WORKSHOPS

An up-close look at ways to incorporate performing arts in educational settings or add new pizzazz to your storytelling and puppetry skills. New workshops are always being developed. Let's work together to develop a workshop that would be perfect for you and your group.

The Basics: So you're an artist who wants to work in the schools? Learn how to understand the needs and the language.

Communicating with Kids: Children are not our future, they are our NOW!! Discover what they really hear and see when you are trying to communicate with them.

What is the Common Core? Learn how to use the Common Core and what teachers are expecting you to know. 

How to Write a Lesson Plan: How to put your ideas on paper so teachers know that you can get the job done.

Classroom Management and Control: Tips and techniques to keep students interested and the classroom well-managed.

Foam Puppet Construction: This requires at least four hours to complete and is subject to an additional per-person charge. Participants spend time constructing a puppet they can keep.  

Beginning Puppetry: An overall view of the art of puppetry: includes presentations and examples of several types of puppetry and how each of the puppets is operated. (one session)

Developing Character and Voices: This workshop is not only an asset to puppetry but also to many other types of creative arts such as drama.

Music and Puppetry: How to develop a puppet presentation to music using puppets and props.

Introduction to Blacklight Puppetry: Presentation with illustrations of blacklight puppets and props. Instruction is also given on where to obtain blacklights and staging.

Blacklight Performance Workshop : This workshop requires a minimum of two hours of instruction. Participants are taught a blacklight performance set to music which can be performed for an audience during the weekend conference. Requires some staging assembly for the performance.

Puppet Director’s Workshop: How to put a puppet team together and keeping it going.

Puppets, Props and Music: Learn how to choreograph a song using puppets and props.

Resources and Help: Where to find puppet equipment, books, foam, adhesives and other materials for making puppets and props.

How to Organize a Drama using Puppets and Children:
In this class we will explore the advantage of incorporating puppetry in your church dramas. This class will also help you learn some techniques on how to make the best use of practice time, technology, and a plan to help your performers, as young as four years old, memorize their lines and learn songs.

Improvisation and Live Puppetry: Tips, ideas and thoughts used to make improvisation possible.

Simple Balloon Sculpting: Easy balloon sculptures to get you started. Great for mission trips, children’s church or street witnessing. Additional cost of $3 per person.

Simple Origami: Sometimes children are allergic to latex or are too young for a balloon. This is a great option for those times. Also learn a story or two to go along with your sculptures.   

Basic Puppet Manipulation: How to make you puppet look real. Lip sync and movement.

How to Put Together a Successful Children’s Musical or Drama Performance: Technique on how to make the best use of practice time and a plan on helping your performers, as young as four years old, to memorize their lines and learn songs.

Simple Hand Puppetry: Introduction to hand puppetry and manipulation. Easy ways to use hand puppets with or without voices.

Foam is Our Friend: What can you make out of foam? Most anything you may want or need for a prop. Instruction on some different types of foam, where to get it, how to cut it and adhesives to stick it together.

Props: Where Do They Come From? Discovers stuff you can use to make props and costumes, plus ways to use discarded items to make great additions to your show. You’ll never look at Lowe’s or Home Depot as just hardware stores anymore.

Storytelling Basics: You want to tell a story, not just read it. Learn how to make that story come alive and draw your audience into that world.

Puppets in the Classroom: Puppets can be a very effective tool to transfer information to children and adults. We will look at several ways that puppets can be used in a classroom setting.

The Art of Solo Puppetry: Within the church we usually think of puppetry as a team effort. In this class we will focus on some ways you can use puppetry effectively as a solo artist.