Twin Cities Puppetry

Illuminating Sound: a shadow puppet and music show

January 10 at 4pm (3pm doors, 3:30pm house)

January 11 at 4pm (3pm doors, 3:30pm house)

At the Southern Theater. 

Illuminating Sound is an innovative shadow puppet and music performance that blends live music and visual storytelling to explore the cyclical nature of time, the creation and destruction of the world, and humanity's impact on the environment.

10th Wave musicians are at the heart of the show and their musical performance creates the visual imagery. The musicians wear large masks to cast silhouettes of deities and the puppeteers around them use focused lights to isolate and magnify the instruments in action, producing sparks of light and texture as they create the universe. Among the creatures born from the darkness is a small bird whose life we follow across the ages. When climate catastrophe strikes, the bird is separated from its flock and befriends a mythical fox-deer. Together they travel the world in search of a new home, only to encounter repeated devastation caused by human exploitation. Can they survive -- and will they ever find a place to belong?

Get tickets here 

The Twin Cities Puppeteers 

Annual Holiday Party

Saturday, January 10th, 4:00 - 7:00 pm

at Grace Episcopal Church, 4557 Colfax Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55419

(In addition to on street parking, the church has a parking lot on Bryant Ave. near the corner of 46th.)

Dinner will be potluck.  You may choose to bring an entree, a salad, a dessert, etc.  Beverages will be provided.

Please RSVP before January 1st, by either emailing or texting Rosemary Caspar ( rlcaspar@gmail.com or 612-716-0928 ) to tell her:

• that you will be joining us (and how many others are coming with you)

• what sort of potluck contribution you will be bringing to the party.

Show and Tell / Perform and Tell:  If you have a holiday or winter themed show (less than 5 minutes) or something else for Show and Tell, this is an opportunity to share.  If you have questions about performing, contact Kurt Hunter (kurt@huntermarionettes.com).

And of course, we will conclude the party by playing the legendary, steeped-in-tradition, WHITE ELEPHANT GAME

(In case you need a note of explanation, find and wrap up a “white elephant” gift,  something you don’t need or use anymore, extra points if it is puppetry related.)

Canada-USA

Puppeteers Get Together

a virtual event

from the

UNIMA North America Commission

Mon., Jan. 10

7:00 pm

Free and Open to the Public

Performances by:

Alex and Olmsted (USA)

Charlotte Lily Gaspard (USA)

Ingrid Hansen (Canada)

Tom Lee (USA)

Adam Francis Proulx (Canada)

Valise Theatre (Canada)

Presentations by:

UNIMA-Canada

UNIMA-USA

Puppeteers of America

Hosted by Mark Blashford   

Click here to register

Mayday Minneapolis

Mayday Minneapolis has begun organizing and fundraising for Mayday 2026 and we need your help to make it happen!

We invite you to a Mayday Mpls Organizing Meeting January 13th (details below) to learn more about the new organization, our capacity, and our current needs for community support and funding.

This will be a working meeting to brainstorm ideas to make Mayday 2026 happen successfully and how to keep Mayday community-driven and sustainable. Note: this is not a meeting to discuss Mayday art-making or themes for the Parade or Ceremony, but rather to talk about the larger organizational and logistical needs for Mayday to happen!

Mayday Minneapolis Intro & Community Organizing Meeting

Tuesday, January 13   7-9pm

Location: St. Paul's Church / Iglesia San Pablo

2742 15th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN

Here are 4 more things you can do to support Mayday and stay connected:

1. Make a one-time or monthly donation to Mayday!! 

(Mayday Mpls is operating under the name Peer Education Health Resources and we assure you that all funds will support the annual Mayday celebration -- read the newsletter to learn more. All donations made through the PayPal Giving Fund or check are tax deductible and free of transaction fees! An official tax-deductible donation receipt will be sent to your email.) 

2. Read the Mayday Minneapolis Introduction Newsletter linked here

3. Sign up for the Mayday newsletter mailing list to stay updated! 

4. Share this information with your friends and family so they can support Mayday too!

Artist Gathering Space (or Puppet Doodle Club)

** We are still working on the name and all input will be welcomed!

Gather with other artists and puppet enthusiasts

Come Join us! 

Third Tuesday of each month, 6-9 pm

starts on January 20th, 2026

2411 Hennepin, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Lightly led/coordinated by Felicia Cooper and Steve Ackerman

* A space to connect in time and space  * A space to share and witness

• Are you looking for an accountability group?

• Would you like a cohort to brainstorm with, to showcase your work and get feedback?

• Are you interested in sharing resources?

• OR are you just looking for a space to be in a community?

• And share some food, ideas and art

*attend often or once in a while * no prerequisites and no restrictions on participation

* Free

* You are welcome to bring food to share but not a requirement

First Saturday Storytime With Chelly

Saturday, February 7th, 2026

10:30 - 11:30 am

Heart of the Beast

2411 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis

Join Chelly and her sidekick Turnip the Dog for a fun-filled storytime, followed by open hours for the puppet library until 2 pm.

This event is free and open to the public.

Finger Puppet Follies

Friday and Saturday, February 13 & 14, 2026

7:30 pm

Heart of the Beast

2411 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis

Come see the Finger Puppet Follies: A Valentine's Day Puppet Slam! 

Local artists will perform an original, tiny 8-10 minute puppetry piece.

Come see the intricate, the minuscule, the teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy fine art of finger puppets!

Partially funded by Puppet Slam Network.

Click here to learn more

Plus

Valentines Sip and Puppet

Saturday, February 14, 2026

1:00 PM  4:00 PM

Looking for a fun activity for Valentine's Day? Join us for a puppet making workshop at HOBT on Feb. 14th for 3 hours of puppet making, connections and light snacks. We will be making Finger Puppets!

Come back for the Finger Follies in the evening - tickets included in the price of this activity.

HOBT Summer Puppet Camps

June Session: Monday, June 22 - Friday, June 26, 2026

August Session: Monday, August 31 - Friday, September 4, 2026

9 am -12 pm and/or 1 pm - 4 pm

Your child will be able to explore the materials and create with others. Each session will have a slightly different focus: creating a puppet show, engaging in improv with newly made puppets, working on individual puppets or masks or a large collaborative project. ALL are welcome. Prior experience is not required. Suggested ages: 7-12.

Click here to learn more