programs

Puppetry is pure imagination.

It is a powerful communication tool for many of our partners. Detroit Puppet Company has collaborated with dozens of local organizations to create and present theatrical experiences that inspire awe. The disarming, interactive nature of puppetry creates a greater potential for resonance and emotional connection with the audience, making puppets a powerful medium for novel perspectives.

 
 

Recurring Programming

An evening outdoor performance with a cardboard stage and backdrop, as part of the annual Detroit Puppet Slam, with an engaged seated audience. Live music by two musicians accompanies the performance.

Detroit Puppet Slam

An annual celebration of puppet talent in Detroit since 2016. This annual event provides stipends for new and contemporary puppet works by local and national artists, presented to Detroit and Hamtramck audiences.

 
An evening outdoor performance, as part of the biannual Outdoor Summer Series, with a large audience seated in a semicircle around the performance.

Outdoor Summer Series

A biannual series of works by local and nationally-recognized artists, including performances, screenings, workshops, and talks, hosted within the Detroit Puppet Company Amphitheater and Community Greenspace.

 
 
 
 
A performance rehearsal of O Motherland!, with a profile of puppeteer James Abbott looking toward a large shadow outline of a lion on a projector screen.

Original Works & Community Collaborations

Our original works are a fresh rotation of performances and narratives that we feel are important to share, often inspired by the diverse cultures and experiences of our city. Typically developed in collaboration with local organizations and community partners, these works can be seen at our amphitheater and in bookings at venues around the city.

 
An outdoor performance rehearsal of Frogs, as part of the performance series Zoo Stories, with a large yellow frog costume and puppet operated by puppeteer James Abbott, beside a small puppet stage, operated by puppeteer Monty Etzcorn.

Puppet Storytelling & Performance Commissions

We work with organizations to communicate concepts using vivid storytelling, imagination and craft. In a recent partnership with the Detroit Zoo, the Detroit Puppet Company produced a multi-year series about the effects of climate change on animals around the world.

 
 

booking

Let’s collaborate!

We are available for bookings of the programs above as well as collaborations with other cultural groups or community organizations—do you have a puppet-centric idea? We would love to talk more!

Contact us about booking or learn more below.