Puppetry Trio

The Puppetry Trio brings together three distinct puppet performances, presented in a single ticketed experience. While the stories are not connected, each piece uses puppetry as its central storytelling medium—showcasing how the form can shift in tone, style, and subject matter across different audiences.

The performances are intentionally ordered to escalate in recommended age, thematic complexity, and emotional depth. Beginning with an all-ages surreal exploration, moving into playful folklore with gentle scares, and concluding with an absurdist reimagining of a literary classic, the Puppetry Trio offers audiences a chance to experience the wide expressive range of contemporary puppetry.

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Audience members are welcome to attend the full trio or use the progression as a guide when choosing which performances are the best fit for their group. The shows will premiere in the following order:

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La Petite Volontaire

Written by Brittany Conder
Directed by Brittany Conder
Music composed by Thom Batts
Set building by Brittany Conder and Infinity Productions
Set painting by Brittany Conder, Elise Frazier, Krista Portale, Barrett Smyth
Spider fabrication by Brittany Conder
Spider puppeteer and voicing by Trevor Fitzpatrick
Robotic Dung Beetle by Brittany Conder, Lincoln Auker, Daniel Fitzgerald, Aecert Robotics
Props by Brittany Conder and Lincoln Auker

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B has been trapped in bed by self doubt for too long. Experience the surreal and supernatural as she explores her thoughts and the world around her. Sometimes all you need is an open window, a box of electrical components, and a good pair of hiking boots.

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Recommended for: All Ages

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Sally Salem’s Horror in the Holler!

Written and directed by Zoë Peterson

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Fun-loving witch, Sally Salem, is doing some spring-cleaning with Yorick the talking skull, as well as her niece and nephew. Upon discovering a book of Kentucky legends, they decide to take turns bringing these creepy tales of the commonwealth to life in this brand new immersive show filled with puppetry and magic! Join Sally and her family as they explore legends like the Goatman of Pope Lick, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and the Witch Girl of Pilot’s Knob. Who knows? Maybe there's more than just hearsay in the holler....

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Age Recommendation: Ages 8+, recommended to be accompanied by an adult.

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Content Warning:
Please note that while listed, most of the items below are played for humor. This performance is interactive, and puppets and props are shown to the audience to make it clear that what is being presented is theatrical and not real.

• Contains themes of death/dying
• Contains themes of grief
• Contains references to animal cruelty
• Uses red scarves/stuffed animals to represent fake blood or bodies
• Contains references to sexism and violence against women (witch trials)
• Includes thunder and lightning sound effects

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Mary Shelley Electric Company presents The Tongue

Adapted and directed by Katherine Martin
Design and fabrication by Deva North
Choreography by Megan Adair
Music by Chris Martin-Leidner

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In this whimsical reimagining of Nikolai Gogol’s short story The Nose, Iva finds a tongue in her morning roll, Kova seems to have misplaced hers, and the Tongue herself sashays about town with confidence and subversive playfulness. Interlacing traditional theater with puppetry, mask, dance, and live music, Kova frets and twaddles as she searches for her tongue and tries to reclaim her pride amid absurdity. As she does so, the audience is asked to embrace the nonsense of our world where women often illogically lose, find, and reclaim parts of themselves.

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Recommended for: Teen and Adult Audiences

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