About the program

Applications Open May 15th

Get ready to build big, bold, and glowing puppets! Under the expert guidance of master puppet builder Andrew Kim of Thingumajig Theatre (@ThingumaTheatre), workshop participants will spend two weeks bringing two Giant Lantern Puppets to life—each in a different style. These stunning creations will remain with Sandglass Theater and be ready to light up future community events.

Participants dive hands-on into every part of the puppet-making process—design, sculpture, mechanisms, LED lighting, tissue paper, Worbla (a moldable thermoplastic), foam, painting, costuming, and performance. One of the puppets will be The Ghost Moose—a powerful image that celebrates Vermont’s traditions while reflecting on how climate change is reshaping our local environment and species.

The workshop will take place September 30th to October 10th, 9:30am to 5:30pm Daily (October 5th Day Off), with a procession of the Ghost Moose on October 10th at Sunset.

This workshop leads right into the Puppets in Paradise weekend. On Friday night, both giant puppets will make their grand debut in a glowing lantern parade, followed by a mesmerizing outdoor shadow puppetry performance by Rahul Koonathara, a 12th-generation artist from Kerala, India for a celebration of shadow and light to launch us into a whole weekend of short form puppetry on the farm.

Participants must be committed to the entire duration of the workshop.

Participants will also receive free admission to Puppets in Paradise at Retreat Farm, October 11th & 12th, 10am-4pm daily.