Tickets

1:00 pm: Josh Rice Projects: Kayfabe

Jump in the ring for this puppet wrestling entertainment spectacular! Puppetry meets pro wrestling, meets rock show; high art meets low art meets Samuel Beckett! A frenetic frenzy slash aburdist love letter combines Bunraku-style table-top puppetry, cart puppetry, live-feed projection (instant replay) and object performance, as well as the wrestling tropes of matches, monologues, and music and video.

Click here to Buy Tickets

3:00 pm: Baxter Theatre and Handspring Puppet Co - J.M. Coetzee's Life and Times of Michael K

In this stunning transformation of Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee's Booker Prize-winning novel by the same name, a humble man finds solace in nature as he takes an epic journey through a mythical, war-torn landscape. In search of his mother's ancestral home, he finds strength in his own humanity and a profound connection to the earth. With puppets by Handspring Puppet Company, known for building the War Horse and Little Amal, Cape Town's Baxter Theatre brings us a new level of exquisite bunraku-style puppet theater.

Click here to Buy Tickets

4:00 pm: Marana: Organismo

Berlin's cutting-edge collective brings this celebrated kaleidescope aerial arts piece, combining art installation, contemporary circus, object theater, textile arts, live music - and lots and lots of wool. A trust-filled performance of connectedness and obsessive organic magic, where the division between object and body become indistinguishable, teems in a massive, hand-knit visual feast.

Click here to Buy Tickets

5:00 pm: Anthony Michael Stokes: The Scarecrow

In a fabulous mash-up of musical, puppets, and the story of OZ, the newly appointed "Majesty the Scarecrow" is tasked to save the citizens of Winkie country from an ever-increasing horde of crows. Fascinated by how he came to be hanging in a field in the first place, his Majesty follows a journey back home learning who he was and discovering who he must be. Joined by new companions; the Wogglebug, Sawhorse, the Patchwork girl and a perpetually puckish crow, his journey lead to discoveries and connections between Oz and the African-American experience in the United States in the early 1900's.

Click here to Buy Tickets

8:00 pm: Yael Rasooly: Edith and Me

Based on a true story, Yael Rasooly bring her virtuosic vocals and puppetry to share the struggle of a singer nearly silenced at the hands of political leaders, immobilized, and perhaps never to perform again. Yet she is not alone - the famous singer icon Edith Piaf is there to drag her out of bed and pull her back into life. "Edith and Me" is a one woman show doubling the power of French cabaret.

Click here to Buy Tickets

10:30 pm: Nasty, Brutish and Short - Week 2

Don't let the evening end! Come join the fun at this fan-favorite late show where eyebrows meet lowbrows. Enjoy Chicago's long-standing puppet cabaret with your hirsute host Jameson and somewhat furry friends for a naughty night of raucous, dark, sassy, sad and highly unusual puppet theater. Out-of-towner puppeteers are invited to join local legends for friendly unwinding. All shows are at Links Hall this year for the Nasty, Brutish and Short puppet cabaret.

Click here to Buy Tickets

January 26, 2025

10:00 pm: Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium - Panel 4 - The Image Aspect of the Puppet

Claudia Orenstein observes that the puppet must do in order to be. In this panel Alex Bird (Concerned Others), Giulia De Canio (Untold), Plexus Polaire (Dracula), and Josh Rice (Kayfabe) will address the question of how the puppet as kinetic object and the puppet as visual image work together. Moderated by Dassia N. Posner.

10:00 pm - 4:00 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

1:00 pm: UnterWasser: Untold

What cannot be said, cannot be explored nor elaborated upon, so neither can it be resolved. Untold shares a meticulous melding of shadow puppetry, original soundtrack, and illusion to reveal artifice and clues. Images demand the limelight and messages push to the surface in this striking piece of poetic reflection with remarkable technical detail counterpointing the solitude of interior life against a metropolis bustling with crowds and chaos.

Click here to Buy Tickets

3:00 pm: Baxter Theatre and Handspring Puppet Co - J.M. Coetzee's Life and Times of Michael K

In this stunning transformation of Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee's Booker Prize-winning novel by the same name, a humble man finds solace in nature as he takes an epic journey through a mythical, war-torn landscape. In search of his mother's ancestral home, he finds strength in his own humanity and a profound connection to the earth. With puppets by Handspring Puppet Company, known for building the War Horse and Little Amal, Cape Town's Baxter Theatre brings us a new level of exquisite bunraku-style puppet theater.

Click here to Buy Tickets

6:00 pm: Closing Party: Narcissister LIVE!

Narcisisster employs a truly unforgettable, spectacle rich approach to explorations of gender, racial identity and burlesque. Humor, pop songs, elaborate costumes, contemporary dance and her trademark mask work collide in this thought-provoking and wildly entertaining performance. The show will be emceed by Chicago's own, Kasey Foster featuring live music. A not-to-be-missed closing show and fundraiser in support of the Festival!

Click here to Buy Tickets

Date: January 15 - January 26, 2025

Location: Various Venues In Chicago, IL

Click here for more information