Join us for this 3-week intensive large-scale rod puppet exploration!
Large-scale puppets lend themselves to a wide range of creative uses, whether in a theatrical play, a community setting, in parades or as part of civil protest. The history of giant puppetry is deep and varied. Explore this powerful tradition of image making with Clay and Paper Theatre, masters of narrative theatre with large-scale puppetry, musical soundscapes and exaggerated gestures.
For this workshop we will focus on large-scale rod puppets, which only require one puppeteer. A rod puppet usually consists of a face or some other main image that will be attached to a length of wood (the rod). Attached to the ‘head’ of the image will be fabric that helps create more movement for the puppet and also covers the puppeteer either completely or partially. In some instances a rod puppet can also have one arm (a hand or other extension also attached to a smaller rod).
From left to right: 1) The Queen, a small scale rod puppet from The King’s Story. 2) Medium sized rod puppets from the Night of Dread Festival . 3) A large scale rod puppet from the play, The Epic of Gilgamesh. All puppets and original shows created by Clay and Paper Theatre
Workshop goals
The goal of the workshop is to teach participants how to build a rod puppet from start to finish, using clay, papier-maché, and re-used fabric and other fibre materials. We will also discuss the context for using such puppets, such as, how do giant images lend themselves to working in public spaces and telling “big” stories.
This workshop will have a maximum of 8 to 10 participants and each participant will build their own image. In preparation for this workshop we ask that you consider an ‘event’ for which you would like to build a rod puppet. You do not have to commit to animating this puppet in the event, but it is a way for you to commit to an image that is part of a realistic context. This will help you be more specific about your vision and design.
Here are some examples of events that you might want to build a puppet for:
Celebrations:
You’d like to create a puppet for the Toronto Pride Parade; or you might want to pay tribute to a community member at a local event in your neighbourhood; or you would like to create an image as part of a Summer or Winter Solstice ritual.
Protests and Actions:
Perhaps you are an activist focused on affordable housing, or the climate crisis, or the peace movement and would like to create a rod puppet to take out to a public action.
Theatrical Practices:
Are you working on a play? A Fringe show? Or do you have a character in mind for a rod puppet that would allow you to experiment more with the world of object puppetry?
Workshop schedule breakdown
Pre-Workshop Design Consultation and Coaching – April 6 to 10th – Zoom Times TBA
The imagining phase of an idea is incredibly fun, but it’s also a little daunting sometimes. In our pre-workshop one-on-one consultation, we’d like to help you get your bearings and offer some direction and coaching around puppet ideas and construction, before we begin the group and individual studio work.
Once you have signed up for the workshop, an online schedule will be shared with you so that you can pick a one-hour consultation session that’s convenient for you with our Clay and Paper Theatre workshop facilitators.
Studio Session 1 – Thursday, April 11th, 2024, 6:30 to 9:00pm
Discuss background/context of giant puppets, develop and review image ideas, thematic discussion, guided group feedback, decide on materials, clay prep
Studio Session 2 – Saturday, April 13th, 2024, 12:30 to 4:00pm
Build armatures/supports (for clay) and sculpt images
Studio Session 3 – Thursday, April 18th, 2024, 6:30 to 9:00pm
Complete sculptures, papier-maché sculptures, review ‘costumes’ designs/gather materials from Clay and Paper Theatre fabric bins or participants can bring their own materials for this part
Studio Session 4 – Saturday, April 20th, 2024, 12:30 to 4:00pm
Remove puppet from sculpture form, add wire, complete any repairs with more papier-machéing if necessary, paint, continue with costume construction
Studio Session 5 – Thursday, April 25th, 2024, 6:30 to 9:00pm
Finish painting, finish costumes/begin to attach to puppet, begin rigging, sew puppet pouch
Studio Session 6 – Saturday, April 27th, 2024, 12:30 to 4:00pm
Complete rigging, make costume and rigging adjustments, puppetry/animation coaching: puppets dance!
From left to right: 1) Participants in a CIP Puppet Building Workshop papier-maché the sculpted clay form. 2) Clay and Paper Theatre production artist, Sandra Mannila sews a costume for a Night of Dread rod puppet. 3) A CIP workshop participant paints a rod puppet head.
Workshop fee and registration information
The $300/person workshop fee includes: one consultation call over Zoom; six in-studio sessions; all materials.
To register for this workshop or to ask us any questions you might have, please contact us at workshops.clayandpaper@gmail.com.
Accessibility
The studio is wheelchair accessible. If you have any other access needs that you would like to share with us ahead of time, please do so. While we cannot guarantee that we’ll be able to accommodate every need, we will do our best to find appropriate solutions or alternatives as necessary/available.
How to find the Clay and Paper Theatre studio
Please check out our location description, map, TTC directions and parking details on our Contact page.
I had a wonderful time and learned a lot that can be applied to building puppets big AND small. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the workshop, and I am so glad that Clay & Paper is taking the time to nurture and train other artists in the community! So thank you again!
Workshop Participant
Clay and Paper Theatre 