Czech Festival Visitor Program Opportunity: November 6-9, 2025

/
Czech Festival Visitor Program Opportunity: November 6-9, 2025

Dramaturges, artistic directors, theatre educators and facilitators and other performing arts professionals are invited to take part in the Hi PerformanCZ: Visitors’ Programme of Puppet Productions. The programme will take place on November 6 – 9, 2025 in Prague in cooperation with the One Flew over the Pupeteer’s Nest festival organised by the Czech UNIMA Centre and Loutkář/Puppeteer Magazine.

Read More

Upcoming Zoom sessions with the Center for Puppetry Arts!

/

July 22 @ 7pm

https://puppet.org/programs/life-legacy-of-richard-hunt/

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Richard Hunt
Virtual Panel Discussion

Presented by Jessica Max Stein, author of Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography, with Rob Mills (Junior Gorg from Fraggle Rock and Ludo from Labyrinth), Gord Robertson (Pa Gorg from Fraggle Rock and Falkor from The Neverending Story III), and Lawrence Mirkin (Producer, Fraggle Rock and The Jim Henson Hour)

Celebrate the life and legacy of Richard Hunt, the renowned Muppeteer known for performances as Scooter, Janice, Statler, Beaker, and many more. Join us for a virtual discussion honoring the joyful life and creative legacy of beloved puppeteer Richard Hunt. This special event will feature Jessica Max Stein, author of Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography (Rutgers University Press, 2024), in conversation with Rob Mills and Gord Robertson, performers from Fraggle Rock, and Lawrence Mirkin, producer of the series.

Known for his friendly disposition and infectious humor, Hunt was a cherished member of the Henson team and a key contributor to the spirit of “Affectionate Anarchy” that defined the Muppets. The evening will include a reading of select excerpts from Stein’s biography, followed by a lively conversation reflecting on Hunt’s work, personality, and enduring impact.

 

July 27th @ 5pm

https://puppet.org/programs/bts-with-shadow-girls-cult/

Behind the Scenes with Shadow Girls Cult
Virtual Behind the Scenes
Presented by Shadow Girls Cult of Seattle, WA

Known for their surreal, hand-crafted visuals and experimental storytelling, performance troupe Shadow Girls Cult has developed a unique technique that fuses vintage overhead projectors, layered paper cutouts, live puppetry, and analog film effects to create haunting, dreamlike shadowscapes in real time.

This live-streamed event offers a rare demonstration of these signature techniques, providing participants with insight into how the collective blurs the line between live theater and animation. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the group’s creative process, artistic influences, and the making of UNRAVELING, as well as get a first look at their setup in advance of the performances from August 13 to 17.

CALL FOR SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES FOR THE MÓIN-MÓIN JOURNAL, Ed. 32: The Stage of Celebration - Puppet Theatre, Ritual, Festivity, and Community

/

UNIMA Brazil invites you to share your research and reflections on the rich and multifaceted relationship between puppet theatre (in its various forms: puppet theatre, object theatre, mask theatre, and shadow theatre) and its profound connections with rituals, festivities, and community dynamics.

Your work may explore, but is not limited to:

  • The historical and anthropological roots of puppet theatre in ritual and festive contexts.

  • The presence and significance of puppets, objects, masks, and shadows in ceremonies, celebrations, and cultural traditions.

  • The role of puppet theatre as a tool for expressing community identity and strengthening social bonds.

  • Case studies investigating the function of puppet theatre in contemporary festivals and popular manifestations.

  • Analyses on the use of puppet theatre in educational, therapeutic, and social intervention projects within the community.

  • Theoretical and methodological perspectives for the analysis of the interaction between puppet theatre and ritual and community contexts.

  • Reflections on the evolution and new possibilities of puppet theatre in dialogue with the demands and expressions of contemporary communities.

  • The representations of ethnic-racial identities in puppet theatre in ritual and festive contexts.

  • The role of puppet theatre in the preservation, celebration, and transmission of cultures and knowledge.

  • Case studies investigating the function of puppet theatre in festivals, rituals, and celebrations.

  • Reflections on research methodologies and ethical approaches in the study of the relationships between puppet theatre, rituals, and festivities.

  • Puppet theatre as a ritual and community expression in the northeast and north of Brazil: popular tradition and cultural resistance.

We encourage the submission of original articles, translations, interviews, and unpublished reports that deepen the knowledge about this fascinating intersection between art, culture, and society.

We look forward to your contributions to illuminate the stage of celebration and its intrinsic links with puppet theatre and community life. The submission guidelines and our article template can be found on the "author guidelines" page.

Submission Guidelines: https://www.revistas.udesc.br/index.php/moin/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

Submission Deadline: September 30, 2025

Join Fishing Fresh online as part of the 24th UNIMA Congress!

/

The 24th UNIMA Congress in Chuncheon South Korea has begun! Check out photos from the festivities on UNIMA and UNIMA-USA's social media pages all week! While registration for the congress has closed, you can still take part in the Youth Commission's online idea sharing session - Fishing Fresh on May 28th, 8am ET. See below for more information:

The Unima Youth Commission invites you to join us for the Fishing for Fresh Ideas online session on May 28th at 9pm Korean Time/2pm Central European Time/8am Eastern Standard Time. Please use your world clock to find your local time zone. This session offers the opportunity for UNIMA members to share new projects, artistic achievements and seek international collaborations. Come support the thriving of the global field of puppetry! 

Register before May 26th: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/skWpjczuTOG995dGIk882A 

 

unima.org | instagram | facebook 

Open Call for the 16th Edition of the INternational Theater Festival for Children and Youth in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

/

The Teatro CÚCARA-MÁCARA Foundation, Inc., is honored to invite you to the celebration of the 16th edition of the International Theater Festival for Children and Youth (FITIJ-RD), an event that, over the years, has established itself as one of the most important and highly anticipated in the Dominican Republic, as well as throughout the Caribbean and Central America. This festival, which pays tribute to over four decades of history of the Teatro CÚCARA-MÁCARA Foundation —an institution with 44 years of experience on stage— continues to be a pillar in the cultural development of the community through a program that promotes the tradition of theater as a tool for personal growth, cultural exchange, wholesome entertainment, and the dissemination of knowledge. With this new edition, we invite professional theater groups and companies specializing in performances for children, youth, and family audiences to submit their proposals to be part of this very special festival, which will take place at the main theaters of the city of Santo Domingo, D.N., from November 4 to 16, 2025. This event promises to remain a key platform for enjoyment, reflection, and the development of creativity through the art of theater.

Terms and guidelines of the FITIJ-RD 2025 Call in PDF format: ACCESS HERE→ We ask companies to review them carefully, as by completing the registration form, they agree to the terms set forth in the document.

Announcing the newest podcast from UNIMA Puppeteers Trust - India

/

UNIMA Puppeteers Trust - India is pleased to invite you to the ninth session of ANUBHAV, a signature podcast series presented by UNIMA Puppeteers Trust India, showcasing diverse voices from the world of puppetry.

 Anubhav #9 features Dr. Gouranga Charan Dash, a renowned researcher, pedagogue, and veteran puppeteer, celebrated for his lifelong contribution to the Raavan Chhaya shadow puppetry tradition of Odisha.

Join us for this special session to explore the history, philosophy, and nuances of this unique art form through the lens of a true master.

 Date: Sunday, 18th May 2025
 Time: 3:00 PM IST
 Venue: Online via Zoom (registration required)

 Register here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tP46ea1hT9qso5DbwDbanw


Team UNIMA Puppeteers Trust India
https://www.unimapuppeteerstrust.in/
Email: puppeteerstrust@gmail.com