A Very Special 2-Day Event...
Friday evening the doors open at 6:30 pm for check-in and walk-in registration. FESTIVAL! 2006 begins at approximately 7:00 pm and will
dismiss at about 9:30 pm Friday night after watching the first, fun-filled XP3 performance.
Activities resume Saturday morning at 8:30 am and continue until about noon. Then we shift gears and view the second high-energy XP3 performance followed by performances by other attendees which will be evaluated by our team of professionals. PLUS - we top off each day with our famous FREE puppet give-away which every registered attendee is eligible to receive.

Choose From These 15 Classes...
BASIC PUPPETRY:
Instruction for beginners including all the basic techniques you need to know including: handling a puppet, lip sync, mouth action, eye contact, posture, entrances and exits. Hands-on class for those with little or no puppetry experience.
USING PUPPET ARMS:
It isn't always instinctive and many puppeteers can use this practical instruction on how to add more life to their puppets by using the arms. Get hands-on experience with one and two rod performance as well as with the more specialized human hand puppet.
 CHOREOGRAPHY
Puppets are much more fun to watch when they're doing something.  Attend this class to learn what they can do and how to do it.  A hands-on class suitable for puppeteers at any level.
IMPROVISATION
We'll introduce you to the fundamentals of good improv you can use with or without puppets.  A hands-on class geared to experienced puppeteers and live performers.
SOLO PUPPETRY:
Learn different performance types using only one puppeteer and how to maximize their effectiveness. Performance types include: ventriloquist style, silent puppet, Strolling Stage, and Puppetume™ (radio controlled mascot-type character).
ADVANCED PUPPETRY:
Learn to think like a pro. Tips and techniques you can use to take your puppetry to the next level. Learn the importance of wrist suppleness, movement translation, team mind, and more.  A Hands-on class intended for those with moderate puppetry experience.
DESIGNING A SHOW:
This class helps team directors (and any other performers who want to correctly assemble their presentations) learn how to put together a program that retains interest of the audience long enough to deliver its message. Tips on song selection, program order, and how to include the message throughout the production are included.
TECHNICAL STUFF:
Details on blacklight and other special effects, stage design and construction, lighting, and sound systems.
OBJECT LESSONS:
Instruction on how to create your own object
lessons as well as info on how to best present them. Demonstrations of practical object lessons and how to present them.
STREET SKILLS:
Learn to attract attention and teach spiritual lessons anywhere with these two popular skills: juggling and balloon sculpture.  This is an energetic and hysterical hands-on class intended for anyone who wants to try.
PUPPETS WITH A HEART:
A very special kind of puppetry using a very special kind of puppet. Designed for solo or duo puppeteers. Exclusive to Puppet Productions' School of Puppetry, this class is for people who have a great heart for others who hurt.
REACHING AND TEACHING KIDS
This demonstration/lecture class for children's workers includes an intro to clowning and gospel illusion.  Several illusions will be demonstrated.  For older teens and up.
BUILDING CHARACTERS
Get the basics of script writing and voice characterization.  Learn the secrets to writing a good script.  Then, find out how to select and develop voices for the characters.  This participation class is for anyone who wants to try.
 VBS AND RALLIES
Here's the scoop on planning and running a successful Vacation Bible School or Children's Rally.  Organizational tips, ideas, and practical information you can use to make things happen in your area or on mission trips.  Lecture/Discussion class.
CREATIVE MINISTRY IDEAS:
This participation style, non-puppetry oriented lecture/demonstration/discussion class will help open new horizons to those interested in keeping their approach to teaching children fresh.


PERFORMANCES!

Watch performances by highly-trained, professional puppeteers who will show you how it’s done and then reveal the secrets through our special Behind the Curtain™
performances.

CLASSES!

Whether you are starting in puppetry from scratch or looking for new skills, you’ll find help in your choice of FIVE class sessions (two on Friday evening and three on Saturday morning). Check out the list at left to see the classes we'll be offering.

REGISTRATION!

PRE-registration rate: $25 (per person) Or  online for $22! Walk-in registration rate: $30 (per person)
Group PRE-registration rate: $20 (8 or more)
Or online for $17!		 Group walk-in registration rate: $25
(8 or more)

Wanna Register Now? 
Click This Link!

 

For those puppeteers who really want to get a feel for how the pros work, we’re bringing back the eXtreme Puppetry 3xperience. This approximately 4 hour track will take a small group of participants and prepare them to put on TWO high-energy, high-quality performances for all attendees - one on Friday evening and another, different show on Saturday. Special registration is required and participation is eXtremely limited. Click the XP3 logo below to get more information.

GIVE-AWAYS!

As always, we’ll be giving away quality Puppet Productions puppets and product as door prizes. Every attendee is eligible but early leavers must be punished so -- you must be present to win!


EVALUATIONS!

IT'S NOT A COMPETITION! Take advantage of the opportunity to have your team do its stuff in front of an audience and have the performance evaluated by our team of pros. You'll receive an honest evaluation of your team’s strong and weak points in writing and, if time permits, a personal and private explanation of that evaluation. If your team's goal is to be the best you can be, then you need to know where you need the polish. This is your chance to get loads of input from professionals. And, in addition to all the input, your team will take home a *FREE PUPPET as our thanks for sharing with everyone at FESTIVAL! (*Your group must consist of at least 6 paid attendees to be eligible for the free puppet.) Evaluations begin at approximately noon on Saturday.

RULES
Of course there are some, but we try to keep them at a minimum.

• Your performance can be a song, skit or combination of the two but cannot exceed five minutes in duration.

• Your performance may be either live or prerecorded. We will have up to 4 headset mics available. If your show is prerecorded, we can accommodate CDs ONLY. Sorry, we have no cassette players - welcome to the 21st Century.

• A very modest Evaluation Fee of $15 per group is required to reserve a performance slot. This fee must be paid at the time you pre-register your group. Performance slots are limited in number and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis so pre-registration is STRONGLY SUGGESTED.

• There will not be time for every team to set up a stage, lights, and sound system, so all teams will perform from behind our stage using our general lighting and/or black lights and sound system. Performers will work from behind an AdjustaStage™ which means MAXIMUM available performance space is as follows: Front (kneeling) Area = 11' wide, 7' deep; Back (standing) Area = 11' wide plus a 4' wing on each side. CAUTION: These dimensions are stage limits only. The limitations of the church location may force a smaller performance area so please be prepared to work in smaller confines if possible. If you have an exceptionally large group you may want to consider dividing it into multiple performance teams and registering for more than one performance slot ($15 fee applies to each performance slot (e.g., if your group needed two slots, $30 would be required to evaluate both performances.)

• Every team will have up to FOUR minutes to set up and ONE minute to take down. Use of costumes, props and sets is encouraged, but remember your time limits.

• Our stage MAY NOT have mounting hardware that matches yours so we STRONGLY suggest using only soft sets that can be draped over a backdrop or sets that stand alone without requiring any attachment to our stage.

• If performance slots are available, some groups who have not pre-registered may permitted to perform at the discretion of the evaluators. The $15 fee will be required and all other rules apply.

Can't get to a FESTIVAL! this year? Perhaps you'll be interested in attending a School of Puppetry Workshop. It's the same great training condensed into a single evening. Click the link for info on Workshops.

School of Puppetry Workshop Info