Center for Puppetry Arts

a CILC Content Provider

The Center for Puppetry Arts opened to the public on September 23, 1978, when Kermit the Frog and his creator Jim Henson cut the ceremonial ribbon. The first puppetry center in the United States, today it is the largest American organization solely dedicated to the art of puppet theater.

The Center has been a leading voice in the field, and has hosted numerous conferences and festivals. In addition, the Center has been recognized both nationally and internationally as an organization for excellence. The Ford Foundation recently selected the Center as one of only 28 national organizations to be recognized for success in management and innovative programs. The prestigious Kresge Foundation awarded the Center three different grants to support its capital campaigns. The Center was also the only theater group chosen by the 1996 Olympics to participate in all four years of its arts festival program.

Trailer for Texas A & M /Center for Puppetry Arts collaborative project from Center for Puppetry Arts on Vimeo.

2023-2024

2022-2023

2021-2022

2020-2021

2018-2019

2017-2018

2015-2016

2014-2015

2013-2014

2012-2013

Honorable Mention

2011-2012

2010-2011

2009-2010

2008-2009

2007-2008

Programs by Center for Puppetry Arts

A LIVE INTERACTIVE PUPPET SHOW! Aesop's Fantabulous Fables

Set in Ancient Greece, Aesop’s Fantastical Fables! will tell the story of a servant Aesop and his sidekick Cecil the Lion who share with the audience the stories Aesop has created, using puppets. Aesop tells three classic tales, The Lion and the...

A LIVE, INTERACTIVE PUPPET SHOW! Little Red Hen & the Grain of Wheat

This classic tale comes to life through an interactive performance led by our puppeteer. Colorful hand puppets tell the story of a hen who finds a grain of wheat. She wants to harvest the wheat but none of the other barnyard animals will help her,...

Africa (Mali)

Students build a Malian Rod Puppet (water spirit) and learn about Malian puppetry. Students also learn characteristics about the continent of Africa (different topography, people and cultures) and Mali itself. This is a great arts and social...

Anansi the Spider: A West African Folktale

Students witness the African folktale Anansi as it comes to life with brilliantly colored shadow puppets. The story is narrated and performed by a Center presenter. Following the short performance, students participate in learning activities about...

Butterflies

Each student will construct a Butterfly Marionette while participating in learning activities about the lifecycle of the butterfly, what makes a butterfly an insect, and coloring and camouflage. Video clips and photographs of the different stages...

Dinosaurs

Students learn interesting facts about dinosaurs while building a Dinosaur Cup puppet. Learning activities focus on the following: meat eaters vs. plant eaters, ways that dinosaurs moved, and ways that dinosaurs protected themselves. This is a...

Discovering Puppetry in Other Cultures

Program format and content are adapted based on participating age group. Students are introduced to other countries and cultures through puppetry. Students learn about puppetry traditions of Mali (Africa), Japan and China (choose 2 countries...

Discovering Puppetry: CHINA

Visual literacy is a strong focus with this program. Students are introduced to China through it's rich puppetry history. Students view puppets and replicas from the Center's global museum collection with open Q & A and discussion. Short video...

Exploring Africa:

Students build a Giraffe Rod Puppet while learning about Africa. Students view a Malian Rod Puppet and learn briefly about the art of puppetry in Africa today. We discuss different types of homes, people, environments, and animals of the Savanna-...

Exploring Antarctica

Students will build a Penguin Hand Puppet while learning about Antarctica. The discovery and exploration of the continent, plant and animal life (seals, penguins, whales, and more), and fascinating facts about ice and glaciers (frozen rivers...

Gingerbread Boy

Students witness the classic tale of The Gingerbread Boy come to life with brilliantly colored shadow puppets. The story is narrated and performed during the first part of the program. Led by the program presenter, students make their very own...

Making Healthy Choices

Little Noodle, star of the Center’s original stage production Adventures of Little Noodle, joins the Distance Learning Team as co-host for our program about healthy living, Making Healthy Choices. Little Noodle gets students movin’ and groovin...

Mexico

Students learn about the history and culture of Mexico and its people through the art of the mask. Learning activities center around the story of the flag of Mexico & ancient Aztec culture, ancient pictographs of indigenous animals of the...

Native Americans

Learning activities about different Native American cultures will take place while students create their very own Hopi Kachina puppet. Activities focus on three Native American cultures (Eastern Woodlands, Plains, Southwest), the use of natural...

Plants

Students will construct a Pop-Up Plant puppet while learning about the various parts of a plant and their functions. Students will also discuss photosynthesis and plants as food. This is a great arts and science lesson all in one!

Puppet Building 101:Jointed Rod Puppets

Participants will build a working, jointed Bunraku (Japanese rod) style puppet from recycled newspaper, masking tape, and craft sticks! Based on the human figure and human proportions, puppets can be transformed into just about any character...

Spiders

The puppet and learning activities for this program can be modified to suit the participating age group. Students build a Spider Marionette while participating in learning activities about how spiders and insects differ, web vs. wandering spiders,...

Tropical Rain Forest

Student will construct a flying Tropical Bird Rod puppet. They will participate in learning activities about the location of tropical rainforests and their relationship to the equator and tropic lines, various animals found in the rain forest and...

Type of Organization

Arts/Cultural/Museum

Contact

Sara Burmenko digitallearning@puppet.org
1404 Spring St., NW @ 18th
Atlanta GA 30309
4048815117
United States

http://www.puppet.org/edu/distance.shtml

Primary Disciplines

The programs of Center for Puppetry Arts cover:

Art
Culture
Fine Arts
Health & Physical Education
Industrial Technology
Language Arts/English
Literacy
Performing Arts
Science
History & Social Studies
Technology/Information Science
multiple intelligences

Awards, Quotes, Testimonials

AWARDS for DL PROGRAM:

2014 USDLA 21st Century Best Practices in Distance Learning

2012 Home Depot Innovative Process Model Award

CILC Pinnacle Award Winner (2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013 H.M., 2013-2014, 2014-2015)

Recipient of the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 (Honorable Mention) Teacher's Favorite Award for Best Content Provider/Fine Arts Museum

2008 Tech Laureate Award/Microsoft Education Category/ The Tech Museum

2008-2009 Jim Henson Community Award
Newsweek said the Center is "one of the most exciting companies in American theater."

"I wish all the Distance Learning programs we have could be as well done and interesting." Robin Run Village, IN

"It had a great impact on our learning outcomes. The visual pictures and hands on activities help my visual learners & kinsthetic learners." Francis Howell School District, MO

"Met my expectations and beyond. The presenter really brought the info. to the kids level." Horseheads Central School District, NY